Adam Goldsmith
Live reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Hugs and handshakes greeted Volodymyr Zelensky at a European summit in Brussels this morning, on a day when frosty relations with the US looked to be thawing too.

After a warm welcome, which included new packages of support for his embattled country, the Ukrainian president asked his European allies to support the steps which he said would create a "fair and lasting peace" in Ukraine.

This included a truce in the air and sea, as well as a release by Russia of Ukrainian prisoners. But Zelensky stressed that this peace must not come at the "cost of giving up Ukraine".

Meanwhile, constructive noises rippled across the Atlantic, as US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff suggested that US officials were planning discussions with a Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia next week.

Witkoff said the idea was to "get down the framework for a peace agreement", and Donald Trump later confirmed that these talks are planned, and suggested that both Russia and Ukraine want to make a deal.

Vladimir Putin, though, remains staunchly opposed to any peacekeeping force that might be a part of such an agreement - his foreign ministry says this would "lead to an extremely dangerous escalation".

That brings our live coverage of Ukraine to an end for tonight you can continue to read more in our main story.

Our Europe editor has taken a look at how European leaders are reacting to changed world order. We have also reported on the countries said to be willing to join a "coalition of the willing" to help Ukraine.

Thanks for following us and good night.

The British government has struck a deal with a defence company, allowing Ukraine armed forces to use more advanced attack drones in the Black Sea.

In a Ministry of Defence statement, it says contracts amounting to almost £30m will see Anduril UK supplying Ukraine with drones designed to monitor an area before striking targets that enter it.

Defence Secretary John Healey met staff from the company at its Washington DC facility ahead of the deal.

The deal follows a meeting of world leaders in London last week, when the prime minister and allies agreed to help support Ukraine militarily.

Ukraine’s armed forces will take delivery of the drones, launchers and spare parts over the coming months.

Image source, Getty Images

Ukraine's defence minister says the country is working on alternatives to the US intelligence that they used to receive, but was paused.

Speaking at a press conference in Berlin earlier, Rustem Umerov told reporters that: "We did not get the detail yet on how it will be restricted, but we already working for the alternatives."

We're just hearing news of another drone attack in Ukraine.

According to Odesa's regional governor Oleh Kiper, Russian forces launched a new mass drone attack on the Black Sea region late this evening.

"On the outskirts of Odesa, three private homes are on fire and energy infrastructure has been damaged," Kiper writes on social media.

Last night, four people were killed when a Russian missile hit a hotel in Kryvyi Rih, President Zelensky's home town, amid a score of attacks on the country that left a further four dead.

Image source, Reuters

We can bring you some more comments from Donald Trump in the Oval Office.

Asked about Macron's comments that France might extend its nuclear umbrella over its European partners, Trump replies that he favours "denuclearisation" instead.

"We've made a lot of progress with Ukraine and a lot of progress with Russia over the last couple of days and it would be great to bring that to an end so we don't have to talk that way about nuclear," he says.

And, the US president reiterated his stance that European partners need to step up defence spending, when questioned on whether he might withdraw US funding from Nato.

"It's common sense right, if they don't pay I’m not going to defend them," he says.

Trump also says he is "looking at that" when questioned on rumours that the temporary legal status of 240,000 Ukrainians who fled to the US may be revoked.

He adds: "We're not looking to hurt them, especially Ukrainians, they've gone through a lot."

Image source, Getty Images

Donald Trump has shared his thoughts on talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

"I think Ukraine wants to make a deal because they don’t have a choice," he tells reporters in the Oval Office.

"I also think that Russia wants to make a deal because in a certain different way - a different way that only I know - they have no choice either."

As we reported earlier, a US delegation is currently planning to meet Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia.

And, the US president was asked whether he would also be visiting the country to meet with Vladimir Putin.

"I don’t know, I can’t tell you," he responds, before adding: "I’m going to Saudi Arabia."

Image source, European Photopress Agency

The Russian foreign ministry has released a strongly-worded statement criticising French President Emmanuel Macron's comments, which we covered in a previous post

It calls Macron's Wednesday night address "extremely aggressive" and "anti-Russian" and says the deployment of peacekeeping forces in Ukraine would "inevitably lead to an extremely dangerous escalation".

The ministry also claims Macron's openness to discuss extending its nuclear protection to other European nations shows "Paris' ambitions to become the nuclear 'patron" of all of Europe," calling it "nuclear blackmail".

He says the absence of security guarantees for Russia, threats from the West through the "unrestrained expansion of Nato" and a "desire to turn Ukraine into an anti-Russian bridgehead" is what led to the current crisis - referring to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Zelensky's trip to Saudi Arabia on 10 March is a pre-planned visit.

The Ukrainian president was originally scheduled to meet top Saudi officials last month - but he decided to postpone his trip due to the US-Russia talks that took place on 18 February, when Kyiv was not invited.

Zelensky has now confirmed Ukrainian negotiators will hold talks with US officials in Saudi Arabia after his planned meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman next week.

