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During a visit to Kyiv yesterday, Stubb said he supported Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian territory, arguing that they could raise the cost of war for Russia and help force Moscow to the negotiating table.

When asked to respond, Peskov said: “We now see that such escalatory statements have prevailed. Mr Stubb is also a prominent representative of the ‘war party’, along with the British prime minister. They have distinguished themselves over the past few days with such bellicose statements. They want the war to continue.”

Key events

• 38m ago

  Zelenskyy: Ukraine has ⁠received a ⁠small number ⁠of US-made ​Patriot interceptors

• 1h ago

  Russia rejects French accusations of Moscow carrying out cyberattack campaign

• 2h ago

  US military plane lands in Moscow - report

• 2h ago

  Kremlin accuses Burnham of wanting Ukraine war to continue

• 3h ago

  Perpetrators behind German airport drone bomb 'will pay,' says Merz

• 3h ago

  At least 35,000 excess deaths recorded in Europe’s back-to-back heatwaves

• 4h ago

  Opening summary: Burnham to take Zelenskyy's pleas for Patriot missiles to Trump - report

Raphael Boyd

A man from Yorkshire is believed to be the first British citizen to die fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Bradley Townsend, a 33-year-old fisher from Barnsley, left Britain in April to join up with Russian separatists in eastern Donbas to aid in their invasion of Ukraine, despite having no previous combat experience or familiar ties to eastern Europe. Alongside 49-year-old Ben Stimson and 39-year-old Aiden Minnis, Townsend was granted Russian citizenship for joining the country’s military campaign.

He is believed to have been killed by a remote-controlled first-person-view drone near Lyman, a city in Donetsk, on 10 June. He appeared in videos posted to social media by pro-Russian accounts, including one seemingly owned by Stimson, who was jailed in the UK in 2015 prior to Russia’s full scale invasion for travelling to join pro-Russian troops to fight in the region.

Read more:

Zelenskyy: Ukraine has ⁠received a ⁠small number ⁠of US-made ​Patriot interceptors

Ukraine has ⁠recently received a ⁠small number ⁠of US-made ​Patriot interceptors capable ⁠of downing Russian ballistic missiles, President ⁠Volodymyr ​Zelenskyy ‌said on Tuesday.

Reuters reports the ‌country also ‌got confirmation of future supplies of the French Crotale surface-to-air ‌missile system. He did not ​say how ​many ​had arrived, ​or ‌who ​had ​supplied them. Zelenskyy was speaking to Ukrainian state broadcaster Suspilne.

Russia rejects French accusations of Moscow carrying out cyberattack campaign

A lot of diplomatic news out of Moscow today, where the Russian foreign ministry has rejected accusations ⁠by ​France that Moscow ⁠allegedly conducted a cyberattack ⁠campaign ​against ‌European ‌countries including France, ‌saying Paris was trying to revive the “myth ‌of a ‘Russian threat.’”

Vatican envoy Paul Gallagher met Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow earlier today, and Reuters has some snap quotes from Pope Leo XIV’s representative following the meeting. He is quoted as saying that “The Ukrainian war must end” and that the pair discussed “avenues for pursuing lasting and just peace in Ukraine”.

In relation to the post on a US military plane landing in Moscow (at 11:23), Reuters reported that the last time a US jet flew to Russia from Europe was in ​January, when special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner travelled to Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin for peace talks.

Also in Moscow this morning, Vatican envoy Paul Gallagher met Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, stressing the importance of diplomacy and dialogue during what he called a difficult time for international relations, Reuters reports.

Gallagher said ‌the world needed diplomacy ​more than ever.

US military plane lands in Moscow - report

A US military transport aircraft has landed in Moscow, according to air traffic monitoring data cited by Russia’s Tass news agency.

Data showed the plane departed from Joint Base Andrews near Washington on Sunday, transited Riga in Latvia and landed in Moscow at about 10am local time this morning.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov had no information about the Boeing C-17A Globemaster III that landed in Moscow, Tass reported.

There’s scant information available at the moment but we will bring you more as we get it.

Kremlin accuses Burnham of wanting Ukraine war to continue

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has accused Andy Burnham of wanting the conflict in Ukraine to continue, saying the UK prime minister and Finnish president Alexander Stubb belonged to the “party of war”, Russian media reported.

During a visit to Kyiv yesterday, Stubb said he supported Ukraine’s long-range strikes on Russian territory, arguing that they could raise the cost of war for Russia and help force Moscow to the negotiating table.

When asked to respond, Peskov said: “We now see that such escalatory statements have prevailed. Mr Stubb is also a prominent representative of the ‘war party’, along with the British prime minister. They have distinguished themselves over the past few days with such bellicose statements. They want the war to continue.”

Perpetrators behind German airport drone bomb 'will pay,' says Merz

We are seeing the first reports of German chancellor Friedrich Merz’s statement this morning ahead of a cabinet meeting in Brandenburg.

He has spoken out for the first time about the attempted drone attack on Leipzig airport earlier this month. As my colleagues Deborah Cole and Andrew Roth reported at the time, a small drone carrying explosives was found at Leipzig/Halle airport, a major cargo and military logistics hub that handles aid shipments to Ukraine. The incident triggered an alarm and forced several flights to be diverted. German police deployed a bomb disposal robot to defuse and destroy the explosive device, which was found in the vicinity of several Ukrainian cargo planes.

