We can bring you more from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk now.

Speaking to reporters earlier, he said he would urge European leaders at today's meeting in Paris to "immediately" boost Europe's defences.

This is because Europe "is not able to counter Russia's military potential" and they need to "catch up", Tusk explained.

"We will not be able to effectively help Ukraine if we do not immediately take practical steps regarding our own defence capabilities," Tusk told reporters, before flying to Paris.

In a post online after his comments, Tusk wrote that if Europe fails to spend on defence now, they will "be forced to spend 10 times more if we don’t prevent a wider war".

We reported earlier that Tusk ruled out sending troops from his country to Ukraine, but said he will continue to support them.

Image source, EPA

Liza Fokht
BBC Russian service, reporting from Paris

An emergency meeting of European leaders is set to begin in Paris.

The sunlit space in front of the Élysée Palace is packed with journalists eager to find out whether the heads of state and key institutions have a response to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement that Europe has no place at the negotiating table.

The leaders are due to begin arriving in the courtyard in front of us shortly.

Whether they will share any detail of the discussions after the meeting remains unclear.

In any case, any decision eventually made could play a significant role in shaping the future of Europe and Ukraine.

BBC Visual Journalism Team

Fighting has raged in Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion almost three years ago.

Russian forces have slowly expanded the amount of territory they control over the past year, mostly in the east of Ukraine. But Ukrainian forces, having managed to make those advances as slow and difficult as possible, have also staged a counter-offensive into Russian territory.

Now, Russia has been gaining ground more quickly than at any time since it launched its full-scale invasion.

By zooming in on different regions in the south and the east, the maps below illustrate where things now stand after three years of fighting:

Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Palm Beach, Florida

Image source, Bernd Debusmann Jr/BBC News

Good morning from Florida - where for the last several days I've been travelling with President Trump as he spends time at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach.

Since we flew down with him on Friday, we've only had brief glimpses of the president, including his splashy appearance in front of an adoring crowd of thousands at the Daytona 500 Nascar race.

Trump did, however, come and speak to us after flying back to Palm Beach from Daytona.

His remarks were light on details, but did offer a glimpse at his thinking on the conflict in Ukraine and, he hopes, a potential meeting with Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia he says will happen "very soon".

At one point, Trump was asked about his recent conversation with Putin and what he believes the Russian president's motivations are going forward

"I think he wants to stop fighting. I see that," he said. "That was my question to him."

"Because if he's going to go on, that would have been a big problem for us," Trump added. "And that would have caused me a big problem, because you can't just let that happen."

It remains unclear what he thinks Ukraine will look like once the conflict ends.

In response to a BBC question last week, he said only that he believes Ukraine can get "some" of its territory back, although he referred to defence secretary Pete Hegseth's assessment that a return to its pre-2014 borders are unrealistic.

As European leaders are about to meet in Paris for a hastily convened summit on Ukraine, here's what you need to know:

• The impromptu meeting in the French capital will be attended by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and representatives from the Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Denmark, and the EU Council
• Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other key US officials are travelling to Saudi Arabia for talks with Russian officials on Tuesday
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirms Kyiv won't be taking part in the meeting in Saudi Arabia
• Russia’s delegation will include the Kremlin’s foreign policy advisor, Yuriy Ushakov, and foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who says there's no role for Europe in any peace talks
• Starmer says the UK is facing a "generational challenge" on national security, after he earlier suggested that the UK was "ready" to send troops to Ukraine if and when the war ends
• In Russia, pro-Kremlin media have been celebrating the return of dialogue between Russia and the US, as well as the Trump administration’s criticism of Europe

Stay with us for the latest updates.

Tom Edgington
BBC Verify

Concerns are rising that the US may no longer come to Europe's defence, which could force countries - including the UK - to increase their military spending amount.

So where does the UK currently rank compared with other Nato members?

Last year, all European Nato members pledged to spend 2% of GDP on defence. Provisional figures, external show the UK spent 2.33% (£64.6bn, external) in 2024, ranking it ninth out of all Nato members on this measure.

The Labour government has committed to increase this amount to 2.5%, although it hasn’t set out when it expects to achieve this.

Had the UK spent 2.5% of GDP on defence last year it would have cost an additional £4.6bn according to the House of Commons Library, external (although the Institute for Fiscal Studies puts the figure at £6bn).

A leading British defence expert says it's still too early in Ukraine-Russia negotiations to begin calculating what capacity the British Army has for a peacekeeping mission.

"I think the purpose of this statement, which is a significant move on Britain's position, is to make it clear that Europe will play its part – including the UK – in policing any deal that is done," Malcolm Chalmers, who has previously advised MPs on national security, tells BBC News.

Chalmers cautions that it's "hard" for him to see Russia accepting a ceasefire deal that sees a large Nato force on the ground in Ukraine.