Earlier we heard from the US's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff about the plans to meet with a Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia to discuss a "framework" for peace.

Witkoff says he hopes "we get things back on track with the Ukrainians and everything resumes".

He also says Trump's viewed Zelensky's letter as a "very positive first step" and the message included an apology and "sense of gratitude" from the Ukrainian leader.

More now from the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who says Ukraine will work "constructively" with President Trump to reach a "fast" and "lasting" peace.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukrainian negotiators will meet US officials in Saudi Arabia next week.

"Next Monday, I have a visit planned to Saudi Arabia for a meeting with the Crown Prince. After that, my team will stay in Saudi Arabia to work with our American partners," he says in a post on social media.

Nick Beake
Europe Correspondent

The conclusions on defence reached at the summit in Brussels today were unanimously agreed by the 27 leaders.

A statement on the European Council's website says: "The European Union will accelerate the mobilisation of the necessary instruments and financing in order to bolster the security of the European Union and the protection of our citizens."

We haven’t yet got the text on Ukraine, which is thought Hungary’s Viktor Orban did not sign. The other 26 leaders reportedly did.

Nick Beake
Europe Correspondent

We’ve seen a copy of the conclusions reached by all 27 EU leaders on boosting defence spending across the continent.

The document has not yet been officially published but in it the leaders back plans to loosen rules on spending limits so that individual countries can plough more cash and investment into their military and defence manufacturing.

The leaders also agreed they want to look at plans put forward by the European Commission this week for loans of up to 150 billion euros for member states to this end.

They also welcomed moves for the European Investment Bank and private investors to help EU countries invest in defence.

Following a summit of 18 world leaders on Sunday, Starmer said the UK and France would lead efforts to create a "coalition of the willing".

Although we do not have details on the countries involved, Starmer said the UK would back its commitment with "boots on the ground, and planes in the air".

The prime minister also said the coalition would defend a deal in Ukraine and guarantee peace.

British officials released an update today saying around 20 countries are reportedly interested in becoming part of the group.

• Read more on Starmer's announcement on Sunday here

Image source, EPA

More now from Volodymyr Zelensky, who describes his talks with French President Emmanuel Macron where they discussed security guarantees today.

He says he spoke with Macron about an upcoming meeting where they will discuss "the level of military representatives" willing countries might offer "to ensure reliable security" for Ukraine.

The Ukrainian president says in a social media post that he also thanked Macron for recognising "the need for new, more substantial steps to protect our entire Europe".

As we've been reporting, there have been discussions about European commitments to bolstering Ukrainian security. This has involved discussion over Keir Starmer's so-called 'coalition of the willing' - with British officials reporting that 20 countries are already interested in being involved.

We can now bring you a few lines from the UK's Defence Secretary John Healey.

Speaking to reporters, Healey says he came to America to "strengthen" the defence "bond" between the US and UK.

His US counterpart Pete Hegseth says the media is interested in "narratives" around Ukraine and Russia but Donald Trump is interested in peace.

Image source, Reuters

The UK's Defence Secretary John Healey has just arrived at the Pentagon to meet with his US counterpart Pete Hegseth.

Healey stepped out of the car and was greeted by Hegseth at the steps of the US defence department building.

Image source, AFP

The Trump administration's Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff says he is trying to organise a meeting with a Ukraine delegation in Saudi Arabia to discuss a peace "framework".

“We are now in discussions to coordinate a meeting with the Ukrainians in Riyadh or maybe Jeddah, but it will be Saudi Arabia," he tells reporters in Washington DC.

“I think the idea is to get down the framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire as well.”

That's after we just reported that Volodymyr Zelensky told the European Council that Ukraine hopes to have a "meaningful meeting" with the US next week.

European leaders describe 'watershed moment' but can they deliver?published at 18:23 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March

18:23 GMT 6 March

Danny Aeberhard
Europe regional editor, BBC World Service

Image source, Getty Images

Displays of solidarity for Ukraine are nothing new at European summits. But they're likely a welcome relief for President Zelensky, who is attending today's summit in Brussels, especially after his recent bruising experiences in Washington.

He has thanked European leaders for showing that his country was "not alone", but he needs action. And these leaders know they're facing a crisis that feels existential for the bloc, as well as Ukraine.

With President Trump's radical shift of US foreign policy and the threat from Russia, they speak of a watershed, in terms of Europe taking responsibility for its own security.

It remains to be seen whether they can deliver.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's ambassador to the UK - its former commander-in-chief, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi - has accused the US of destroying the world order.

The comments may re-ignite a row with Washington that Zelensky has been trying to douse. Russia, no doubt revelling in the splits, continues to reassert its own, unmodified maximalist goals.

Myroslava Petsa
BBC News Ukrainian, reporting from Brussels

Ukraine and the United States have “resumed work” and hope to have a “meaningful meeting” next week, Volodymyr Zelensky has told the European Council summit.