Image source, Reuters

Moscow is considering a potential deal with the US to mine rare earths in Russia, according to Putin's special envoy on international economic and investment cooperation, Kirill Dmitriev.

In comments reported by the Reuters news agency, Dmitriev, who is also head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund, says that Russia's deposits of rare earths exceeded that of Ukraine's, and that Moscow "would like to involve American companies".

He adds that many forces were trying to derail Donald Trump's efforts to restore dialogue with Russia, without providing details.

Dmitriev also flagged intentions to work with the US on space exploration, saying he expected to hold talks with Elon Musk about flying to Mars.

Image source, Reuters

There's an hour to go until Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are expected to speak. Here's what we know:

• Trump and Putin are expected to speak in the next couple of hours, between 13:00 and 15:00 GMT, the Kremlin said
• The two leaders are expected to speak about the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine
• Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he is "looking forward" to the call and vowed that the war "must end now"

• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the pair will speak for "as long as they consider necessary"

• Ahead of the call Volodymyr Zelensky said "it is Putin who continues to drag out this war". "For a week now, Putin has been unable to squeeze out ‘yes’ to the ceasefire proposal," he added
• Earlier this week, Trump said discussions with Putin will address "land"; "power plants" and "dividing up certain assets"

Sarah Rainsford
Eastern Europe correspondent

Image source, Reuters

I think, most of all, the Russian president wants to stay in the game because for now Donald Trump is playing into his hands.

Russia is back at the "top table" of politics, talking directly to the US again, and Putin likes that.

He’s hoping it brings all sorts of dividends. He’ll also enjoy uniting with the US against Europe, which he scorns and wants to see weakened.

Right now, the new US administration is talking Putin’s language.

It’s already ruled out Nato membership for Ukraine, one of Moscow’s big demands.

It’s also suggested Russia will keep the vast swathes of Ukraine it currently occupies illegally. And as if that wasn’t enough, for a whole week the White House has allowed Russia to go on pushing Ukrainian troops out of the Kursk region, where they’ve held ground for months. For Putin, their defeat is critical before considering any ceasefire.

But might there then be some movement from Moscow towards a ceasefire deal?

It’s possible.

Because there may be a limit to how long Russia can stall, before Trump, ever unpredictable, feels he looks weak and suddenly changes mood.

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

A week ago, the US announced proposals for a 30-day ceasefire. Here's how the seven days since have unfolded:

• 11 March: The US said it would put proposals for a ceasefire to Russia, after President Zelensky agreed to an interim break in the fighting following the talks in Saudi Arabia
• 12 March: Russia said it is "carefully studying statements" from the US-Ukraine talks and would await detailed information
• 13 March: Putin said he agreed with the idea of a ceasefire in Ukraine, but "questions" remain. Zelensky described his response as "manipulative". That evening, Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff met in Moscow to discuss the proposal
• 14 March: Trump said in a Truth Social post that the Putin-Witkoff talks provided "a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end"
• 15 March: Keir Starmer hosted a video call with 26 nations from the "coalition of the willing", including Zelensky, and said the group is moving to an "operational phase"
• 16 March: Washington announced a call between Trump and Putin and said teams of US negotiators would meet counterparts from both Ukraine and Russia in the coming week
• 17 March: Details of the agenda for Trump's call with Putin emerged - the US president said "land", "power plants", and "dividing up assets" are on the agenda, while Russia confirmed the call will take place but refused to comment on details

Image source, Reuters

Let's turn our attention to Germany’s parliament for a moment, where lawmakers are debating proposals to exempt defence from the country's strict debt rules, to unlock billions more in funding.

Addressing parliament, incoming chancellor Friedrich Merz says Russia's aggression and questions about the reliability of the United States as a partner are forcing Germany's hand.

Merz says Germany is facing a "paradigm shift" in defence and must rebuild its military capabilities.

"For at least a decade, possibly much longer, our society felt a false sense of security. Now we need to rebuild our defence capability from scratch," he says.

We'll keep you updated on the outcome of the vote, expected within the next few hours.

Image source, EPA

Ahead of today's call, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says "it is Putin who continues to drag out this war".

"For a week now, Putin has been unable to squeeze out ‘yes’ to the ceasefire proposal."

Zelensky adds that the 30-day ceasefire proposal from the US is about "saving lives, allowing diplomats to work on ensuring security and a lasting peace - the proposal that Russia is ignoring".

"Every day in wartime is a matter of human lives," he writes on X, external, calling for pressure to be put on Moscow to bring an end to the war.

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

Image source, EPA

There is a feeling of anticipation mixed with trepidation in Ukraine ahead of the Trump-Putin phone call.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has said repeatedly that Ukraine’s future must not be discussed without Ukraine, and that Kyiv will not accept the annexation of any of its territory by Russia.

