we start with breaking news from russia. coming to us in the last half an hour. the kremlin has confirmed senior government officials will be in saudi arabia for talks with the us on the future of the war in ukraine. marco rubio has already arrived in riyadh — his latest stop on his first visit to the middle east as us secretary of state. talks are expected to begin there on tuesday.

the kremlin says its foreign minister,

the war with russia. the summit a meeting of "pro—war, anti—trump, wanted to end the war. i see that. we spoke long and hard. like, about three hours. i think he wants to stop fighting. he wants to stop. that was my question to him.

i think he wants to end it. and they want to end it fast. both of them. gathered there can present a united front. i think that's certainly the plan on a political level. there is going to be no communique at the end leaders will want to show without its approval and that europe must play a key role too, but on a more practical

level, if donald trump to it and sign up to it, then there is the question peacekeeping force to be based in ukraine for, well, who knows how long? britain is prepared perhaps to send troops. we know the french have already been talking about that for some time. and there are a huge array of practicalities. force, america still has the fundamental role to guarantee any long—term ceasefire. andrew harding in paris, thank you. harry farley, let's pick up on the point that

sir keir starmer writing in the telegraph today deeply the responsibility that comes with potentially putting british servicemen and women in harm's way. the argument he is making is that by guaranteeing ukrainian security british troops would then be the question it raises

immediately as what about morning's telegraph, saying that we have got to deploy british troops, put boots on the ground he's got to realise that is going to come i was commander of the british forces when we entered and the troops were equipped to fight if they needed to and were given

the equipment to do it. now, if keir starmer wants to do that, that is fine. the british army will always stand up to the plate. equipment and the right training, and start to fund that now. night, they gave no indication that going beyond that 2.5% figure was an immediate possibility. they said the priority was on setting a date that the uk harry farley at westminster, thank you. president trump saying

a meeting between him and vladimir putin could take place very soon. how is all of this going down in ukraine? just to give you an idea, 147 drones were reportedly launched at ukraine last night. sirens, as ever, wailed across the country, when he says he wants the war don't align with words.

america has said it will be involved. europe will not. he has also said he will not engage with russian officials a peace agreement could be agreed and implemented. these initial talks. one from washington.

all the more likely that russia will be present andrew harding in paris, james waterhouse live in kyiv, a of the breaking news in the last half an hour, the has confirmed that the vern“ has "mfmed that the minister, v3m'h h33 "mfm3d th3t th3 minister, sergei v3m'h h33 mhfm3d th3t th3 minister, sergei rafa, foreign minister, sergei rafa, and a key of vladimir 7777 will?” 77 n” z z: 2 will}: ”z: n 7 z z: z vvizllzbaegflyinfgzw n 7 willbeflyingto ” 7 77 7 willibie’flyingto saudi putin, will be flying to saudi arabia take part in talks arabia to take part in talks with secretary of with us secretary of state marco rubio, who is in riyadh already. have had some wine already. we have had some wine from the spokesperson from the kremlin spokesperson dmitry peskov, who says it

“dedicated: " " dedicated to 7 77d7edicated7to pagsiilfé 7 77 ona ukrainian 777and 77 7 7 7 and organising resolution and organising a meeting between the two 77we 77 we heard earlier president saying he to 777 to have 7 77 to have a 7 77with expected 3t33h3v33 meeting with russian expected rterhevere meeting with russian president, 7 77 putin, 77 77 777777 7p7u7tii'l, shortly. 7 7 77 putin, shortly. we president putin, shortly. we have any on and indeed dmitri; feskae that, and indeed dmitry peskov not be drawn on when that would not be drawn on when that might happen, but we have that confirmation that the russian foreign minister sergei a 777 za777key a77key aide 77 7 a77key aide of 77 7 a77key aide of president 7 will wil7l going to saudi putin will be going to saudi arabia, to riyadh, for these discussions. the kremlin says discussiens, the kremlin 3313 will discuss bilateral ties and bilateralties and awe bilateral ties and -ave the 7fo7r . for a possible 7 for a possible in way for 3 possible truce in and a way for a possible trb'ee in and a between putin donald we a live page up running on bbc 77 running on bbc news and running on the bbc news website and app with the latest these developments. we on these developments. we have more on what kremlin more detail on what the kremlin has been saying. you can read

3 that on the bbc news all of that on the bbc news website and app. marco rubio has arrived in saudi arabia — his latest stop on his first visit to the middle east as us secretary of state. he has arrived from israel where he prime minister where he met prime minister benjamin netanyahu. both men praised president trump's plan to remove is injerusalem. yes, israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu will hold that cabinet meeting. it won't be for several hours, around 6:30pm it has been made clear in the israeli media second phase of the ceasefire.

but the talks on the second phase were supposed substantial degree. there are hopes that this week they could get under way, again, reports from the israeli media that after this cabinet on what they are to say about the second phase, but as i say, there isn't that long to go and there have been phase which seem to be locked in, it may now be in that phase all the remaining hostages in gaza are to be withdrawal from gaza.

