Prince Andrew, Duke of York attends the traditional Easter Sunday Mattins Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on April 20, 2025 in Windsor, England. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
(LONDON) — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — formerly known as Prince Andrew and the younger brother of King Charles III — was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He has since been released under investigation and has not been charged.
In a statement, Thames Valley Police said it had “arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk.”
“We will not be naming the arrested man, as per national guidance,” the statement said.
Police confirmed that searches being conducted in Norfolk have now concluded, while searches in Berkshire remain underway.
Photos from Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in eastern England showed what appeared to be police officers arriving in several unmarked vehicles. Thursday marks Andrew’s 66th birthday.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Charles said, “I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office.”
“What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities. In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation,” Charles added.
“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales issued a statement supporting the king.
President Donald Trump called the news of former Prince Andrew’s arrest on Thursday over ties to Jeffrey Epstein a “shame.”
“I think it’s a shame. I think it’s very sad and I think it’s so bad for the royal family. It’s very, very sad,” Trump said.
Andrew’s arrest on Thursday follows the emergence of documents detailing communication between Andrew and the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew has previously denied wrongdoing with respect to Epstein.
If convicted, misconduct in public office carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
There have been no senior royals arrested in recent history. In November 2002, Princess Anne pleaded guilty to having a dog dangerously out of control and was fined £500.
The palace confirmed to ABC News that it was not informed ahead of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest.
Thames Valley Police told ABC News last week that it was assessing reports of Andrew’s alleged misconduct in office as trade envoy.
“We can confirm receipt of this report and are assessing the information in line with our established procedures,” a Thames Valley Police spokesperson said in a statement on Feb. 9.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York attends the traditional Easter Sunday Mattins Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on April 20, 2025, in Windsor, England. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
(LONDON) — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor appeared to share sensitive information stemming from his role as the UK trade envoy with Jeffrey Epstein and appeared to discuss potential business dealings with the late sex offender while working for the British government, emails released by the U.S. Department of Justice suggest.
Emails sent by Mountbatten-Windsor show the former prince passing along what he described as “confidential information” stemming from his government role to Epstein. Other emails – including some sent by his former liaison – suggest that Mountbatten-Windsor discussed Epstein’s connections in his personal dealings.
British police on Thursday arrested Mountbatten-Windsor on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The arrest comes amid mounting criticism of Mountbatten-Windsor’s longtime relationship with the disgraced financier who died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019.
Mountbatten-Windsor has previously denied any wrongdoing with respect to Epstein. The former prince, whose royal title was revoked last year by his brother, King Charles III, has not been charged with any sex crimes.
While serving as trade envoy in 2010, Mountbatten-Windsor directly emailed Epstein information about investment opportunities in Afghanistan. The information appeared to stem directly from his work as a public official, according to emails reviewed by ABC News.
“I am going to offer this elsewhere in my network (including Abu Dhabi) but would be very interested in your comments, views or ideas as to whom I could also usefully show this to attract some interest,” Mountbatten-Windsor stated to Epstein in a December 2010 email, forwarding a “confidential brief” about investment opportunities in Afghanistan.
In another email a month earlier, Mountbatten-Windsor sent Epstein multiple reports from his recent trip to South Asia as trade envoy.
Mountbatten-Windsor’s liaison David Stern also shared potentially sensitive information with Epstein related to British companies Aston Martin and Royal Bank of Scotland, according to emails released by the DOJ. Based on publicly available emails, it is unclear whether Mountbatten-Windsor knew that Stern was sharing the information with Epstein.
ABC News has so far been unable to contact Stern. The University of Cambridge’s Judge Business School confirmed that Stern resigned with immediate effect from his position as a board member.
Liaison attempted to involve Epstein in private business dealings
Stern discussed opening a private investment office with Epstein that would leverage the former prince’s “aura and access,” according to a series of emails between Stern and Epstein while Mountbatten-Windsor was serving as a trade envoy.
“We set up small investment highly private office in London with small outpost in Beijing, for high net worth individuals – targeting Chinese (but not exclusively) that works like an extended family office,” Stern wrote in a July 2010 email.
