President Zelensky in Ireland for Ukraine Talks
BBC News
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Ukraine's military says fighting is ongoing in the key eastern city of Pokrovsk, after the Kremlin claimed its forces had taken it
Meanwhile, President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff has reportedly landed in Moscow ahead of talks with President Putin on ending the war
The summit comes after two days of negotiations in Florida between Ukrainian and US officials aimed at refining a US-backed peace plan which had been viewed as favourable to Russia
Speaking after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris yesterday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv's priorities were maintaining Ukraine's sovereignty and securing strong security guarantees
Putin has shown little desire for compromise believing Russia is winning on the battlefield, writes our Russia editor Steve Rosenberg
Edited by Nathan Williams and Ben Hatton
Chris Page
BBC News Ireland correspondent
Irish President Catherine Connolly greets Ukrainian President Zelensky and his wife, Olena Zelenska
The Irish government is emphasising a theme of solidarity and support as it hosts President Zelensky on his first official visit to the country.
Although planning has been going on for some time, the timing has turned out to be significant – with the Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheál Martin framing the visit as coming at a “critical time for Ukraine and Europe”.
Ahead of Zelensky’s talks with Martin, a cabinet meeting is being held to sign off on a financial assistance package for Ukraine – €100m (£88m) will go towards non-lethal military support, and another €25m (£22m) will help with Ukraine’s energy needs.
Ireland has taken in about 120,000 Ukrainian refugees – one of the largest numbers, relative to population size, of any nation in Western Europe.
Zelensky has acknowledged this in his entry in the visitors’ book at the official residence of the President of Ireland – where he expressed “sincere gratitude for Ireland’s steadfast support during our fight against Russian aggression".
A motorcade which Reuters says is reportedly carrying US officials including Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff has been pictured outside the Kremlin.
Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, said talks involving Putin are expected to start after 17:00 Moscow time (14:00 GMT) and will last "as long as it takes".
In his update from Dublin, Zelensky accuses Russia of launching a new "disinformation campaign" ahead of today's meeting with Witkoff.
He says that Kyiv will keep monitoring what he describes as Moscow's "attempts to use diplomatic engagement as cover to weaken sanctions and block important collective European decisions".
Zelensky adds that Ukraine remains committed to "constructive" cooperation with Trump's team and its European allies, saying that his country approaches "all diplomatic efforts with utmost seriousness".
President Zelensky has met with the Ukrainian delegation, after they had two days of talks with US officials in Florida.
"We discussed in person the matters that cannot be discussed on the phone," he writes on X.
Zelensky is currently in Dublin ahead of talks with the Irish government. It marks his first official visit to the country.
He says his team will continue "the most constructive work possible" with US representatives and European partners, but adds that "this is exactly the level of commitment that must be compelled by the Russian side".
James Waterhouse
Ukraine correspondent in Kyiv
The situation in Pokrovsk has been deteriorating for some time. The city has been vastly destroyed over the past few years as Russia has ground its way inside.
If it is captured by Russian forces it will not dramatically change the dynamics of the front lines.
What is more significant is what President Zelensky admits: Ukraine could be forced to give it up along with the remaining part of the eastern Donbas region which Russia mostly occupies. An unfavourable peace deal is what Ukraine fears more.
What is also notable is the timing of these Kremlin claims.
The Russian defence ministry has released carefully curated videos of Putin in military fatigues in occupied Ukraine being briefed by his officers, claiming two cities have been captured.
Its messaging does not suggest Russia is ready to stop fighting and start compromising.
The question for Kyiv is what the US will do if Putin rejects their latest peace draft.
Will it be sent back to the Ukrainians for more negotiations? Or will Washington insist they just sign, or else?
We just don't know, but with continued engagement by all sides, this peace endeavour stumbles on.
By Richard Irvine-Brown, Shayan Sardarizadeh & Emma Pengelly
We’ve been looking at a video clip shared on Telegram by the Ministry of Defence in Moscow, as well as a longer version from a pro-Kremlin war blogger, that claims to show Russian troops holding up flags in the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk.
The city in Ukraine's Donetsk region has been fiercely fought over for over a year, with recent months seeing incremental Russian gains in their efforts to occupy it. Some experts now contest how critical it is, due to the level of destruction brought about by fighting.
The footage shows soldiers walking through heavily damaged central Pokrovsk and unravelling a Russian flag opposite the Donetsk National Technical University.
It's hard to determine from this video alone if Russians are in control of Pokrovsk. Videos from active combat zones can emerge online with a significant time lag and flag raising in itself does not constitute evidence of control of an area.
