Ukraine LIVE: Russia rocked by drone attack as EU leaders rush to crisis talks

5 mins ago12:18 Rebecca Robinson

Sir Kier Starmer said Europe must "step up" defence spending and support for Ukraine ahead of emergency Paris talks.

He called the war a "generational challenge" for Europe and its security.

The Prime Minister called on the UK and EU to "do more" to combat this challenge.

13 mins ago12:10 Rebecca Robinson

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he will not send troops to Ukraine after Sir Keir Starmer said he was ready to.

He did however pledge to continue supporting Ukraine before flying to the emergency Paris meeting today.

30 mins ago11:53 Rebecca Robinson

Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine will not join peace talks between the US and Russia in Saudia Arabia this week.

The Ukrainian president will be visiting Riyadh on Wednesday, but will not participate in the joint discussions.

He said: "Ukraine will not take part. Ukraine did not know anything about it.

"Ukraine regards any negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine as ones that have no result, and we cannot recognise … any agreements about us without us."

41 mins ago11:42 Rebecca Robinson

Germany haws refuseed to commit to sending troops to Ukraine after Sir Keir Starmer said he is ready to.

The Defence Ministry said it's too soon to discuss peacekeeping missions.

If there was a joint approach by the US and Europe, the ministry said it would get involved, but not until then.

52 mins ago11:31 Rebecca Robinson

Volodymyr Zelensky is reportedly flying to Saudi Arabia this week as the US and Russia conduct peace talks on Tuesday.

According to Reuters, the Ukrainian president will visit on Wesndesday.

58 mins ago11:25 Rebecca Robinson

French overseas territories minister Manuel Valls said Europe is at a "turning point" in its relationship with the US.

The former prime minister said the US is putting more pressure on Europe than ever before to increase defence spending and support for Ukraine.

1 hour ago11:10 Rebecca Robinson

1 hour ago10:55 Rebecca Robinson

Ukraine also hit a Russian oil refinery in drone strikes that hammered a refinery, causing a fire to break out.

The Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station in southern Russia was targeted by Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) and Special Operatios Forces (SS) drones, sources told RBC-Ukraine.

The oil pumping station is now out of action.

2 hours ago10:43 Rebecca Robinson

The Russian economy has sustained a series of major blows during the war in Ukraine, putting it under "immense pressure".

Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged Ukraine's allies not to "ease this pressure" as the conflict reaches its third year.

He said: Russia has not achieved its military goals, its economy is under immense pressure, and combat losses continue to grow ... Now is not the time to ease this pressure."

2 hours ago10:27 Rebecca Robinson

An ex-diplomat said British soldiers could end up fighting Russians if they are sent on peacekeeping missions in Ukraine.

Lord Peter Ricketts, a former national security adviser to David Cameron, expressed his concern at the prospect of this.

He told Sky News: "Personally I'm wary about the term peacekeeping.

"What it has meant in the past is putting your troops between two potential adversaries and, if necessary, willing to fight to keep the peace.

"That might mean British soldiers fighting Russians."

2 hours ago10:09 Rebecca Robinson

Sir Keir Starmer said he is "ready and willing" to send British troops to Ukraine to enforce a peace deal.

The Prime Minister also called for European nations to increase their defence spending.

He wrote in The Telegraph: "The UK is ready to play a leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine.

"This includes further support for Ukraine’s military, where the UK has already committed £3 billion a year until at least 2030.

"But it also means being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary."

2 hours ago09:54 Rebecca Robinson

Saudia Arabia is hosting peace talks between the US and Russia, aimed at bringing an end to the war in Ukraine.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will attend the discussions.

Mr Rubio will meet Russian officials alongside national security advisor Mike Waltz and White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, a US source told Reuters.

This is one of the first times high-level, in-person talks have gone ahead between Russian and US officials in years.

3 hours ago09:47 Rebecca Robinson

The emergency summit is expected involve discussions on the Russia-Ukraine war and security in Europe.

The meeting will include the UK, Germany, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will also attent.

3 hours ago09:41 Rebecca Robinson

Russia has reportedly deployed extra forces as it tries to take Ukraine's "fortress belt", new maps revealed.

The think tank the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said the Russian troops were mobilised "to the Toretsk and eastern Pokrovsk directions".

The fortress belt refers to areas of Donetsk Oblast, including the southernmost point of Kostyantynivka.

The ISW noted that Russia is "unlikely" to succeed in its apparent campaign to seize the territory.

3 hours ago09:39 Rebecca Robinson

European leaders are attending emergency meetings in Paris today, discussing the nearly three-year-long war and the continent's security.

Sir Keir Starmer reportedly agreed to attend the meetings late on Sunday, calling it a "once-in-a-generation momentfor our national security".

He added: "It's clear Europe must take on a greater role in NATO as we work with the United States to secure Ukraine's future and face down the threat we face from Russia."

3 hours ago09:35 Rebecca Robinson

A Russian oil refinery was hit by a Ukrainian drone strike last night.

The attack was launched on the Ilsky oil refinery in Krasnodar, southern Russia, injuring one person and sending parts of the building up in flames.

Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev called it a "massive" attack that damaged at least 12 houses but did not provide any more detail.

Russian Telegram channel SHOT added that the fire was caused by drone wreckage.

3 hours ago09:22 Rebecca Robinson

Good morning and welcome to our live blog covering updates on the Russia-Ukraine war and the emergency talks happening in Paris today.

Follow along throughout the day for all the latest updates.