Lana Lam
Live reporter

A fortnight ago, US-Ukraine relations hit an all-time low after Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky had a bruising encounter with Donald Trump and JD Vance at the White House.

What a difference 14 days can make as we potentially edge closer to a ceasefire in the three-year war between Russia and Ukraine.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he's cautiously optimistic of ongoing ceasefire talks - and Trump posted on social media saying Russia-US talks in Moscow yesterday had been "good and productive".

But Zelensky says Russia's response to peace talks shows the Kremlin wants to "drag out" steps towards a truce.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says he will guarantee the lives of Ukrainian troops ifthey surrender in Kursk - the Russian region where Ukrainian troops invaded last August.

After two days of talks, the G7 group reiterated its "unwavering support" for Ukraine, and discussed sanctions on Russia if it doesn't agree to a ceasefire.

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And you can read more in our main news article.

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House

Image source, Getty Images

Trump says that the US have had "good calls" with both Ukraine and Russia today.

"But it's not easy," he said.

Trump also praised himself for bringing the two sides to the point of discussing negotiations.

"I think we've had some very good results," he said. "Just before I came here I got some pretty good news." Though, he did not provide any further details on what he's referring to.

He again claimed Ukrainian troops are "surrounded" and in "grave danger", without providing further evidence.

"I asked him [Putin] not to kill those soldiers," he added. "We don't want them killed."

• For context: Ukraine's military denies the encirclement of its forces in Russia's Kursk region - which they invaded last August.Putin now claims Russia is back "in control" and Ukrainian troops there have been isolated.

We're hearing now from US President Donald Trump, who is speaking from the Department of Justice in Washington.

During a speech primarily focussed on law and order in America, Trump reiterates his belief that if he had been president over the past few years, instead of the Biden administration, the Ukraine war "would never have happened".

• As a reminder Trump earlier lauded "good and productive" discussions between Russia and the US yesterday - we have more on that.

In our next post, we'll touch on more of what the US president said about his calls with Russia and Ukraine.

Ukraine says a Russian missile attack on Kryvyi Rih - President Volodymyr Zelensky's hometown - has injured 11 people, with six of those being treated in hospital in a "moderate" condition.

According to the regional head, Serhiy Lysak, the attack on the central Ukrainian city targeted a residential area, with extensive damage to four apartment buildings, several homes, businesses and communication networks.

The number of wounded is expected to rise, he says in a post on Telegram, while the fire caused by the attack has been put out.

The attack is more "proof that the Russians are at war with the civilian population," he adds.

This is not the first attack this month of Zelensky's hometown. On 6 March, the BBC spoke to a UK-based aid worker who said he, his friends and colleagues were "so lucky to be alive" after they narrowly escaped a Russian missile attack in the region.

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier, we reported that the European Union is extending its sanctions on nearly 2,400 individuals and entities associated with Russia, according to the European Commission.

We've since heard from Anitta Hipper, spokeswoman for the European Commission, who says that sanctions on Russia are working.

At a news briefing in Brussels, Hipper says the sanctions "are biting and crippling Russia's economy and this is exactly the intended effect".

She adds: "What we want to achieve with this is to ensure that Ukraine is strong and Russia doesn't have the money and the fuel to put in its war machine."

Image source, Getty Images

Ahead of the virtual meeting on the "coalition of the willing" planned for Saturday, Keir Starmer has spoken to French President Emmanuel Macron and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

According to a Downing Street spokesperson, Macron and Starmer discussed the "significant breakthrough" on US-Ukraine peace talks.

"Tomorrow's meeting of the Coalition of the Willing would be another important moment to further galvanise support and maintain momentum," the spokesperson said.

A little earlier, we heard from Macron - the French president said Russia must accept the ceasefire deal.

Image source, EPA

A UN investigation says Russia has carried out enforced disappearances and torture during its war in Ukraine, both considered crimes against humanity.

These crimes "were perpetrated as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population and pursuant to a coordinated state policy", according to an advance unedited version of a new report by the UN's Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine.

We can now bring you more lines from UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy's statements after a meeting with his G7 counterparts in Canada.

Lammy says there will be a "detailed statement" from nations outlining a joint position on the crisis.

"I think that there is a unified approach that we need an enduring peace that lasts, I think that there is unity that now is the time for a ceasefire with no conditions," he adds.

"Ukraine has set their position out. It is now for Russia to accept it."

Image source, Reuters

We’re now seeing the official statement from the G7 meeting of foreign ministers in Quebec, which included representatives from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US.

Here are the six key takeaways from their statement on Ukraine’s “long-term prosperity and security”:

• The leaders declared their “unwavering support” for Ukraine to defend its territory and sovereignty
• They welcomed efforts to achieve a ceasefire - and specifically praised Ukraine’s commitment to securing an “immediate” end to hostilities
• They called on Russia to commit to a ceasefire, and discussed imposing financial penalties - such as sanctions and oil price caps - on Moscow if the Kremlin couldn’t agree to end the fighting. They also discussed the release of prisoners of war and detainees in the event of a ceasefire
• Another topic of discussion was the importance of “robust and credible security arrangements” for Ukraine to deter any future acts of Russian aggression. The leaders also talked about economic and humanitarian aid to support Ukraine through its “early recovery and reconstruction”
• The foreign ministers “condemned” the support Iran and North Korea had given to Russia, as well as China’s provision of weapons and “dual-use” components - meaning items with both commercial and military applications - to the country
• The impact of the war, especially on civilians and infrastructure, was also a cause of “alarm” for the G7 representatives, who say they want to see Ukraine remain a “democratic, free, strong and prosperous” country

Ukraine is marking Volunteer Day today, honouring those who formed the first volunteer military units to protect the country.

