London-Ukraine Summit highlights: Europe faces ‘once in a generation’ moment for its security, Starmer says

Starmer says that any new deal to support Ukraine must be backed by strength, and that every nation must contribute in the best way it can, by all taking responsibility and stepping up their own share.

The prime minister says leaders at the summit agreed four important steps:

• To keep military aid flowing into Ukraine while the war is ongoing, and increase economic pressure on Russia
• Any lasting peace must ensure Ukraine's sovereignty and security, and Ukraine must be at the table for any peace talks
• In the event of a peace deal, European leaders will aim to deter any future invasion by Russia into Ukraine
• There would be a "coalition of the willing" to defend Ukraine and guarantee peace in the country

Prime Minister Keir Starmer's summit with several of his European counterparts has just come to an end - after approximately two hours of discussion. The leaders leave Lancaster House one by one - with Volodymyr Zelensky now expected to head to Sandringham to meet with King Charles III.

Ahead of the high-stakes European leaders' summit in London, Finnish President Alex Stubb weighed in on the fallout from the tense Oval Office exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, former U.S. President Donald Trump, and Senator J.D. Vance. In an interview with the BBC, Stubb remarked that the biggest beneficiary of the public spat was Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I think at the end of the day, there was only one winner of that exchange, that was Vladimir Putin,” he said.

Despite the controversy, Stubb stressed the importance of moving forward, saying that discussions in recent days have focused on restoring diplomatic momentum. “The conversations that I’ve had since in the past 72 hours are pretty much about let’s move on. Let’s get back on track. Let’s see what diplomacy can do,” he added. He expressed optimism that the London summit would serve as a first step toward resetting diplomatic efforts and strengthening European unity on Ukraine.

Rasmus Jarlov, chair of the Danish parliament Folketing’s defence committee, has just been on Sky News offering his view on what’s next and how Ukraine and Europe can get back into talks with US president Donald Trump.

What he said: I’m pretty sure that President Zelenskyy would be willing to run naked through New York City if that was required of him to get security, security guarantees and save his country. It cannot be about emotions and personal egos and about who’s humble enough and who said thank you enough. It must be about what is right and just and what is in the interest of the western world.

The European leaders' summit, hosted by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, is now underway at Lancaster House in central London. While the exact schedule remains flexible, discussions are expected to take place over the next few hours. Key topics on the agenda may include Europe’s role in efforts to end the war in Ukraine and its evolving relationship with the United States. However, the full details of the talks remain unclear.

Once the discussions conclude, Starmer is expected to hold a press conference to outline the outcomes of the summit. Meanwhile, beyond the summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to meet King Charles later this afternoon.

The International Committee of the Red Cross called on Israel and Hamas to maintain their ceasefire in Gaza to prevent the conflict-weary region from sinking back into despair. Every effort must be made to maintain the ceasefire so that lives are spared from hostilities, humanitarian aid enters Gaza, and more families are reunited. The statement came as Israel said it was suspending the entry of supplies into Gaza and as deadly attacks were reported in the territory after Israel and Hamas hit an impasse of how to proceed further.

Peter Zalmayev of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative has said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s leadership is now under scrutiny following his heated exchange with Donald Trump. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Zalmayev noted that many Ukrainians are questioning whether Zelensky is the right leader to navigate the next phase of peace talks.

“There are serious questions about the flexibility of Zelensky,” he said, while also acknowledging the praise he has received for standing firm amid diplomatic tensions. He pointed out that Trump’s approach, which signals increasing alignment with Russia, has understandably fueled Zelensky’s frustration.

“President Zelensky is a man of his own mind, his own sense of worth, and his own sense of grievance at a main ally willing to align with our enemy,” Zalmayev added. The growing divide between Ukraine and its Western backers could further complicate future negotiations.

(With BBC Inputs)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is now at Lancaster House, where he is greeted by Prime Minister Keir Starmer ahead of a summit with other European leaders.

At Lancaster House, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk have arrived. Prime Minister Keir Starmer greeted them individually at the door before heading inside. More leaders are expected to join soon.

Pope Francis, who has been in hospital for more than two weeks with double pneumonia, spent a "calm night", the Vatican said on Sunday, after reporting he was in a stable condition.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Downing Street ahead of a wider European leaders’ summit, facing a complex diplomatic balancing act.

Meloni, a close ally of Donald Trump, has drawn praise from the U.S. president and recently sent a message to the Trump-aligned CPAC conference. Notably, she did not join other EU leaders in publicly backing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after his dispute with Trump.

However, since taking office in 2022, Meloni has been a strong supporter of Ukraine, often diverging from ideological allies like Hungary’s Viktor Orban, who has called for renewed talks with Moscow.

Her position suggests she may be attempting to position herself as a bridge between the U.S. and pro-Ukraine European nations.

(Inputs from BBC)

At least two killed, 20 injured in overnight Russian strikes on Ukraine

Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past 24 hours have killed at least two civilians and injured at least 20 others, according to regional authorities. Ukraine’s air defense reported shooting down 63 out of 79 drones launched overnight, the military said in a statement on Telegram.

In Donetsk, two people were killed and seven injured in the strikes, regional governor Vadym Filashkin confirmed. In Kherson, ten people, including a child, sustained injuries in the attacks, according to regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin. Additional injuries were also reported in the Kharkiv, Khmelnytskyi, and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian strike on a Russian-occupied area in Kherson killed three people and left five injured, according to Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-installed governor of the region. The latest round of hostilities underscores the ongoing escalation in the conflict as both sides continue to exchange fire across multiple frontlines. (BBC)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov praised Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine, contrasting it with what he called the "pride" of the previous Biden administration. The Kremlin sees Trump’s stance as more aligned with its interests.

Donald Tusk, the prime minister of Poland, says his country backs a proposal by Italy to organise a summit attended by the US and European countries and allies.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday called on the US, Europe and their allies to hold talks on the Ukraine war.

“A summit without delay is needed to talk frankly about how we intend to tackle today’s major challenges, starting with Ukraine, which together we have defended in recent years,” said Meloni, who was one of a handful of world leaders to attend Trump’s inauguration in January, reported Aljazeera.

On body of woman Congress worker found in suitcase in Rohtak, Congress leader Rashid Alvi says, "Law and order situation is terrible in BJP-ruled states and we have seen something or the other always happens in Haryana... If they had control, BJP would have done the same with every Congress worker... This case should be inquired strictly and those involved should be punished..."

Haryana local body elections Live: Minister Anil Vij casts vote

The body of a man was found near Anand Vihar colony in Hapur this morning. As per Police, he has been identified as Ankit Kumar and he was murdered with a slit on his throat using a sharp weapon. Police and Forensics teams are present on the spot.

BJP mayoral candidate Renu Bala Gupta and her family show their inked finger after voting for Haryana local body elections.

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Pope Francis, who has been in hospital for two weeks with double pneumonia, is in a "stable" condition, with no repeat of the previous day's breathing crisis, reported AFP News Agency quoting the Vatican.