Ukrainian forces fighting in Pokrovsk have denied Russia has seized the city, claiming to control the north still and that the Russian troops who raised the flag were beaten back shortly afterwards.
Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring
More now from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who says the meeting between Witkoff and Putin is expected to start after 17:00 Moscow time (14:00 GMT) and will last "as long as it takes".
Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner will also be involved in the talks, he says.
Russian state news agency TASS is reporting that Witkoff has landed at Moscow's Vnukovo airport, where he will be met by Russia's chief negotiator Kirill Dmitriev. Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov
The Kremlin has yet again signalled its unwillingness to compromise over the war with Ukraine.
Speaking hours before talks between Putin and Witkoff, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov says Moscow sees any negotiations as a way of achieving its military aims in Ukraine.
"Russia remains open to peace talks, but through peace talks we must achieve our objectives set as part of the special military operation," Peskov tells reporters in Delhi.
He also praises Trump's proposals for a settlement , without specifying what they currently are.
"Trump's plan is a very good basis for this, and we hope to be able to stick to that basis," he says.
Proposals voiced by the administration in Washington late last month contained a large number of points favourable to Russia, such as a demand for Ukrainian forces to withdraw from territories they currently control.
Later negotiations between US and Ukrainian teams are reported to have introduced amendments, but what may have changed is unclear.
As we've been reporting, Ukraine's eastern military command says it's continuing to engage with Russian forces in Pokrovsk.
That is despite Moscow claiming the town had capitulated to its forces earlier. Ukraine dismisses the claims as "propaganda" – and says attempts to suggest Russia is advancing has resulted in a "significant" loss of personnel.
Pokrovsk is a key strategic town in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. Moscow controls a large part of the region, one of four annexed by Russia following what were widely seen sham referendums in September 2022.Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring
Ukrainian soldiers, pictured here firing a howitzer near Pokrovsk on 23 November
The Ukrainian military has denied Russia's claims that it has captured the strategically important town of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region.
"Search and assault operations and the elimination of the enemy in urban areas continue in Pokrovsk," Ukraine's eastern military command says in a statement posted on social media, external.
"Taking advantage of unfavourable weather conditions, the invaders made another attempt to 'flag-plant' in one of the city's districts so that propagandists could use it as proof that they had taken control of the entire city of Pokrovsk.
"After that, they fled in a hurry, and the mopping up of enemy groups continues," it says.
Ukraine's 7th Rapid Reaction Corps has also issued a denial of Russia's claims that Pokrovsk has been captured.
"Despite the difficult situation, defence forces continue to hold the enemy back," it said on social media, external.
It also acknowledged that Russian attacks on logistics routes in the area have made it more difficult for Ukrainian forces to redeploy and to deliver supplies to them
Russia's chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov told President Vladimir Putin, external that Pokrovsk had been "liberated" during a meeting at an army command post on 30 November.
Today's talks come as the fighting continues on the ground.
In the last hour, Ukraine's military has said its forces were continuing to engage with Russian troops in the key eastern city of Pokrovsk.
This contradicts a Kremlin claim that it had captured the city, which lies in the Donetsk region.
We'll bring you more on this shortly.
Steve Rosenberg
Russia editor
This will be Steve Witkoff's sixth visit to Russia this year – he'll be accompanied by President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Their trip comes at a time of intense diplomatic activity. Two weeks ago the Americans presented to Kyiv a 28-point peace plan widely seen as heavily weighted in Moscow's favour.
One of its provisions would oblige Ukraine to cede parts of the Donbas it still controls.
Since then there have been US-Ukrainian talks in Geneva and in Florida – now an amended plan will be put to the Kremlin.
President Putin has said the original draft proposal "could form the basis for future agreements".
But he has shown little desire for compromise believing Russia is winning on the battlefield and can dictate the terms of any agreement.
Last night Russian TV showed Putin in military fatigues – his commanders told him Russian forces had seized the Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk.
As well as territorial demands, Moscow has been insisting that Ukraine pledge never to join Nato and accept caps on the size of its army.
Witkoff previously met Putin in the Kremlin during a visit to Russia in August
We're starting live coverage with President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff due to meet President Putin in Moscow for talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who has acted as an outside adviser in diplomatic talks, is also expected to attend the meeting.
The summit comes after two days of talks between Ukrainian and US officials on refining a US-backed 28-point peace plan which had been seen as favourable to Russia.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has described the talks as "constructive" – but said there are "some tough issues that still have to be worked through".
The White House has said it's "very optimistic" about reaching a deal, adding that the draft peace plan had been "very much refined".
We're going to keep a close eye on today's talks and we'll bring you the latest updates and analysis from our correspondents on this page – so stick with us.
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