Image source, Reuters

Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff has provided further details on President Trump's talks with Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

Putin agreed to allow the US to provide Ukraine with "robust security guarantees that I would describe as game-changing," Witkoff tells CNN.

"We got to an agreement that the United States and other European nations could effectively offer Article 5-like language to cover a security guarantee," in reference to the critical Nato provision.

• For context: Article 5 of the Nato agreement states that an armed attack on one member country would be considered an attack on all members

Putin staunchly opposes Ukraine joining Nato, and Witkoff says this arrangement could be an alternative if "the Ukrainians could live with that".

Witkoff also says the US had a good, granular conversation with Ukrainian President Zelensky on the plane ride home from Alaska, and believes Monday's meeting in Washington would be productive.

Image source, Reuters

While European leaders meet once again with President Zelensky - Trump has posted a couple of updates on his social media site Truth Social.

"BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED! President DJT," reads the latest.

Slightly before that, he shared two posts hitting out at the media, or "Fake News".

"If I got Russia to give up Moscow as part of the Deal, the Fake News, and their PARTNER, the Radical Left Democrats, would say I made a terrible mistake and a very bad deal," he writes.

A separate post similarly criticises the "Fake News" for distorting the truth about him.

"I had a great meeting in Alaska on Biden’s stupid War, a war that should have never happened!!!"

Image source, EPA

Here's what we just heard from Volodymyr Zelensky and Ursula von der Leyen during their short news briefing:

• Von der Leyen stressed once again that any peace deal must include security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe
• Zelensky agreed and said it's important that Washington has also promised to offer its support
• It's also crucial, both leaders said, that Ukraine has no restrictions on its sovereignty - von der Leyen told reporters that Brussels supports Ukraine in becoming an EU member
• As for Putin's reported request for territory in Donetsk, Zelensky says it is impossible under the Ukrainian constitution
• Looking ahead, Zelensky said he hopes tomorrow's White House visit will be "productive", while von der Leyen emphasised that a "trilateral meeting" between Ukraine, Russia and the US must follow

The virtual meeting with Nato leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has started.

It's being hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, who thanks all attendees but especially those joining from Australia and Japan.

"We have several objectives," Macron says as he outlines an agenda including to "strategise ahead of Zelensky's visit to Washington DC tomorrow".

Sir Keir Starmer, Giorgia Meloni and Friedrich Merz can also be seen on the video call; with Zelensky flanked to his left by Ursula von der Leyen.

Image source, Pool via Reuters

The second - and final - press conference question comes from a Ukrainian journalist, who asks Zelensky what security guarantees he would consider appropriate, and whether he fears a repeat of the shouting match that took place in the Oval Office during his February visit.

Zelensky responds that he understands the financing of security guarantees can only be funded by Europe, but says there are still things that can be provided by the US.

He says Ukraine also needs a guarantee that Russia will not continue to occupy its neighbour.

On the White House trip, he says he hopes that it will be a productive visit.

With that, both leaders leave the podiums to head to a meeting - stick with us and we'll unpick what we've just heard.

Image source, EPA

Ursula von der Leyen and Volodymyr Zelensky are now answering some questions from journalists.

A journalist asks both of the European leaders if they agree with Trump that there is "no need" for a ceasefire and instead peace negotiations should begin immediately.

Von der Leyen responds by saying that what's most important is to "stop the killing".

She says it's important to have a "trilateral meeting" with Ukraine, Russia and the United States, adding that clear timelines need to be kept.

Zelensky agrees with this sentiment, and says they need to "push" Russia to real negotiations. He adds that now that they need to share all their resources with Trump and to make "lasting peace".

Zelensky says he and von der Leyen talked about defence before thanking her for help on drones as well as the latest round of sanctions on Russia.

"Sanctions show we are serious," he adds.

Finally, Zelensky says the two talked about school children ahead of the new school year starting soon.

"Our children [are] our future," he finishes ahead of some questions from journalists in the room.

Image source, EPA

Zelensky says that "Putin has many demands but we do not know all of them", adding that it will take time to go through them all, if there are as many as we have heard.

He says that's impossible to do now, under the pressure of fighting, so a ceasefire is needed to work quickly on a final deal. As a result, "real negotiations" that start where the front line currently stands are necessary, he adds.

Zelensky stresses once more that the Ukrainian constitution makes it impossible to give up territory - and this should only be discussed by the leaders of Ukraine and Russia at a trilateral summit.

Moving on, he says that it's also important that the US agrees to offer security guarantees for Ukraine alongside Europe.

"We need security to work in practice like Article 5 of Nato," he adds, referencing the Nato directive that members will support other Nato members if attacked.

Zelensky is speaking now, and thanks the EU for the support shown to Ukraine since the beginning of the war.

He says it's important that they speak together and that "Washington is with us". Zelensky says they will be discussing what they should talk about at the White House tomorrow.

"This unity helps reach real peace," he says.

Image source, Reuters

Turning to her second point, von der Leyen says international borders cannot be changed by force.

She continues: "These are decisions to be made by Ukraine and Ukraine alone.

"These decisions must not be taken without Ukraine in the table."

Von der Leyen says that as long as the bloodshed in Ukraine continues, the EU will continue with sanctions on Russia.

The European Commission president goes on to say she welcomes President Donald Trump's willingness to contribute to Article 5-like "security guarantees".

For context, Article 5 is a Nato principle that says the organisation's members will come to the defence of an ally which comes under attack.

