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Russia launches air attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv hours after Ukraine says it is ready to accept ceasefire
Ukraine said it was ready to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire in the war with Russia, as the US announced it would immediately lift its restrictions on military aid and intelligence sharing after high-stakes talks in Saudi Arabia.
Donald Trump said he now hoped Vladimir Putin would reciprocate. If the Russian president did, it would mark the first ceasefire in the more than three years since he launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Hours after Ukraine’s declaration, Russia launched an air attack on Kyiv, with mayor Vitali Klitschko saying air defences were engaged in repelling the strikes. Strikes were also reported by the RIA news agency on Kharkiv. RIA cited the Ukrainian Ministry of Digital Transformation, which said air raid alerts were issued in Kyiv ten regions.
The agreement, announced in a joint statement after talks between senior US and Ukrainian officials in Jeddah, came nearly two weeks after an Oval Office blowup between Trump and the Ukrainian leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, that led the White House to suspend aid to Ukraine over the objections of its European allies.
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Russia launches air attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv
Air raid alarms are sounding and there are explosions in both Kyiv and Kharkiv, the RIA news agency reports.
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If you’re just joining us, you may have missed Dan Sabbagh’s analysis of recent developments in peace negotiations.
Here it is:
Suddenly the ball is in Russia’s court. The flow of US intelligence and military aid to Ukraine is to resume – and the Kremlin is being asked to agree to a 30-day ceasefire that Kyiv has already told the Americans it will sign up to.
It is a dizzying turnaround from the Oval Office row between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump and the apparent abandonment of the White House’s strategy to simply pressurise Ukraine into agreeing to a peace deal. Now, for the first time, Russia is being asked to make a commitment, though it is unclear what will follow if it does sign up.
Announcing the peace proposal in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said that he hoped Russia would accept a peace agreement “so we can get to the second phase of this, which is real negotiations”.
That may leave plenty of room for interpretation. Russia has also been pushing for a ceasefire, though the Kremlin had wanted that to be followed by elections in Ukraine, before any full negotiation about territory and Kyiv’s future security.
Russia launches air attack on Ukraine capital Kyiv
Russia launched an overnight air attack on Kyiv, with air defence forces engaged in repelling the strikes, Vitali Klitschko, mayor of the Ukrainian capital said.
The UK’s foreign secretary David Lammy welcomed the “breakthrough” in US-Ukraine talks on a ceasefire deal, and said he was looking forward to working with other nations to drive progress towards peace.
Lammy wrote on X: “We welcome the breakthrough ceasefire proposal agreed today by the US and Ukraine.
“The ball is now firmly in Russia’s court.
“Looking forward to working with G7 partners this week to drive progress towards a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.”
Ukraine’s defence minister Rustem Umerov wrote on X he was “grateful to all participants of today’s meeting for a very productive and results-oriented conversation”.
He went on to thank his “American colleagues” and “Saudi friends and partners” for their support.
The U.S. fully restored intelligence sharing with Ukraine following talks in Saudi Arabia, a Ukrainian senior governmental official told Reuters.
Separately, a presidential official said that military assistance had also been resumed.
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the American 30-day ceasefire proposal on Tuesday, saying his country accepted it and also wanted Russia to abide by the agreement.
Responding to Ukraine accepting the US’s ceasefire plan, the UK’s Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said: “The fastest way to bring peace in Ukraine is for Putin to withdraw his troops immediately.
“I’m relieved Trump has now reversed his senseless decision to suspend intelligence-sharing and security aid. There’s no doubt it cost Ukrainian lives and emboldened Putin.
“The terrifying thing is: Trump’s so unreliable, we can’t count on him not to do it again.
“Now more than ever we must stand with Ukraine and work alongside our European partners to support a just peace, even in the absence of a reliable ally in the US.”
Poland welcomes deal restoring US military aid and intelligence sharing
Poland has welcomed a deal that will immediately restore US military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine.
“We are ready as Poland, with an airport, with a hub in Rzeszow, in Jasionka, to accept this aid,” Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, the Polish foreign minister, told the TVN24 news channel.
“We maintain operational capability all the time, and we are fully prepared to resume American support.”
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US president Donald Trump said he wanted to “get this show on the road” and end the war in Ukraine after the countries agreed a plan for a 30-day ceasefire.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said: “Ukraine, ceasefire, Ukraine, ceasefire, just agreed to a little while ago.
“Now we have to go to Russia, and hopefully President Putin will agree to that also, and we can get this show on the road.
“We want to get that war over with.”
Seemingly referring to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s turbulent visit to the White House last month, the president said: “I think it’s a big difference between the last visit you saw in the Oval Office, and this.
“That’s a total ceasefire – Ukraine has agreed to it, and hopefully Russia will agree to it.
“We’re going to meet with them later on today and tomorrow, and hopefully we’ll be able to wipe out a deal.”
