Day 1,373.

Today, in a world exclusive, we report how Donald Trump is preparing to hand over Ukraine’s occupied territories, as his team prepares to fly to Moscow to present the plan to Vladimir Putin. Meanwhile, the Russian President claims his country’s army “cannot be held back”, as Russia experiences one of the heaviest drone raids of the war. Then, we turn to Kyiv, where the offices of the head of President Zelensky’s office – Andriy Yermak – were dramatically raided by anti-corruption officers before his resignation. And later, at a time when leaders talk about gifting land to the Kremlin, we bring you unheard, rare testimony of what it’s like to live under Russian control in those regions, and what many more millions may soon be condemned to endure.

Contributors

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

With thanks to "Anna".

SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:

http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter

Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.

CONTENT REFERENCED:

Trump hands Putin Ukraine’s occupied territories (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/28/trump-to-recognise-occupied-ukraine-part-of-russia/

Zelensky’s chief of staff raided by anti-corruption officers (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/28/zelenskys-chief-of-staff-raided-by-anti-corruption-officers/

Putin: Russia ready to fight until last Ukrainian dies (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/27/putin-says-russia-ready-fight-until-last-ukrainian-dies/

Russia tightens grip on occupied Ukraine with illegal mobilization and child militarization, experts warn (Kyiv Independent):

https://kyivindependent.com/russia-tightens-grip-on-occupied-ukraine-with-illegal-mobilization-and-child-militarization-experts-warn/

Ukraine Says It Won’t Give Up Land to Russia (The Atlantic):

https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/2025/11/ukraine-zelensky-russia-trump-peace-land-red-line/685090/

Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

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Day 1,372.

Today, as Thanksgiving is marked in the United States – and supposedly the day by which Ukraine was meant to agree to a peace deal, a deadline Donald Trump has now walked back – Russia denies leaking the phone call in which Steve Witkoff coached Vladimir Putin’s top aides on how to flatter the former president. We assess whether Marco Rubio’s apparent demand – that a peace deal be signed before the US grants Ukraine any security guarantees – is remotely deliverable. We also report on how Moldovan authorities attempted to return a Russian drone that violated their airspace. And later, we hear from the Ukrainian public, and gauge their reaction to this week’s extraordinary developments.

Contributors

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

With thanks to Svitlana Morenets, columnist at the Spectator.

SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:

http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter

Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.

CONTENT REFERENCED:

Who leaked Witkoff’s Kremlin call? These are the main suspects (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/26/steve-witkoff-kremlin-call-main-suspects-witi-leaks/

Made in Moscow: The “U.S. peace plan” for Ukraine was substantially formulated months ago by Kremlin operative Kirill Dmitriev (The Insider):

https://theins.press/en/politics/287159

Allies worry US demands Ukraine deal before security guarantees (POLITICO):

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/26/us-demands-peace-deal-before-security-guarantees-for-ukraine-00670210

Moldova's Foreign Ministry confronts Russian ambassador with drone that violated country's airspace (Kyiv Independent):

https://kyivindependent.com/moldovas-foreign-ministry-confronts-russian-ambassador-with-drone-that-violated-countrys-airspace/

A better way to craft a reparations loan (Hugo Dixon of the Ukraine Reparations Loan):

https://www.ukrainereparationsloan.com/post/a-better-way-to-craft-a-reparations-loan

Zarah Sultana’s pompous, luxury beliefs about Ukraine (The Spectator):

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/zarah-sultanas-pompous-luxury-beliefs-about-ukraine/

Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

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Day 1,371.

Today, as a leaked call reveals that Steve Witkoff, the US special envoy to Russia, coached a Kremlin negotiator on how to make Donald Trump more favourable to Moscow’s position, we examine the fallout – or the lack of it. We also assess new signals that Trump’s much-trailed Thursday deadline may not be as cast-iron as claimed. Then we turn to the reaction from Moscow and across Europe’s parliaments: alarm, or business as usual?

Contributors

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

James Kilner (Foreign Correspondent). @jkjourno on X.

Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X.

SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:

http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter

Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.

CONTENT REFERENCED:

Telegraph Ukraine Live Blog:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/26/ukraine-russia-war-latest-news-trump-peace-talks/

Trump envoy coaches Kremlin negotiator in leaked call (Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2025/11/25/witkoff-coach-russians-peace-plan-trump/

Starmer demands British boots on ground under Ukraine peace deal (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/11/25/russia-hints-it-may-reject-latest-peace-deal/

I’ve seen high-level negotiations. Witkoff broke the one rule that matters (David Blair in The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/26/witkoff-ushakov-leaked-call/

Bloomberg’s Leaked Transcripts:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-25/witkoff-advised-russia-on-how-to-pitch-ukraine-plan-to-trump

Subscribe: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

Email: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk

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