Ukraine: The Latest Trapped Russian troops 'blown apart' fleeing by boat & Trump's summit with Putin in Hungary threatened as Europe pulls rank
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Oct 21, 2025 Dominic Nicholls, Associate Editor for Defence at The Telegraph, provides sharp insights into the struggle of Russian troops on the front lines, revealing disturbing morale issues and reports of abandoned soldiers. Verity Bowman shares harrowing eyewitness accounts of the dire conditions in the Dnipro Delta. Meanwhile, James Kilner analyzes the Kremlin's tactics in shaping narratives around the Trump-Putin summit and the economy's weakening grip. The conversation concludes with a debate on the implications of frozen Russian assets for Ukraine.
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UK Readiness Is Largely Political Posturing
- John Healey's pledge to spend over £100m preparing UK forces for a possible Ukraine deployment signals political hedging rather than a firm plan.
- Dominic Nicholls argues the figure is small compared with real deployment costs and reads as time-buying rhetoric.
Budapest Summit Faces Early Jeopardy
- The planned Trump–Putin summit in Hungary is in jeopardy after US–Russia talks reportedly disagreed on endgame terms.
- Francis Dearnley reports Marco Rubio withheld support because Moscow hadn't moved from unrealistic demands, threatening the Budapest meeting.
EU Moves To Turn Frozen Assets Into A Loan
- EU leaders agreed to ask the Commission to draft a legal plan to loan frozen Russian state assets to Ukraine, potentially unlocking €140bn.
- Francis Dearnley notes this could plug a $60bn Ukrainian budget gap and become existential support if adopted.