{"id":128986,"date":"2025-03-06T22:18:56","date_gmt":"2025-03-06T22:18:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/ukraine-war-latest-zelenskyy-plans-saudi-trip-next-week-as-peace-talks-set-to-begin-sky-news\/"},"modified":"2025-03-06T22:18:56","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T22:18:56","slug":"ukraine-war-latest-zelenskyy-plans-saudi-trip-next-week-as-peace-talks-set-to-begin-sky-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/ukraine-war-latest-zelenskyy-plans-saudi-trip-next-week-as-peace-talks-set-to-begin-sky-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukraine war latest: Zelenskyy plans Saudi trip next week as peace talks set to begin – Sky News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is travelling to Saudi Arabia next week, with peace talks set to kick off there. He said his “team” will stay for talks with US officials. He confirmed the plan as he and European leaders met in Brussels.
Thursday 6 March 2025 22:00, UK
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By Siobhan Robbins<\/a>, Europe correspondent<\/b>
Hungary’s vetoing of a statement of support for Ukraine isn’t a surprise, but it will be a disappointment to a block keen to show it’s united.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had flagged his opposition well in advance, calling for the EU to engage in direct negotiations with Russia.
He’s never hidden his admiration for the Russian president and has repeatedly blocked aid for Ukraine.
Less than 24 hours before today’s meeting, French President Emmanuel Macron invited him to Paris, no doubt hoping he could win him over.
But Orban clearly chose to stick with Donald Trump, another strongman leader who he’s sided with on Ukraine since his return to office.
In the end, the remaining 26 members backed the statement without him.
It was a quick-fix this time, but there’s no disguising deep divisions in the EU position when it comes to Vladimir Putin.
Devil will be in detail<\/b>
The statement on Ukraine includes a pledge to step up pressure on Russia with further sanctions.
Again, Hungary could prove itself the problem child of the EU family if it blocks these in future.
On a more positive note, European Union leaders have backed new spending plans aimed at freeing up billions for Europe’s security.
But behind the seemingly united front, countries seem to have different views about the best way forward – suggesting the devil could be in the detail when they meet again later this month.
Russian attacks on Ukraine have not abated – and we’ve just got word of more drone strikes, this time in the port city of Odesa.
According to the regional governor, the drones have damaged energy infrastructure and sparked fires.
It’s been described as a mass attack.
Posting in the Telegram messaging app, Oleh Kiper said: “The enemy has again resorted to another massive drone attack on the Odesa region.”
He said three “private residential buildings” are burning in the suburbs.
“Information about the victims is being clarified,” he added.
If you caught The World with Yalda Hakim<\/b><\/a> just now, you would have seen she has interviewed Russia’s ambassador.
He ruled out NATO peacekeepers and said Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia should be recognised as Russian.
Here’s the interview in full if you didn’t catch it on air…
We’ve been reporting on the emergency summit in Brussels between EU leaders today.
The main news from those talks is the bloc has backed new defence spending plans aimed at freeing billions for the continent’s security.
Plans have become more urgent since Donald Trump has made clear he expects Europe to spend more on fending for itself.
To that end, the 27 leaders signed off on a move to loosen budget restrictions so that willing EU countries can increase their spending. 
The bloc’s executive branch estimates around \u20ac650bn (\u00a3544bn) could be made available this way.
Leaders also took note of a European Commission offer of a loan package worth \u20ac150bn (\u00a3125bn) to buy new military equipment and invited staff “to examine this proposal as a matter of urgency”.
Donald Trump has once again warned the US won’t defend NATO countries he feels are not paying enough for defence.
He said there are still member states contributing too little, adding he has told other countries he will not defend them if they are “delinquent”.
More now on the report Donald Trump is planning to revoke temporary legal status for 240,000 Ukrainians who fled the war to the US.
The White House had earlier dismissed the story as “fake news”, insisting “no decision has been made”.
Now Trump has echoed that statement, telling media he will make a decision soon.
In the same remarks, he has said he will be going to Saudi Arabia over the next month and a half.
That comes just as Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed he plans to visit the country next week – see the post below.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has just said he plans to head to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“After that, my team will stay in Saudi Arabia to work with our American partners,” he added in a post on social media.
We reported earlier that a top US envoy said talks between Washington and Kyiv are in the works, with Saudi to host (see18:22).
Steve Witkoff said: “We are now in discussions to coordinate a meeting with the Ukrainians in Riyadh or even potentially Jeddah.”
Zelenskyy also said the war “must end as soon as possible” and repeated the suggestion there could be a ceasefire in the sky and at sea.
EU leaders have approved a statement in support of Ukraine without the backing of Hungary, an official has said.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is seen as Vladimir Putin’s closest ally in Europe and has advocated for the bloc to support talks between the US and Russia.
Our Europe correspondent Siobhan Robbins<\/b><\/a> said Orban’s reluctance was well known heading into the meeting.
He had written an open letter outlining he couldn’t back vows to continue support for Ukraine for as long as it takes.
In any case, Robbins said there has been a “sea change” across the continent over defence spending, with a “renewed focus” since Donald Trump came into power for a second time.
“It has become really apparent that they believe there is a new threat, that there is a new era,” she added.
Money from frozen Russian assets held in Europe must be “unfrozen”, a Ukrainian MP has just told us.
Speaking to our chief presenter Mark Austin<\/a>, Lesia Vasylenko said it is a “just and fair way to tackle the aggressor”.
European leaders are looking at how to utilise some \u00a3232bn of assets frozen by the G7 after Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron said last week the assets could be used as leverage in negotiations with Russia to end the war.
Some have also argued they could be dedicated to the reconstruction of Ukraine.
But Vasylenko told us: “Before we start rebuilding Ukraine, we must actually preserve Ukraine as it is as an independent country.”
She also urged the UK to take a lead.
“It’s a matter of political will and political will that needs to come from the UK – the UK can set the example for the rest of Europe and certainly Brussels will follow,” she added.
We’re now hearing from the US defence secretary, who is meeting with his UK counterpart John Healey.
Asked if Donald Trump’s decision to halt military aid to Ukraine is permanent, Pete Hegseth says: “As the president has pointed out, it is a pause. Exactly what he said from the beginning. Pause – pending a true commitment to a path to peace.”
He adds Trump is “paying a very keen eye” to what Kyiv is “saying and doing about committing to that peace process”.
“And we’re very encouraged by the signs we’re seeing,” he adds.
“Ultimately, he [Trump] will make the determination.”
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