More Ukraine-Russia talks planned as attacks continue

Another round of U.S.-brokered talks between envoys of Russia and Ukraine is set to take place next week in Geneva as attacks from both sides continue.

More civilian casualties in Ukraine after another series of Russian strikes. In Odesa, one person was killed and six more injured after hits at the city's port and infrastructure.

In eastern Ukraine, reports emerged of three brothers, aged eight to 19, killed in an attack while their mother and grandmother survived.

Almost four years since the start of the war, the fighting rages on as European leaders continue seeking a diplomatic solution.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and several other European leaders held a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Friday.

Among the main topics of discussion were Ukraine's energy infrastructure and ways of its restoration, as well as diplomatic cooperation, Zelenskyy said.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who arrived in Munich on Friday, was not part of the meeting. But more direct U.S.-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine will take place next week in Geneva.

U.S. President Donald Trump has given Kyiv and Moscow until June to make a deal, though previous deadlines have passed without any real consequences.

A major obstacle is ownership of Ukrainian territory Russian forces have taken since the war started.

In Brussels, Belgium, European defence ministers met to discuss the war. Ukraine's Defence Minister Mykhailo Federov said Kyiv's approach to the conflict is yielding results, saying Russia suffered record losses of 35,000 soldiers killed and seriously wounded in December.

British Defence Minister John Healey said the UK will provide an extra 500,000 pounds in urgent air defence support for Ukraine.

This includes interceptors, lightweight multi-role missiles, and air defence missiles

"The military support promised here today at the UDCG (Ukraine Defence Contact Group) has a direct impact on the front line, a direct impact on the number of Ukrainian lives lost," said Healey. "But we need to dig deeper into our stockpiles and into our pockets. Nothing is off limits for (Vladimir) Putin."