He added: “If we can get Russia to do it, that’ll be great. If we can’t, we just keep going on and people are going to get killed, lots of people.”
Summary of the day so far
It’s 11pm in Kyiv, midnight in Moscow and 5pm in Washington. Here’s a recap of the latest developments on the war in Ukraine:
Ukraine said it was ready to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire in the war with Russia following talks with senior US officials in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. “Ukraine expressed readiness to accept the US proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and which is subject to acceptance and concurrent implementation by the Russian Federation,” a joint statement by the Ukrainian and US delegation said.
The US announced it would immediately lift its restrictions on military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. US officials said they hoped the agreement would help lead to talks to end the war. The decision came more than a week after the US cut off crucial aid to Ukraine, including deliveries of military radars and ammunition, as well as information sharing, which put significant pressure on Ukraine to agree to a US-proposed deal.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Donald Trump and said Ukraine was committed to seeking a peace “so that war does not return”. “Ukraine is ready to accept this proposal – we see it as a positive step and are ready to take it,” Zelenskyy said. “Now, it is up to the United States to convince Russia to do the same. If Russia agrees, the ceasefire will take effect immediately.”
Trump said he hoped Vladimir Putin would reciprocate and agree to the ceasefire proposal. Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to travel to Moscow in the coming days to propose the ceasefire to Vladimir Putin. “Ukraine has agreed to it. And hopefully Russia will agree to it,” Trump told reporters. Trump also said he would welcome Zelenskyy back to the White House after their clash last month.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said the ball was “now in Russia’s court” after the negotiations concluded. Rubio told reporters after the talks that he hoped Russia would say yes to the deal. “If they say no, then we’ll unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace here,” he said.
European leaders welcomed the news of the agreement. European Council president António Costa and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen described the news as a “positive development” and said the EU “is ready to play its full part”. France and its partners “remain committed to a solid and lasting peace, backed by robust security guarantees for Ukraine,” president Emmanuel Macron said.
UK prime minister Keir Starmer also welcomed the agreement. “We now all need to redouble our efforts to get to a lasting and secure peace as soon as possible,” Starmer said in a statement, adding that he would be “convening leaders this Saturday to discuss next steps”.
In other news in Europe:
Ukraine launched its largest drone attack on Moscow since the start of the war overnight on Monday. The Russian defence ministry reported that 337 drones were launched at Russia, including 91 targeting the Moscow region, killing three people, causing fires and disrupting flights and train services.
Portugal’s parliament rejected a motion of confidence in the centre-right government, whose prime minister Luís Montenegro is embroiled in a controversy over a possible conflict of interest.
Romania’s top court upheld a decision to ban presidential election frontrunner Călin Georgescu from standing in a rerun of the vote in May, sparking protest in Bucharest and leaving the country’s far right parties four days to find a candidate.
Voters on the vast Arctic island of Greenland are going to the polls after a dramatic election campaign that the territory’s prime minister said had been “burdened by geopolitical tensions”.
Russia and US could communicate 'in next few days', says Russian foreign ministry
Russian and US officials could communicate with each other in the next few days, Russia’s foreign ministry said.
“We do not rule out contacts with US representatives within the next few days,” foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told Russian state news agency Tass.
US resumes military assistance to Ukraine
A Ukrainian presidential official has confirmed that the US has resumed military assistance to Ukraine following talks in Saudi Arabia.
Palvo Palisa, deputy head of the presidential office, said:
I have confirmation that US military assistance has been resumed. The agreements are being implemented.
French president Emmanuel Macron has also welcomed the news that Ukraine said it was ready to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire in the war with Russia.
“The ball is now clearly in Russia’s court,” Macron said in a statement on X.
France and its partners remain committed to a solid and lasting peace, backed by robust security guarantees for Ukraine.
Suddenly the ball is in Russia’s court. The flow of US intelligence and military aid to Ukraine is to resume – and the Kremlin is being asked to agree to a 30-day ceasefire that Kyiv has already told the Americans it will sign up to.
It is a dizzying turnaround from the Oval Office row between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump and the apparent abandonment of the White House’s strategy to simply pressurise Ukraine into agreeing to a peace deal. Now, for the first time, Russia is being asked to make a commitment, though it is unclear what will follow if it does sign up.
Announcing the peace proposal in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said that he hoped Russia would accept a peace agreement “so we can get to the second phase of this, which is real negotiations”.
That may leave plenty of room for interpretation. Russia has also been pushing for a ceasefire, though the Kremlin had wanted that to be followed by elections in Ukraine, before any full negotiation about territory and Kyiv’s future security.
Ukraine, meanwhile, will want strong security guarantees to avoid a resumption of the war, involving European peacekeepers on the ground, which Russia has so far said it is against. An open question, perhaps, is whether peacekeepers could enter Ukraine during a ceasefire period, but this is speculative.