Meanwhile, in Russia, photos show graffiti by street artist Ivan Pimkin in the town of Pavlovsky Posad, near Moscow, expressing support for Russia's armed forces.

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

Image source, Reuters

We've just heard from French President Emmanuel Macron, who is urging Russia to accept the 30-day ceasefire proposal.

He says he spoke today with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

"Russian aggression in Ukraine must end. Abuses must stop. So must delaying statements," Macron says.

He adds that France will hold a video conference tomorrow with Starmer, Zelensky and other partners to "continue working to strengthen support for Ukraine and for a solid and lasting peace".

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

At a meeting of the Russian security council, Putin says the Trump administration is doing all it can "to restore at least something" in bilateral relations.

He says there is movement in relations between Russia and the US, telling the council: "let's see what happens".

Putin confirms he has seen Trump's request to spare Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region if they lay down arms.

They will be guaranteed life and decent treatment, Putin says - but first Kyiv must order them to surrender.

Sandro Vetsko
BBC Monitoring

Vladimir Putin says Russia will guarantee life to Ukrainian troops in the Kursk Region and treat them with "dignity in line with the norms of international law and the laws of the Russian Federation" if they give up arms and surrender.

Putin said he was responding to a call from Donald Trump to show mercy, which he said he treated with "understanding".

He added the Ukrainian leadership needed to order Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region to surrender.

The Russian leader said the new US administration was doing "everything" to start rebuilding US-Russian relations and "the situation is overall beginning to move" forward.

Putin was speaking to members of his security council, via video call, broadcast on Russian state media Rossiya 24 TV.

• For context, Ukraine invaded the Russian region of Kursk in August last year, and has held parts of the territory in hopes of using them as bargaining chips in possible peace talks. Putin now claims Russia is back "in control" and Ukrainian troops there have been isolated

We've been bringing you the key moments from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's news conference after a G7 meeting in Quebec.

Here's a recap:

• He says the US is "cautiously optimistic" about a Ukraine ceasefire, though it won't be easy or straightforward. He admits he doesn't yet know how aligned the US, Ukraine and Russia are over the deal
• Rubio doesn't get drawn into commenting on what Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday, saying the US won't make foreign policy decisions based on what a leader says at a press conference or on social media
• Hestresses fighting must first stop before all parties can negotiate lasting peace. "The only way to end this war is through a process of negotiations," he says

Rubio wraps up the news conference by saying: "I'm just stating the obvious."

He says the question now is how can they reduce hostility as much as possible so they can get to the negotiating phase.

When people sit down and negotiate the end of a war, there's usually a give and take, Rubio tells the press.

"What that give and take is depends on the parties at the table. We're not going to pre-determine anything. But that's what it's going to take to end the war," Rubio ends.

Image source, Getty Images

Rubio reasserts that "the only way to end this war is through a process of negotiations".

He says both sides have to make concessions, adding this is the "reality" of ending a war.

The precise nature of those concessions remains to be seen and making "blanket statements" wouldn't be helpful at this stage, the secretary of state adds.

Rubio says every country has the right to defend itself and its territory. He adds that Ukraine will "obviously have to agree" on what long-term security means for the country.

He stresses that an immediate ceasefire is essential.

"We can't get to the second phase till we get through the first phase," Rubio says.

"It's very difficult to negotiate lasting peace in the midst of an ongoing war."

Image source, Getty Images

The US secretary of state continues to answer questions on the timescale of ceasefire proposals for the Ukraine war.

Rubio repeats that Witkoff is not here yet, but says there's a lot of work to be done.

He admits it will be hard, saying he's never said it would be "easy, fast, simple slam-dunk".

It could come together pretty quickly if everyone aligns, Rubio tells press, but says he doesn't know how aligned they are yet. "That's what we're about to find out," he adds.

Asked again how long Putin has to agree to the ceasefire, Rubio responds: "The question isn't how long, but are we actually moving towards a ceasefire, or is this a delay tactic?"

He says they'll know that soon, a lot of which will be based from Witkoff's conversation with Putin.

Image source, AFP

In response to a question asking whether Putin is playing for time, Rubio says that America is not going to make foreign policy decisions on the basis of what a leader says at a press conference or on social media.

He says negotiations will play out with leaders speaking privately in talks, not in front of cameras.

Next up, Rubio is asked if he trusts Putin.

He says that’s an irrelevant question because it’s not about trust but action.

The US secretary of state says if we’re serious about foreign policy, we need to move away from this kind of talk.

He adds it’s not a reality show and it’s not about personalities.