“We very discreetly make PA part of it and use his ‘aura and access’, you make/decide on the investments and I manage the day to day operations,” Stern added. In multiple emails, Prince Andrew is referred to as “PA.”
Though Mountbatten-Windsor is not on the emails, he is repeatedly referenced, and Stern appears to speak on his behalf.
“Informed PA that you are thinking about the company set up and I will wait for your feedback before taking action,” Stern told Epstein in a June 2010 email.
The plans discussed between the two are not believed to have been carried out.
In a later email, Stern told Epstein he wanted the firm to focus on “big money and power (including access to power globally – see PA).”
Emails released by the DOJ suggest that Epstein and Stern actively discussed a business opportunity at length between 2010 and 2011.
Mountbatten-Windsor appeared to connect Epstein with UAE crown prince
Mountbatten-Windsor also appeared to connect Epstein with some government officials while serving as a trade envoy.
In a November 2010 email, Mountbatten-Windsor said that he spoke with UAE foreign affairs minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan about a meeting with Epstein. Earlier emails also suggested that Mountbatten-Windsor consulted with Epstein about how to approach the conversations.
“He thinks you are great and would like to introduce you to Sheikh Mohammed, the Crown Prince. Doesn’t think it can be done before the end of the year though,” Mountbatten-Windsor said.
Epstein then asked Mountbatten-Windsor to ask for a “date when we can all go on vacation.”
Epstein appeared to offer Mountbatten-Windsor investing advice
In a May 2010 email, Mountbatten-Windsor suggested that he consulted Epstein on how to invest through a trust while serving as a trade envoy.
“Re our conversation earlier this week: so long as I delegate any responsibility to invest then there are no problems,” Mountbatten-Windsor said. “So Trusts are delegated responsibility as to are any Banks or Investment Vehicles or for that matter Trusted individuals.”
F-18 jet fighters are seen on the flight deck of USS Gerald R. Ford on Nov. 17, 2022, in Gosport, England. (Photo by Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — A second American aircraft carrier — the USS Gerald R. Ford — is heading toward the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran, accompanied by destroyers and aircraft being redeployed from missions in the Caribbean region, a U.S. official told ABC News.
As negotiations between the U.S. and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program continue, American aircraft carriers are at the forefront of a major U.S. military buildup in the Middle East. The Ford is expected to join the USS Abraham Lincoln in the region, the latter having arrived there late last month.
The Ford briefly transmitted its location off the coast of Morocco on Wednesday as it approached the Mediterranean Sea, according to data from the MarineTraffic website. The carrier’s location was visible for around two hours.
Also visible on the FlightRadar24 website on Wednesday were two C-2A Greyhound aircraft, which in recent months have been operating off the carrier. The aircraft transmitted their locations off the coast of Portugal, around 230 miles from the Ford’s position.
The Ford is being accompanied by four destroyers as it sails east toward the Middle East.
Three of the destroyers are part of the Ford’s carrier strike group that have accompanied the carrier since it first deployed in June, the fourth destroyer had previously been a part of President Donald Trump’s administration’s surge of military forces in the Caribbean, a U.S. official confirmed to ABC News.
Each of the destroyers is armed with air defense systems that can shoot down incoming missiles and drones, plus Tomahawk cruise missiles that can be used to strike targets up to 1,000 miles away.
F-35 stealth fighter jets are among the U.S. assets heading toward the Middle East, including some that had been deployed to Puerto Rico ahead of the U.S. operation to depose Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
A spokesman for the Vermont National Guard confirmed to ABC News that the 158th Fighter Wing received a change in mission from U.S. Southern Command — which oversees operations in the Caribbean, Central and South America — but did not disclose their new deployment area.
In late January, online flight trackers noted a dozen F-35 fighters taking off from Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico and landing on the Azores islands in the mid-Atlantic, on their way to the Middle East.
