France will host European leaders' summit on Ukraine as US and Russia prepare for peace talks

Summary

European leaders will convene in France tomorrow for an emergency summit as the US works toward negotiating a deal with Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

Concerns are mounting across Europe that a potential agreement could compromise European security, prompting governments to unite in presenting a cohesive stance.

In the coming days, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to hold talks with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia, although Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed he was not invited to these discussions.

Zelensky has consistently stated he will not accept any ceasefire arrangement that excludes Ukrainian participation.

This follows a phone conversation earlier this week between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin to explore a potential deal.

After a turbulent week, Zelensky is seeking to reassert his position, reports our correspondent in Ukraine, James Waterhouse.