Read the full analysis: Dizzying turnaround in US-Ukraine relations leaves all eyes on Russia
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has described his meeting with senior US officials in Saudi Arabia today as a “serious step forward”.
Posting to X, Sybiha said the meeting was a step forward for the “path to peace” and the strategic Ukraine-US partnership, adding:
This is what a frank, open, and constructive dialogue brings.
He thanked his US counterpart, secretary of state Marco Rubio, US national security adviser Mike Waltz and “our Saudi friends”.
Trump says he will speak to Putin and invite Zelenskyy back to the White House
US president Donald Trump said he hopes Russia will agree to a ceasefire plan drawn up by US and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia.
Trump, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, said he would invite Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy back to the White House.
He said he hopes the proposal can be solidified “over the next few days”, adding:
I know we have a big meeting with Russia tomorrow, and some great conversations hopefully will ensue.
He said he will speak to Russian leader Vladimir Putin about the ceasefire proposal this week. “It takes two to tango, as they say.”
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Starmer 'warmly' welcomes agreement, 'congratulates' Zelenskyy and Trump for 'remarkable breakthrough'
The UK prime minister Keir Starmer said he “warmly” welcomes the agreement between Ukrainian and US officials after talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
A statement from Starmer reads:
I warmly welcome the agreement today in Jeddah and congratulate President Trump and President Zelenskyy for this remarkable breakthrough.
This is an important moment for peace in Ukraine and we now all need to redouble our efforts to get to a lasting and secure peace as soon as possible. As both American and Ukrainian delegations have said, the ball is now in the Russian court. Russia must now agree to a ceasefire and an end to the fighting too.
H added that he will be convening virtual meeting of countries ready to support a ceasefire on Saturday “to discuss next steps”, adding:
We are ready to help bring an end to this war in a just and permanent way that allows Ukraine to enjoy its freedom.
EU leaders welcome proposal for Ukraine ceasefire
European Council president António Costa and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen have issued a joint statement welcoming the news from Jeddah on the US-Ukraine talks.
“This is a positive development that can be a step towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine,” they said.
“The ball is now in Russia’s court.
The EU is ready to play its full part, together with its partners, in the upcoming peace negotiations.
Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk said Europe “stands ready to help reach a just and lasting peace” after the joint US-Ukraine announcement that Kyiv is ready to accept an immediate 30-day ceasefire with Russia.
Posting to X, Tusk wrote:
It seems like the Americans and Ukrainians have taken an important step towards peace. And Europe stands ready to help reach a just and lasting peace.
We reported earlier that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv is ready to accept as US proposal for a “30-day full interim ceasefire”.
Zelenskyy said he received a report from the Ukrainian delegation on the meeting with US officials in Saudi Arabia.
“ The discussion lasted most of the day and was good and constructive,” he said. “Our teams were able to discuss many important details.”
Here’s Zelenskyy’s full video statement, posted to X:
I received a report from our delegation on their meeting with the American team in Saudi Arabia. The discussion lasted most of the day and was good and constructive—our teams were able to discuss many important details.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 11, 2025
Our position remains absolutely clear: Ukraine has been… pic.twitter.com/7EZXTVA52C
Elon Musk is “not a serious guy”, said Mark Kelly, the US fighter pilot and astronaut turned Arizona Democratic senator, after the Tesla owner and close Donald Trump ally called him a “traitor” for visiting Ukraine in support of its fight against Russia’s invading troops.
On Sunday, Kelly posted to social media photos of his visit and a lengthy statement. “Just left Ukraine,” he said.
“What I saw proved to me we can’t give up on the Ukrainian people. Everyone wants this war to end, but any agreement has to protect Ukraine’s security and can’t be a giveaway to [Vladimir] Putin,” referring to the Russian president who ordered his military to invade Ukraine in February 2022.
Musk, who owns X, on which Kelly posted, responded: “You are a traitor.”
Kelly said: “Traitor? Elon, if you don’t understand that defending freedom is a basic tenet of what makes America great and keeps us safe, maybe you should leave it to those of us who do.”
Head of the Ukrainian presidential office Andriy Yermak, who was a member of the Ukrainian delegation in the Saudi Arabia talks, has also issued a statement after the meeting.
“Protecting Ukraine’s interests is the most important thing for us,” Yermark wrote on X.
A just peace is key for us. We want a lasting peace. Thank you for the constructive meeting.
'Ukraine is ready for peace': Zelenskyy accepts 30-day ceasefire proposal
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a statement following a meeting between senior US and Ukrainian officials in Jeddah.
Zelenskyy says the Ukrainian delegation's proposal consisted of three issues: “silence in the sky” and at sea, as well as “real measures to establish trust”, including the release of prisoners. He says:
The American side understands our arguments, accepts our proposals. I want to thank President Trump for the constructiveness of our teams’ conversation.
