UK hosts Ukrainian's Zelenskyy for talks to secure peace with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insists says Europe must play a key role in any negotiations to end the war with Russia as he arrived for talks in London with staunch European allies in the wake of a Russian drone strike that killed three people.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz left after a couple of hours of discussions at 10 Downing Street, leaving Starmer to continue talks with Zelenskyy.

The UK and France lead the "coalition of the willing" initiative to provide security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a peace process.

Meanwhile, a Russian presidential tells local news agency Tass that  Moscow maintains both open and private channels of communication with Ukraine.