What each side wants from Ukraine talks at White House

17 minutes ago Share Save Laura Gozzi and Tom Geoghegan BBC News Share Save

AFP via Getty Images

It promises to be a day unlike any other at the White House later, when world leaders make a rare collective visit for crunch talks on Ukraine. What had been billed as a meeting between two presidents, Donald Trump and Volodomyr Zelensky, has now become more of a summit. Leaders from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Finland, the EU and Nato have dashed across the Atlantic to have their say on how the three-year-old war with Russia should end and on what terms. It's a reflection of how high the stakes are and increased European concerns that the US has shifted its position to one less favourable to Ukraine. We break down what each of those present - and one who is not - would regard as a win when the sun sets on a long day of talks.

US - a deal, any deal

Trump's campaign promise was that he would solve this conflict on his first day in office but six months later the breakthrough he wants still eludes him. The terms of any agreement have seemed less important to Trump than the deal itself, so the conditions have shifted over time. Since meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, Trump appears to have ditched his criticism of Moscow and the threat of sanctions, and decided to pile the pressure on Zelensky instead. Follow live updates

Whirlwind day of talks could reshape Ukraine's future In a late Sunday night social post, he warned the Ukrainian president he must forgo hopes of Nato membership and will have to concede Crimea, which Putin illegally annexed in 2014. Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday that Washington would provide security guarantees to Europe aimed at deterring further Russian aggression. But the details remain unclear. Up to now, the US has resisted European demands that it commits to the future security of Ukraine. All eyes will be on the White House later to see if that has really changed.

Ukraine - refuse concessions on territory

Zelensky finds himself in the unenviable position of having to stand his ground in the face of an increasingly impatient Donald Trump, who appears to have been swayed by Putin and who has already accused Zelensky of standing in the way of peace. Trump will probably tell Zelensky he must agree to give up land. This will be extraordinarily difficult for the Ukrainian president to give in to as it would entrail retreating from Donetsk and Luhansk, regions which thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have fought and died to protect since 2022. It would also allow Russia to end up in control of huge swathes of territory it could later use as a launchpad for further aggression. What handing Donbas to Putin would mean for Ukraine So Zelensky cannot agree to land concessions without strong security guarantees that would kick in should Russia attack again. Those could have been provided by Nato, but Trump has made it clear Ukraine will not join the alliance. Details of any alternative guarantees have likely not been worked out yet, but without them it will be difficult for Zelensky to make any commitments. Ukraine is also concerned by the fact that Trump seems to have moved on from wanting a ceasefire to pushing for a full peace deal. This could take an exceptionally long time, allowing in the meantime for continued Russian attacks, civilian deaths and frontline losses.

Europe - a US commitment to Ukraine's security

European leaders will be trying to push Trump to flesh out what US security guarantees for Ukraine could look like. The vagueness of US statements on the matter is alarming to Europeans who feel protection from potential future attacks by Russia will have to come from a credible American commitment. There is also nervousness around the idea that the US may insist Ukraine gives up land to Russia. The European continent has a long history of bloody wars and leaders want to avoid a scenario in which a sovereign country's borders are redrawn by force. These serious concerns explain the unprecedented decision for such a large contingent of leaders to visit the White House at the last minute. Last week, a virtual US-EU meeting ahead of the Alaska summit seemed to have the effect of hardening Trump's criticism of Russia; now that he is appearing to be teetering on Moscow's side again, European leaders will try to impress on him that their concerns about the continent's long-term security have not changed.

Russia - more Ukrainian land

Spain and Portugal fires kill two more as Spanish troops battle blazes

23 minutes ago Share Save Danai Nesta Kupemba BBC News Share Save

Anadolu via Getty Images Across Europe several countries have been battling wildfires

Spain has sent 500 more troops to fight raging wildfires, bringing the total deployed to 1,900, as the death toll from the blazes has risen to four. On Sunday, a firefighter died after an accident during firefighting efforts when his truck fell down a steep hill, the Castile and León regional government said. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed "sadness" and "desolation" on X at the latest death. In neighbouring Portugal, where fires are also blazing, another firefighter was killed on Sunday in a "tragic" traffic accident, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said. Fires have also broken out in Greece, France, Turkey and the Balkans as a heatwave has scorched swathes of southern Europe.

Several large fires are still burning in the northwest and west of Spain, where 27,000 residents are currently evacuated from their homes. Castile and León is the most affected area, with local media station Radio 5 reporting on Monday that the air is "unbreathable" due to the smoke. A fire in the western province of Cáceres is also still out of control and has burned 11,000 hectares (27,181 acres). Twelve fires are burning in the north-west region of Galicia, most in the province of Ourense, with the largest having burned 17,500 hectares. Fires on Sunday left at least five people injured in Castile and León, with four of them in critical condition. Last week, two volunteers died fighting fires in Leon. Another man died in Tres Cantos, near Madrid, after a fire broke out. This year alone, about 343,000 hectares have burned across Spain, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) - close to double the amount from the previous year. Over the weekend, Spain's Civil Guard said they have proposed "sanctions" on four people for carrying out unauthorised burns in A Coruña in the Galicia region. Causing a wildfire is a criminal offence in Spain, even if accidental.

AFP via Getty Images People in Spain have been forced to flee their homes to evade the flames

Stadium ban for man bailed in Semenyo racism probe

Antoine Semenyo reported being racially abused during the opening match of the Premier League season

A man who was arrested on suspicion of racially abusing Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo during the opening match of the Premier League season at Anfield has been banned from every football stadium in the UK.

The Cherries' Friday game against Liverpool was briefly halted in the 29th minute after Semenyo flagged it up to the referee.

A 47-year-old man from Liverpool, who was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence, has been conditionally bailed, Merseyside Police said.

The conditions include a ban on attending any regulated football match in the UK and not going within one mile of a designated football stadium.

Meta investigated over AI having 'sensual' chats with children

26 minutes ago Share Save Charlotte Edwards Technology reporter, BBC News Share Save

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A US senator is opening an investigation into Meta after a leaked document reportedly showed the tech giant's artificial intelligence (AI) was permitted to have "sensual" and "romantic" chats with children. The internal document, obtained by Reuters, was reportedly titled "GenAI: Content Risk Standards". Republican Senator Josh Hawley called the document "reprehensible and outrageous" and has asked to see the document alongside a list of products it relates to. A Meta spokesperson told the BBC: "The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed."

They said the tech giant has "clear policies" on what responses its AI chatbots can offer, and said its policies "prohibit content that sexualizes children and sexualized role play between adults and minors". "Separate from the policies, there are hundreds of examples, notes, and annotations that reflect teams grappling with different hypothetical scenarios," they said. Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, announced he was probing Meta in a post on X on 15 August. "Is there anything - ANYTHING - Big Tech won't do for a quick buck," he said. "Now we learn Meta's chatbots were programmed to carry on explicit and "sensual" talk with 8 year olds. It's sick. I'm launching a full investigation to get answers. Big Tech: Leave our kids alone." Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram are all owned by Meta.

'Parents deserve the truth'