And yet this is exactly what the US and Russian presidents are likely to be discussing, as Donald Trump says the division of “assets” will be on the table.

Also, we are yet to hear which - if any - concessions Russia is prepared to make, and Vladimir Putin's conditions for a truce essentially amount to a rejection.

Another reason for Ukraine to be worried is the continuing closeness of Russian and American positions on issues such as Russia's Kursk region, which Ukraine has held parts of since last August.

Both are saying significant numbers of Ukrainian troops are surrounded there, but Kyiv denies encirclement.

• See the latest areas of control in the Kursk region in the map below:

The phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will take place today between 13:00 and 15:00, the Kremlin says.

That is:

• 09:00 to 11:00 in Washington DC
• 16:00 to 18:00 in Moscow

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the two leaders will speak for "as long as they consider necessary", and the Kremlin will inform the press about the call shortly afterwards.

Image source, EPA

Donald Trump says "many elements" of a future Ukraine deal have been agreed ahead of his call with Vladimir Putin - but adds "much remains" to be discussed.

"I look very much forward to the call with President Putin," the US president wrote on his Truth Social platform late last night.

"Thousands of young soldiers, and others, are being killed ... and it must end NOW."

Jacqueline Howard
Live reporter

In the next few hours, US President Donald Trump will hold a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss Ukraine's future.

It's been one week since Ukraine said it was ready to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire with Russia, proposed by the US.

Since then, Putin has said Russia is ready for a halt in fighting, but "there are nuances". (We've picked apart those nuances here, some of which are likely to be unacceptable or impossible to Ukraine and its Western partners.)

We are yet to see whether those issues will be discussed today.

Asya Robins
Live reporter

Image source, Reuters

It won't be the first time that Putin and Trump have spoken this year - but tomorrow's phone call between the two leaders is shaping up to be a significant one.

For one, it'll mark the first known conversation the two presidents have had since Ukraine agreed to support a US-backed ceasefire.

The Kremlin confirmed earlier today that preparations were being made for the call, but refused to be drawn on what exactly they would discuss.

The White House has said that Trump plans to discuss "land", "power plants", and "dividing up certain assets".

Ukraine will undoubtedly be top of mind for both leaders, particularly since it was just one week ago that American and Ukrainian delegates agreed on proposals for a 30-day ceasefire - Putin said that he supported the idea, but added there are still "nuances" to be worked out.

Today, European and Ukrainian officials have voiced their opinions on what the outcome of tomorrow's talks might be - with some putting pressure on Putin to provide more receipts for his supposed support of a ceasefire.

Regardless of the content of the conversation, it's sure to carry weight in the future negotiations for peace in the region.

We'll be following updates about that call and from across the region on this page tomorrow. Until then, here's a selection of BBC content to keep you informed on the latest:

• Russia urged to prove it wants peace with Ukraine
• 'Everything is finished': Ukrainian troops relive retreat from Kursk
• Peace deal must bar Ukraine from Nato, Russian official says
• Prospect of Ukraine ceasefire still uncertain despite Trump's optimism

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

We've just heard from Donald Trump, who is currently on a visit to the nearby Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts here in Washington DC.

Speaking to reporters briefly, Trump says he hopes to discuss the plight of Ukrainian soldiers during his call with Putin tomorrow, who he says are currently surrounded by Russian forces.

"If it wasn't for me, they wouldn't be here any longer," he says. "I was able to get them [the Russians] not to do anything at this moment."

Trump again expresses optimism that the two sides, with US mediation, will be able to come to a ceasefire and ultimately a peace deal.

We'll soon be pausing our coverage on the war in Ukraine, but before we go, here's a quick look at what's been going on today:

• US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to discuss a ceasefire negotiation during a phone call tomorrow
• More than 30 countries will be involved in a "coalition of the willing" to help Ukraine, Downing Street confirmed earlier today
• Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Russia "can't really be trusted" and accused Moscow of "not coming to the negotiation table"
• David Lammy, the UK foreign secretary, similarly called into question Putin's intentions, saying in the Commons earlier that he must "prove" that he is "serious" about a ceasefire

• The war continued to rage overnight, as Ukraine and Russia exchanged drone strikes, according to officials from both countries, with Ukraine reporting at least one dead and several injured
• Russia has also claimed to be making advances in the Zaporizhzhia region - something Ukraine is denying

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

It's been a dizzying few weeks of diplomatic talks on a ceasefire in Ukraine. If you are struggling to following along, let's take a look at how we got here:

• 12 February: US President Donald Trump calls his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, where the leaders agree to begin negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, before speaking with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
• 18 February: US and Russian officials meet in Saudi Arabia to hold talks on the war
• 19 February: Zelensky accuses Trump of living in a Russian "disinformation space" and Trump labels Zelensky a "dictator"
• 26 February: Trump says Zelensky will sign an agreement on sharing his country's mineral resources when he visits the White House
• 28 February: That meeting at the White House descends into a fiery exchange as Trump accuses his Ukrainian counterpart of being "disrespectful" to the US - something the Ukrainian leader rejects
• 3 March: The US announces it is "pausing and reviewing" its military aid to Ukraine
• 4 March: Zelensky releases a statement that describes the White House row as "regrettable" - Trump says he "appreciates" a letter he says he received from Zelensky
• 11 March: US and Ukrainian officials announce a 30-day ceasefire proposal and the resumption of US intelligence and security assistance to Ukraine
• 13 March: Putin says he agrees with the idea of a ceasefire in Ukraine but “questions” remain about the nature of the truce. Zelensky says Putin’s response is “manipulative”
• 16 March: Trump says he will hold a call with Putin on Tuesday to discuss the peace deal, land and power plants - the Kremlin confirms the next day that a conversation between the two leaders is being planned

Starmer's 'coalition of the willing' begins to take shapepublished at 19:04 Greenwich Mean Time 17 March

19:04 GMT 17 March

Paul Adams
Diplomatic correspondent

At the end of his virtual summit on Saturday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his “coalition of the willing” for Ukraine was getting bigger all the time.

Now, a spokesman says that more than thirty countries are expected to contribute in one way or another, with what he calls a “significant number” providing troops.

Until now, only Britain and France have said they would be willing to put boots on the ground, so this sounds like progress. But it’s not known who those additional countries are or what the other contributions will be, although the spokesman did cite engineering support and the use of airfields as two possible areas.

The details of what is clearly an evolving picture are due to be developed at a meeting of defence chiefs in London on Thursday.

Russia insists it won’t agree to any Nato members sending troops. Number 10 seems undaunted. Russia, it says, can’t dictate the make-up of a peacekeeping force.

Another important area of doubt concerns what - if any - help the United States is willing to offer to this largely European force.

So far, the Trump administration appears to have ruled out getting involved. But for troops to be deployed to Ukraine, the prime minister’s spokesman said, the coalition had to have US backing.

Civilians are continuing to be evacuated from the outskirts of Sudzha, a district in Russia's western Kursk region that was recently retaken by Moscow's armed forces.

According to the acting Kursk region governor, 371 people have been evacuated from "liberated settlements" - including 14 children - since 12 March.

As a reminder, Ukraine launched a military incursion in the Kursk region last August and captured some territory.

However, Putin now claims Russia is fully back in control of Kursk, and Ukrainian troops are "isolated" - reports that Ukrainian officials have denied.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

As we've been reporting, Ukrainian authorities have said Russian forces are continuing with their efforts to cross the border and invade Ukraine's northern Sumy region.

The Sumy region is across the border from Kursk, an area that Russian troops are currently retaking following Ukraine's mass incursion there in August last year.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had said that the Kursk operation had established a buffer zone which prevented Russian forces from being deployed in key areas of the front line in eastern Ukraine.

But Russia has steadily been taking territory back, and Ukrainian soldiers have been retreating.

Last week, Russian media reported that President Vladimir Putin visited the Kursk region for the first time since Ukraine's incursion.

Image source, EPA

We've recently been hearing from French President Emmanuel Macron, who says it's time to move toward a concrete peace plan "with all our partners".

"President Zelensky had the courage to accept the American proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. Now it's up to Russia to prove that it truly wants peace.

"Enough deaths. Enough lives destroyed. Enough destruction. The guns must fall silent," Macron says in a post on X.

He adds that the "abuses and sabotage must stop" and that deported Ukrainian children must be reunited with their families - conditions he says Russia must fulfil.

Donald Trump is committed to the plan, Macron says, highlighting how this was something he talked to the US president about when the pair spoke yesterday.

Macron also stresses the need for "solid security guarantees for Ukraine" and a secure lasting peace in Ukraine and Europe.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Responding to another question - this one about Trump's claims that Ukraine-Russia discussions have so far revolved around dividing "assets" - Leavitt says that Kyiv's government and President Zelensky have both been "engaged".

She refuses to give more details, however, saying that it would be "unwise" to "get ahead" of Trump's call with Putin tomorrow.

Leavitt also criticises the Biden administration as "the reason this war began" - a common claim made by Trump and his administration.

Trump, she says, has "made progress" in the ceasefire negotiation.

"Hopefully tomorrow that progress continues," she adds, before the press briefing ends.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Image source, Bernd Debusmann Jr/BBC

Here in the White House briefing room, it's a particularly heavy news day, with questions about Ukraine and Russia few and far between so far.

With regards to a potential ceasefire negotiation, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt again says that Trump and Putin will talk tomorrow.

"We've never been closer to peace than at this moment," Leavitt says. "The president is determined."

Much of this news briefing, however, has focused on US immigration issues and other domestic matters.