"One thing I would emphasise is we're just in the foothills of what would be a very complicated negotiation," he says, noting how things have been "moving very quickly" in recent days.

Speculation about what the British Army can and cannot commit to a peacekeeping effort, he adds, is premature.

"What this British commitment has done has signalled that we want to be part of the solution."

Image source, EPA

We've reported today that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said he's ready to put UK peacekeeping troops in Ukraine if and when the war ends. But what do Britain's European allies think?

Spain - one of the delegations that will be represented at today's meeting in France - says talks of future peacekeeping missions in Ukraine are premature.

Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said on Spanish radio this morning that there are still "many questions" about the ongoing peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and "nobody is considering sending troops to Ukraine" while peace remains "very far away".

Germany agreed, with deputy government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann telling reporters on Monday it was "premature" to talk about sending troops to Ukraine.

Poland - one of the Kyiv's closest allies - retains the position that it will not send soldiers to Ukraine but it will continue to provide support for the country, Prime Minister Donald Tusk told reporters before flying to Paris for the last-minute meeting there.

Meanwhile the EU's president, Ursula von Der Leyen, has arrived in Paris for talks later on the Ukraine war. She says "Europe's security is at a turning point," and they need an "urgency mindset" on defence.

The two Russian diplomats bound for US talks in Saudi Arabiapublished at 13:07 Greenwich Mean Time 17 February

13:07 GMT 17 February

Liza Fokht
BBC Russian service, reporting from Paris

Image source, Getty Images

As we've been reporting, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Vladimir Putin’s aide Yuriy Ushakov are due to hold talks with top US diplomats in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

The meeting in Riyadh is the most significant contact between Moscow and Washington since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Both Lavrov and Ushakov are highly experienced diplomats who have spent years helping Putin implement Russian foreign policy.

Lavrov has led the foreign ministry for more than 20 years.

Ushakov has been one of Putin’s key foreign policy advisers for over a decade. During Putin’s first presidential terms, he served as Russia’s ambassador to the United States.

Their participation in the meeting – though it is not yet about peace negotiations but rather the technical preparation for a Trump-Putin summit – also signals a shift in Moscow’s policy.

As BBC Russian has reported, in recent years, the role of Russian diplomats in key decisions regarding national security and the country’s future had been minimised.

Their return to high-level negotiations could be a potential sign that Russia is indeed hoping to reach an agreement with the US to stop the war in Ukraine, albeit on its own terms.

Image source, Reuters

A US citizen has been released by Russia just weeks after being detained, ahead of Tuesday's meeting between US and Russian officials, aimed at improving relations.

In a press briefing today, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says the release can be seen in the context of the upcoming talks.

"As on Tuesday the restoration of relations will be discussed, these events can be seen in that context," Peskov tells reporters.

Kalob Byers was taken into custody on 7 February after arriving at Moscow Vnukovo International Airport, and a sniffer dog found two jars of the cannabis products.

Byers claimed they were prescribed by an American doctor.

Last week, American prisoner Marc Fogel, was also released after being held in Russia on drug charges since 2021.

The Kremlin view on Paris leaders' meetingpublished at 12:36 Greenwich Mean Time 17 February

12:36 GMT 17 February

Liza Fokht
BBC Russian service, reporting from Paris

With European leaders en route to Paris for a hastily arranged summit on Ukraine, how does the Kremlin view its role in the diplomatic process?

Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to comment on recent developments, his phone call with Donald Trump, or the mixed messages from American officials visiting Europe last week.

It’s clear, though, that in the Kremlin’s eyes, Moscow can only engage in meaningful negotiations on Ukraine with the US – the power Russia sees as both its greatest rival and its only true equal. Indeed, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov earlier suggested he envisaged no role for Europe in talks.

This is why Europe may struggle to prove it deserves a seat at the table when it comes to deciding Ukraine’s fate – and the future of its own continent.

Image source, EPA

As we mentioned briefly in our last post, a core group of European leaders - including Starmer - will convene in Paris today to discuss how they hope to reach a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia.

The impromptu meeting, called on Sunday night by French President Emmanuel Macron, will also include representatives from the Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and Denmark, plus a representative from the EU Council.

Notably absent from that group is the US, whose officials will instead be two timezones removed in Saudi Arabia preparing for a meeting with a Russian delegation on Tuesday.

The French presidency has stressed that this first round of "consultation talks" shouldn't be "over-dramatised" but it comes at a moment when Europe is seeking to address a sharp change in the US approach to Ukraine.

(Last week, Trump shocked European allies when he informed them he'd held a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin without consulting with them.)

The presidency has said Monday's meeting could lead to other formats, perhaps in an effort to console those in the EU summit not included on today's invite list.

