**Western Leaders Meet in London to Discuss Ukraine Support**
Top officials from 15 countries, including France, Italy, and Poland, have arrived in London for a summit to discuss support for Ukraine. The meeting is aimed at finding ways to ensure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine amidst Russian aggression.
French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk are among the leaders attending the summit. They will be joined by other top Western officials, including NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Ukraine’s leader, President Volodymyr Zelensky, has also arrived in London after a visit to the US, where he had a public spat with US President Donald Trump. The disagreement led to a shock across Europe, but the leaders are now seeking to mend ties and ensure continued US support for Ukraine.
**US-Russia Relations Tense**
The summit comes as relations between the US and Russia remain tense. Russian occupation authorities claimed that a rotation of IAEA personnel had taken place through Russian-controlled territory, which was met with skepticism by the international community.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has privately signaled that it expects a public apology from President Zelensky to mend relations. This is despite Ukrainian officials saying they will not apologize for defending their country’s sovereignty.
**Global Reactions**
The summit is seen as a last-ditch effort to revive Western unity after seismic foreign policy shifts in Washington under the Trump administration. The meeting is also an opportunity for Ukraine’s EU allies to coordinate strategy ahead of the European summit on March 6, which is under threat of being derailed by Hungary and other countries.
Lithuania has already invested €20 million in purchasing weapons for Kyiv from Ukrainian producers and will produce arms in cooperation with Ukraine. The country is not alone in supporting Ukraine; Rome signed an agreement to provide Ukraine with €13 million directed towards the country’s Energy Support Fund.
**Russian Aggression Continues**
Despite international pressure, Russian aggression continues. A new team from the International Atomic Energy Agency arrived at the occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine on March 1, marking the first time the agency’s monitors reached the site through Russian-occupied territory.
Ukrainian air defense shot down 63 of the 79 drones Russia launched overnight. The country’s military also reported 1,110 casualties suffered by Russian forces just over the past day.
**Cybersecurity Concerns**
Experts warn that a recent move by the US to establish contact with Russia through businessmen may weaken US leverage in both cyber and conventional military operations.