Image source, Reuters

Germany is days away from a general election and Chancellor Olaf Scholz has spoken about Ukraine in a speech on the election trail in the town of Ilsede, Lower Saxony.

A two-hour flight away, there's a war happening, the chancellor says, adding that in no uncertain terms: "Russia has invaded Ukraine".

"Even with the new American government, we will focus on and give it our all to secure an independent, sovereign and democratic future for Ukraine," he says.

Addressing comments by President Trump about Ukraine's leader being a "dictator", Scholz says "we cannot start doubting the political will of the Ukrainian citizen - they have elected the current president".

The German leader says supporting Ukraine should not be boiled down as a business decision, dismissing a US plan to take Ukraine's minerals in exchange for the support it has given to Kyiv.

"It is not about raw materials," he says, "it is about the fact that we cannot accept that an imperial wish leads to a country having to give away territory".

"We keep the principle we agreed together in Europe, moving borders through violence is not allowed and that we have to respect and accept borders."

We're now starting a Q&A on the war in Ukraine in the livestream at the top of this page, with your questions answered by BBC experts.

You can watch along by clicking the Watch live button above.

We've just been hearing from the UK's Defence Secretary John Healey, who is currently on a trip to Norway after the countries reached a new agreement on defence.

"This war started because Russia invaded the territory of a sovereign state," he says. "This war could be ended today, if President Putin withdrew his troops from Ukraine."

Trump recently drew criticism for calling Zelensky a "dictator", but Healey stands firm in his defence of the Ukrainian president.

Healey describes how, in his second day in the role, he flew to meet Zelensky and saw the leader's "commitment to his country".

"He's the elected leader in Ukraine, and he's done what Winston Churchill did in Britain in the Second World War; suspended elections while at war," he says.

"Our job is to stand with the Ukrainians, support the Ukrainians, support them in their fight. And if they choose to talk, support them in the negotiations as well.

"It's in President Trump and America's interests that we get a durable peace."

Image source, Reuters

White House National Security Adviser Michael Waltz says Ukraine needs to rein in its criticism of the US, as Washington tries to secure a peace deal to end the war.

"It's unacceptable, they [Ukraine] need to tone it down and take a hard look and sign that deal," he tells Fox News. The deal he is referring to is a push by Donald Trump for access to rare minerals in Ukraine in return for aid, or even as compensation for the support the US has already provided.

"We presented the Ukrainians really an incredible, and a historic opportunity," the adviser says, adding that it would be "sustainable" and "the best" security guarantee they could hope for.

Zelensky has publicly rejected an American bid to gain access to – and profit from - Ukrainian minerals, saying: "I can't sell our state."

But he says that the two countries can reconcile their differences.

Abdujalil Abdurasulov
Reporting from Kyiv

People here are shocked and outraged and extremely worried about the growing rift between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky because it doesn’t bring anything good for Ukraine.

People are saying Ukraine must respond to the false claims Trump is making. Those claims are strikingly similar to what people hear from Moscow.

Ukrainians are saying Zelensky is certainly not a dictator and his ratings are much higher than 4%, as Trump suggested. According to the latest polls, around 57% of the population support Zelensky.

Trump repeatedly claims that Zelensky refuses to hold elections in the country. However, elections at a time of martial law are banned in Ukraine. Logistically, it’s not possible to hold them while hostilities are continuing. How would military personnel vote? What about those under occupation or people who have had to flee the country?

If you disregard these people, can you call these elections democratic?

• Read more from BBC Verify's fact-checking on Trump's claims

We've just seen a joint statement between the UK and Norway, where both nations have expressed their "ironclad" and "unwavering" support for Ukraine and pledged to enhance their own defence.

The countries say they are committing to enhancing their "critical undersea infrastructure" as "Russia's aggression across Europe" continues "growing".

They also say they will increase intelligence co-operation and enhance co-operation in the High North and North Atlantic - as sea is where the UK and Norway share "the closest bonds".

"We recognise that Russia is willing to use all means at its disposal to undermine European cohesion and support to Ukraine," the statement reads.

For context, the UK and Norway describe themselves as "the closest of Allies", with a "deep history", having a "common outlook", and "commitment to democracy".

Both countries will use the coming months to work towards a new defence agreement, hoping to sign it by the summer.

As we mentioned in our previous post, Ukrainians are paying tribute to pro-democracy demonstrators who were killed more than 11 years ago during protests against the then pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych.

