Ukraine will mark the fourth anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s barbaric invasion on Tuesday, February 24.

The date will serve as a cruel reminder of just how long this war has been raging, especially as the third round of trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine and the US failed to make any significant progress last week.

Moscow’s refusals to give up its maximalist goals weigh down Donald Trump’s push for a speedy peace deal – though the US president continues to falsely blame Kyiv for the stagnant talks.

Earlier this week, he told reporters that it was going to be “very easy” to reach a deal.

But he warned: “Ukraine better come to the table, fast. That’s all I’m telling you. We are in a position, we want them to come.”

Desperate to secure an agreement and consolidate his supposed reputation as a “deal-maker”, Trump has time and time again promised a truce is on the horizon – all while Russian strikes continue to target Ukraine.

But, as Ukraine enters its fifth year of war, could the president be right, and an end is in sight?

HuffPost UK asked experts just how realistic Trump’s claims are – and if there are any alternatives to a formal peace agreement.

British officials are confident that Ukraine can hold its ground on the battlefield in the east, even after a challenging winter where Russia repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

That enables Kyiv to hold a firmer line in negotiations – like refusing to give into Putin and Trump’s demands that Ukraine gives up even more land.

But there are fears – particularly in Ukraine – that the talks themselves are just theatre to entertain Trump, with Kyiv delegates put under pressure to join.

Similarly, experts told HuffPost UK that it seems unlikely these negotiations will result in anything.

Professor Konstantin Sonin, from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy said he remains sceptical that Trump could secure a peace deal because “the basic, big things remain unchanged”.

He told HuffPost UK that Putin does not care about the cost of the war in terms of soldiers’ lives and material expenses, even though Russia is estimated to have suffered 1.2 million casualties since the conflict began.

While British officials have signalled that, beneath the surface, Russia’s economy is slowing down – with a fall in oil prices and a hike in VAT – that impact does not seem to have yet trickled through to the battlefield.

It’s suspected that Putin has not been informed about the reality of the public finances, or the eroding public support for the war.

But, at the same time, the Ukrainian army and state is nowhere near the state of collapse. In fact, its defence sector has been boosted over the last four years.

“A couple of more years of grinding warfare, in which the Russian army exchanges dozens of thousands of men for villages and townships in Eastern Ukraine, are totally possible,” Sonin, a Russian citizen and Kremlin critic, said.

“And then a new US president, a Republican or a Democrat, will be able to push Putin towards peace.”

Dr Simon Bennett, from the University of Leicester’s civil safety and security unit, also suggested it seemed pretty unlikely Trump’s efforts would result in a peace deal.

He said: “The upshot of this in 2026 is likely to be that Russia’s gains will come at an even greater cost, and, occasionally, will be partially reversed, albeit on a small scale in terms of square miles retaken by Ukraine.”

Bennett predicted Putin’s ongoing bid to control the whole of Ukraine’s eastern region, the Donbas, will likely mean the territory continues to be “the same bloody quagmire in 2026 as it was in 2025.”

Kurt Volker, who stepped down as Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine in 2019, claimed this week that the president has done a lot towards ending the war.

For instance, he has encouraged Ukraine to accept the idea of a ceasefire, and forced European allies to increase defence spending.

But speaking to the Centre for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) think tank, Volker said: “He still needs to get an end to the war. We need to be demanding a ceasefire and putting pressure on Russia to do that as soon as possible.”

The president’s annual State of the Union address is set to be on February 24 this year, the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

But experts do not expect him to use the opportunity to finally recognise the extent of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

As Bennett said, Trump is too “inconsistent” – and his approach to policy-making is a “crisis or war waiting to happen”.

The specialist also pointed out that “Putin has no intention of negotiating a peace deal” and claimed he is playing “demonstrably gullible” Trump.

Meanwhile, when asked if the US president could crack down on Russia in a bid to boost his ratings before the midterm elections in November, Sonin said: “There will be more pressure on Trump from the Congress Republicans, because both the US population and the elite have been consistently supportive of Ukraine through the years of war.

“So, I’d expect Trump to do small things against Putin.”

Kurt Volkner told CEPA that it could be possible to strike up a deal comparable to the one which stopped the war between North and South Korea.

That non-aggression pact has – for the most part – held for more than 70 years, even though neither side technically agreed to a sustainable peace.

Volkner said: “Someday, I do believe there will be a ceasefire. I don’t believe there will ever be a peace agreement.

“I don’t believe Vladimir Putin will ever accept that there is an independent and sovereign Ukraine.

“Again, of the West, of governments, of investors, businesses, needs to be one that assumes that we will have a strong, growing, prosperous democratic European Ukraine that is safe and worthy of investment and business growth, very much like South Korea, without a final peace agreement with Russia, that’s just going to be where we are.”

