Trump-Ukraine latest updates: US president tells Zelensky to give up Crimea and Nato ambitions ahead of White House meeting in Washington DC

Hungary has accused Ukraine of attacking a pipeline of Russian crude oil which supplies the country, prompting flows to be halted.

“Ukraine has once again attacked the oil pipeline leading to Hungary, cutting off supplies,” Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said. “This latest strike against our energy security is outrageous and unacceptable!”

Hungary, despite being an EU and Nato member state, holds friendly relations with Russia and has held a far softer stance to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine than its European allies.

Mr Szijjarto added that he had spoken with Russian deputy energy minister Pavel Sorokin who said experts were working to restore the transformer.

Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports:

Volodymyr Zelensky’s meeting with Donald Trump is “absolutely crucial” in bringing about peace in Ukraine, a UK minister has said.

The Ukrainian president’s talks with his US counterpart, at which he will be flanked by European leaders including Sir Keir Starmer, are “such an important moment”, Stephen Kinnock added.

Asked how important the meeting is, health minister Mr Kinnock told the BBC: “It is absolutely crucial. This is going to be such an important moment for the talks that need to take place to ensure that we move towards peace to an end to this terrible war.”

He said Sir Keir has clear objectives for the talks, including to agree “ironclad” security guarantees for the country and that no decisions about Ukraine can be taken without Ukraine.

“It’s very good that they are going to Washington to send a very clear signal to Moscow and to the rest of the world in terms of where we stand on these matters,” Mr Kinnock added.

We’ve been hearing from Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Merezhko, who tells The Independent that Volodymyr Zelensky will be confident going into his meeting with a “changed” Donald Trump.

Mr Merezhko, the head Ukraine’s parliamentary foreign committee, in June withdrew a Nobel Peace Prize nomination he had made for Trump the previous November, stating that he had “lost any sort of faith and belief” in the US president.

But ahead of Monday’s meeting with Mr Zelensky, Mr Merezhko retains hope – and says the US president has changed since he infamously booted his Ukrainian counterpart from the White House in February.

“Trump has changed. He has changed, at least for some time, his stance on Russia when he said he was disappointed with Putin.”

Mr Merezhko notes that Russia has continued bombarding Ukraine since Putin and Trump met in person in Alaska last week.

“So Putin didn’t stop. And I’m sure that Trump will take at least into consideration that Putin is not going to stop. Despite the red carpet greetings and so on, Putin cannot be corrected. He’s incorrigible.”

Mr Zelensky will be “confident” going into the meeting with the entire country behind him, the MP added.

A Ukrainian drone intercepted by Russia near the Smolensk nuclear power plant detonated after falling but did not cause significant damage to the plant, Russia’s nuclear power corporation Rosatom said on Monday.

“The damage is insignificant, there are no casualties,” Rosatom said.

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Sunday it had prevented a Ukrainian drone attack on the Smolensk nuclear power plant.

Ukraine’s foreign minister has hit out at Russia for continuing to kill civilians despite peace efforts ahead of the meeting between the Ukrainian and American presidents.

“Russia is a murderous war machine that Ukraine is holding back. And it must be stopped through transatlantic unity and pressure,” Andrii Sybiha wrote on X about Russia’s Monday attack on Kharkiv.

Ukrainian authorities said an attack on Kharkiv killed at least four people overnight, including a child.

China has weighed in with its expectations on the efforts towards peace in Ukraine.

Beijing expects all stakeholders to participate in peace talks soon, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday.

Mao Ning added that China supports all efforts for peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis.

Beijing has consistently outwardly expressed its desire for peace in Ukraine, but has has been a key backer of Russia’s war-time economy, due to Western sanctions.

Monday is set to be a vital day of diplomacy for Ukraine and its European allies.

The White House has released a schedule which shows that Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky and their teems will hold a meeting first, before a larger meeting involving European leaders.

Here’s the schedule in full:

12pm (5pm UK time): European leaders are expected to arrive at the White House. Their arrivals will be broadcast on TV.

1pm to 1:15pm (6-6:15pm UK time): Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump will greet each other and go into a meeting in the Oval Office, also expected to be attended by JD Vance.

2:15pm to 2:30pm (7:15-7:30 UK time): The US president will welcome European leaders into the State Dining Room. A family photo will be taken in the Cross Hall.

3pm: Trump and European leaders – including Mr Zelensky – will hold a meeting in the White House’s East Room.

Ahead of Volodymyr Zelensky’s crucial White House return later today, Ukraine is continuing to face barrages of Russian drones at home.

Four missiles and 140 drones were launched in Ukraine’s direction overnight, the country’s air force said.

This is a relatively small number in comparison to recent months, which has seen well over 500 projectiles fired on some of the worst nights.

Ukraine’s air force downed 88 drones and recorded hits in 25 locations across six Ukrainian regions, according to the statement posted on the Telegram messaging app.

German foreign minister Johann Wadephul has called for pressure on Russia to be ramped up, including more aid for Ukraine, to push Moscow into concessions toward a “just and lasting peace”.

Mr Wadephul spoke in Tokyo as US president Donald Trump prepares to host Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders including German chancellor Friedrich Merz.

“It is probably not an exaggeration to say the whole world is looking to Washington,” he said at a press briefing alongside Japanese foreign minister Takeshi Iwaya.

“Firm security guarantees are central” because “Ukraine must be able to defend itself effectively even after a ceasefire and peace agreement”, he added.

Mr Merz, French president Emmanuel Macron, British prime minister Keir Starmer and other European leaders met Sunday to bolster Mr Zelensky’s hand ahead of the White House meeting.

They welcomed US talk of a security guarantee for Ukraine but said Kyiv must be included in any territorial talks and its remaining land protected.