Merz said Germany has “increasingly come into the crosshairs of hybrid attackers” and that perpetrators must face consequences. “They will pay for it,” Merz said, according to the German newspaper Die Welt.

Merz said ‌his government was “working closely with the security authorities” on the matter, and that it will present its findings “shortly”.

Local media, citing security sources, have reported potential Russian involvement ​in the ​attempted attack, but Merz did not comment on the possible perpetrators.

At least 35,000 excess deaths recorded in Europe’s back-to-back heatwaves

In other news, at least 35,000 more people died during Europe’s record-breaking heatwaves this summer than would normally be expected, the Guardian’s Europe correspondent Jon Henley reports.

According to provisional national figures, which cover barely half of the continent, excess mortality in three of the EU’s larger countries – Germany, France and Spain – has already exceeded 25,000, as experts warn the toll will rise significantly once August totals are consolidated.

Read more:

Zelenskyy has been thanking world leaders individually on X for their messages of support on Ukraine’s independence day (35, and counting). Here is his message to King Charles and Queen Camilla:

double quotation markWarm and sincere Independence Day wishes from His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty The Queen are deeply moving and exceptionally meaningful.

I am grateful for the emphasis on Ukraine’s history, rich culture, and unyielding national spirit, as well as the resilience of the Ukrainian people, who continue to defend their homeland and uphold the values that define our state.

The steadfast friendship between Ukraine and the United Kingdom remains an invaluable wellspring of strength for our nation.

We are sincerely grateful for the constant solidarity shown by the British people. Our special bond is built upon our shared commitment to freedom, democracy, and justice.

I wish His Majesty good health and continued success, as well as peace and prosperity for the United Kingdom and its people.”

It’s worth reading Zelenskyy’s social media post about Trump in full (particularly the last line). Here is what he wrote on X:

double quotation markI received warm and heartening congratulations from President Trump on the 35th Anniversary of the Restoration of Ukraine’s Independence:

“Dear Mr. President:

On behalf of the American people, I congratulate you and the citizens of Ukraine on your Independence Day. August 24 is a day to celebrate our enduring friendship built on 35 years of diplomatic relations, a bond that has only deepened since Ukraine gained its independence.

With courageous, brave, and talented people, you have built a great country. As you commemorate this important occasion, know that the United States stands in admiration of your resilient spirit, honors your sacrifices, and remains confident in your future as a sovereign, prosperous nation.

Let us seize this moment to end the conflict and build a durable, lasting peace that unleashes the tremendous potential of Ukraine for generations to come.

Sincerely,

Donald J. Trump”

These words, much like the sound of a Patriot PAC-3 launch, lift our spirits and give hope that lives can be protected from Russia’s savage attacks and that a dignified peace can be achieved. Thank you, President Trump and all Americans, for your support and congratulations!”

Opening summary: Burnham to take Zelenskyy's pleas for Patriot missiles to Trump - report

Hello, and welcome to our Europe live blog. A day after hosting world leaders in Ukraine for the country’s independence day celebrations, president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has taken to social media with a flurry of posts thanking those who sent their best wishes, including Donald Trump.

The Ukrainian president appeared to make a pointed nod to one of his most pressing requests, saying Trump’s message of support lifted spirits “much like the sound of a Patriot PAC-3 launch”. The US Patriot air defence system has been instrumental in protecting Ukraine’s cities from Russian attacks, but stocks are running dangerously low. The shortage has been compounded by the US and Israel’s war on Iran, with Patriot interceptors diverted to defend US bases and regional allies in the Middle East, leaving fewer available for Ukraine as Russia continues to launch waves of ballistic missiles.

In his first international trip as prime minister, Andy Burnham arrived in Kyiv yesterday where he announced the UK government will release the blueprints for British-made components for the Scalp missile, a French version of the UK’s Storm Shadow cruise missile, allowing Ukraine to work with France to produce its own version.

“Ukraine has been Europe’s protector, not a drain on our security, but the frontline of keeping Europe safe,” Burnham said.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Burnham said he would travel to the New York next month to join European leaders lobbying Trump to supply Ukraine with Patriot missiles. If it goes ahead, it would be his first trip to the US as prime minister.

Burnham said he was “really optimistic” that Ukraine’s interceptor shortage was “fixable”, but added: “There are other players who could help in the mix who we have influence with. It’s probably going to be a solution that involves a lot of layers and a lot of negotiation.”

Also today:

• European council president, António Costa, is on his way to Slovakia as part of his annual tour of European capitals. He is scheduled to hold talks in Bratislava with prime minister Robert Fico, who has not been as forthcoming as other European leaders on military aid to Ukraine.

• Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov will host the Vatican’s most senior diplomat, Paul Gallagher, for talks in Moscow. The official Vatican News described the four-day visit as “a mission of dialogue and peace”, but made no mention of whether Ukraine would be on the agenda.

• German chancellor Friedrich Merz is back from summer recess and is meeting with his ministers in Brandenburg this morning. He faces a crucial test at the polls next month, with his party under pressure to hold ground against the surging far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). The AfD has a real chance of taking power in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September – one of three state elections taking place this autumn – in what could be a major blow to Merz’s coalition.