Ukraine war latest: Putin says Russia will use 'all means of destruction' if Ukraine gets nuclear weapons (2024)

Vladimir Putin has denied that he deliberately used his black Labrador Konni to intimidate Angela Merkel at a meeting in 2007.

The former German chancellor has written about the incident in her new memoir, recalling how she had asked an aide to request Putin's team not to bring out Konni in her presence because she was afraid of dogs.

The Russian leader respected the request in 2006, presenting her with a large stuffed dog as a joke, but a year later in Sochi, Konni wandered around the room and left Merkel visibly uncomfortable.

Addressing the issue today, Putin said: "Frankly - I've already told Merkel, I didn't know she was afraid of dogs. If I'd known, I would never have done it. On the contrary, I wanted to create a relaxed, pleasant atmosphere."

He added that, in the unlikely event she were to pay another visit, he "absolutely won't do it again".

"I appeal to her again and say: 'Angela, please forgive me. I didn't want to cause you any distress'," he said.

Reminiscing on the ordeal in her book, Merkel wrote: "I tried to ignore the dog, even though he was moving more or less right next to me. I interpreted Putin's facial expressions as him enjoying the situation.

"Did he just want to see how a person reacts in distress? Was it a small demonstration of power? I just thought: stay calm, concentrate on the photographers, it will pass."

Ukraine is urging the international community to react to Vladimir Putin's threats to strike government targets in Kyiv.

The Russian leader said today that Moscow is selecting targets inUkrainethat could include "decision-making centres" in Kyiv in response to Ukraine's firing of Western missiles at Russian territory (see 10.36am post).

Attacks launched by Moscow have not so far struck government buildings in the Ukrainian capital, which are heavily protected by air defences.

"We expect those countries that have urged everyone to avert the expansion of the war to react to the statements voiced by Putin today," Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said.

He called Putin's rhetoric "blackmail" aimed atdiscouraging Kyiv's partners and testing US president-electDonald Trump, who has vowed to seek a swift end to the conflictwithout specifying how.

"Putin obviously tries to influence the new US administration by those statements, and he tries to basicallyshow that this new administration is weak," added Mr Tykhyi.

Ukraine is gearing up to host a second "peace summit" soon, Volodymyr Zelenskyy's chief of staff said today, as reported by local media.

"Thanks to active work with our partners, a joint peace framework has already been developed, which will become the basis for the second peace summit, and Ukraine is ready to hold it in the near future," Andriy Yermak is quoted as saying.

The first "peace summit" for Ukraine took place in Switzerland in June, where over 90 countries gathered to draft a resolution based on Ukraine's proposed conditions to end the war.

Russia was not invited to that summit, while China did not attend.

Yesterday, we reported on a remark from a senior US official who said Ukraine was not mobilising enough new soldiers and urged Kyiv to lower the conscription age from 25 to 18.

But a spokesperson for Ukraine's foreign ministry has today responded, saying that faster delivery of critical battlefield equipment was more important than drafting more men.

"We are now in the situation when we need more equipment to arm all the people that have already been mobilised, and we think the first priority is to send quicker, faster military aid," said Heorhii Tykhyi.

Romania's top court has ordered a vote recount in the first round of the presidential election - in a ruling observers said risked tarnishing the credibility of state institutions ahead of two more ballots.

The Constitutional Court "unanimously ordered the re-verification and recounting of the voting ballots for the 24 November presidential election", it said in a statement.

Having polled in single digits before Sunday's vote, independent far-right politician Calin Georgescu, 62, surged to a victory that raised questions over how such a surprise had been possible in the EU and NATO member state.

The decision adds to the turmoil surrounding the electoral process in Romania, which is scheduled to hold three ballots in as many weeks, votes which are crucial to the direction of a country that has been pro-Western and a staunch ally of Ukraine.

Georgescu has previously praised 1930s Romanian fascist politicians as national heroes and martyrs, has been critical of NATO and Romania's stance on Ukraine, and has said the country should engage, not challenge Russia.

He also previously expressed his admiration for Vladimir Putin.

He is due to face centrist contender Elena Lasconi in a run-off on 8 December, with a separate parliamentary election scheduled for Sunday.

Lasconi condemned today's ruling, saying: "The Constitutional Court is interfering in the democratic process for the second time," referring to a previous court decision to ban a far-right politician from running in the presidential election.

"One combats extremism through votes, not backstage games," she said.

A key driver of Russia's war effort has been Moscow's efforts to coerce an increasing numbers of men to enlist in the country's armed forces.

But according to Estonian analystArtur Rehi, the average life expectancy for anyone signing up now stands at between two weeks and one month.

He said the effort to seize more territory in the run-up to potential peace negotiations meant Russia was losing around 1,600 people a day.

"Russia has turned into a huge conveyor belt of death, destroying Ukraine and devouring itself from the inside," he said.

As we have reported today, the Russian rouble has fallen in value to 100 against the US Dollar - the lowest level it has reached since the first months of the war.

While the development has been the source of some speculation that it could ultimately force Moscow to reconsider its current strategy for the war, others suggest that any resultant economic hardship is unlikely to deter the Russian president in his aims.

Anton Barbashin, the editorial director at Riddle Russia, a journal that provides analysis of Russian affairs, said Putin would "make Russians eat less but he won't stop his war".

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today he had spoken with Sir Keir Starmer, as Ukrainian civilians face bombardment by Russian forces.

The Ukrainian president said he informed the UK prime minister about "yet another act of Russian air terror targetingUkraine's civilian infrastructure".

He added: "I expressed gratitude for the UK's unwavering support, including the commitment to provide at least £3bn annually forUkraine's needs. We discussed advancing our defence co-operation and strengtheningUkraine's long-range capabilities."

The pair also discussed Ukraine's potential participation at a summit of the Joint Expeditionary Force defence and security coalition in Estonia next month, he said.

Germany has offered to deploy the Patriot air defence system to Poland from January.

Berlin's ministry of defence said the move would "protect a logistical hub in Poland that is of central importance for the delivery of material to Ukraine".

Defence minister Boris Pistorius said: "We are also securing the supply of vehicles, weapons and ammunition that Ukraine urgently needs to defend itself against the brutal Russian attacks that violate international law.

"Together with our Polish friends, we are also securing NATO airspace, as we did last year."

The Patriot units could be deployed in Poland for up to six months, the ministry added.

Vladimir Putin has added to a series of comments he has made in Kazakhstan today by suggesting that he had no preconditions to starting talks withUkraineon a possible peace settlement - but that terms he set out in June for an actual deal remained unchanged.

The Russian president said in June that Russia would end the war inUkraineonly if Kyiv agreed to drop its NATO ambitions and hand over the entirety of four provinces claimed by Moscow, demands Kyiv swiftly rejected as tantamount to surrender.

"I did not formulate preliminary conditions, I did not say that the preliminary conditions for the start of negotiations are such and such," he said today.

"I simply spoke about our conditions for peace."

Putin also said he was ready to begin dialogue with the US - and described Donald Trump as a "smart politician who is capable of finding a solution".

He added that he believed the US president-elect was "still not safe". Trump was subject to two apparent assassination attempts during the run-up to his victory in the presidential election.