Key Iranian nuclear personnel and facilities were targeted by Israeli and American forces during an intense 12-day conflict in June. But the strikes failed to resolve long-standing U.S. and Israeli grievances related to Tehran’s nuclear program, its ballistic missile arsenal and its support for regional proxy groups.
U.S. and Iranian representatives met in Geneva, Switzerland, this week for talks regarding a possible deal related to Tehran’s nuclear program and its enrichment of uranium. Trump has demanded that Iran commit to “zero enrichment,” a proposal rejected by Iranian officials.
U.S. officials briefed on the negotiations said Iran indicated a willingness to suspend its nuclear enrichment for a certain amount of time, anywhere from one to five years.
The U.S. is also weighing lifting financial and banking sanctions and the embargo on its oil sales, according to a U.S. official.
Following the talks in Geneva, Iran is expected to submit a written proposal aimed at resolving the tensions, a senior U.S. official confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday. It is unclear when the written proposal will be submitted to the U.S.
On Tuesday, a White House official said Iran would provide detailed proposals to address “some of the open gaps in our positions” in the next two weeks.
ABC News’ Shannon Kingston and Mariam Khan contributed to this report.
In this handout provided by the U.S. Navy, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), F/A-18E/F Super Hornets assigned to Strike Fighter Squadrons 31, 37, 87, and 213 from embarked Carrier Air Wing Eight, and a U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress operate as a joint, multi-domain force, November 13, 2025. (Photo by Paige Brown/US Navy via Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — A second American aircraft carrier — the USS Gerald R. Ford — is heading toward the Middle East amid rising tensions with Iran, accompanied by destroyers and aircraft being redeployed from missions in the Caribbean region, a U.S. official told ABC News.
As negotiations between the U.S. and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program continue, American aircraft carriers are at the forefront of a major U.S. military buildup in the Middle East. The Ford is expected to join the USS Abraham Lincoln in the region, the latter having arrived there late last month.
The Ford briefly transmitted its location off the coast of Morocco on Wednesday as it approached the Mediterranean Sea, according to data from the MarineTraffic website. The carrier’s location was visible for around two hours.
Also visible on the FlightRadar24 website on Wednesday were two C-2A Greyhound aircraft, which in recent months have been operating off the carrier. The aircraft transmitted their locations off the coast of Portugal, around 230 miles from the Ford’s position.
The Ford is being accompanied by four destroyers as it sails east toward the Middle East.
Three of the destroyers are part of the Ford’s carrier strike group that have accompanied the carrier since it first deployed in June, the fourth destroyer had previously been a part of President Donald Trump’s administration’s surge of military forces in the Caribbean, a U.S. official confirmed to ABC News.
Each of the destroyers is armed with air defense systems that can shoot down incoming missiles and drones, plus Tomahawk cruise missiles that can be used to strike targets up to 1,000 miles away.
F-35 stealth fighter jets are among the U.S. assets heading toward the Middle East, including some that had been deployed to Puerto Rico ahead of the U.S. operation to depose Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
A spokesman for the Vermont National Guard confirmed to ABC News that the 158th Fighter Wing received a change in mission from U.S. Southern Command — which oversees operations in the Caribbean, Central and South America — but did not disclose their new deployment area.
In late January, online flight trackers noted a dozen F-35 fighters taking off from Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico and landing on the Azores islands in the mid-Atlantic, on their way to the Middle East.
Key Iranian nuclear personnel and facilities were targeted by Israeli and American forces during an intense 12-day conflict in June. But the strikes failed to resolve long-standing U.S. and Israeli grievances related to Tehran’s nuclear program, its ballistic missile arsenal and its support for regional proxy groups.
U.S. and Iranian representatives met in Geneva, Switzerland, this week for talks regarding a possible deal related to Tehran’s nuclear program and its enrichment of uranium. Trump has demanded that Iran commit to “zero enrichment,” a proposal rejected by Iranian officials.
U.S. officials briefed on the negotiations said Iran indicated a willingness to suspend its nuclear enrichment for a certain amount of time, anywhere from one to five years.
The U.S. is also weighing lifting financial and banking sanctions and the embargo on its oil sales, according to a U.S. official.
