Moscow hit by ‘largest ever’ drone assault as US and Ukraine officers meet for peace talks – Europe dwell | Ukraine

US and Ukrainian delegation have began their assembly in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine’s overseas ministry simply stated, posting a video of the Ukrainian delegation arriving for the talks.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated Moscow expects that the US will inform Russia about US talks with Ukraine happening on Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, Russian state information company TASS reported.

President Donald Trump’s particular envoy Steve Witkoff plans to go to Moscow this week to satisfy president Vladimir Putin, sources advised Reuters on Monday.

Peskov stated the Kremlin would supply well timed data on any contacts with Witkoff.

Former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta, who now leads the French Jacques Delors Institut, is likely one of the main voices within the European debate on safety and defence in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In a remark for Le Monde this morning, he referred to as for a brand new European Widespread Defence System comprising of the 27 EU member states (unsure pro-Russian Hungary shall be that eager, although), the UK, Norway, Iceland, and the three Balkan candidate states: Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.

He praised current selections on elevating EU defence spending as “entering into the proper route,” however referred to as for deeper integration “past the only real dimension of defence [as] safety is a much wider goal than defensive army effectiveness,” pointing to vitality independence, connectivity, and European autonomy by way of monetary and financial buildings.

He stated that a extra coordinated response was wanted to reply to “brazenly hostile to the EU” administration within the US, and overcome “dramatic weakeness of the EU” in its fragmentation.

Individually, senior military representatives from over 30 international locations are assembly in Paris to debate creating a world power to discourage future Russian aggression as soon as a ceasefire is established.

AP notes that the Paris assembly is probably the most vital fruits up to now of French and British efforts to rally nations beneath a so-called “coalition of the keen” to safeguard Ukraine by establishing a reassurance and deterrence power to dissuade Russia from invading once more.

The checklist of taking part international locations consists of virtually all Nato member states – notably, with out the US, as it’s meant to be a Europe-led mission – in addition to some Commonwealth international locations and Asian powers similar to Japan and South Korea.

The primary assembly, a part of the Paris Defence Discussion board, will happen in late afternoon, with a keynote speech framing the duty forward by French president Emmanuel Macron.

And simply hours earlier than the talks had been as a result of get beneath method, Ukraine focused Moscow in what authorities stated was its largest ever drone assault on the Russian capital, killing not less than one individual, sparking fires and forcing the suspension of flights and practice journey.

The Russian defence ministry stated 337 drones had been launched at Russia over Monday night time, with 91 of them concentrating on the Moscow area. The Moscow metropolis mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, stated it was the biggest Ukrainian drone assault on the town.

Russia’s aviation watchdog stated flights had been suspended in any respect 4 of Moscow’s airports. Two different airports, within the Yaroslavl and Nizhny Novgorod areas east of Moscow, had been additionally closed.

US and Ukrainian officers are assembly in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at the moment to see if they will discover a method ahead for Donald Trump’s push to deliver the Russian invasion of Ukraine to an finish.

The important thing constructing block appears to be the minerals deal, which the US facet anticipated to be signed both at Keith Kellogg’s go to to Kyiv final month, or the now notorious go to of Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White Home.

Kellogg stated final week that he was now anticipating the deal to be agreed by US state secretary Marco Rubio and his Ukrainian equal, and it simply so occurs that the 2 participate in at the moment’s talks.

Requested on Fox Information if he thought Ukraine might signal the minerals deal this week, Trump Center East aide Steve Witkoff stated: “I’m actually hopeful. All of the indicators are very, very optimistic.” Might this lastly occur at the moment, third time fortunate?

However we all know that each side are eager to debate the broader ramification of any deal and what’s subsequent, together with the Ukrainian proposal – first floated by French president Emmanuel Macron – for a restricted ceasefire in air and at seas to permit for different talks to progress.

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy additionally repeatedly talked concerning the significance of exchanging hostages, and of his demand for Russia to return kidnapped Ukrainian youngsters. Let’s see if he could make progress on these points.

Final night time, the Ukrainian president met with Saudi leaders, who’re eager to play a mediating function within the course of. In a social media put up after the assembly, he stated he mentioned these concepts, and pointedly added that “a major a part of the dialogue was devoted to the codecs of safety ensures.”

Rubio, however, stated “each side want to return to an understanding that there’s no army resolution to this example.”

He added: “I’m not going to set any circumstances on what they should or must do. I believe we need to hearken to see how far they’re keen to go after which evaluate that to what the Russians need and see how far aside we really are.”

“Crucial factor that we’ve got to depart right here with is a powerful sense that Ukraine is ready to do tough issues, just like the Russians are going to should do tough issues, to finish this battle or not less than pause it indirectly, form or kind,” he stated.

Let’s see if they will make progress at the moment. I’ll deliver you all the most recent all through the day.

Elsewhere, we shall be conserving one eye on the historic elections in Greenland, the vote of no confidence within the Portuguese authorities, and different tales throughout Europe, however our most important focus is firmly on Ukraine at the moment.

It’s Tuesday, 11 March 2025, and that is Europe dwell. It’s Jakub Krupa right here.

Good morning.