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The statement was endorsed by leaders from Canada, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK, Germany, Norway and two senior EU officials. It welcomed some elements of the draft, describing them as helpful for achieving a durable peace, but noted the need for further discussion on the future of Ukraine’s borders and the strength of its armed forces.
The leaked peace plan outlines measures Kyiv had previously dismissed, including relinquishing control of parts of eastern Ukraine, drastically downsizing its military, and pledging to forgo Nato membership. Analysts note that the proposals appear to favor Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin described the plan as a possible "basis" for a settlement, while insisting Russia remains ready to continue the conflict if needed.
Tusk stressed that the aim of the sabotage was to trigger a serious rail accident. He withheld the suspects’ identities to protect the ongoing investigation but noted that one lives in eastern Ukraine while the other resides in Belarus. Both had entered Poland from Belarus during the autumn and have since returned through the Terespol crossing, near the Ukrainian border.
In addition to the fighter jets, the two countries have agreed to begin joint production of interceptor drones this year, a move intended to enhance Ukraine’s capability to counter aerial threats.
Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk and Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko stepped down on Wednesday after Ukraine’s anti-corruption authorities accused them of being involved in a $100 million embezzlement operation connected to state-run nuclear energy projects.
In Dnipro, two people died and 12 others were injured when an apartment block was hit, while three fatalities were reported in Zaporizhzhia. Across the country, 25 sites, including areas in Kyiv, faced damage, leaving many residents without electricity and heating. Emergency crews raced to repair critical systems as communities struggled to cope with the sudden loss of services.
Ukraine’s 7th Rapid Response Corps said on Saturday that troops had “improved [their] tactical position” in Pokrovsk, while acknowledging that fighting remained “difficult and dynamic”. President Volodymyr Zelensky also noted on Friday that holding Pokrovsk remains a “priority”.
The announcement came after a high-level summit in London hosted by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who declared, “We’re choking off funding for Russia’s war machine.”
The summit in Brussels came just before a London meeting where Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to urge European leaders to provide Ukraine with long-range missile systems.
The sanctions were announced a day after Trump postponed a planned meeting with Putin in Budapest. Meanwhile, Russia launched intense attacks across Ukraine, resulting in at least seven deaths, including children.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the overnight attack saw over 50 missiles and about 500 attack drones fired at his country.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York, Zelensky cautioned that without a strong international front, more countries could face Russian attacks.