Zelensky says Putin trying to drag out talks on Ukraine ceasefire to continue war

Ahead of the virtual meeting on the “coalition of the willing” planned for Saturday, Keir Starmer has spoken to French President Emmanuel Macron and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

According to a Downing Street spokesperson, Macron and Starmer discussed the “significant breakthrough” on US-Ukraine peace talks.

“Tomorrow’s meeting of the Coalition of the Willing would be another important moment to further galvanise support and maintain momentum,” the spokesperson said.

A little earlier, we heard from Macron – the French president said Russia must accept the ceasefire deal.

A UN investigation says Russia has carried out enforced disappearances and torture during its war in Ukraine, both considered crimes against humanity.

These crimes “were perpetrated as part of a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population and pursuant to a coordinated state policy”, according to an advance unedited version of a new report by the UN’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine.

We can now bring you more lines from UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s statements after a meeting with his G7 counterparts in Canada.

Lammy says there will be a “detailed statement” from nations outlining a joint position on the crisis.

“I think that there is a unified approach that we need an enduring peace that lasts, I think that there is unity that now is the time for a ceasefire with no conditions,” he adds.

“Ukraine has set their position out. It is now for Russia to accept it.”

We’re now seeing the official statement from the G7 meeting of foreign ministers in Quebec, which included representatives from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US.

Here are the six key takeaways from their statement on Ukraine’s “long-term prosperity and security”:

• The leaders declared their “unwavering support” for Ukraine to defend its territory and sovereignty
• They welcomed efforts to achieve a ceasefire – and specifically praised Ukraine’s commitment to securing an “immediate” end to hostilities
• They called on Russia to commit to a ceasefire, and discussed imposing financial penalties – such as sanctions and oil price caps – on Moscow if the Kremlin couldn’t agree to end the fighting. They also discussed the release of prisoners of war and detainees in the event of a ceasefire
• Another topic of discussion was the importance of “robust and credible security arrangements” for Ukraine to deter any future acts of Russian aggression. The leaders also talked about economic and humanitarian aid to support Ukraine through its “early recovery and reconstruction”
• The foreign ministers “condemned” the support Iran and North Korea had given to Russia, as well as China’s provision of weapons and “dual-use” components – meaning items with both commercial and military applications – to the country
• The impact of the war, especially on civilians and infrastructure, was also a cause of “alarm” for the G7 representatives, who say they want to see Ukraine remain a “democratic, free, strong and prosperous” country

Ukraine is marking Volunteer Day today, honouring those who formed the first volunteer military units to protect the country.

Meanwhile, in Russia, photos show graffiti by street artist Ivan Pimkin in the town of Pavlovsky Posad, near Moscow, expressing support for Russia’s armed forces.

We’ve just heard from French President Emmanuel Macron, who is urging Russia to accept the 30-day ceasefire proposal.

He says he spoke today with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

“Russian aggression in Ukraine must end. Abuses must stop. So must delaying statements,” Macron says.

He adds that France will hold a video conference tomorrow with Starmer, Zelensky and other partners to “continue working to strengthen support for Ukraine and for a solid and lasting peace”.

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

At a meeting of the Russian security council, Putin says the Trump administration is doing all it can “to restore at least something” in bilateral relations.

He says there is movement in relations between Russia and the US, telling the council: “let’s see what happens”.

Putin confirms he has seen Trump’s request to spare Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region if they lay down arms.

They will be guaranteed life and decent treatment, Putin says – but first Kyiv must order them to surrender.

Sandro Vetsko
BBC Monitoring

Vladimir Putin says Russia will guarantee life to Ukrainian troops in the Kursk Region and treat them with “dignity in line with the norms of international law and the laws of the Russian Federation” if they give up arms and surrender.

Putin said he was responding to a call from Donald Trump to show mercy, which he said he treated with “understanding”.

He added the Ukrainian leadership needed to order Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region to surrender.

The Russian leader said the new US administration was doing “everything” to start rebuilding US-Russian relations and “the situation is overall beginning to move” forward.

Putin was speaking to members of his security council, via video call, broadcast on Russian state media Rossiya 24 TV.

• For context, Ukraine invaded the Russian region of Kursk in August last year, and has held parts of the territory in hopes of using them as bargaining chips in possible peace talks. Putin now claims Russia is back “in control” and Ukrainian troops there have been isolated

We’ve been bringing you the key moments from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s news conference after a G7 meeting in Quebec.

