Pleasing words for Ukraine, but few specificspublished at 19:30 BST 24 October

19:30 BST 24 October

Vitaliy Shevchenko
Russia editor, BBC Monitoring

Image source, EPA

What we've heard from the leaders who took part in the so-called coalition of the willing meeting today in London will be disappointing but unsurprising for those who, possibly against past history, were hoping to hear very specific examples of how exactly it is planning to make Russia stop attacking Ukraine.

We've heard a lot of words that will be no doubt pleasing to the Ukrainian ear. For example, Keir Starmer said the UK and Ukraine's other allies were prepared to ratchet up pressure on Russia.

What we didn't hear were any specific examples of how exactly they are planning to force a change on the battlefield, in Putin's calculus, or even make Putin come to the negotiating table.

• We're ending our live coverage now. For more detail on how the day unfolded, read our main news story

Ukraine's President Zelensky says during talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer they discussed ways to "increase pressure on Russia".

"I thank @Keir_Starmer and the people of the United Kingdom for their steadfast support of our country in our fight against Russian aggression," he writes in a post on X.

The Ukrainian leader says that "strengthening sanctions policy must push Russia toward real negotiations," adding that recent announcements of sanctions have been "very important".

In a later post, Zelensky says that during his later meeting with Starmer and the leaders of Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Nato, they discussed steps to "strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities" as well as "enhancing our air defense".

"I am grateful for the shared position on the need to further increase pressure on Russia and continue work with the United States on developing clear and reliable security guarantees for Ukraine," Zelensky says.

Image source, EPA

We've just heard from the five leaders who met in Westminster today to discuss the war in Ukraine. Here's what they said:

• Continued support: All pledged continued support for Ukraine, with the country's President Volodymyr Zelensky thanking them for today's "very important" meeting
• Russia sanctions: Recently announced US and EU sanctions on Russian oil were praised, with Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte saying they will "significantly increase the pressure on Putin"
• Frozen assets: Reporters asked about a so-called "reparations loan" for Ukraine funded by frozen Russian assets; Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she hoped a decision would be made by Christmas Eve
• Tomahawk decision: Nato's Rutte stressed that a decision on whether to send long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine was up to US President Donald Trump, and it "remains under review"
• Energy assistance: The Netherlands will increase its energy support to help Ukraine through the winter, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said
• Japan's new PM joins talks: Sanae Takaichi joined the wider meeting of leaders virtually today, in what UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said was her first international engagement

Bitter winter in Ukraine high on leaders' agenda todaypublished at 18:08 BST 24 October

18:08 BST 24 October

Rajini Vaidyanathan
Presenter, BBC News Channel

Image source, Reuters

During the news conference, President Zelensky referred to the upcoming bitter winter in Ukraine.

He said Russia "wants to make the winter cold a tool of torment".

"They want to break us. And they are doing everything. To achieve that," he added.

The cold weather presents many challenges for those on the front lines but also families across Ukraine.

This is also why supporting Ukraine's energy infrastructure - which has been hit by Russia through the conflict - has also been on the agenda.

A question for the Danish PM now.

Mette Frederiksen's asked about European leaders saying they want to wipe Russian oil off the global market to put pressure on Putin, but that since the beginning of the war EU countries alone have bought 250 million euros of it.

So, has the promise come too late?

Frederiksen says, yes, "it does come too late - but it doesn't mean we haven't done anything during this war when it comes to Russian oil".

She says all EU countries have tried to lessen their dependence, and that she's happy with the sanctions that have recently been issued.

Zeleneksy chimes in to say it's "better now than never".

That's the news conference over. Stay with us for a recap and analysis of the key lines.

Asked if if he thinks Trump is likely to eventually give Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine - despite so far refusing - Nato chief Mark Rutte says it's up to each ally to decide which type of weapon to supply.

He says Ukraine has the right to defend itself, including by striking targets inside Russia with long-range weapons.

He says the US is providing "a wide range of weapons" to Ukraine already.

Since July, there was a risk of that flow of weaponry slowing. But Trump decided to "open the floodgates again", providing "essential" weapons that "only the US can provide", he says.

We are working hard to make sure that flow continues, he says. On the Tomahawks, the issue "remains under review". He says he discussed it with Trump, and stresses it is up to the US to decide.

Starmer says the new Japanese prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, joined the meeting of the so-called coalition of the willing today, for what he says was her first international engagement.

"The fact she chose this forum... and was so clear and powerful in her words I think emphasises that that coalition and the ability to bring together so many countries here is very important," he adds.

Answering a question a reporter from Ukrainian broadcaster Suspilne, Zelensky says he hopes Ukraine will be able to access funds from frozen Russian assets by the beginning of next year.

• For context: European leaders met yesterday to discuss plans to use frozen Russian assets to help support Ukraine

Denmark's Mette Frederiksen says the idea of the so-called "reparations loan" is good, but technical questions still need to be answered.