Following the talks in Geneva, Iran is expected to submit a written proposal aimed at resolving the tensions, a senior U.S. official confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday. It is unclear when the written proposal will be submitted to the U.S.
On Tuesday, a White House official said Iran would provide detailed proposals to address “some of the open gaps in our positions” in the next two weeks.
ABC News’ Shannon Kingston and Mariam Khan contributed to this report.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York attends the traditional Easter Sunday Mattins Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on April 20, 2025 in Windsor, England. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
(LONDON) — Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor — formerly known as Prince Andrew and the younger brother of King Charles III — was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
In a statement, Thames Valley Police said they had “arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk.”
“The man remains in police custody at this time. We will not be naming the arrested man, as per national guidance,” the statement said.
Photos from Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in eastern England showed what appeared to be police officers arriving in several unmarked vehicles. Thursday marks Andrew’s 66th birthday.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Charles said, “I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office.”
“What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities. In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation,” Charles added.
“Let me state clearly: the law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all.”
Andrew’s arrest on Thursday follows the emergence of documents detailing communication between Andrew and the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Several emails released by the U.S. Justice Department showed Epstein’s correspondence with a Andrew’s aide David Stern and suggest the royal may have planned to use his role as a special U.K. representative for trade and investment to further his own business interests.
The emails in question date back to 2010. Andrew served as a British trade envoy from 2001 until 2011, when Buckingham Palace announced that he would give up the role following criticism over his friendship with controversial figures, including Epstein.
Andrew has previously denied wrongdoing with respect to Epstein.
Thames Valley Police told ABC News last week that they were assessing reports of Andrew’s alleged misconduct in office as trade envoy.
“We can confirm receipt of this report and are assessing the information in line with our established procedures,” a Thames Valley Police spokesperson said in a statement on Feb. 9.
Yoon Suk Yeol, South Korea’s president, attends a hearing for his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Seoul, South Korea, on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. (SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(SEOUL)– The Seoul Central District Court sentenced former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to life in prison Thursday.
The court found him guilty of leading an insurrection linked to his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024.
The court ruled that Yoon’s central offense was mobilizing military and police forces to seize control of the National Assembly and detain key political figures.
“The deployment of martial law troops to the National Assembly during the state of emergency constitutes ‘rioting,’ a key legal element required to establish the crime of insurrection,” presiding judge Ji Gui-yeon said Thursday. Ji said declaring martial law can constitute insurrection if intended to obstruct or paralyze constitutional institutions.
The court acknowledged political tensions between Yoon’s administration and the opposition-controlled legislature. However, it said those circumstances did not justify declaring martial law under the constitution.
Judges also said Yoon showed no remorse or acknowledgment of wrongdoing during the proceedings, which they considered in determining his sentence.
Yoon’s attorneys criticized the ruling as “a mere formality for a predetermined conclusion.”
“Watching the rule of law collapse in reality, I question whether I should even pursue an appeal or continue participating in these criminal proceedings,” Yoon’s attorney, Yoon Gab-geun, told reporters after the ruling. “The truth will be revealed in the court of history.”
Yoon was taken into custody immediately after the ruling and transferred to the Seoul Detention Center. He will remain there unless the court grants release pending appeal.
If Yoon appeals, the case will move to the Seoul High Court, which can review legal interpretations and factual findings. A final appeal could be filed with the Supreme Court.
Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, arguing Yoon’s actions posed a grave threat to the constitutional order.
Thursday’s ruling addressed only the insurrection charge. Other criminal cases tied to the December 2024 martial law declaration, including abuse of power and obstruction of official duty, remain pending.
In a separate case last month, Yoon was sentenced to five years in prison for obstructing his arrest, the first criminal conviction tied to the crisis.
“Yoon’s sentencing does not represent a national catharsis since most Koreans have already emotionally moved on from the former president,” Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, told ABC News. “Nor does this televised verdict mark closure because many cases and appeals related to Yoon’s martial law debacle have yet to be fully adjudicated.”
