Hugs, handshakes and a defrosting of US relations – Zelensky’s day in Brusselspublished at 22:32 Greenwich Mean Time

22:32 GMT

Adam Goldsmith
Live reporter

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (R) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (C) attend the 'Emergency Summit on Ukraine and Defense', which was chaired by European Council President Antonio Costa (L) in Brussels, Belgium on March 06, 2025.Image source, Getty Images

Hugs and handshakes greeted Volodymyr Zelensky at a European summit
in Brussels this morning, on a day when frosty relations with the US looked to
be thawing too.

After a warm welcome, which included new packages of support for
his embattled country, the Ukrainian president asked his European allies to
support the steps which he said would create a “fair and lasting
peace” in Ukraine.

This included a truce in the air and sea, as well as a release
by Russia of Ukrainian prisoners. But Zelensky stressed that this peace must
not come at the “cost of giving up Ukraine”.

Meanwhile, constructive noises rippled across the Atlantic, as
US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff suggested that US officials were planning
discussions with a Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia next week.

Witkoff said the idea was to “get down the framework for a
peace agreement”, and Donald Trump later confirmed that these talks are
planned, and suggested that both Russia and Ukraine want to make a deal.

Vladimir Putin, though, remains staunchly opposed to any
peacekeeping force that might be a part of such an agreement – his foreign
ministry says this would “lead to an extremely dangerous escalation”.

That brings our live coverage of Ukraine to an end for tonight
you can continue to read more in our main story.

Our Europe editor has taken a look at how European leaders are reacting to changed world order. We have also reported on the countries said to be willing to join a “coalition of the willing” to help Ukraine.

Thanks for following us and good night.