Ukraine-Russia war latest: No sign of breakthrough in Putin’s ‘highly useful’ peace talks as Trump envoys head to Kyiv

Ukrainian drones targeted an oil refinery in Ryazan and several cities across Russia overnight, with explosions reported in Rostov-on-Don and a child injured in the southern city.

Rostov region governor Yuri Slyusar said air defences destroyed around 30 drones over the region. Two apartment buildings in Rostov-on-Don were damaged and a child was hospitalised, while damage was also reported to homes in other parts of the region, according to the Kyiv Independent.

An oil refinery in Ryazan was also targeted, with a fire reported at the site. The plant, which accounts for about 5 per cent of Russia’s refining capacity, has previously been hit by Ukrainian drones and suffered an operational shutdown in July.

Ukraine is pushing European governments to revive plans to use some €210bn (£180.4bn) in frozen Russian central-bank assets to help finance its war effort, as Kyiv faces a €27bn (£23.2bn) defence funding gap for 2026.

The Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden have backed reopening the debate, while Belgium, where most of the money is held through Euroclear, remains opposed because of legal and financial risks.

Ukraine’s finance minister Sergii Marchenko has proposed moving custody of the assets from Belgium to the EU level, saying this would spread the risks across all 27 member states. “It will help settle everything and mitigate the risk,” he told Euronews.

Talks between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow went beyond efforts to end the Ukraine war, with the two sides also discussing potential major Russian-US economic projects, the Kremlin said.

Putin aide Yuri Ushakov said: “Economic issues and potential major, mutually beneficial Russian-American projects were discussed in some detail.” He said the meeting was not simply an exchange of views over the war and described the discussions as “timely and highly useful for both sides.”

Global food prices rose to their highest level since November 2022 in August, with escalating attacks in the Black Sea disrupting grain exports from both Ukraine and Russia, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization said.

Russian and Ukrainian attacks on ports, grain terminals, and commercial vessels have delayed or cancelled dozens of cargoes during the peak export season. Some Asian buyers have already turned to wheat from Australia and Argentina to replace delayed Black Sea shipments, Reuters reported.

The FAO’s cereal price index rose 2.2 per cent in August, while wheat prices climbed 2.6 per cent and were 15 per cent higher than a year earlier. The agency specifically cited “persistent disruptions to Black Sea export logistics” as a factor behind the increase.

A local ceasefire has taken effect around the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant to allow repairs to a damaged power line, the International Atomic Energy Agency said.

“This is a much-needed step at a critical time for nuclear safety and security. With diesel fuel supplies under increasing strain, the damaged power line must be repaired without delay so reliable external power can be restored,” Director General Grossi said.

Ukrainian technicians, monitored by the IAEA, began work on the 330kV Ferosplavna-1 line after demining, and the repairs are expected to take several days. The plant has been without external power since 20 August and has been relying on diesel generators to run essential cooling systems, with fuel supplies under increasing strain, the IAEA said.

Grossi added that the situation was “deeply concerning”, warning the plant could face a station blackout within days without restored external power or continued diesel supplies.

Russia has ordered its military not to strike Kyiv for three days as US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner travel to the Ukrainian capital, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Putin later told the envoys he had received a request through diplomatic and intelligence channels to guarantee their safety. “I issued the relevant order, and no strikes have been carried out on Kyiv since midnight,” he said.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi urged Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine during talks in Bishkek on 31 August, saying “every step toward peace gives all of humanity real hope”.

Putin thanked Modi and replied: “We are moving forward along this path.”

Vladimir Putin praised Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine as he met the US president’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow.

Speaking at the start of the meeting, Putin said: “Understanding that he is entering a difficult situation, he nevertheless does not stop his efforts to help bring about a settlement and to make his contribution to resolving the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.”

Witkoff, meanwhile, said Trump had sent his best wishes and thanked Putin for the limited ceasefire during their visit.

The talks lasted more than three hours, with Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov later describing them as “highly useful”, although no breakthrough was announced.

The Kremlin said on Friday that Vladimir Putin’s demands for ending the war in Ukraine remained “unshakeable”, one day before the Russian president was due to meet US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow.

Moscow says Ukraine must cede the entirety of the four regions claimed by Russia – Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson – and abandon its ambition to join NATO. Kyiv has consistently rejected surrendering territory.

Trump said on Friday that Witkoff and Kushner were taking “a proposal to end the war”, but did not disclose its contents. After their meeting with Putin on Saturday, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the US envoys had “outlined a number of ideas regarding possible avenues for a settlement”.

The Kremlin said on Friday that Vladimir Putin’s demands for ending the war in Ukraine remained “unshakeable”, one day before the Russian president was due to meet US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow.

Moscow says Ukraine must cede the entirety of the four regions claimed by Russia – Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson – and abandon its ambition to join NATO. Kyiv has consistently rejected surrendering territory.

Trump said on Friday that Witkoff and Kushner were taking “a proposal to end the war”, but did not disclose its contents. After their meeting with Putin on Saturday, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the US envoys had “outlined a number of ideas regarding possible avenues for a settlement”.