Closing summary
The Europe live blog is closing now. Here’s a summary of the latest developments:
US arms deliveries to Ukraine have resumed, Ukrainian and Polish foreign ministers have said.
US envoys are expected to hold talks with Vladimir Putin by the end of the week. The White House’s Middle East envoy and close Trump ally, Steve Witkoff, is expected to travel to Moscow this week for a meeting with the Russian leader. The White House said US national security adviser Mike Waltz spoke to his Russian counterpart on Wednesday.
Donald Trump suggested he could target Russia financially if it failed to support a 30-day ceasefire agreed at a meeting between Ukrainian and US delegations in Saudi Arabia. The US president warned that if Putin refused to sign the deal, he could “do things financially that would be very bad for Russia”.
Trump met with Ireland’s taoiseach Micheál Martin at the White House where he accused Dublin of stealing the US pharmaceutical industry and the tax revenue that should have been paid to the US treasury. The US president said “of course” he would respond to retaliatory tariffs announced by the EU, of which Ireland is a member, on Wednesday.
Putin visited Russia’s Kursk region for the first time since Ukraine launched its counter-offensive in August. Visiting a control centre in Kursk region used by Russian troops, Putin heard a report from Valery Gerasimov, head of the Russian general staff, who said that Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region were now surrounded. Putin said any Ukrainian soldiers captured would be treated as “terrorists”. Ukraine’s top army commander Oleksandr Syrsky said his troops will continue to fight in Kursk “as long as appropriate and necessary”.
Defence ministers from Europe’s five leading military powers – France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the UK – met in Paris to discuss support for Ukraine. About 15 countries have “shown an interest” in proposed options for “security architecture” in Ukraine, France’s Sébastien Lecornu said. Germany’s Boris Pistorius said Europe needs a much more unified approach regarding the procurement of military equipment.
UK defence secretary John Healey said European allies will “accelerate” work on forming a “coalition of the willing” to provide security guarantees to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. Healey noted that Keir Starmer is scheduled to host another leaders’ summit on Saturday before further meetings between senior military officers next week.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he hoped for “strong steps” if Russia rejects the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine, with further measures “strengthening Ukraine.” If Putin refuses, “I understand that we could count on strong steps. I don’t know the details yet, but we are talking about sanctions and about strengthening Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.
Russia is attempting to push the UK embassy in Moscow towards closing, the Foreign Office has said, after the UK expelled a Russian diplomat and their spouse in a tit-for-tat response to the expulsion of a British diplomat and a diplomatic spouse over allegations of espionage that UK officials strenuously deny.
Greenland voted for a complete overhaul of its government in a shock result in which the centre-right Democrat party more than tripled its seats after a dramatic election campaign fought against the backdrop of Trump’s threats to acquire the Arctic island.
Thanks for following along with me, Donna Ferguson, and goodnight.
Irish premier praises Trump's 'peace initiatives'
The Irish premier Michael Martin has said he shares Donald Trump’s “unrelenting focus on peace”.
He praised Trump’s work on “peace initiatives” in Ukraine and the Middle East while attending diplomatic engagements in Washington, ahead of Saint Patrick’s Day on Monday.
He told US President Donald Trump: “In my view, there is nothing more noble, president, than the pursuit of peace.”
He added: “Ireland is ready to work with you and our international partners to end conflict, and especially to bring just, lasting and sustainable peace to the people of Ukraine and the people of the Middle East.
“Conflict and war hurt the most vulnerable. Too many children in particular have died in Gaza, in Israel, in Sudan, and too many children have been abducted in Ukraine.
“Let us together never cease to strive for peace, prosperity and opportunity for all the world’s children.
“That would be an extraordinary achievement for the transatlantic relationship and an extraordinary legacy for the ages.”