Here’s a recap:

• He says the US is “cautiously optimistic” about a Ukraine ceasefire, though it won’t be easy or straightforward. He admits he doesn’t yet know how aligned the US, Ukraine and Russia are over the deal
• Rubio doesn’t get drawn into commenting on what Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday, saying the US won’t make foreign policy decisions based on what a leader says at a press conference or on social media
• Hestresses fighting must first stop before all parties can negotiate lasting peace. “The only way to end this war is through a process of negotiations,” he says

Rubio wraps up the news conference by saying: “I’m just stating the obvious.”

He says the question now is how can they reduce hostility as much as possible so they can get to the negotiating phase.

When people sit down and negotiate the end of a war, there’s usually a give and take, Rubio tells the press.

“What that give and take is depends on the parties at the table. We’re not going to pre-determine anything. But that’s what it’s going to take to end the war,” Rubio ends.

Rubio reasserts that “the only way to end this war is through a process of negotiations”.

He says both sides have to make concessions, adding this is the “reality” of ending a war.

The precise nature of those concessions remains to be seen and making “blanket statements” wouldn’t be helpful at this stage, the secretary of state adds.

Rubio says every country has the right to defend itself and its territory. He adds that Ukraine will “obviously have to agree” on what long-term security means for the country.

He stresses that an immediate ceasefire is essential.

“We can’t get to the second phase till we get through the first phase,” Rubio says.

“It’s very difficult to negotiate lasting peace in the midst of an ongoing war.”

The US secretary of state continues to answer questions on the timescale of ceasefire proposals for the Ukraine war.

Rubio repeats that Witkoff is not here yet, but says there’s a lot of work to be done.

He admits it will be hard, saying he’s never said it would be “easy, fast, simple slam-dunk”.

It could come together pretty quickly if everyone aligns, Rubio tells press, but says he doesn’t know how aligned they are yet. “That’s what we’re about to find out,” he adds.

Asked again how long Putin has to agree to the ceasefire, Rubio responds: “The question isn’t how long, but are we actually moving towards a ceasefire, or is this a delay tactic?”

He says they’ll know that soon, a lot of which will be based from Witkoff’s conversation with Putin.

In response to a question asking whether Putin is playing for time, Rubio says that America is not going to make foreign policy decisions on the basis of what a leader says at a press conference or on social media.

He says negotiations will play out with leaders speaking privately in talks, not in front of cameras.

Next up, Rubio is asked if he trusts Putin.

He says that’s an irrelevant question because it’s not about trust but action.

The US secretary of state says if we’re serious about foreign policy, we need to move away from this kind of talk.

He adds it’s not a reality show and it’s not about personalities.

The US secretary of state says there is reason to be cautiously optimistic over the Ukraine ceasefire deal, but adds that it will not be easy or simple.

He says the US feels they are “some steps closer” to the end of the war but it’s a “journey of many steps”.

“There’s a lot of work remains to be done,” he says, adding that they’ll know more once US special envoy Steve Witkoff returns.

Rubio says the one takeaway is the US is not going to allow the things the G7 disagrees on to keep his country from working with other nations “on the things we agree on”.

He adds that he hopes the actions of the US will reflect that stance.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is now speaking following a G7 meeting in Quebec.

We’ll bring you the key lines on what he has to say.

A little earlier, we brought you comments from President Trump who suggested that Ukrainian troops are “completely surrounded” by the Russian military.

In the last few moments, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces has rejected the idea that troops are surrounded in Kursk.

“Since the beginning of the current day, 13 combat clashes have taken place in the Kursk direction. There is no threat of encirclement of our units,” they say.

They say Ukraine’s defence forces have “regrouped” and moved to “more advantageous defence frontiers”.

• For context, Ukraine invaded Kursk last August and at its peak had control of about 100 settlements. Since then Russia has recaptured much of the land

We heard from President Zelensky a short while ago when he accused Putin of dragging out the ceasefire process.

In further updates on X this afternoon, the Ukrainian president says there are “solid understandings” between Ukraine and its European partners.

Referring to the talks earlier this week between the US and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia, Zelensky writes that when he first heard the US proposal of an immediate ceasefire on the ground he agreed “immediately”.

He further accuses Putin of lying about what’s happening on the battlefield, the number of casualties and the state of the Russian economy.

“Putin cannot exit this war because that would leave him with nothing,” he says, as he pushes for those who can add pressure on Russia to do so.