Here's a look at a memorial event in the capital, Kyiv:

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Vitaliy Shevchenko
BBC Monitoring's Russia editor

Today, Ukraine is holding memorial events recalling something that happened more than 11 years ago but has everything to do with what is going on today.

Ukraine is honouring "The Heavenly Hundred" – pro-democracy demonstrators killed during protests against the then pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych in late 2013 to early 2014. These protests led to Yanukovych fleeing to Russia before Russia secretly sent troops to Ukraine in 2014 and ultimately launched an open, full-scale invasion in 2022.

Now, President Volodymyr Zelensky has posted a video of himself and his wife Olena paying their respects at a monument in central Kyiv.

"Heroes who died defending freedom, dignity and our country’s right to choose its own future freely. It’s a sacrifice that reminds us of the price of self-determination," President Zelensky says.

Russia views the protests as a Western-sponsored coup.

Image source, EPA

Image source, Getty Images

The European Union has responded to US President Donald Trump's accusation from the previous day, when he called Zelensky a "dictator".

"Ukraine is a democracy, [President Vladimir] Putin's Russia is not," says EU spokesman Stefan de Keersmaecker.

He adds that the EU has a "straightforward and clear position" on the matter, saying, "President Zelensky was legitimately elected in free, fair and democratic elections".

The EU is a key ally of Ukraine, even though the country is not a member state.

Image source, Andrii Sybiha

Ukraine's foreign affairs minister says he discussed ways towards achieving a "comprehensive, just, and lasting peace" in Ukraine with Keith Kellogg, Trump's Ukraine envoy who is in Kyiv.

In a post on X, Andrii Sybiha says: "I affirmed Ukraine's willingness to achieve peace through strength and our vision for the necessary steps. I also reiterated that the security of Ukraine and the transatlantic is indivisible."

Kellogg is expected to meet Ukraine's President Zelensky later today. We'll let you know as soon as we have more details.

Vitaliy Shevchenko
BBC Monitoring's Russia editor

Image source, Reuters

Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence HUR, believes Ukraine and Russia are likely to strike a ceasefire deal by the end of this year.

“I think we’ll reach a ceasefire regime this year. How long it will last or how effective it will be is another matter,” Budanov says in an interview, external.

“Most components” are in place for a ceasefire agreement to be concluded this year, he says.

But he adds that he is sceptical about the effectiveness of any peacekeeping force that may be deployed to Ukraine.

“Show me at least one country in the world where deploying peacekeepers worked,” he says.

One month into the White House, US President Donald Trump's rift with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has deepened.

Yesterday, Trump called Zelensky a "dictator without elections" – a claim BBC Verify has looked into. The comment has drawn criticism from many European leaders, but as Nomia Iqbal writes, Trump and Zelensky have never had a smooth relationship.

As the clash between the two leaders continues, here are the latest developments:

• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says Russia is resuming talks with the US on "all parameters"
• It follows Trump's comments to the BBC that Russia holds "the cards" in negotiations because it has "taken a lot of territory"
• Peskov also says Nato troops in Ukraine are unacceptable, calling it "a matter of concern"
• But Western officials say there are early discussions about sending a "lighter touch reassurance force" to Ukraine to help make people feel safer
• UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will travel to the US next week to meet Trump to discuss a "role for Europe" in ending the war in Ukraine, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy says
• Meanwhile, the war continues. Russia launched 161 overnight drone attacks, targeting critical infrastructure, according to Ukraine's military

Later today, Zelensky is expected to meet Trump's Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv.

We'll bring you the key lines and major developments throughout the day. Stay with us.

Image source, Reuters

Donald Trump called Ukraine's president a "dictator" yesterday. But what do Ukrainians think?

Kyiv resident Hanna Shepyl tells Reuters: "Zelensky is definitely not a dictator. He has always stood for our country in any case. I voted for him too. I hope that Trump changes his decision, because he was wrong making such a statement."

Volodymyr Tuzhylin says he was "outraged" by Trump's remark, adding: "It is outrageous. Everything is according to Ukraine’s laws: he is a valid president."

Trump claimed on social media that Zelensky has just 4% approval in Ukraine – we've more on this.

He gave no evidence for this, but one Ukrainian, Yevhen Shlapak, agrees the president is unpopular, saying: "I don’t support Zelensky, he is not my president, I didn’t vote for him."

Despite this, he calls Trump's accusation that Zelensky is a dictator "stupid". "Of course, we need elections, but it is impossible to hold them, because the war is ongoing."

Eleanor Montague
Defence Reporter

There are now preliminary discussions about what the allies can do for Ukraine if any ceasefire and peace negotiations are completed.

