Closing summary
… and on that note, that’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, as we wrap up today’s Europe Live, leaving EU leaders to continue they talks that are expected to run late into the night.
We are still waiting for comments from UK prime minister Keir Starmer after his meeting with army chiefs and planners from “the coalition of the willing.”
If and when we get them, we will bring you his words on our UK live blog here:
Here are the three things to take away from today’s Europe Live blog:
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he had no discussions with US president Donald Trump about the potential US ownership of Ukraine’s nuclear and energy plans (15:22). He also called out Vladimir Putin’s “propaganda claims” and “manipulations” as Russia continued strikes on Ukraine, despite reportedly agreeing to a limited ceasefire (13:12, 15:13, 16:00).
EU leaders meeting in Brussels agreed that “no real negotiations are taking place at the moment” after discussing Donald Trump’s attempts to end Putin’s war on Ukraine, expressing deep scepticism that the Russian president is serious about seeking an end to the three-year conflict that he started (11:47, 14:35).
Army chiefs and planners have met in Britain where, hosted by UK prime minister Keir Starmer, they discussed what “the coalition of the willing” could do to support Ukraine in case there is a peace agreement with Russia (15:41).
Russia names former FSB officer behind Ukraine invasion to lead peace talks
Shaun Walker in Kyiv
Pjotr Sauer
Russia has named a secretive former FSB chief who played a key role in planning Vladimir Putin’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine to lead next week’s peace talks with the US in Saudi Arabia.
Moscow announced that Sergei Beseda, the former head of the FSB spy agency’s fifth directorate – who oversaw intelligence operations in Ukraine and orchestrated the recruitment of collaborators before the invasion – will travel to Riyadh for Monday’s talks with the US.
Both sides said the talks in Saudi Arabia are aimed at finalising a limited ceasefire deal agreed this week and initiating negotiations on a maritime ceasefire.
Beseda will be joined by Grigory Karasin, the chair of the senate’s committee on international affairs, for a new round of talks with US officials.
