Summary

  • Ukraine's military says fighting is ongoing in the key eastern city of Pokrovsk, after the Kremlin claimed its forces had taken it

  • Meanwhile, President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are due to meet President Putin in Moscow for talks about ending the war

  • The summit comes after two days of negotiations in Florida between Ukrainian and US officials aimed at refining a US-backed peace plan which had been viewed as favourable to Russia

  • Speaking after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris yesterday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv's priorities were maintaining Ukraine's sovereignty and securing strong security guarantees

  • Putin has shown little desire for compromise believing Russia is winning on the battlefield, writes our Russia editor Steve Rosenberg

Live Reporting

Edited by Nathan Williams and Ben Hatton

  1. Ukraine says Pokrovsk 'propaganda' mission is costing Russia

    As we've been reporting, Ukraine's eastern military command says it's continuing to engage with Russian forces in Pokrovsk.

    That is despite Moscow claiming the town had capitulated to its forces earlier. Ukraine dismisses the claims as "propaganda" - and says attempts to suggest Russia is advancing has resulted in a "significant" loss of personnel.

    Pokrovsk is a key strategic town in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. Moscow controls a large part of the region, one of four annexed by Russia following what were widely seen sham referendums in September 2022.

    Close up of eastern Ukraine highlighting in red parts of the Donetsk region occupied by Russia. Parts under limited Russian control are in red stripes while in yellow are areas in which Russia claims control, including the city of Pokrovsk

  2. 'Elimination of the enemy continues in Pokrovsk,' Ukrainian forces say

    Vitaliy Shevchenko
    Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

    Two soldiers put their fingers in their ears as they fire a howitzer near PokrovskReuters

    Ukrainian soldiers, pictured here firing a howitzer near Pokrovsk on 23 November

    The Ukrainian military has denied Russia's claims that it has captured the strategically important town of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region.

    "Search and assault operations and the elimination of the enemy in urban areas continue in Pokrovsk," Ukraine's eastern military command says in a statement posted on social media.

    "Taking advantage of unfavourable weather conditions, the invaders made another attempt to 'flag-plant' in one of the city's districts so that propagandists could use it as proof that they had taken control of the entire city of Pokrovsk.

    "After that, they fled in a hurry, and the mopping up of enemy groups continues," it says.

    Ukraine's 7th Rapid Reaction Corps has also issued a denial of Russia's claims that Pokrovsk has been captured.

    "Despite the difficult situation, defence forces continue to hold the enemy back," it said on social media.

    It also acknowledged that Russian attacks on logistics routes in the area have made it more difficult for Ukrainian forces to redeploy and to deliver supplies to them

    Russia's chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov told President Vladimir Putin that Pokrovsk had been "liberated" during a meeting at an army command post on 30 November.

  3. Ukraine's military says fighting ongoing in key eastern town

    A view shows an apartment building hit by Russian military strikes in the front line town of Pokrovsk, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, UkraineReuters

    Today's talks come as the fighting continues on the ground.

    In the last hour, Ukraine's military has said its forces were continuing to engage with Russian troops in the key eastern city of Pokrovsk.

    This contradicts a Kremlin claim that it had captured the city, which lies in the Donetsk region.

    We'll bring you more on this shortly.

  4. Analysis

    Putin has shown little desire for compromise on Ukraine

    Steve Rosenberg
    Russia editor

    Vladimir Putin in military fatigues sitting at a paper-covered wooden table. He's holding a piece of paper and pen in his hands, a blue wall behind himReuters

    This will be Steve Witkoff's sixth visit to Russia this year – he'll be accompanied by President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

    Their trip comes at a time of intense diplomatic activity. Two weeks ago the Americans presented to Kyiv a 28-point peace plan widely seen as heavily weighted in Moscow's favour.

    One of its provisions would oblige Ukraine to cede parts of the Donbas it still controls.

    Since then there have been US-Ukrainian talks in Geneva and in Florida – now an amended plan will be put to the Kremlin.

    President Putin has said the original draft proposal "could form the basis for future agreements".

    But he has shown little desire for compromise believing Russia is winning on the battlefield and can dictate the terms of any agreement.

    Last night Russian TV showed Putin in military fatigues – his commanders told him Russian forces had seized the Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk.

    As well as territorial demands, Moscow has been insisting that Ukraine pledge never to join Nato and accept caps on the size of its army.

  5. Putin and Trump's envoy to hold talks in Moscow

    Vladimir Putin (L) smiles as he shakes hands with Steve Witkoff (R). They're both wearing dark suits, there's a white marble-top table surrounded by white chairs behind them. A man in a suit leans on one of the chairs in the blurred backgroundSPUTNIK/KREMLIN POOL/EPA/Shutterstock

    Witkoff previously met Putin in the Kremlin during a visit to Russia in August

    We're starting live coverage with President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff due to meet President Putin in Moscow for talks on ending the war in Ukraine.

    Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who has acted as an outside adviser in diplomatic talks, is also expected to attend the meeting.

    The summit comes after two days of talks between Ukrainian and US officials on refining a US-backed 28-point peace plan which had been seen as favourable to Russia.

    Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has described the talks as "constructive" – but said there are "some tough issues that still have to be worked through".

    The White House has said it's "very optimistic" about reaching a deal, adding that the draft peace plan had been "very much refined".

    We're going to keep a close eye on today's talks and we'll bring you the latest updates and analysis from our correspondents on this page - so stick with us.