Zelenskyy says the US proposed to establish a complete ceasefire for 30 days in the Black Sea and along the entire front line.
Ukraine accepts this proposal. We consider it positive, and we are ready to take such a step.
He says the US “must convince” Russia to agree to the proposal, noting that an “important element” of the meeting today was “America’s readiness to resume defence assistance to Ukraine”. Zelenskyy adds:
Ukraine is ready for peace. Russia must show its readiness to end the war or continue the war. It is time for the full truth.
'This is not Mean Girls', says Rubio on Zelenskyy-Trump relations
Asked if the relationship between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump is “back on track”, US secretary of state Marco Rubio says: “What’s back on track here is peace.” He adds:
This is serious stuff. This is not Mean Girls, this is not some episode of some television show. This is very serious.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio says Donald Trump “wanted this war to end yesterday” and that he hopes that Russia will accept the ceasefire deal “as soon as possible”.
“Our hope is that the Russians will answer yes as quickly as possible, so we can get to the second phase of this, which is real negotiations,” he says.
Rubio says the subject of a US-Ukraine minerals deal “was not the subject of talks today”.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio is asked if there is a deadline for Russians to respond to the 30-day interim ceasefire proposal.
“We’re going to take the offer to them,” Rubio replies. “We’re going to tell them – this is what’s on the table”.
“Ukraine is ready to stop shooting and start talking, and now it’ll be up to them to say yes or no,” he said, adding:
I hope they’re going to say yes. If they do, then I think we’ve made great progress. If they say no, then we’ll unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace here.
Rubio described the offer to the Russians as an “offer to stop the shooting”.
'Ball is now in Russia's court', says Rubio
US national security adviser Mike Waltz and US secretary of state Marco Rubio are speaking to reporters following meetings with senior Ukrainian officials in Jeddah.
Ukraine and the US have taken a “positive step” during talks today, Rubio says, adding that the US will now “take this offer” to the Russians, adding that “the ball is in their court”.
Waltz says the Ukrainian delegation made “very clear” on Tuesday that they “share President Trump’s vision for peace”.
Ukraine “made concrete steps and proposals” including accepting Washington’s proposal for a full ceasefire, he says.
Waltz says he will speak to his Russian counterpart “in the coming days” and that Rubio will be with G7 foreign ministers in the next couple of days.
As a result of this positive step forward, the president has decided to lift a pause on aid and on our security assistance to Ukraine.
US and Ukraine agree to conclude minerals deal 'as soon as possible'
The presidents of Ukraine and the US have agreed to “conclude as soon as possible” a comprehensive agreement for “developing Ukraine’s critical mineral resources to expand Ukraine’s economy, offset the cost of American assistance, and guarantee Ukraine’s long-term prosperity and security,” according to a joint statement by the US and Ukrainian delegations.
Ukraine agrees to accept 'immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire'
Ukraine has agreed to accept a US proposal for an immediate 30-day ceasefire and to take steps toward restoring a durable peace after Russia’s invasion, according to a joint statement by US and Ukrainian delegations meeting in Jeddah.
Kyiv and Washington “took important steps toward restoring durable peace for Ukraine” on Tuesday, the statement reads.
Ukraine expressed readiness to accept the US proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and which is subject to acceptance and concurrent implementation by the Russian Federation. The United States will communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace.
The US will “immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine,” it says.
Both delegations agreed to immediately “begin negotiations toward an enduring peace that provides for Ukraine’s long-term security”, it says.
The US committed to discussing these proposals with representatives from Russia, while the Ukrainian delegation reiterated that European partners shall be involved in the peace process, it says.
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US to immediately lift suspension on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine
The US state department has announced Washington will immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume security assistance to Ukraine.
A statement by the state department, carried by Reuters, comes after a lengthy meeting between senior US and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia today.
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US-Ukraine meeting 'positive' and 'productive', says White House
The White House has described a meeting between US and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia today as “positive” and “productive”.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that a full readout of the meeting will be provided soon, adding:
The news we’ve received from that meeting throughout the day is positive. This meeting has been productive.
US president Donald Trump will host the Nato’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, in Washington on Thursday, the White House has announced.
Rutte has previously urged Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy to restore his relationship with Trump after their clash in the Oval Office last month.
Rutte said he told Zelenskyy that “we really have to respect what President Trump has done so far for Ukraine”. He told the BBC:
I am absolutely convinced that the US wants to bring Ukraine to this durable peace.
Trump will also welcome Ireland’s prime minister, Micheál Martin, to the White House on Wednesday.
As we await further updates from Jeddah, that’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, as I hand the blog over to Leonie Chao-Fong in Washington to guide you through the evening, with the latest on US-Ukraine talks.
