Plans for a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are at an "advanced stage", according to a Russian state news agency. (Reuters: Sputnik/Vyacheslav Prokofyev)
In short:
Russia is publicly demanding more details from the Trump administration about how the US plans to bring about an end to the war in Ukraine.
Mr Trump's peace envoy to Ukraine, General Keith Kellogg, has previously suggested a timeline to end the war within 100 days.
The UK is set to expel a Russian diplomat amid a political row over its embassy in Moscow.
Russia's foreign ministry has demanded the United States reveal a plan on how to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine as speculation mounts over when Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will meet.
Maria Zakharova, a Kremlin spokeswoman, called on Mr Trump to outline what role America would play in negotiations.
She added that Moscow would base its position on the specific steps Washington would take to resolve the conflict.
It came as the Kremlin became embroiled in fresh diplomatic rows with America's European allies and as the French government supplied Kyiv with a batch of fighter jets.
Ms Zakharova said that Russia believes there is no clarity from the White House on how the US plans to strike a deal to end the war in Ukraine.
"As for the role or possible role of the United States in resolving the crisis around Ukraine, once again: everything will depend on concrete actions and on the plans of the new administration embodied in those actions," Ms Zakharova told a news briefing in Moscow.
"For now, there are many words and many statements. (But) there is no clarity on the steps being taken (by the US), so it would be premature to talk about the prospects for negotiations or anything at all in this context.
"As for Washington, they should probably formulate their policy and we will proceed ourselves based on their concrete steps and actions," she said.
Earlier on Thursday, local time, Russia's RIA state news agency quoted a senior politician as saying that preparations for a meeting between the Russian president and the US leader were at an "advanced stage".
Mr Putin and Mr Trump have not spoken by phone since the US president's inauguration on January 20, according to public statements from officials on both sides.
The conflict in Ukraine will enter its fourth year later this month. (Reuters: Oleksandr Klymenko)
In the lead up to his election victory in November last year, Mr Trump insisted he would end the conflict in Ukraine "in one day".
Last month, his Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg said the conflict could be brought to a close within 100 days of his inauguration.
European nations deliver jets and war planes to Ukraine
On Thursday, the French government delivered its first batch of warplanes to the country as part of European efforts to strengthen Kyiv's hand in the conflict with Russia.
Trump wants Ukraine to trade rare earths for military aid
Photo shows Soldiers load a portable howitzer.
President Emmanuel Macron last June vowed to train Ukrainian pilots to fly Dassault-made Mirage 2000 fighter jets, crossing a new line in military support to Kyiv.
"With Ukrainian pilots on board who have been trained for several months in France, they will now participate in defending the skies of Ukraine," Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu wrote on social media platform X.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on X that: "The first Mirage 2000 jets from France have arrived, adding to our air defence capabilities".
Officials said that for security reasons Paris would not say how many warplanes had been delivered, although the planes had been adapted to enable strikes on the ground.
The plane, which has been replaced by the Rafale fighter jet in the French fleet, was initially conceived for air dogfights.
Ukraine has repeatedly pressed Western allies to supply it with increasingly sophisticated arms and ammunition, including armoured vehicles, tanks, long-range missiles and US-made F-16 fighters.
The first F-16 jets arrived in Ukraine in 2024, although their impact on the war has been limited by the strength of Russia's air force.
The Mirage 2000 is a multi-role, single-engine jet fighter.
Ukraine has begun receiving Mirage 2000 fighter jets from France. (Reuters: Carlos Garcia Rawlins)
A French parliamentary report at the end of 2024 said that of the 26 Mirage 2000-5 in the French air force, six would be given to Ukraine.
Ukranian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov also confirmed on Thursday that the Netherlands had delivered US-made F-16 fighters to Kyiv.
The aircraft "will soon begin carrying out combat missions, strengthening our defence", Mr Umerov said on Facebook.
UK to expel Russian diplomat over political stoush
In the United Kingdom, the British Foreign Office said on Thursday it would revoke the accreditation of a Russian diplomat in retaliation to a similar move made by Moscow last year.
Russia said in November that it was expelling a British diplomat for allegedly spying, which the British government denied.
The UK Foreign Office said in a statement that it had summoned the Russian ambassador to announce its decision, saying it was in response to "Russia's unprovoked and baseless decision to strip the accreditation of a British diplomat in Moscow in November".
"Any further action taken by Russia will be considered an escalation and responded to accordingly," the statement said.
The statement did not name the British diplomat or the Russian official whose accreditation is due to be revoked, and said Britain "will not stand for intimidation of our staff in this way," calling its decision a reciprocal action.
The Russian embassy in London did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Reuters