People gather in support of Ukraine as delegations from the United States, Ukraine and Russia meet for talks about a potential peace deal at the Intercontinental Hotel on February 17, 2026 in Geneva, Switzerland (Sedat Suna/Getty Images)
(LONDON) — American, Ukrainian and Russian negotiators convened again in Geneva, Switzerland, on Wednesday for trilateral peace talks, with the second day of meetings concluding after around two hours.
The delegations met Tuesday for the opening sessions of the third round of U.S.-brokered trilateral talks, the first two rounds of which were held in the United Arab Emirates starting in late January.
In a post to X, President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said both Ukraine and Russia had agreed to keep working towards a peace deal following Tuesday’s meetings.
“President Trump’s success in bringing both sides of this war together has brought about meaningful progress, and we are proud to work under his leadership to stop the killing in this terrible conflict,” Witkoff wrote.
“Both parties agreed to update their respective leaders and continue working towards a deal,” he added.
The Russian delegation to Geneva was led by Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to President Vladimir Putin known for his ultraconservative and nationalistic messaging.
“The negotiations were difficult, but businesslike,” Medinsky said after the conclusion of Tuesday’s talks. Medinsky also said that a new round of negotiations are expected to be held soon.
Rustem Umerov, the secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council and the leader of Kyiv’s delegation, said in a post to Telegram before Wednesday’s meetings that the Ukrainian team was “focused on substantive work.”
Umerov also said Tuesday that the Ukrainian team held talks with European representatives from France, the U.K., Germany, Italy and Switzerland.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that the first reports he had received from Kyiv’s delegation showed that the “military” aspect of the talks had been “constructive.”
“There are two tracks: military and political. Here I want to say that all three sides were constructive on the military track — in my view, based on the briefing I have just received,” Zelenskyy said.
“The military basically understand how to monitor a ceasefire and the end of the war, if there is political will. They have basically agreed on pretty much everything there,” the Ukrainian president added.
Before that, Zelenskyy had described the first day of talks on Tuesday as “difficult meetings” in another social media post.
“Russia is trying to drag out the negotiations, which could have already reached the final stage,” he wrote. “Thank you to the American side for their attention to details and patience in talks with the present representatives of Russia.”
Zelenskyy posted to social media on Tuesday after the first round of meetings, saying, “Ukraine is ready. We do not need war. And we always act symmetrically — we are defending our state and our independence.”
“Likewise, we are ready to move quickly toward a just agreement to end the war. The only question is for the Russians: what do they want?” Zelenskyy added.
The Ukrainian president again urged foreign partners to increase pressure and costs on Russia over Moscow’s continued long-range strike campaign against Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure.
The attacks have focused on energy targets throughout the war’s fourth winter, plunging millions of Ukrainians into periodic darkness amid bitterly cold weather.
“The team absolutely must raise the issue of these strikes — first of all with the American side, which proposed that both us and Russia refrain from attacks,” Zelenskyy said.
“‘Shaheds,’ missiles and fantasy chatter about history matter more to them than real diplomacy, diplomacy and lasting peace,” Zelenskyy said of Moscow.
Russian officials have said little about the latest round of talks. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday, “There are no plans to make any announcements on this matter. Everything will be closed to the press.”
In an interview with Sputnik Radio published on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said of the talks, “Any step that could lead to, or lead down a path that leads to, a resolution to the situation is of great importance,” as quoted by the state-run Tass news agency.
Zakharova again accused Ukraine’s European partners of trying to sabotage the peace negotiations and pressuring Kyiv to continue the war, echoing a long-held Russian disinformation narrative.
Ukraine and Russia continued their nightly drone and missile exchanges despite the ongoing talks in Geneva.