Pro-Russian far-right Romanian candidate Georgescu barred by court from elections - reports
A Romanian top court reportedly upheld on Tuesday the decision to bar pro-Russian far-right candidate Călin Georgescu from running in repeat presidential election in May, Reuters said quoting Romanian television station Digi24, which cited judicial sources.
Separately, another broadcaster Antena 3 CNN also carried a similar report.
We will keep an eye out for an official confirmation of this report.
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UK state department spokesperson Tammy Bruce posted a short video update from Jeddah on her social media accounts.
The bottom line there is that it is:
A very exciting day. A day that could mean a lot for all people around the world.
Halfway through the update, there is an amusing moment when she got distracted while marvelling at the beauty of a decorated pillar in the lobby – “Isn’t that fantastic?” – only to then skillfully use it as a segue to this upbeat conclusion:
So other fantastic news with humanity might emerge, so we are very optimistic, and I know the secretary is, because we know what is at stake.
Macron stands by his warnings about Russia as he meets with army chiefs
French president Emmanuel Macron spoke earlier today at the future site of the Internal Security General Directorate, or DGSI, giving his commentary on defence and security issues facing France.
Le Monde reports that Macron fired back at his critics who had suggested he was inventing or exaggerating the threat from Russia, saying “these people have clearly not followed the news” on Ukraine.
In an indirect exchange of words with far-right leader Marine Le Pen who accused him of “posturing” and deflecting from what she believed to be the main threat, terrorism, Macron argued that the focus should be not on arguing over which danger is greater, but on how to respond to them.
“At a time when the balance of the world is shifting, when what we took for granted is going away, and when what seemed ruled out is now coming closer, we must defend these unwavering values of our republic,” he was quoted as saying.
Macron was expected to give another speech this afternoon, but instead we should hear from the French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot.
Meanwhile, the French president is meeting with over 30 army chiefs from Europe and around the world to discuss creating an international force to deter future Russian aggression if a ceasefire in Ukraine is established.
Le Figaro reported in the last few minutes that the meeting has just started.
US-Ukraine talks going 'OK,' Ukrainian official says
In another cryptic update, via AFP, we are now hearing that talks between US and Ukrainian delegations in Saudi Arabia are going “OK”.
“The talks are going OK, a lot of questions have been discussed,” a senior Ukrainian official, who requested anonymity, told AFP of the first high-level talks between Kyiv and Washington since Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy clashed with Donald Trump during an Oval Office meeting last month.
Portugese government faces vote of no confidence
Portugal is bracing for its third snap general election in as many years as MPs prepare to debate a motion of confidence that looks set to topple the centre-right government and trigger a return to the polls in May.
Luís Montenegro, the prime minister, who heads the Democratic Alliance (AD) platform that has governed Portugal since its narrow victory in last year’s election, called the vote of confidence, which is due to be voted on this afternoon, in response to growing questions over his family’s business activities.
Montenegro has denied any wrongdoing or ethical breaches and called the vote last week saying he wanted to “to end the atmosphere of permanent insinuations and intrigues”. It is all but certain to trigger a new general election as both the centre-left Socialist party (PS) and the far-right Chega party have said they will vote against the government.
Greenland votes – in pictures
Earlier today, I brought you a primer on the Greenland election today, with all the key timings, positions, and indications what to look out for.
Local media are reporting that all is going well so far, with early indications of a higher turnout than the last time round in 2021, as voters enjoy what is a very sunny day.
All that is left for me, then, is to post some pictures from the vote, so here they are:
Hungary reports oil delivery issues after Ukraine struck facilities in Moscow, Oryol regions
In the background of these talks, Ukraine said it had struck an oil refinery near Moscow and a facility in Russia’s Oryol region that is part of the Druzhba pipeline system exporting oil to Europe, Reuters reported.
Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjártó said that crude oil shipment via the pipeline was suspended after a Ukrainian drone attack on a metering station.
In comments reported by Hungarian media, Szijjártó urged Ukraine not to attack energy infrastructure and said he spoke with Russian officials who reassured him that repairs were already under way, with the flow expected to be restarted later today.
“It is clear that peace is needed as soon as possible, because the sooner there is peace, the sooner these attacks will stop, and the sooner we can make the energy infrastructure heading to Hungary completely safe,” he was reported as saying.
Hungary imports most of its crude oil via the Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian crude through Belarus and Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia.
Senior Ukrainian negotiator posts 'handshake' as update on US-Ukraine talks
In a very 2025 development, Yermak just posted a further update: two pictures of both Ukrainian and US delegations in Jeddah with an emoji of a handshake.
What does he mean? Could this be the US-Ukraine minerals deal done? Let’s see.
*Suspicious side-eye emoji*
We will bring you more if and when the two sides choose to use words instead of emoji.