She says she hopes to have a decision before Christmas Eve.

Starmer says this is a "complicated and difficult" matter.

"It's really important that the details are worked through," he says, saying agreeing on a timetable to allow Ukraine to access the money "makes sense".

Image source, UK POOL

The leaders are now taking questions. A Sky News journalist asks Starmer and Zelensky about the US's refusal to provide long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.

Starmer says the UK is pushing the case for long-range missiles and that "discussions are ongoing".

Zelensky says we're not searching for a way to "finish this work" without the United States.

"Our plan is to make strong steps together," he says. Putin "wants to divide us" to "make us weaker", he says.

He acknowledges that he was given Storm Shadows missiles by the UK and France, adding that they began to later use the US Atacms missile system.

He stresses that it's important to have the US on board when it comes to security guarantees.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof is up next.

Echoing the remarks of the other leaders, he says "we need to keep Ukraine in the fight" and "maximise support" to the country.

The only way to persuade Putin to negotiate is to increase economic pressure on Russia, he says.

The Netherlands will also "step up our energy assistance" to help Ukrainians through the winter, he adds, in light of Russia's attacks on energy infrastructure.

Image source, UK POOL

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is up next.

Putin "doesn't want to stop the killing", she tells the news conference in London, adding there's no indication the Russian leader wants peace.

She says the leaders from the so-called coalition of the willing have agreed to increase pressure, commit to long-term financing and boost Ukraine's defence industry.

"We have taken significant steps with the EU's new sanctions package," she says, adding that the new US sanctions are also an important measure.

"Our promise to you, dear Volodymyr - and to Ukraine and to all Europeans - is that we are willing to continue," she says, rounding off her remarks.

Image source, UK POOL

Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte is now speaking.

He says new US sanctions against Russia's largest oil companies will "significantly increase the pressure on Putin" to negotiate.

They also show that Trump is "absolutely committed" to ending the war and bringing lasting peace to Ukraine.

Putin is "gaining little ground" on the battlefield in Ukraine, Rutte says. These "marginal gains" are coming at a "huge price", with hundreds of thousands of Russians dying "for Putin's deluded aggression".

The Russian president is "running out of money, troops and ideas", he adds. Now is the right time to increase the pressure, he says.

Zelensky says sanctions on Russian oil are a "big step", and thanks Trump and other allies for implementing them.

He adds pressure must be applied to all Russian oil companies, as well as its "shadow fleet" and oil terminals.

He adds that Ukraine is carrying out its own drone campaign of pressure, saying long-range capability directly strengthens diplomacy.

"Peace is born from pressure on the aggressor," says Zelensky. "That is what we must continue to do" he says, concluding his remarks.

Zelensky says Russia is carrying out a "campaign of terror against our energy system" and wants to use the winter to "torment" the people of Ukraine.

"Their goal hasn't changed: they want to break us," he says. "They want to break Ukraine and they're doing everything to achieve that."

The Ukrainian president says there is a need to reinforce air defence, put "substantial attention" on the front line.

Sanctions are still crucial in pressuring Russia into ending the war, he adds.

Image source, UK POOL

Starmer hands over to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who starts by thanking his fellow leaders for their help.

He says today's meeting of the "coalition of the willing" and yesterday's meeting of EU leaders were "very important".

Today, all the partners have confirmed that they will continue to support Ukraine next year, he says, including with "crucial" financial support.

Japan's new prime minister has joined the coalition for the first time, he adds.

Starmer continues to outline aspects of the discussions had this afternoon by leaders in the so-called coalition of the willing.

"We are strengthening Ukraine's air defence," he says, announcing the acceleration of a missile-building programme to deliver 140 ahead of schedule.

"We will keep up the military pressure on Putin.. through continued provision of long-range capabilities," he adds.

The group will continue to work on security guarantees to uphold "a just and lasting peace" will also stay in focus, he says.

Russian President Vladimir Putin "is the only person who does not want to stop this war", Starmer tells the assembled press in Westminster.

He cites Russia's latest attacks on civilian targets as a "crystal clear" example of Putin's rejection of peace.

"Time after time, he rejects the chance to end the war," he says, showing "yet again he's not serious about peace".

He also says leaders must push Putin back to the negotiating table and will act to take Russian gas off the market.

Image source, UK Pool

Continuing his address, Starmer says the so-called coalition of the willing is united behind Ukraine and US President Donald Trump in calling for the fighting to stop now and for negotiations to begin "from the current line of contact".

Trump was right to impose new sanctions on Russian oil firms, Starmer says, adding that the UK and EU have also imposed sanctions recently.

"We must now maintain this pressure," he says.

Five leaders in the so-called coalition of the willing leaders just walked out for a joint news conference in London.

Keir Starmer speaks first. We are "fighting, not just for Ukraine but for the freedom and security" of all British and European people, he says.

"Your security is our security," he says.