But Sonin disagreed with this idea.

He said that while the North-South Korea deal was “one of the most durable, effective peace agreements despite never being finally ‘settled’”, it’s clear from previous attempts that written agreements between Russia and Ukraine do not work.

He also pointed out that such an agreement relies on the US commitment to help South Korea if North Korea invades, and China’s commitment to help North Korea if South Korea invades.

Sonin said: “A ‘peace agreement without a peace agreement’ between Russia and Ukraine is totally possible, but it will require Polish, German, Swedish, Baltic, etc, troops on the ground in Ukraine and a firm US commitment to get involved immediately if a new conflict starts.”

Bennett also dismissed Volker’s argument, as Putin still wants to restore Ukraine into a satellite state for Moscow.

“Few western leaders mention the fact that Putin’s war aims have not changed, first, because it does not fit with the Trump-the-Peacemaker-Extraordinaire narrative and secondly, because, when it comes to dealing with Trump, most western leaders are spineless,” Bennett said.

It’s widely believed that, in the absence of a stronger response from Trump, only a firmer intervention from Europe can actually stop the war.

But Ukraine allies across the continent have so far refused to commit to sending troops unless they operate in a peace-keeping capacity, as they want to avoid direct conflict with Russia.

Sonin told HuffPost UK: “I think that European countries will have to get involved into the military defense of Ukraine – sending ground troops, drone operators, etc. Of course it is a heavy lift politically.

“However, for the elites in Poland or Germany or Czech Republic or Romania or Baltic countries a scenario of Russia-controlled Ukraine (with Ukrainian army under maybe influence of the Russian masters) should be so scary that even a political heavy lift might become reality.”

He warned that without such an intervention, “the only hope is an internal collapse of Putin’s regime”.

Similarly, Bennett said Europe must resolve the issue by sending arms to Ukraine urgently, while the Russian army is weak.

“The cost in blood and treasure will be great,” Bennett said. “But nowhere near as great as allowing Russia to regenerate its armed forces for a final push on western Europe in five to 10 years’ time.”

Bennett said he saw this year’s Munich Conference as a “watershed moment”, as US secretary of state Marco Rubio reiterated that the White House primarily sees the Ukraine conflict as a problem for Europe not for the US.

Similarly, Volker said: “Europe can do a lot and can do a lot more than it is currently doing. And as I said, I picked up in Munich a realisation among a lot of European leaders that they’re not doing enough, that they need to step in and fill a gap that the US is leaving. So there are there’s a lot they can do.”

“The US sees itself as more of an arbiter than a prime mover in respect of European security,” Bennett said, adding: “I shall put it bluntly: the only way to end this war is through war. Europe must take Russia down.”

With nothing within Russia threatening to slow Putin’s ongoing aggression, and Trump’s efforts still – for now – amounting to mainly showmanship, ending the war in 2026 seems like a pipe dream, unless Europe gets directly involved.

As Bennett said: “Our fate is in our hands, and no-one else’s.”

A posthumous interview with former Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane has been released on Netflix, following the actor’s death at the age of 53.

Eric is the second star to be featured in the streaming service’s Famous Last Words interview series, which see famous faces sit down for candid conversations intended to be released after they have died.

Netflix’s official synopsis for the interview reads: “In this emotional interview, the late actor and ALS advocate Eric Dane shared his final message for the world – knowing it would not air until his death.”

The 50-minute special ends with the actor delivering a final message to his two daughters, telling them: “I tried. I stumbled sometimes, but I tried.

“Overall we had a blast, didn’t we? I remember all the times we spent at the beach, the two of you, me and mum – in Santa Monica, Hawaii, Mexico. I see you now playing in the ocean for hours, my water babies. Those days, pun intended, were heaven.”

He goes on to share “four things I’ve learned” since being diagnosed with ALS in 2025, urging them to “live now, right now, in the present”, “fall in love”, whether that be with another person or another “passion” or “joy”, “choose your friends wisely” and “fight with every ounce of your being, and with dignity”.

Elsewhere in the interview, he also reflects on his 2025 ALS diagnosis, his past issues with addiction and his relationship with his wife, fellow actor Rebecca Gayheart, as seen in the below clip:

He ended the interview: “Billie and Georgia, you are my heart, you are my everything. Good night, I love you. Those are my last words.

While many will remember Eric for his performance as Mark “McSteamy” Sloan on Grey’s Anatomy, his other most notable on-screen work included the supernatural series Charmed, the teen drama Euphoria and the X-Men movie The Last Stand.

The first of Netflix’s Famous Last Words specials debuted on the platform in 2025, following the death of the primatologist Jane Goodall.