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'Work in progress,' most senior Zelenskyy aide says
Andriy Yermak, most senior aide in Zelenskyy’s presidential office, posted a social media update from under the table as US-Ukraine talks continue:
Work in progress.
Updated
US-Ukraine talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - in pictures
'Don't rush to put rose-tinted spectacles,' Kremlin spokesperson warns Russians against Trump euphoria
The Kremlin warned Russians not to get carried away by what the administration of US president Donald Trump is doing over Ukraine even though its actions may sometimes look hopeful for Moscow and to always “prepare for the worst,” Reuters reported.
“Don’t rush to put on rose-tinted spectacles,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told an audience at Moscow’s Higher School of Economics on Tuesday, delivering a reality check to Russians excited by Trump’s apparently friendlier behaviour towards them, which has completely upended the policy of the previous U.S. administration.
“We always need to hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. And we must always be ready to defend our interests,” said Peskov.
His warning came as US and Ukrainian officials held talks in Saudi Arabia that are partly designed to determine whether Ukraine is willing to make material concessions to Russia to end the war. If the talks go well, Kyiv hopes Trump may resume military aid and full intelligence sharing, Reuters noted.
Poland wants to be able to train 100,000 people in 2027, prime minister Tusk says
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk has just offered more detail on his plans for voluntary large-scale military training of Poland’s adult population as the country scales up its preparedness in the context of continuing Russian aggression in the region and its invasion of Ukraine.
He said the government’s plans to expand existing training programmes as soon as possible, so that everyone who wants to take part can do so in 2026, and expanding the target to be able to train 100,000 people in 2027.
Anyone taking part in the month-long training gets a one-off salary of 6,000 Polish złoty (€1,431), Tusk said.
The scheme will be open to all adults between 18 and 60 years old. They will also get additional dual-use training opportunities, for example an expedited course to get a driving licence for larger transport vehicles.
Further details of the draft law implementing these plan are expected “by the end of March,” he said.
Updated
Time for Putin to wakeup to reality; Ukraine needs to be negotiate from position of strength, Dutch defence minister says
Back to Ukraine, Dutch defence minister Ruben Brekelmans also spoke at the Paris conference this morning, warning that “Europe is standing at the crossroads,” as “the treats imposed by Russia is only growing” and “we don’t have much time to get this right, we only have one shot.”
In a very pointed reference, Brekelmans alluded to Trump’s recent comments on Nato’s Article 5:
Nato was established in 1949 to prevent future wars through unified strength.
And nowadays, when we walk towards the entrance of the Nato headquarters, we pass a large piece of the Berlin Wall on the left side, it’s a symbol of the end of the Cold War, [and] to the right side, we see a twisted and mangled piece of steel from the twin towers, a reminder of 9/11 and a reminder of the impact of terrorism.
It’s also a reminder of our American allies asking for help, and a reminder of European allies answering that call.
In a stark reminder of what is at stake, he added:
I cannot help but wonder, what relics of war will come to stand next to these five to 10 years from now?
Will it be a piece of concrete from an apartment building in Kharkiv?
Will it be a section of a internet cable from the North Sea?
It’s impossible to predict, but what I do already know is that our actions in these coming days and coming weeks will be crucial in shaping the next five to 10 years.
On Ukraine specifically, Brekelmans said:
President Zelensky should not have to agree to a deal that would result in some sort of interbellum, with aggression constantly looming on the horizon.
He needs to negotiate from a position of strength.
He then directly warned about Russia’s president Vladimir Putin saying:
Putin has made very clear that Ukraine is not his final stop on his campaign to the imperial past.
He will continue his aggressive, aggressive efforts to increase the influence and the territory of the Russian Empire towards his dream to reestablish a Russkiy Mir, or a Russian world.
It’s a dream for Putin, and it’s a nightmare for the rest of Europe.
It’s time we let Putin wake up to the fact that his dreams do not match reality.
…
No matter how brutal this war has become, Ukrainians cannot be silenced. They can be forced into submission.
Ukrainians are fighting at the frontline of our freedom and security against Russian tyranny and aggression. It’s the frontline of the freedom and security of Europe.
Greenland's 'most consequential election in history' under way
Voting is now under way in Greenland as the island’s population goes to the poll in a snap parliamentary election overshadowed by questions about its future relations with Denmark and the US.
The vote has attracted global attention after Donald Trump’s repeated assertions about acquiring the autonomous territory, using military and economic force if necessary.
Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen posted a social media note “wishing everyone in Greenland a very good election day.”
The polling stations have just opened at 9am local time (11am GMT) and the voting will continue until 8pm (10pm GMT). There are no exit polls, and we are expecting the results to filter through the night.
With an electorate of approximately 40,000 – of a population of 57,000 – the margins are small, and 31 seats in the Greenlandic parliament, Inatsisartut, are up for grabs.