But it would seem based on the press access granted at the Elysée - there’s no media access at the meeting, no press conference and no press attachment travelling with Starmer - that it's a bit of a last-minute scramble.

Image source, Getty Images

We can now bring you more from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

As European allies prepare to meet in Paris this afternoon, the PM calls on participating countries, including France and Germany, to "step up" their defence spending.

He adds that the UK is ready to play "a leading part" in these efforts.

"This isn't just about the front line in Ukraine, it's the front line of Europe and of the United Kingdom - it's our national security, and I think that we need to do more," he says.

It is unclear what shape any possible Ukraine-Russia ceasefire deal might take, but Starmer says he wants it to be "lasting, just and enduring".

The prime minister emphasises that he doesn’t want to see a pause in fighting that “simply gives Putin a chance to come again”.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the UK is facing a "generational challenge" on national security.

It comes after he earlier suggested that the UK was "ready" to send its troops to Ukraine if and when the war ends.

"Whatever happens next", the UK must "put Ukraine in the strongest possible position", Starmer adds.

We'll bring you more from the PM's interview in our next post.

Image source, EPA

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Kyiv won't be taking part in a meeting between a US and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, as he prepares to head for the country for a long-planned visit.

"Ukraine regards any talks about Ukraine without Ukraine as such that have no result; and we cannot recognise... agreements about us without us," Zelensky tells reporters during a visit to the United Arab Emirates.

He also says his trips to the UAE and later Saudi Arabia had been agreed beforehand, suggesting they are not linked to the US-Russia talks.

Pro-Kremlin media celebrate resumption of US-Russia dialoguepublished at 11:47 Greenwich Mean Time 17 February

11:47 GMT 17 February

Steve Rosenberg
Russia editor, in Moscow

It's only been a week since President Putin and President Trump spoke on the phone.

Now senior officials from their two countries are preparing to meet in Riyadh.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the talks would focus “primarily on restoring the whole spectrum of Russia-US relations.”

In other words, bilateral ties are top of the agenda. Then comes “preparations for possible negotiations on Ukraine” and for a meeting of the two presidents.

Russia’s delegation will include the Kremlin’s foreign policy advisor, Yuriy Ushakov, and foreign minister Sergei Lavrov. Today, Lavrov appeared to suggest that Europe had no role to play at future peace talks.

In Russia, pro-Kremlin media have been celebrating the resumption of dialogue between Russia and America, as well as the Trump administration’s biting criticism of Europe.

Today’s edition of the newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets declared: "Dumbfounded Europe has been kneed by America just below the belt and is still struggling to get its breath back.”

Image source, EPA

As Russian and US officials descend on Saudi Arabia, and European leaders meet in the French capital, it's just been announced that the US special envoy to Ukraine is heading to Poland to begin talks with one of Kyiv's staunchest allies.

"General Keith Kellogg will be the guest of (Polish) President Andrzej Duda at the Presidential Palace tomorrow," the president's aide, Wojciech Kolarski, tells RMF FM radio on Monday.

The aide says that the talks were first initiated by the "American side".

It comes after it was revealed over the weekend that Kellogg would not be in attendance at this week's summit in Saudi Arabia.

The close Ukrainian ally, which also shares a 529km (329 miles) border with the embattled country, is also sending a representative to Paris today to take part in the Ukraine peace talks with European colleagues.

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who is due to attend talks with US officials in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, has suggested that he sees no role for Europe in any peace negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine.

"I don't know what they would be doing at the negotiating table. If they are going to 'beg for' some cunning ideas about freezing the conflict - while...they really mean continuing the war - then why invite them [Europeans] there?" he says.

Vitaliy Shevchenko
BBC Monitoring's Russia editor

Image source, EPA

Ukraine's President Zelensky says he's discussed the United Arab Emirate's (UAE) mediation in prisoner exchanges with Russia while on a visit to Abu Dhabi.

In a post on Telegram, Zelensky says: "The UAE's mediation has saved many lives. We are thankful for this important cooperation, and we have discussed today how we can continue it."

He also says he's signed a trade deal with President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Abu Dhabi says 2,883 captives have been swapped in 12 exchanges between Ukraine and Russia mediated by the UAE so far.

The Hungarian foreign minister has accused European leaders meeting in Paris today of "gathering to prevent a peace agreement in Ukraine".

Péter Szijjártó says they have been "continuously adding fuel to the fire", and calls them "pro-war, anti-Trump, frustrated European leaders".

He was speaking at a news conference with the deputy prime minister of Kazakhstan, Murat Nurtleu, in the nation's capital, Astana.

"We welcome the resumption of the highest-level Russian-American dialogue. We were pleased and relieved to learn that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke at length," Szijjártó says.

• For context: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is the EU's only head of government to have kept close ties to the Kremlin following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022