Ruth Langsford has reflected on her split from ex-husband Eamonn Holmes in a candid new interview.

The two TV personalities had been together for 27 years, and married for 14, when a spokesperson announced in 2024 that the “marriage is over” and the pair were “in the process of divorcing”.

In the years since, Ruth has remained mostly tight-lipped about the break-up, but has spoken about it more candidly to the Daily Mail’s Weekend magazine.

Ruth began by saying that she and Eamonn had a “very happy marriage”, continuing: “Of course you question yourself, ‘did I miss something, was I not aware, was I too busy?’. But there’s no point playing the blame game.”

The Loose Women anchor admitted: “I just didn’t think I’d find myself here, and I wasn’t strong at the start. I was broken. Broken heart. Broken dreams.

“We all have an image of how we think our life and future is going to be. This wasn’t mine. I was devastated. We had gone from being a couple, traversing the usual ups and downs of a marriage, to an abrupt end. It was a huge shock.”

In the end, Ruth said she had to “give myself a good talking to” in order to stop herself “catastrophising”.

She recalled: “I was literally asking, ‘What’s going to become of me?’, like some sad, lonely woman in a Jane Austen novel.

“But then age and experience told me, ‘Ruth, you’re not going to die from this. I mean you are going to die, one day, but you’re not going to die from divorce’.”

Ruth initially took two months off her role on Loose Women in the wake of her divorce announcement, making only fleeting references to the split on the panel show in the period that followed.

Eamonn – who has since been linked with relationship counselor Katie Alexander – told viewers during his GB News show the day after the announcement was made: “I would like to thank you for your support for Ruth and I over the last few days as to the news of our separation.

“Your support for both of us is very much appreciated.”

Ruth and Eamonn share one son, Jack, who was born in 2002. Eamonn also has three grown-up children from his previous marriage to his first wife.

Check out Ruth Langsford’s Weekend magazine interview here.

Calls for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to be removed from the line of succession are growing following the former prince’s arrest.

The former Duke of York was held in custody for 11 hours on Thursday, on his 66th birthday, before being released under investigation.

Andrew has always denied any allegations of wrongdoing.

He was detained on suspicion of misconduct in public office while his homes in were searched by police.

It’s understood that the search in his Norfolk home on the Sandringham estate has concluded while officers continued to look through his Royal Lodge home in Windsor, Berkshire, on Friday.

The shocking turn of events comes after three million documents related to the dead paedophile Jeffrey Epstein were released by the US Department of Justice.

Several UK forces have since started to look into various claims, including the possibility that Andrew sent confidential information to Epstein in his capacity as Britain’s trade envoy.

The documents suggest the former prince may have forwarded government reports from his visits to Vietnam, Singapore and China to the disgraced financier.

Thames Valley Police also said in February that it was assessing a separate allegation that a second woman was sent to the UK by Epstein for a sexual encounter with Andrew in 2010.

The woman, who is not British, was in her 20s at the time.

Yesterday’s arrest was not in relation to allegations of any sexual offences.

Andrew stepped down from his royal duties in 2019 after a car crash Newsnight interview about his friendship with Epstein.

When further allegations about their association emerged in October, King Charles stripped Andrew of his titles – including his status as prince.

However, Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne, behind Prince William and his children, and Prince Harry and his children.

Legislation via an act of parliament would be needed to remove him from the line of succession, and MPs would have to debate the topic.

These latest claims, alongside the arrest, have triggered calls for more extreme action.

A YouGov poll has found 82% of the public think Andrew should be removed, while 6% disagreed and 12% said they were not sure.

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said the monarchy must work to make sure Andrew can “never become king”.

He said: “The most important thing right now is that the police be allowed to get on with their job, acting without fear or favour.

“But clearly this is an issue that parliament is going to have to consider when the time is right, naturally the Monarchy will want to make sure he can never become King.”

Meanwhile the Green Party leader Zack Polanski has called for a full statutory inquiry.

“I think its pretty awful, I think there are lots of questions to be asked,” he said. “We obviously need to wait for the legal process to make its way, but I would say we really need a full statutory inquiry.”

He argued that “when necessary” people should be “removed” from their positions – adding that he did not believe Britain should have a monarchy.

Meanwhile, shortly before Andrew’s arrest, prime minister Keir Starmer told BBC Breakfast that “nobody is above the law” when asked about the allegations against the former prince.

The King already appeared to distance the royal family from his disgraced brother on Thursday in a statement.

He wrote: “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.

“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.”

In a statement on Thursday evening, the police said: “Thames Valley Police is able to provide an update in relation to an investigation into the offence of misconduct in public office.

“On Thursday we arrested a man in his sixties from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

“The arrested man has now been released under investigation.

“We can also confirm that our searches in Norfolk have now concluded.”