Ukraine’s air force said in a post to Telegram on Wednesday morning that Russia launched one missile and 126 drones into the country overnight, of which 100 drones were shot down or suppressed. The missile and 23 attack drones impacted across 14 locations, the air force said.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service (SES) said in posts to Telegram that six people were injured and one person killed in a Russian strike on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday evening. The SES also reported an overnight attack in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Russia’s Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its forces shot down at least 43 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Russia’s federal air transport agency, Rosaviatsiya, said in posts to Telegram that temporary flight restrictions were introduced at airports in Volgograd, Saratov, Cheboksary, Kazan and Kaluga.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset hold a press conference on February 16, 2026 in Kyiv, Ukraine. The Ukrainian prime minister has called for a fixed date for his country’s accession to the European Union, saying Ukraine will “do everything to be technically ready for accession by 2027.” (Photo by Diego Fedele/Getty Images)
LONDON — After talks in Geneva on Tuesday between the U.S. and Iran over the latter’s nuclear energy program and trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Iranian officials expressed optimism for a deal while US-Russia-Ukraine discussions are expected to resume on Wednesday.
Following the talks with Iran, a U.S. official said that “progress was made, but there are still a lot of details to discuss.”
The U.S. official said that the Iranians said they will “come back in the next two weeks with detailed proposals to address some of the open gaps in our positions.”
But U.S. Vice President JD Vance in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday said the Iranians aren’t acknowledging some “red lines” that U.S. President Donald Trump has set.
“In some ways it went well, they agreed to meet afterwards, but in other ways it was very clear that the president has set some red lines that the Iranians are not yet willing to actually acknowledge and work through.” Vance said. “So, we’re going to keep on working it. But of course, the president reserves the ability to say when he thinks that diplomacy has reached its natural end. We hope we don’t get to that point, but if we do, that will be the president’s call.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said a “window of opportunity,” has opened with this second round of negotiations. Araqchi made the comments while giving a speech to the United Nations Conference on Disarmament after Tuesday’s talks.
“We are hopeful that negotiation will lead to a sustainable and negotiated solution which can serve the interests of relevant parties and the broader region. At the same time, as demonstrated during the aggression of 13 June 2025, Iran remains fully prepared to defend itself against any threat or act of aggression,” Araqchi said in English.
Araqchi also noted the “conduct” of the U.S. “has seriously undermined the credibility of the negotiating process,” referring to the US withdrawal from the JCPOA during the first Trump administration.
“The unilateral withdrawal of the United States from the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action], in clear violation of an internationally endorsed agreement, dealt a profound blow to trust and stability of multilateral obligations,” Araqchi added.
Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law — also led American negotiators in Geneva in high-stakes talks on Tuesday regarding Russia’s ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which lasted about six hours, Russian state media TASS reported.
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Rustem Umerov said the talks focused on “practical issues,” and “the mechanics of possible solutions,” in a post on Telegram Tuesday evening.
Both Russia and Ukraine confirmed talks will continue Wednesday.
The talks on Ukraine are in a trilateral format, which include American, Ukrainian and Russian representatives. They are the third installment of the trilateral format following two rounds of negotiations in the United Arab Emirates.
Those previous trilateral talks were described as constructive by participants but appeared to have failed to achieve a breakthrough on key contentious points, such as the fate of Ukraine’s partially occupied eastern Donbas region, the future of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and proposed Western security guarantees for Kyiv.
Asked what he expected ahead of the talks with Russia and Ukraine, Trump on Monday put the onus on Ukraine to “come to the table fast,” appearing to suggest that the U.S. and Russia “are in a position” to make a deal.
“Well they’re big talks. It’s going to be very easy,” Trump said. “Ukraine better come to the table fast. That’s all I’m telling you. We are in a position; we want them to come.”
Before the trilateral talks began Tuesday, Russia again heavily attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure overnight with at least 396 drones and 29 missiles of various types, the Ukrainian Air Force said Tuesday morning.
“It was a combined strike, deliberately calculated to cause as much damage as possible to our energy sector,” Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X.
In a statement after talks ended on Tuesday, Zelenskyy said negotiators must raise the continuing Russian strikes, especially with the Americans, who proposed that Ukraine and Russia refrain from attacks.
“Ukraine is ready. We do not need war. And we always act symmetrically — we are defending our state and our independence. Likewise, we are ready to move quickly toward a just agreement to end the war,” Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy said he was waiting on the Ukrainian delegation to report back to him.
