From sunflowers on the table to Starmer walking Zelensky to his car, this visit was a show of symbolismpublished at 13:59 British Summer Time 14 August

13:59 BST 14 August

Paul Adams
Diplomatic correspondent

Image source, PA Media

The show of solidarity and symbolism was unmistakable.

From the hug with which the prime minister greeted President Zelensky on his arrival at No 10, to the sunflowers in the vase during their conversation in the garden, and the sight of Keir Starmer breaking with protocol and walking his guest back to his car.

The meeting, just an hour long, caps a week of intense European diplomacy designed to show that Ukraine’s European allies have its back and make sure that their key demands - that a ceasefire comes first and that Ukraine needs credible security guarantees - are ringing in Donald Trump’s ears when he sits down with Vladimir Putin in Alaska tomorrow.

No one knows if any of it will work, but the determination of key European players and the speed at which they have operated in recent days has, in itself, been remarkable.

We can bring you some fresh comments now from a European Commission spokesperson.

They say the EU's "understanding is that Trump will debrief Zelensky and European leaders after his bilateral meeting" with Vladimir Putin. While officials "believe this will be a [phone] call", the exact form the debrief will take is to be decided.

Yesterday's meeting of European leaders saw them agree that "the first step should be a ceasefire" and "it is for Ukraine to decide" on territorial matters, the statement goes on - adding that "another point of consensus" is pressure on Russia, with a further sanctions package being worked on currently.

The spokesperson also says military support and investments will continue for Ukraine, and that European leaders are working to "ensure that Ukraine is put in a position of strength in negotiations with Russia".

European countries "welcome" US participation to guarantee Ukraine's security, the statement continues, before urging Washington DC to share details of how this will work.

Image source, EPA

The countdown for Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin's Alaska summit is on, and the European community is continuing to rally around Volodymyr Zelensky who will not be present.

If you're just joining us, or need a recap, here's what you need to know:

• This morning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Downing Street in London, where he was warmly welcomed
• In a readout of the meeting, No 10 said Starmer and Zelensky agreed the talks between Trump and Putin on Friday "present a viable chance to make progress as long as Putin takes action to prove he is serious about peace"
• The Kremlin is sending its top cabinet members to Alaska with Putin, a Kremlin aide said, adding that Putin and Trump will hold "one-on-one" talks followed by a joint news conference at 11:30 local time (20:30 BST). It'll be the first US-Russia summit since 2021, when former President Joe Biden met Putin in Switzerland
• Putin's been quoted today by Russia's TASS news agency as praising Trump's "sincere" efforts to end the Ukraine war
• European diplomats have been working at speed since news of the upcoming Alaska summit broke, orchestrating a series of key conversations on the side lines
• In a phone call yesterday, Trump reassured European leaders that he wouldn't discuss ceding Ukrainian territory with Putin without Kyiv's input - and later said there was a chance of a second meeting with Putin that would include Zelensky

Paul Adams
Diplomatic correspondent

This morning’s meeting at Downing Street is the latest in a series of carefully choreographed European moves designed to show solidarity with Ukraine - not just to Vladimir Putin but also to Donald Trump.

It’s been a remarkable week since Trump announced that he and the Russian leader were going to meet face to face in Alaska.

Working at speed, European diplomats have orchestrated a series of key conversations.

Last Saturday, officials convened a meeting of national security advisers at the Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s country residence at Chevening, during a private visit by the US Vice President JD Vance.

Ukraine’s Defence Minister, Rustem Umerov, and top presidential adviser, Andrii Yermak, were both present. The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump envoy Steve Witkoff joined by phone.

On Wednesday, another flurry of meetings took place, including a multilateral phone call that included Donald Trump and President Zelensky – something that probably wouldn’t have happened without a major push by Ukraine’s European allies.

Will any of this have an effect?

It’s hard to tell, but Alex Younger, the former head of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, says he’s been impressed by Europe’s recent efforts.

"I think they’ve organised to tremendous effect to add consequences to both Putin and Trump’s actions," he told the Today Programme.

Younger went further, highlighting recent European military and economic assistance for Ukraine.

