Trump gives update on US-Putin talks - after doubling India tariffs in oil row

The three issues with US tariffs on India

Donald Trump has announced a new 25% tariff on India to address its continued purchase of Russian oil.

The US president said he believed declining global energy prices could pressure Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. 

But speaking tonight to chief presenter Mark Austin, the UK's former ambassador to Russia says there are three main issues with Trump's plan to target New Delhi.

"The first problem is that India is not the only buyer of Russian oil, there are others too," Sir Laurie Bristow says.

"And as of now, I've seen no announcements made against, for example, China or Turkey or others."

The second issue, Sir Laurie says, is that even if India's purchase of Russian oil were to end completely today, it "wouldn't cause enough damage to the Russian economy to fundamentally cause Putin to have to settle for a peace deal".

"The third point, which I think is the really crucial one, is that the US relationship with India is of strategic importance to them.

"The Indians themselves trying to manage a very difficult relationship with China. And what we don't want to do is push India into a situation where they have to rely on Russia because their strategic relationship with the US is broken over this. 

"I think Mr Putin knows that perfectly well."

Aftermath of Russian strikes in Ukraine

Back to the battlefield now, where Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at least two people have been killed after an overnight Russian strike in Zaporizhzhia.

Ukraine's president said 12 people were injured, and accused Russia of showing "zero military sense" in its attack.

Zelenskyy: Putin 'more inclined to ceasefire'

Ukraine's president has said it seems like Russia is "more inclined to a ceasefire" after today's meeting between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Vladimir Putin.

"The pressure on them works," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.

"But the main thing is that they do not deceive us in the details - neither us nor the US."

As we've been reporting, Donald Trump discussed Witkoff's meeting with Putin during a call with Zelenskyy and other European leaders - including Sir Keir Starmer - this evening.

Starmer joined call with Zelenskyy and Trump

Sky News understands that Sir Keir Starmer was among the European leaders who joined Volodymyr Zelenskyy on his call with Donald Trump earlier.

The Ukrainian president said Trump briefed him and other leaders on what happened during today's meeting between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Zelenskyy: Trump, European leaders and I spoke about Witkoff's Putin meeting

Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he discussed the details of US envoy Steve Witkoff's meeting with Vladimir Putin earlier during a call with Donald Trump.

The Ukrainian leader said he and Trump were joined by European leaders on the phone call.

"Our joint position with our partners is absolutely clear - the war must end. And it must be done honestly," he said.

"Ukraine will definitely defend its independence. We all need a lasting and reliable peace. Russia must end the war that it itself started. Thank you to everyone who stands with Ukraine."

'Russia isn't serious about Trump's deadline'

As we've mentioned, it appears the US will impose secondary sanctions on Russia on Friday - but is Moscow taking Washington seriously on its threats?

America's former ambassador to Ukraine says he's seen nothing from Trump in his seven months in office that would suggest he'd actually apply any serious sanctions on Moscow.

"The problem is that Trump set in the spring, maybe three times, deadlines of two weeks," Steven Pifer told chief presenter Mark Austin.

"Each time, the Russians did nothing to meet the deadline and Trump did nothing in terms of punitive measures against Moscow, so I'm not sure how serious they're treating this Friday deadline."

Pifer says that Vladimir Putin has consistently tried to portray himself as being prepared to engage with peace talks "without making any real compromise".

"I think what Putin is trying to do is string Trump along while he continues to let the Russian military do its thing against the Ukrainians on the ground."

Instead of placing tariffs on countries like India who still purchase Russian oil, Pifer says the best course of action to hurt Moscow would be to seize the nearly $300bn in frozen Russian assets and make those funds available for Ukraine. 

"That would signal to Putin that Ukraine will have the funding to continue this war for five, six, seven years. And then Putin has to ask himself, is he prepared to continue to pay the price in Russian lives lost that we've seen over the last two or three years?"

Trump hails Witkoff's 'highly productive' meeting with Putin

Donald Trump has shared an update on today's meeting between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Witkoff and Putin had a "highly productive" meeting in Moscow, adding that "great progress was made".

White House official: Secondary sanctions coming on Friday

A White House official says US envoy Steve Witkoff's meeting with Vladimir Putin today went well, but Washington is still planning to impose secondary sanctions on Friday, Donald Trump's deadline for Vladimir Putin to end the war.

Secondary sanctions are designed to prevent third parties from trading with countries subject to sanctions. 

The official added that Russia was "eager" to continue engaging with the US.

In the meantime, Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have reportedly ended their call now.

-SKY NEWS