There are six parties on the ballot. With 12 seats in the Inatsisartut, the biggest party going into the election was Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA), which, led by prime minister Múte Egede, ran the governing coalition.
Siumut, led by Erik Jensen, is the second biggest party with 10 seats. For the last two years the two parties have been in coalition government. Before that, IA was in coalition with Naleraq, which brings us on to another of the key players.
With four seats, Naleraq is the largest opposition party going into the election. The party, led by Pele Broberg, a former government minister, has been gaining traction with its promise to hold a snap vote on independence. It is the most open of the parties to collaborating with the US.
Even with all the external drama around Trump, the biggest talking points of the election have been perennial domestic ones: economy, welfare, job creation, healthcare, education, fisheries.
Independence and the relationship with Denmark and the US are also normal subjects in Greenlandic elections – but this time voters and politicians have had the additional pressure of the world watching and providing commentary.
(Extra shout out to Greenland’s national newspaper Sermitsiaq noting our coverage and our front page today, hello and Aluu!).
Read our Nordic correspondent Miranda Bryant’s full preview here:
Europe should reject calls to demilitarise Ukraine, French armed forced minister says
Over in Paris, French armed forces minister Sébastien Lecornu has just opened the Paris Defence and Strategy Forum, which will see over 30 army chiefs coming together for a chat on what Europe and the west can offer in support of Ukraine as part of a peacedeal with Russia.
Lecornu said Europe was facing "a new period” in its history, distinctively different from both the cold war and “the period of peace dividends,” with multiple global powers fighting for influence.
In a pointed reference to the new US administration, he said that today’s discussions will look at how Nato and the west could defend the eastern flank “if tomorrow the contributions of certain countries – or one country in particular – were to decrease” their presence.
On Ukraine, he said that more planning was needed to back any potential ceasefire in Ukraine, knowing that Russia has a history of not respecting similar arrangements.
Crucially, the French minister said that France would “refuse any demilitarisation of the Ukrainian army,” considering it an important part of any future security architecture.
'Ceasefire never seemed closer,' top Ukraine president aide writes for the Guardian
Andriy Yermak, the most senior adviser to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has also written for the Guardian about today’s talks in Jeddah.
As I arrive in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a ceasefire in the three-year war the Russian Federation has waged on my country has never seemed closer. …
A ceasefire in Ukraine will not come through diplomatic gestures alone. A number of conditions are crucial beforehand in order to ensure that peace – when it comes – is lasting. This includes putting political and financial pressure on Russia to raise the cost of renewed conflict. …
A stronger, safer and more resilient Europe – militarily, politically and economically – is our shared goal. Securing a meaningful ceasefire is the first step. This requires a Europe that is economically and politically resilient. Europe must be prepared to act to deliver its own security, and Russia must understand the political and economic cost of using force to achieve its ends.
Read his thoughts in full:
'Don't waste this chance, whole world is watching you,' Poland's Tusk tells US, Ukraine officials
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk has just posted a social media update, stressing the importance of today’s US-Ukraine talks in Jeddah.
He said:
Dear Americans, dear Ukrainians, don’t waste this chance. The whole world is watching you in Jeddah today. Good luck!
'We need surge in European defence and need it now," EU commission chief tells lawmakers
As the talks in Jeddah take place behind the closed doors, let’s catch up with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen’s comments at the European Parliament in Strasbourg earlier this morning.
She told EU lawmakers that “the European security order is being shaken, and so many of our illusions are being shattered,” with increasingly aggressive posture from Russia and the shift in US defence policy.
“Some believed that Russia could be integrated in Europe’s economic and security architecture. Others hoped that we could rely indefinitely on America’s full protection. And so we lowered our guard. The time of illusions is over,” she said.
Von der Leyen argued that recent decisions by EU leaders were “unprecedented” and previously “completely unthinkable,” showing new urgency to act and rearm Europe.
“We need a surge in European defence, and we need it now,” she said.
She explained that the first priority was “the urgent need to fill the gaps in Ukraine’s military supplies and to provide Ukraine with solid security guarantees,” but Europe also needs to go beyond that.
“Putin has proven time and again that he is a hostile neighbour. He cannot be trusted. He can only be deterred,” she said.
Ukraine 'ready to do everything to achieve peace,' top Zelenskyy adviser says
Ukraine wants peace and is ready to negotiate to end the war, a top adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said as he entered talks with US counterparts in Saudi Arabia.
“We are ready to do everything to achieve peace,” Ukrainian presidency chief of staff Andriy Yermak told reporters, AFP reported.
US-Ukraine talks underway
We are now getting a first glimpse of inside the negotiating room thanks to a video posted by the Ukrainian foreign ministry on their social media channels.
We are still waiting for first pictures from the US-Ukraine talks in Jeddah, but for now have this snap showing the preparations for the summit…
US-Ukraine talks begin in Saudi Arabia
US and Ukrainian delegation have started their meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine’s foreign ministry just said, posting a video of the Ukrainian delegation arriving for the talks.