Western officials say it will not be a peacekeeping force with vast numbers of troops lined up across a ceasefire line in eastern Ukraine.

Instead, it would be what they call a “lighter touch reassurance force”, fewer than the 30,000 troops that had been speculated in the media earlier this week.

The force would be there to protect Ukraine’s airspace, cities, ports and critical infrastructure like nuclear power stations.

Military drones and intelligence-gathering planes would monitor for any signs of attacks.

The focus of the force would be providing air cover to give early warning and deter any breach of the ceasefire by Russia.

The aim would be to give Ukrainians a sense of safety and encourage those who had left the country to return home.

Russia launched 161 drones in an overnight attack, according to Ukraine's military.

It says missiles targeted critical infrastructure in the northeastern Kharkiv region, and an "guided bomb" hit the entrance of a high-rise building in Kherson, causing casualties.

Energy Minister German Galushchenko says Russian strikes damaged gas production facilities.

"The purpose of these criminal attacks is to stop the production of gas needed to meet the domestic needs of citizens and central heating," he says on social media.

Ukraine's military says there were 122 clashes with Russian forces in the past day.

Vitaliy Shevchenko
BBC Monitoring's Russia editor

Image source, DSNS/Telegram

The destruction of civilian infrastructure continues in Ukraine, even though Russia denied targeting it deliberately during the recent talks with the US in Saudi Arabia.

In the southern city of Kherson, part of a residential high-rise collapsed after being hit by a Russian guided missile. The Ukrainian state emergencies service DSNS says people may still be trapped under the rubble, and at some point, it had to suspend search and rescue operations, fearing a repeat Russian attack.

The practice is known as "double-tap" and has been used by Russia to target rescue workers before.

Russian drones also attacked civilian housing outside Kyiv, DSNS says.

Energy minister German Galushchenko says that overnight, Russia attacked Ukraine’s gas infrastructure.

"The purpose of these criminal attacks is to stop the extraction of gas necessary for civilians’ day-to-day needs and for central heating," he says, external.

Image source, DSNS/Telegram

How popular is Zelensky in Ukraine?published at 10:32 Greenwich Mean Time 20 February

10:32 GMT 20 February

By Matt Murphy & Jake Horton

During his news conference on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump claimed that Volodymyr Zelensky’s popularity was extremely low, saying: “He's down at 4% approval rating.”

It's unclear what the source of the claim is. We have asked the White House to clarify this.

Official polling is limited in Ukraine and it is extremely difficult to carry out accurate surveys during a time of war.

However, a survey conducted this month found that 57% of Ukrainians said they trusted the president, according to the Ukraine-based Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, external.

That was down from 77% at the end of 2023, and 90% in May 2022 - suggesting that the Ukrainian president has suffered a drop off in his popularity.

Some other polls suggest Zelensky is trailing his nearest rival, former army chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi in the first round of any future election, indicating the two would face each other in a run-off.

More from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov now.

On Russia's recent exchange with the US, Peskov says Russian-American dialogue will be restored in "all parameters".

He also says they "absolutely agree with the American administration" that negotiations are needed "to establish peace as soon as possible".

Peskov also comments on Russia's earlier claim that Zelensky's rating is falling. He says this is "an absolutely obvious trend" but avoids discussing any figures.

BBC Verify has looked into the claim that Zelensky's rating has been falling. You can read it here.

Image source, Reuters

We're now hearing new comments from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

"The deployment of military contingents from Nato countries on Ukrainian territory cannot be acceptable for us," he says, according to the state-owned news agency TASS, adding that it is "a matter of concern".

He echoes Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who said on Wednesday that Russia would not accept peacekeeping forces from Nato countries in Ukraine under any peace deal.

Earlier this week, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would consider sending UK troops to Ukraine if a lasting peace agreement were reached.

Image source, Getty Images

As Keir Starmer prepares to visit the US next week, the UK’s former ambassador in Washington has advised him not to mention the rift between Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Starmer has defended Zelensky after Trump called him a “dictator”. But Kim Darroch, who was ambassador during Trump’s first term, says the prime minister should leave the issue at home.

“If I were Keir Starmer I wouldn’t touch on this in his meeting next week, let’s just move on,” he tells the Today programme.

Instead, Darroch suggests Starmer should press Trump with questions “that force him to focus on the detail” of his negotiations with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.

The former ambassador says he would tell Trump: “This is your chance for your place in history; the man who brought peace and ended this war… but it has to be a fair deal.”