Twelve regions of Ukraine were targeted in the Russian strikes and at least nine people, including children, were injured, the Ukrainian president said.
Among the targets was the southern port city of Odesa and the wider region, where “tens of thousands of people are without heat and water supply after the drone strike,” according to Zelenskyy.
Poland’s Armed Forces Operational Command said NATO aircraft were scrambled and air defenses put on alert as a response to the Russian strikes. “No violations of the Republic of Poland’s airspace by objects that could pose a threat were recorded,” the command said on X.
Russia’s Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its forces shot down at least 151 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Trump “indirectly” involved in Iran talks
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday that he would be “indirectly” involved in Tuesday’s talks with Iran.
“They’ll be very important,” Trump told reporters of the talks. “We’ll see what can happen. Specifically, Iran is a very tough negotiator.”
Trump has said the U.S. wants Iran to end all nuclear enrichment as part of any deal, while American officials have also indicated that the U.S. wants constraints on Tehran’s ballistic missile program and its support of regional proxies.
All three demands have long been U.S. goals, but such proposals have been repeatedly rebuffed by Iranian leaders.
The talks have been preceded by a U.S. military buildup in the Middle East, with officials in Tehran warning that Iranian forces will retaliate against U.S. and Israeli targets if Iran is attacked.
The latest round of talks also come in the aftermath of a major anti-regime uprising in Iran, in which protests — initially sparked by the deteriorating economic conditions inside the country — spread nationwide. Trump offered his support to the demonstrators, telling them to “keep protesting,” saying, “help is on its way.”
Security forces violently suppressed the demonstrations, killing at least 7,000 people according to data published by the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
ABC News’ Anne Flaherty, Lalee Ibssa, Joseph Simonetti, Fidel Pavlenko, Natalia Popova and Morgan Winsor contributed to this report.
Steve Witkoff, US special envoy, right, and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
LONDON — Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law — will lead American negotiators in Geneva, Switzerland, in high-stakes talks starting Tuesday regarding Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and the U.S. standoff with Iran over the latter’s nuclear energy program.
The talks on Ukraine will be in a trilateral format including American, Ukrainian and Russian representatives. They are the third instalment of the trilateral format following two rounds of recent negotiations in the United Arab Emirates.
Those talks were described as constructive by participants, but appeared to have failed to achieve a breakthrough on key contentious points, such as the fate of Ukraine’s partially-occupied eastern Donbas region, the future of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and proposed Western security guarantees for Kyiv.
Asked what he expected ahead of talks with Russia and Ukraine in Geneva on Tuesday, Trump on Monday put the onus on Ukraine to “come to the table fast,” appearing to suggest that the U.S. and Russia “are in a position” to make a deal.
“Well they’re big talks. It’s going to be very easy,” Trump said. “Ukraine better come to the table fast. That’s all I’m telling you. We are in a position, we want them to come.”
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Gen. Alexus Grynkewich — the top U.S. commander in Europe and NATO’s chief military officer — will also attend the Ukraine-Russian talks in Geneva on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of the U.S. delegation, a person familiar with the upcoming discussions told ABC News.
The Ukraine talks are expected to stretch through Tuesday and into Wednesday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Monday evening address that Kyiv’s negotiators had already traveled to Switzerland, warning that Moscow was preparing fresh long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities despite the ongoing diplomatic push.
Ukraine’s air force on Tuesday reported a major Russian overnight attack, in which it said Moscow launched 396 drones and 29 missiles into the country. Ukrainian forces downed or suppressed 367 drones and 25 missiles, the air force said. Four missiles and 18 drones impacted across 13 locations, the air force reported.
“It was a combined strike, deliberately calculated to cause as much damage as possible to our energy sector,” Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X. Twelve regions of Ukraine were targeted in the Russian strikes and at least nine people, including children, were injured, the Ukrainian president said.
Among the targets was the southern port city of Odesa and the wider region, where “tens of thousands of people are without heat and water supply after the drone strike,” according to Zelenskyy.