"I think we’re getting to the point now can actually effectively substitute for the tremendous contribution the US has made."

• Read more comments from the former MI6 chief here

Image source, EPA

President Zelensky says his meeting with Keir Starmer this morning was "productive" and the two leaders "continue to coordinate our positions".

In a post on X, the Ukrainian leader says the pair spoke of their expectations for Friday's Alaska meeting and the security guarantees Ukraine has been calling for to ensure a "durable" peace.

Zelensky also says he discussed "support programmes" for Ukraine's army and defence industry as well as investment in Ukraine's drone production.

"We are working with the UK and all our partners on this. Keir, thank you for your support!" Zelensky concludes.

Image source, EPA

We can bring you the latest statement from Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office after he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier today.

The statement from Downing Street reads there is a chance for "progress" at the Alaska summit "as long as Putin takes action to prove he is serious about peace".

It adds the two leaders "agreed there had been a powerful sense of unity" and "a strong resolve to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine" after European leaders held talks with US President Donald Trump yesterday.

Zelensky and Starmer will stay in close contact over the coming days, the statement concludes.

Sandro Vetsko
BBC Monitoring

At a meeting with officials, Russian President Vladimir Putin says he welcomes Donald Trump's "sincere" efforts to end the Ukraine war.

Russia's TASS news agency reports Putin saying he called the meeting to set out "what stage we are with the current American administration".

Putin goes on to praise the US for making "quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop combat activities, to stop the crisis and reach agreements that are of interest to all the sides involved in the conflict".

He adds: "To create long-term conditions for peace between our countries, in Europe and in the world in general."

Images and heat data show fire at Russian oil refinery after Ukraine drone attackpublished at 12:14 British Summer Time 14 August

12:14 BST 14 August

Image source, NASA

By Peter Mwai, BBC Verify

We have been looking at images said to show the aftermath of a reported overnight Ukrainian drone attack which struck an oil refinery in the Volgograd region in southern Russia.

In the images, which we have confirmed were filmed in Volgograd city’s Krasnoarmeysky district, we can see a plume of smoke rising to the sky from the direction of an oil refinery owned by Russian oil giant Lukoil.

We have verified a night-time image by matching the layout and shape of nearby residential blocks to satellite imagery. We also have a daytime picture where the buildings and a riverside park can be matched with satellite and Google Street View imagery.

Nasa’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (Firms), which detects active hot spots on the planet’s surface, captured heat signatures in the area overnight.

Volgograd regional governor Andrey Bocharov said Russia had repelled a Ukrainian drone attack and the fire at the refinery was caused by falling debris. “There are no casualties," he said in a statement., external.

The Ukrainian military said it targeted the site because it supplied fuel to the Russian military. Ukraine has been frequently targeting oil refineries and energy facilities in Russia during recent weeks.

You can follow along with the work of our BBC Verify colleagues in their live page.

Laura Gozzi
Europe reporter

Far away from Alaska, Russia and Ukraine continue to trade blows.

According to local authorities in the southern Russian region of Rostov, more than ten people were injured in a drone attack on a residential building. Belgorod on the border with Ukraine was also hit by drones, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said, and three people suffered injuries.

A fire was sparked when debris from Ukrainian drones fell on Lukoil’s Volgograd Oil Refinery, Governor Andrey Bocharov said. Unverified videos on social media show a huge cloud of smoke rising into the night sky from a factory-type building.

Meanwhile, in Ukraine local authorities in Kherson say four people were killed when Russia conducted an aerial attack on the region throughout Wednesday. Another seven people were injured by shelling in 47 settlements in the eastern Sumy region.

Nick Eardley
Political correspondent

Image source, PA Media

About an hour's worth of talks have taken place between Starmer and Zelensky this morning.

Normally what happens when leaders leave Number 10 is they walk down the street on their own, but today Starmer decided to accompany Zelensky back to his car.

There was no word from either of them as they left about how those talks went but there was another warm embrace between the pair - a handshake and a hug.

It was an important show of unity after everything that has happened in the last few days - including the talks between European leaders and Trump yesterday.

I think the fact that neither Starmer nor Zelensky said anything after today's talks is tactical.

