EU chief issues stark warning for continent on Kyiv visit; bottle thrown at Russian consulate in Marseille explodes

Albanian PM's summit intervention addresses elephant in the room

The prime minister of Albania dared to raise the fact that the diplomatic landscape for Ukraine has fundamentally changed given Donald Trump's dialogue with Russia and he urged fellow Western leaders not to ignore the new reality.

As we've been reporting, leaders are discussing the war on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. The summit is being held in Kyiv, with other leaders speaking via video link,

In contrast to the reiteration of pledges of future military aid for Ukraine and a desire for Kyiv to join the EU and NATO, the Albanian leader said – while he supports all of these goals – it was vital to address the fact that Russia and the United States are separately talking.

He said leaders appeared to be carrying on as though nothing had happened – when actually under the new White House a lot was different.

"I think something important has happened as you all know and the question is how Ukraine will be supported efficiently and how… Europe as a continent can be efficient in protecting itself and in making the best out of something that is going on, a negotiation between Russia and the United States," Mr Rama said.

"I am not sure just talking about increasing military support and increasing military spending we get the whole point. This is my humble opinion. Maybe I am wrong."

He touched on the elephant in the room – the fact that Washington and Moscow have started talks about striking a deal and the potential for Ukraine to be cut out of the talks and having an unjust outcome imposed upon it.

"We have been for a long time in the American autopilot," the Albanian prime minister said.

"Now the autopilot is seeming off. Nobody knows for how long.

"It is time for a deeper reflection than what we will do in terms of military support or military spending. For sure it is very necessary but might not be enough."

He reiterated that Albania stood fully behind Ukraine and its allies.

But he said he had some doubts about the fact that the summit was only addressing half of the problem – the military side - rather than the new political and diplomatic reality.

Ukraine needs security guarantees backed by US, EU chief says

Ursula von der Leyen is now speaking at the summit Kyiv.

She says Europe's "first priority" is to strengthen Ukraine's resistance and this includes speeding up the delivery of weapons and increasing investment.

"An investment in Ukraine's sovereignty is an investment in the prevention of future wars," she says.

She reiterates that the EU will send Ukraine a new €3.5bn payment to help in their war efforts (as we reported earlier at 7.37).

"No one wants more peace than the Ukrainian people but they want a just and a lasting peace. This only comes through strength," she says.

"This is why we increase the resilience of the energy sector, this is why we will continue training and equipping your troops, this is why we have to provide security guarantees backed by the US.

"This is why today we are adopting this 16th package of sanctions.

"We will increase punitive sanctions against Russia."

'If we lose, we will lose everything': Ukrainian soldier's warning to summit

A Ukrainian soldier fighting on the frontline beams in via video link to address world leaders taking part in a summit in Kyiv to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale war.

He talks about how his unit – a drone battalion – is launching strikes against Russian troops and weapons in eastern Ukraine, around the embattled city of Pokrovsk.

"It is difficult, incredibly difficult," the soldier said.

"We are tired, but this is the fight for our independence. This is the fight for our dear ones, our family, our nation. 

"If we will lose, then we will lose everything. The future for our families and for our children."

He also thanked all countries for their support.

UN to vote on resolution today - but US and Europeans back rival texts

To mark the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion, the UN's General Assembly is set to vote on a resolution - but the US appears to be at odds against Ukraine and Europe over how this plays out.

While European allies and Ukraine have been working on a resolution demanding Russian troops withdraw, the US has introduced a rival text that makes no mention of Ukraine's territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.

In a diplomatic note sent yesterday, and seen by the Reuters news agency, the US described its resolution as "a forward-looking resolution focused on one simple idea: ending the war".

"Through this resolution, Member States can build real momentum towards international peace and security, the maintenance of which is the principal purpose of the United Nations," it added.

It also asks countries to "vote no on any other resolution or amendments presented" during today's meeting.

While General Assembly resolutions are not binding, they do carry political weight and reflect a global view of the war.

This all comes in the week after US President Donald Trump launched an effort to end the war, as talks began with Moscow.

Europe and Ukraine have so far been excluded from negotiations, raising concerns Kyiv could be forced into concessions for a deal.