She says the EU is "ready to do its share". She goes on to say that defending Europe is its responsibility.

She says the defence needs of member states can be matched, adding that she will travel to frontline member states in the coming weeks.

Von der Leyen adds that Brussels supports Ukraine's path to membership of the EU.

Von der Leyen says peace "must be achieved through strength", before setting out what a deal should look like.

First, this must include security guarantees to protect both Ukraine and Europe, she says.

Ukraine must also be able to uphold its territorial sovereignty, and there must also be no limitations on its armed forces - including on joining international organisations and getting assistance from other countries.

Von der Leyen starts by saying she is glad to be accompanying Zelensky and other European leaders to Washington tomorrow.

"We will continue to support you for as long as it takes," she says.

Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

Volodymyr Zelensky and Ursula von der Leyen are taking their place.

Stay with us and we will bring you the top lines from Brussels.

You can also follow along by clicking watch live above.

Putin got plenty from this summit - and made no noticeable compromisespublished at 13:39 British Summer Time 17 August

13:39 BST 17 August

Steve Rosenberg
Russia editor

Image source, Reuters

The meeting in Alaska has not produced what President Trump had been hoping for – a Russian ceasefire.

It gave President Putin plenty, though: a red-carpet welcome, a day in the geo-political limelight, and the chance to share a stage with the leader of the world’s most powerful country.

Lots of pluses, then, for Moscow – without Moscow making any noticeable compromise or concessions over its war in Ukraine.

In recent weeks President Trump has been threatening to take a tougher approach to Russia over its unwillingness to cease fire in Ukraine.

So far, though, the White House hasn’t followed through on its threat.

At the end of July Donald Trump set Vladimir Putin an ultimatum – end the war in Ukraine within 10 days or face even more sanctions.

The Kremlin leader did not stop fighting.

Instead of sanctions he got an invitation from Donald Trump to a summit.

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, reporting from Washington

European leaders, as well as the Nato chief, joining Zelensky for talks with Trump in Washington makes it an extraordinarily high-level meeting.

This reveals how high their concern is that the US president will help Vladimir Putin defeat Ukraine by backing his demands - such as no ceasefire before final settlement.

This also shows how worried they are that we may be headed towards another explosive meeting at the White House, and that Zelensky needed backup to avert a repetition of the spat that happened in February.

An unprecedented moment, sparked by nervousnesspublished at 13:16 British Summer Time 17 August

13:16 BST 17 August

Matthew Cole
Political Correspondent

Image source, Reuters

Managing Donald Trump is part of the diplomatic operation here – especially in light of what happened last time President Zelensky went to Washington DC, and how disastrously the meeting went with those angry scenes in front of the media in the Oval Office.

So, we have an unprecedented moment – with a very significant number of the "coalition of the willing" having now confirmed they will attend a meeting in the White House.

A key objective will be to push the need for security guarantees for Ukraine following a peace deal – not least as Ukrainian membership of Nato is not really on the table.

They will also want to raise “territorial issues” with President Trump and stress their continued support for Ukraine.

What was initially a bilateral meeting between Donald Trump and President Zelensky now appears to have grown – although a one-on-one could still take place – with a slew of European leaders now descending for a joint audience with the US president.

Those who have a good relationship with Trump have been doing as much as they can to curry favour on behalf of President Zelensky particularly since that Spring meeting in the White House.

As things stand, this is quite an unprecedented gathering. I can't think of a time when this many European leaders – with so little notice - said they would head across the Atlantic to lobby on an issue.

There's clearly some nervousness among European leaders after the Alaska summit between Presidents Trump and Putin - and therefore they are travelling in numbers to take that message to the US president.

Image source, Getty Images

The Ukrainian leader and European Commission President are due to attend a virtual meeting of European leaders.

First, they share a handshake.

We're expecting the pair to hold a news conference shortly, you'll be able to follow along by clicking watch live above.

Jack Fenwick
Political correspondent

The UK and other European nations will be pleased that they’re playing a more visible role tomorrow than they did in Alaska.

The talks are still officially between Presidents Trump and Zelensky, but others leaders including Keir Starmer will be hoping that their presence in DC sends a powerful image that Europe is behind Ukraine.

The prime minister will have found it difficult watching the Oval Office scenes between Trump and Zelensky in February.

Since then he’s been keen to put a metaphorical arm around the Ukrainian president, to help him navigate a Trump-led White House.

But this isn’t just about imagery.

Starmer has worked hard to maintain a warm relationship with Trump. His own visit to the White House in February was friendly. Trump’s recent visit to Scotland was too.

Along with Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, he’s arguably the European leader closest to the US president.

There’s a real belief in Downing Street that Starmer’s presence at events like this can help, that he can be a go-between for Trump and Zelensky.

Alex Smith
Live editor

Over the last hour and a half a stream of European leaders have announced they will be joining Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on a trip to the White House on Monday.

Here's who's confirmed to be attending:

• UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
• Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni

• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
• Finnish President Alexander Stubb
• French President Emmanuel Macron
• Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte
• European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

We're still keeping an eye out for more developments, but so far the list closely resembles the leaders who met virtually on Wednesday - ahead of Trump and Putin's Alaska talks.

Meanwhile, we're expecting Zelensky to meet von der Leyen in Brussels shortly - around 14:00 local time (13:00 BST) - ahead of a virtual meeting with a number of European leaders.