Updated
Kremlin expects US readout from Ukraine talks
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Moscow expects that the United States will inform Russia about US talks with Ukraine taking place on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, Russian state news agency TASS reported.
President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff plans to visit Moscow this week to meet president Vladimir Putin, sources told Reuters on Monday.
Peskov said the Kremlin would provide timely information on any contacts with Witkoff.
Create new defence format with EU and close partners, former Italian PM Letta says
Former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta, who now leads the French Jacques Delors Institut, is one of the leading voices in the European debate on security and defence in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In a comment for Le Monde this morning, he called for a new European Common Defence System comprising of the 27 EU member states (not sure pro-Russian Hungary will be that keen, though), the UK, Norway, Iceland, and the three Balkan candidate states: Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.
He praised recent decisions on raising EU defence spending as “going in the right direction,” but called for deeper integration “beyond the sole dimension of defence [as] security is a much broader objective than defensive military effectiveness,” pointing to energy independence, connectivity, and European autonomy in terms of financial and economic structures.
He said that a more coordinated response was needed to respond to “openly hostile to the EU” administration in the US, and overcome “dramatic weakeness of the EU” in its fragmentation.
Over 30 nations to talk about their support for Ukraine in Paris
Separately, senior army representatives from over 30 countries are meeting in Paris to discuss creating an international force to deter future Russian aggression once a ceasefire is established.
AP notes that the Paris meeting is the most significant culmination so far of French and British efforts to rally nations under a so-called “coalition of the willing” to safeguard Ukraine by establishing a reassurance and deterrence force to dissuade Russia from invading again.
The list of participating countries includes almost all Nato member states – notably, without the US, as it is meant to be a Europe-led mission – as well as some Commonwealth countries and Asian powers such as Japan and South Korea.
The main meeting, part of the Paris Defence Forum, will take place in late afternoon, with a keynote speech framing the task ahead by French president Emmanuel Macron.
Ukraine launched 'largest ever' drone attack on Moscow
And just hours before the talks were due to get under way, Ukraine targeted Moscow in what authorities said was its largest ever drone attack on the Russian capital, killing at least one person, sparking fires and forcing the suspension of flights and train travel.
The Russian defence ministry said 337 drones were launched at Russia over Monday night, with 91 of them targeting the Moscow region. The Moscow city mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said it was the largest Ukrainian drone attack on the city.
Russia’s aviation watchdog said flights were suspended at all four of Moscow’s airports. Two other airports, in the Yaroslavl and Nizhny Novgorod regions east of Moscow, were also closed.
Updated
Morning opening: Crunch time
US and Ukrainian officials are meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, today to see if they can find a way forward for Donald Trump’s push to bring the Russian invasion of Ukraine to an end.
The key building block seems to be the minerals deal, which the US side expected to be signed either at Keith Kellogg’s visit to Kyiv last month, or the now infamous visit of Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House.
Kellogg said last week that he was now expecting the deal to be agreed by US state secretary Marco Rubio and his Ukrainian equivalent, and it just so happens that the two take part in today’s talks.
Asked on Fox News if he thought Ukraine could sign the minerals deal this week, Trump Middle East aide Steve Witkoff said: “I am really hopeful. All the signs are very, very positive.” Could this finally happen today, third time lucky?
But we know that both sides are keen to discuss the broader ramification of any deal and what’s next, including the Ukrainian proposal – first floated by French president Emmanuel Macron – for a limited ceasefire in air and at seas to allow for other talks to progress.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy also repeatedly talked about the importance of exchanging hostages, and of his demand for Russia to return abducted Ukrainian children. Let’s see if he can make progress on these issues.
Last night, the Ukrainian president met with Saudi leaders, who are keen to play a mediating role in the process. In a social media post after the meeting, he said he discussed these ideas, and pointedly added that “a significant part of the discussion was dedicated to the formats of security guarantees.”
Rubio, on the other hand, said “both sides need to come to an understanding that there’s no military solution to this situation.”
He added: “I’m not going to set any conditions on what they have to or need to do. I think we want to listen to see how far they’re willing to go and then compare that to what the Russians want and see how far apart we truly are.”
“The most important thing that we have to leave here with is a strong sense that Ukraine is prepared to do difficult things, like the Russians are going to have to do difficult things, to end this conflict or at least pause it in some way, shape or form,” he said.
Let’s see if they can make progress today. I will bring you all the latest throughout the day.
Elsewhere, we will be keeping one eye on the historic elections in Greenland, the vote of no confidence in the Portuguese government, and other stories across Europe, but our main focus is firmly on Ukraine today.
It’s Tuesday, 11 March 2025, and this is Europe live. It’s Jakub Krupa here.
Good morning.
