UK, Ukraine, France, Germany Discuss Deep-Strike Weapons After Russian Oreshnik Missile Attacks

Leaders from the UK, Ukraine, France, and Germany met at No 10 Downing Street on Sunday evening to discuss the urgent need to increase production of defensive weapons and deep-strike capabilities following Russia's use of Oreshnik missiles against Ukraine. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

The leaders condemned Russia's large-scale missile and drone attacks, including repeated Oreshnik missile use and drone incursions into NATO territory. They called for an immediate and complete ceasefire, with the current line of contact as a starting point for negotiations. Discussions also covered coordinating further support for Ukraine at the upcoming G7 summit in Evian, the next «coalition of the willing» meeting, and the NATO summit in Ankara, focusing on pressure on Russia's war economy and increased military aid.

Separately, Ukraine reported a Russian Shahed drone strike on a nuclear fuel storage facility near the Chernobyl power plant. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed the attack, noting significant damage to the fuel reception building, though radiation levels remained normal. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi expressed deep concern due to the large amounts of nuclear material stored nearby. This incident followed a week after a claimed Ukrainian drone hit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which Ukraine denied.

Meanwhile, Ukraine launched a drone barrage at St Petersburg on Saturday, disrupting operations at Russia's second-largest commercial airport. This occurred hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected Zelenskiy's proposal for peace talks, citing a «rude» tone in Zelenskiy's letter. Both sides continued drone exchanges into Sunday, with Russia intercepting 95 Ukrainian drones and Ukraine reporting 215 of 236 Russian drones shot down. Ukrainian forces also struck the Chongar Bridge, temporarily blocking access to Crimea.