The Russian shooting down 90 Ukrainian drones attacked Russia at night while Europeans discuss continuing support for Kyiv

Russia said Monday it had shot down 90 Ukrainian drones overnight, including about 40 over the Sea of ​​Azov, and a Neptune anti-ship missile, without reporting any casualties.

“Over the past night, anti-aircraft defense systems intercepted and destroyed 90 Ukrainian drones,” the Russian Defense Ministry said on Telegram, as US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin say they want to negotiate an end to the war as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Sunday his readiness to send troops to Ukraine if necessary, to ensure the security of Britain and Europe, while major European countries meet on Monday to discuss European security and Ukraine.

This comes at a time when the US administration is attacking the European Union and intends to negotiate directly with Russia to end the war.

The UK plays a key role in supporting Kiev in its fight against Russia.

“This also means we are ready and willing to contribute to Ukraine’s security guarantees, by putting our troops on the ground if necessary,” Starmer wrote in the Daily Telegraph.

Starmer confirmed that he will participate in a European meeting in Paris in the face of the US administration’s acceleration of dealing with the Ukrainian file, and with the aim of determining a joint response to enhance security on the European continent.

He also said he would meet Trump in the coming days, noting that the UK had a unique role to play in ensuring Europe and the US worked closely together.

Starmer stressed that “American support will remain essential,” explaining that “the American security guarantee is essential for lasting peace, because only the United States can dissuade (Russian President Vladimir) Putin from attacking again”.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced on Sunday on France Inter radio that French President Emmanuel Macron had called for a meeting on Monday of major European countries to discuss European security.

Later, the Elysee said, “the heads of government of Germany, Britain, Italy, Poland, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark, as well as the President of the European Council (Antonio Costa), the President of the European Commission (Ursula von der Leyen) and the Secretary General of NATO (Mark Rutte) will participate in this informal meeting on Monday afternoon”.

The French presidency added, “Their work may then continue in other forms with the aim of bringing together all partners interested in establishing peace and security in Europe”.

The meeting comes at a sensitive moment for transatlantic relations amid European concerns over overtures by US President Donald Trump who has resumed talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The US president announced this week that he will meet his Russian counterpart in Saudi Arabia to begin negotiations on Ukraine, where the war enters its fourth year on February 24.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday played down expectations of a breakthrough in upcoming talks with Russian officials on ending the war in Ukraine.

Trump repeatedly stressed during his election campaign that he would end the conflict in one day if he returned to the White House, but Rubio stressed that it won’t be easy to resolve the long, bloody and complex conflict.

“The peace process isn’t something that happens in one meeting,” Rubio said in an interview with CBS on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

Rubio is scheduled to lead a high-level US team in discussions with Russian officials in Riyadh in the coming days.

The meeting of European countries on Monday comes a day after the conclusion of the Munich Security Conference in Germany, where US Vice President Jay D. Vance delivered a sharp speech attacking the European Union, accusing it of imposing restrictions on freedom of expression, while stressing that the Americans are considering holding negotiations on Ukraine without the Europeans.

Asked in Munich about the possibility of European participation in the negotiations, US Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg replied, “I am part of the realist school, and I think that will not happen”.

Also, in Munich, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged his European allies to take action against Russia and work to prevent the Americans from striking a deal with it behind the back of Kiev and Europe.

Zelensky pointed out that during their conversation, Trump “didn’t once mention that the United States needs Europe at the negotiating table,” stressing that “Trump doesn’t like weak friends, he respects strength”.

“Only the Ukrainians have the right to decide to stop the fighting, and we will support them as long as they don’t make this decision,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Sunday.

He added that the Ukrainians “will never stop unless they are sure that the peace offered to them will be sustainable,” with security guarantees.

“Who will provide the guarantees? The Europeans,” Barrot asked, stressing that the Europeans will participate in one way or another in the discussions, aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

He pointed out that the role of the United States is to convince Putin to negotiate, and they believe that they can achieve this through pressure and dialogue.

“We’ve long realized that there is no point in dialogue, and I think they will quickly realize that only pressure can bring Putin to the negotiating table,” he added.

On Wednesday, the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain, Britain and Ukraine met in Paris.

They were surprised when Trump spoke for an hour and a half with Putin, stressing that there would be no decision on Ukraine without Kiev or without them.

Zelensky announced on Sunday that he had arrived in the UAE on a visit with a large humanitarian program, ahead of an expected meeting between Trump and Putin.

“Official visit with the First Lady of the UAE… The priority is to bring more of our people home from captivity… As well as investment and economic partnership… A large humanitarian program,” Zelensky said via Telegram.

The Elysee Palace announced on Sunday that the Europeans, some of whose leaders are meeting in Paris on Monday, must do more for their collective security in light of the acceleration of dealing with the Ukraine file and the US positions.

“We believe that as a result of the acceleration in the Ukrainian file, and also as a result of what the Americans are saying, there is a need for Europeans to do more and to work better and in a more consistent way for our collective security,” said an adviser to President Emmanuel Macron.

He pointed out that the informal meeting organized by the French President on Monday at the Elysee Palace on Ukraine and security in Europe aims to facilitate the continuation of the talks in Brussels.

The French Foreign Minister said on Sunday that it’s unacceptable for Russia to return to the G7 at the present time, contrary to what Trump hopes.

“Today, this is unthinkable… The G7 is the group of the most advanced democracies… Does Russia want to appear as an advanced democracy? No… This is unacceptable now,” Barrot told the French channel LCI.

“Russia is acting in a way that is increasingly de-democratic, and it’s attacking other members of the G7 in an unfettered and uncontrolled manner, so this is unacceptable,” he added.