Poland’s Armed Forces Operational Command said NATO aircraft were scrambled and air defenses put on alert as a response to the Russian strikes. “No violations of the Republic of Poland’s airspace by objects that could pose a threat were recorded,” the command said on X.
Russia’s Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said its forces shot down at least 151 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Also on Tuesday, U.S. representatives are scheduled to take part in talks over Iran’s nuclear program. The talks will be mediated by Oman, traditionally a conduit for U.S.-Iran exchanges.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Geneva on Monday. Araghchi said in a post to X that he would hold talks with International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi and Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi.
“I am in Geneva with real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable deal,” Araghchi wrote. “What is not on the table: submission before threats.”
Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday that he would be “indirectly” involved in Tuesday’s talks with Iran.
“They’ll be very important,” Trump told reporters of the talks. “We’ll see what can happen. Specifically, Iran is a very tough negotiator.”
Trump has said the U.S. wants Iran to end all nuclear enrichment as part of any deal, while American officials have also indicated that the U.S. wants constraints on Tehran’s ballistic missile program and its support of regional proxies.
All three demands have long been U.S. goals, but such proposals have been repeatedly rebuffed by Iranian leaders.
The talks have been preceded by a U.S. military buildup in the Middle East, with officials in Tehran warning that Iranian forces will retaliate against U.S. and Israeli targets if Iran is attacked.
The latest round of talks also come in the aftermath of a major anti-regime uprising in Iran, in which protests — initially sparked by the deteriorating economic conditions inside the country — spread nationwide. Trump offered his support to the demonstrators, telling them to “keep protesting”, saying “help is on its way.”
Security forces violently suppressed the demonstrations, killing at least 7,000 people according to data published by the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivers a key note speech at the 62nd Munich Security Conference on February 14, 2026 in Munich, Germany. (Johannes Simon/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a bluntly worded, but ultimately conciliatory, speech Saturday to leaders of Western nations, saying the Trump administration does not want to dismantle its traditional alliances.
However, during his speech at the Munich Security Conference, he called on European countries to adopt the administration’s right-wing polices on mass migration and do more for their own defense.
“Our destiny is and always will be intertwined with you,” Rubio said to prolonged applause. “We do not seek to separate but to reinvigorate an old friendship.”
His speech’s message appeared to be a greatly moderated version of the one given by Vice President JD Vance last year, where he attacked European countries as oppressive.
Rubio repeated many of the same political criticisms that Vance made, telling European countries they and the United States previously had fallen victim to a liberal “dangerous delusion.”
He told them they must get control over mass migration, stop being ashamed of their colonial histories and give up on what he called a “climate cult.”
But he repeated the message that the U.S. wanted to reinvigorate the power of the West “together.”
“And while we are prepared, if necessary, to do this alone, it is our preference and it is our hope to do this together with you, our friends here in Europe,” Rubio said.
Rubio defended the administration as seeking to unapologetically reinvigorate the West, speaking nostalgically of “great western empires.”
“We do not want our allies to be weak, because that makes us weaker. We do not want our allies to be shackled by guilt and shame,” he said. “We do not want allies to rationalize the broken status quo.”
He said the U.S. has “no interest in being the polite caretaker of managed decline.”
The chairman of the conference, Wolfgang Ischinger, later thanked Rubio for his “message of reassurance.”
“I’m not sure you heard the sigh of relief in this hall,” Ischinger told Rubio on stage.
During an interview with Bloomberg TV directly after the speech, Rubio said he thought he gave the “same message” that Vance delivered at the conference last year.
“I think what the vice president said last year, very clearly, was that Europe had made a series of decisions internally that were threatening to the alliance and ultimately to themselves, not because we hate Europe or we don’t like Europeans, but because, what is it that we fight for? What is it that binds us together?” Rubio said in the interview.
“And ultimately, it’s the fact that we are both heirs to the same civilization, and it’s a great civilization, and it’s one we should be proud of,” Rubio added.
The secretary continued to moderate that message, however, saying his own remarks were meant to explain that, “when we come off as urgent or even critical about decisions that Europe has failed to make or made, it is because we care.”