Trudeau calls on world leaders to 'defend democracy' in Kyiv

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has just finished speaking at a summit marking the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"Let us be frank," he says, addressing Volodymyr Zelenskyy directly. 

"You and the Ukrainian people should never have had to endure a single day of this unjustified, brutal war, let alone 1,096 of them."

"This is not a conflict Ukraine wanted, provoked or asked for in any way," Trudeau adds.

"This is a war started for one reason and one reason only - Russia's desire to erase Ukrainian history and expand their empire."

He says just peace cannot be achieved without Ukraine being at the negotiating table, and this is "precisely what Canada is focused on".

"It's up to all of us in this room and around the world to meet this moment," he finished.

"We can't wait the moment to stop this war of aggression. The moment to defend democracy, the moment to stand for our shared values is now. So let us seize it."

Analysis: Why Finland's president says 'we are far, far, far' from 'actual peace process'

Finland’s president Alexander Stubb spelt out "three phases" that he says are needed for a peace plan, including the brokering of a ceasefire in the coming weeks.

First is the phase before the ceasefire.

This period requires "maximum" pressure on Russia through sanctions and ongoing military support for Ukraine, the Finnish president said during a summit in Kyiv to mark the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale war.

During this time European leaders need to agree on how they will provide security guarantees to Ukraine, in coordination with the Ukrainian armed forces, to monitor any ceasefire.

This must also include a "backstop" from the United States, Stubb says.

"All this needs to be settled before a ceasefire" can be brokered "whether that is in Easter or whenever", the Finnish president added.

The second phase is the ceasefire coming into place. This will need to be monitored and negotiations need to begin that will include confidence-building measures such as the exchange of prisoners and the return of Ukrainian children "kidnapped" by Russia, the Finnish leader said.

"Then only begins the third phase and we are far, far, far from it - and that is the actual peace process," he said.

Only at this point will there be discussions on territory, reconstruction and unravelling sanctions on Russia.

Stubbs set out four red lines for Ukraine and Europe when it comes to any lasting peace with Vladimir Putin.

These were:

• Ukraine must be free to join the EU;
• And to join NATO;
• Russia cannot decide how Ukraine defends itself;
• And Moscow cannot dictate European security arrangements.

'You cannot trust Vladimir Putin - Russia obviously started this war', Finland's president warns at summit

If we allow Russia to do what it wants then Ukraine, Europe and the US have lost too, Finnish President Alexander Stubb has said in Kyiv.

Speaking to Volodymyr Zelenskyy and officials at today's summit, he said: "We in Finland know exactly what you are going through." He notes that Russia attacked Finland in November 1939. 

He said: "The support you will see from the Finnish public is a support of identity and historical experience.

"My big point is there seems to be a misunderstanding about what is going on here.

"Russia obviously started this war but remember it started this acquisition of territory in 2008 by attacking Georgia and then in 2014 by annexing Crimea.

"The war has been going on for 11 years since 2014.

"If we allow Russia to do what it wants to do then it's not only Ukraine that has lost, it is Europe that has lost and also the US that has lost."

He added: "You cannot trust Vladimir Putin, you cannot make a deal with Putin because that also means a deal with China."

Kremlin sees 'no grounds' to talk to Europe - and calls on US to understand war's 'root causes'

As expected, the EU has approved its 16th package of sanctions on Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began.

Diplomats have said the package includes restrictions on Russian banks, an aluminium import ban and new export bans.

In a morning briefing with reporters, Kremlin mouthpiece Dmitry Peskov said the package contrasts with efforts Moscow is making for peace with the US - referring to talks with Washington that began last week.

He added Russia does not see any grounds to "renew dialogue" with Europe.

Those talks with the US, he said, are about "irritants and unblocking the work of diplomatic missions of the two countries".

But he also said Moscow hopes Washington will "fully analyse the root causes of the Ukrainian conflict".

"This is what we have always tried to draw the attention of our opponents in Europe, and what they have always refused to do," he said.

"Without a deep analysis and understanding of the root causes of the conflict, it is essentially impossible to deal with the settlement in a quality manner. And here we see Washington's attempts to understand what caused this conflict."

-SKY NEWS