The prime minister hasn't said that much to the media over the last few days, aside from the scripted handouts we receive after the meetings.

The reason for that is they want to have a united front - but also to avoid saying anything that might appear to be a split with the US.

The number one tactic within Downing Street across the last week or so has been to get Trump on board - to make sure Trump has the words of Europe and of Ukraine ringing in his ears when he sits down with Putin tomorrow.

Image source, Reuters

As we reported, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver a joint news conference after their "one-on-one" meeting in Alaska on Friday, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov says.

The aide says the central topic will be the war in Ukraine. "This will be followed by negotiations between the delegations, which will continue over a working breakfast," the aide adds, according to the AFP news agency.

The news conference at the end will serve to "summarise the results of the negotiations," Ushakov says.

The Russian delegation heading to Alaska will include Ushakov himself, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defence Minister Andrey Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov and Russian businessman Kirill Dmitriev, the Kremlin says.

Ushakov adds Putin and Trump will also use the summit as an opportunity to discuss trade and economic cooperation.

"Of course, broader issues of ensuring peace and security, as well as pressing international and regional issues, will also be addressed," he says, according to the AFP news agency.

Image source, Reuters

As we just reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has left Downing Street after a brief meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

On their way out of No 10, the pair were asked several questions by reporters about tomorrow's Putin-Trump summit in Alaska, but Starmer and Zelensky remained silent.

The pair embraced again before Zelensky departed.

Image source, Reuters

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is now leaving Downing Street after holding talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The pair held a meeting on the war in Ukraine.

Laura Gozzi
Europe reporter

In the last few minutes the Kremlin has announced that Putin and Trump will hold a joint press conference after their meeting in Alaska on Friday.

• Presidential aide Yuri Ushakov also confirmed that the two presidents will hold an initial one-on-one conversation with interpreters, with five members of each delegation to join after
• The meeting will start at 11:30 local time (19:30 GMT) and the duration of the talks will depend on how the discussion goes, Ushakov said
• A joint press conference will be held at the end of the summit
• Ukraine will be the main topic of the meeting but the leaders will also discuss other issues – such as US-Russia cooperation and trade

The former head of MI6 tells the BBC's Today programme that he's seen "absolutely nothing" to suggest Putin has changed his ambitions in Ukraine.

Alex Younger says the possible outcomes from Trump's meeting with Putin in Alaska on Friday are "wide open" but adds that there has been no sign to indicate "Putin is in any way prepared to change course and resile from his aim of total subjugation".

Younger says it is "hard to be optimistic" about the Alaska summit and it is important for Ukraine to be "in the room".

Younger also says the US's "approach is structurally flawed".

"It is true that Donald Trump is the only person who can solve this but I think he is massively overestimating the [US's] influence on Russia," he says.

"Russia just doesn't trust the US."

• You can listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds.

We can bring you the latest images from Downing Street as Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The pair are now inside the prime minister's official residence, where talks are set to focus on the war in Ukraine - ahead of a summit between Trump and Putin in Alaska on Friday.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

As we've been reporting, Ukrainian President Zelensky has now arrived at Downing Street.

Zelensky walked past a line of reporters when he arrived - one who asked him whether Trump could deliver a fair ceasefire.

Zelensky and Prime Minister Starmer did not respond to the media's questions. Instead, the pair shared a hug and handshake before heading inside.

Nick Eardley
Political correspondent, reporting from Downing Street

A warm embrace between the two leaders. This was a very public show of co-operation.

But this is a grave moment. The negotiations between Trump and Putin tomorrow could have a massive impact on Ukraine and Europe.

And remember, while No 10 is where cameras are trained today, the most significant moment of the week will be tomorrow in Alaska.

Neither Starmer nor Zelensky will be around the table.

Image source, Reuters

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived at Downing Street and is being welcomed by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The meeting comes ahead of much-anticipated talks between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

Zelensky and Starmer are likely to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine - sparked by Putin's full-scale invasion in 2022 - and how to bring fighting to an end.

We'll bring you the latest updates as soon as we have it.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will shortly be arriving at Downing Street for a meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

We'll bring you the latest from there so stick with us.