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Ukraine's foreign minister says Lavrov 'has no legitimacy to talk about legitimacy'

Ukraine's foreign minister has hit back at his Russian counterpart after he said Volodymyr Zelenskyy "is not" legitimate.

Moscow has questioned the legitimacy of Ukraine's president after elections in the country were postponed last year due to martial law.

"When we come to a stage when you have to sign documents, we would need a very clear understanding by everybody that the person who is signing is legitimate," Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said (see 16.40 post).

"According to the Ukrainian constitution, Zelenskyy is not at the moment."

Andrii Sybiha has responded to Lavrov's comments, and said: "Nothing is more absurd than a lecture on legitimacy from someone who has sat in his chair for 21 years, serving someone who has been ruling for more than 25 years."

"He has no legitimacy to talk about legitimacy," he added.

"Such delusional statements show that Russia rejects peace efforts."

Vance says Russia and Ukraine have made 'some significant concessions'

US vice president JD Vance has said Russia and Ukraine have made "some significant concessions... just in the last few days".

Speaking to our US partner network NBC News, Vance was also asked about Russia's strike that hit an electronics factory owned by a US-based company this week.

"I don't like it," he replied.

"But this is a war, and this is why we want to stop the killing.

"The Russians have done a lot of things that we don't like, a lot of civilians have died, we've condemned that stuff from the get-go and, frankly, President Trump has done more to apply pressure... certainly than Joe Biden did."

Explained: Why Trump believes he 'deserves the Nobel Peace Prize'

When Donald Trump met Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House this week, the US president claimed he has "ended six wars".

The following day, he told reporters he had, in fact, resolved seven.

Experts have told Sky News that Trump has made "no secret that he would love nothing more" than winning the prestigious accolade, with suggestions he is a worthy candidate stretching back to his first term.

Here, Sky News takes a look at why Trump believes he is so deserving of the prize.

Michael Clarke: Putin dominates Trump 'intellectually, politically and morally'

Our security and defence analyst Michael Clarke has been back answering your questions on the war in Ukraine this week.

Asked about the recent meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska, he said "the pattern is the same".

"Putin dominates Trump, intellectually, politically and morally. Every meeting, Trump comes away saying exactly what Putin wants him to say."

Clarke explained that the outcomes of the meeting between Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders on Monday are "already slipping through our fingers like sand".

"Even the idea there'll be a trilateral meeting is now in doubt... it's pretty sad but also not very surprising," he added.

Carney joins Zelenskyy as Ukraine celebrates independence day

We've been bringing you updates through the day as Ukraine marks its independence day.

Watch the video below as Volodymyr Zelenskyy was joined by Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney in Kyiv.

Former Ukrainian MP insists 'this war is winnable'

A former Ukrainian MP has insisted that the war "is winnable" and called on allies for more support.

Speaking to our presenter Jonathan Samuels, Hanna Hopko said Ukrainians "don't trust any Russian readiness to end the war".

"We haven't seen a ceasefire commitment from Russia," she said.

"They're trying to sell us a so-called big deal but it means the continuation of the war, and Russia wants to buy more time."

But Hopko added that Donald Trump is reluctant to impose "tougher, secondary sanctions" on Russia, and stated that a victory of Ukraine is the best security guarantee for NATO and for Europe.

"You should learn from Ukraine to prepare for confrontations with Russia because Putin hasn't changed his ambitious goal," she warned.

Ukraine liberates three Donetsk villages from Russian forces, commander says

The commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces has said three frontline villages in Donetsk have been liberated from occupying Russian forces.

In a post on social media, Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukraine's forces "successfully counterattacked and cleared" the villages of Zelenyi Hai, Mykhailivka and Volodymyrivka.

"Defending Ukrainian independence and the Ukrainian flag is not just empty words, but a daily risk and a daily feat," he added.

Zelenskyy and Carney lay flowers at memorial in Kyiv

More from Kyiv now, where Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney on Ukraine's Independence Day.

The pair joined Zelenskyy's wife, Olena Zelenska, as they laid flowers at the memorial wall in Kyiv, paying respects to those that have been killed since 2014.

What security guarantees could work?

Security guarantees have long been talked about as a way of ensuring peace in Ukraine when fighting comes to an end.

Since March, when the UK and France spearheaded a largely European "coalition of the willing" and potential peacekeeping force, many have claimed it would be ineffective without American backing.

The US has repeatedly refused to be drawn on its involvement - until now.

In the video below, military analyst Sean Bell takes a look at what security guarantees could work.

Security guarantees for Ukraine 'must be subject to consensus', Russian foreign minister says

Russia's foreign minister has said security guarantees "must be subject to consensus" after Ukraine's allies met earlier this week to discuss protections.

Sergei Lavrov told our US partner network NBC News that Russia had presented security guarantees "several times".

He added that Vladimir Putin is ready to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy "when the agenda is ready" but suggested that Russia's president won't sign a peace agreement with his Ukrainian counterpart.

Moscow has questioned the legitimacy of Ukraine's president after elections in the country were postponed last year due to martial law.

"When we come to a stage when you have to sign documents, we would need a very clear understanding by everybody that the person who is signing is legitimate," he said.

"According to the Ukrainian constitution, Zelenskyy is not at the moment."

'Our people are coming home': Zelenskyy's message after Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap

We've heard from Volodymyr Zelenskyy after today's prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine (see 13.02 post for more details).

"Today, our people are coming home," he wrote in a post on X.

Ukraine's president also thanked the UAE for its assistance in the exchange, adding "I thank everyone whose work makes it possible for our people to return home".

Putin miscalculated in Ukraine and has 'lost badly already', Lord Ricketts says

One of Britain's most experienced senior diplomats says Vladimir Putin "absolutely" miscalculated by invading Ukraine in 2022 and says Russia has "lost badly already".

Lord Ricketts, the UK's former national security adviser, says Russia has been gradually making progress on the ground in Ukraine but has failed to achieve the goals it set out at the start of the conflict.

"One of the things they did not want was NATO closer to Russia. Well, they've got Finland and Sweden in NATO now. They would never have joined if it hadn't been for the war," he says.

"And they've also got new determination by the Europeans to up their spending on defence, to take on more responsibility and to stand with Ukraine. 

"So I think in the big picture, Russia has really lost. And Ukraine is now going to be a pro-Western, democratic country for the long term."

Asked by presenter Leah Boleto whether this means Putin miscalculated by invading Ukraine, Lord Ricketts says: "Yes I do, absolutely".

"The Russians have had a million casualties killed and wounded and he's achieved none of his objectives. And I think he's probably created a pro-Western Ukraine. So, yes, I think he's miscalculated."

-SKY NEWS