the removal of palestinians there and the rebuilding of it that this was something that needs to be continued. but i think mr rubio will hear a very different message against what they believe should happen. the saudis along with other arab countries in the region, alternative plan, one which would allow the palestinians to remain in gaza while the no details on that as yet but i think there's no doubt that the announcement of mr trump's plan has

and internationally to present a different proposal. sebastian usher in jerusalem. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

european leaders preparing for emergency talks in paris. parliamentary committee for european integration.

there is a different mood and a different movement on the european continent, that we together with our listened to because of what we are ready to invest in the common security, and because of the real intentions and real goals of vladimir putin. his accomplices from iran, north korea and china as well, i don't think any of these sweeteners that can be offered and that has to be understood. and if this is part of the thinking of the american continent, this thinking should

be dismantled by explaining already met a key election pledge 7 to boost the number in england in their first year in office. they say the target was achieved between july and period in 2023. delivering an extra two million nhs operations, if they took office injuly last year. now, ministers argue they've already hit that target — they say more evening and weekend appointments have been provided thanks to increased funding, the overall waiting lists for planned treatment,

so what figures are they using? between july and november 2023, there were 29.1 million that was 2.2 million higher. it's not yet a year since the general election, to the previous year will be closely scrutinised to see if labour's pledge is still being met. i think there is a long way to go to tackle the lists. but early signs on the back of a very challenging winter when standards were not met, in ourambulance and emergency departments. settlements that we've seen in recent years, significantly better.

and this remains a challenging target. and to underline some of the problems, inefficiency in the system, with one in five people and nearly a quarter saying they didn't know who to contact while waiting for care. hugh pym, bbc news. with less than a week to go until germany's national the bbc visited oberhausen in west germany to find out how the area was coping. a decade on, we've gone back oh, yeah, yeah.

this is alia and her son rami, in the place they now call home. here they are in a bbc report ten years ago about their perilous journey from war—torn syria to a refugee centre in germany. it's hard. looking back at it now, they feel disbelief. how could i go with him in that boat? ah! she's learned german and is grateful to her adopted country, but believes some migrants have integrated more than others. for ten years it was very welcoming, actually.

foreigners out. yes. because we don't want to live in this situation also. applause. scenes of welcome in 2015. but a string of attacks involving suspects who've been migration debate. georgie's lived in 0berhausen most of his life. it has to change. there is tension on these streets. for the far—right afd party. yeah.

i mean, he grew up here. that is clear racism, no? translation: no, that's not racism. l i mean, he personally attacked me. doesn't suit you here in germany, then you can go back. then leave us alone here. back at home with alya and rami, who's the same age as europe's migration crisis. jessica parker, bbc news in 0berhausen. we an update on the health of pope francis who a fourth in spending a fourth day in hospital as he receives for a respiratory

treatment for a respiratory infection. 0urvatican tract infection. our vatican. said the who has 88—year—old pope, who has suffered from bronchitis, slept �* night. we can go to well over night. we can go to live pictures of the hospital in rome he is in rome where he is staying. the spokesman said the pope will stay in the as will stay in the hospital as long as necessary. the pope has had bronchitis symptoms for �* a week. had bronchitis symptoms for �*a week. that's the seen over a week. that's the seen live at the hospital in rome over a week. that's the seen live at the pope tal in rome over a week. that's the seen live at the pope is. in rome over a week. that's the seen live at the pope is being me where the pope is being from rome we can go to �*and live 7�*and live pictures are in from russia. we are getting in from russia. there you can see a press we are getting in from russia. there you can 5 is a press we are getting in from russia. there you can 5 is being .s we are getting in from russia. there you can 5 is being held the russian is sergei lavrov, who is meeting his serbian counterpart. with his—serbian counterpart. is a key man because he is a key man because we have had confirmed from the kremlin that he will be travelling along 7president, 7 7 7president, pr7esi7dent russian president, president putin, to saudi arabia today,

for possible peace talks with the us secretary of state marco on these are rubio on tuesday. these are all of course about the future of ukraine and the also that 7 77 77th7at7they77 7 7 77 "canny m177 7 7 7 "canny will page}; possible negotiations on ukraine and a possible meeting ukraine andra possible meeting president putin and trum- , trump. which 777 7trump 77 7trump said it president trump has said it could happen soon. we will keep an eye on that press conference. stay with on bbc in the temperatures. they will be above average for the time of year. but it is going to turn more unsettled, it'll be wet and windy at times. expecting any issues with frost.

on thursday and into friday. and drizzle and hill snow, tending to peter out out towards the west. in across northern ireland, and as it bumps into some to lower levels. for northern ireland, it will brighten up a little bit for you, but there will be quite a bit of cloud around, as there will be in scotland. for england and wales, this is where we will see the lion's share of the sunny spells. temperatures 5 to 9 or 10.

this southerly flow — a weather front coming temperatures in the west, though, 9s,10s,11s and 12s, further east. they are squeezed together, that it is going to be so whichever way you look at it, it is wet and windy. some of the rain could be heavy, we could even hear the rain, but even so, we will also see some showers develop. about 11 to 13 degrees.

this is bbc news, the headlines. sir keir starmer says he's ready and willing to send european leaders meet in paris today.

the road to recovery — the government says it's extra nhs appointments. the bafta goes to... conclave. biggest night for cinema — the baftas. we will be winners and lost in the next and who lost out in the next hour. hello, i'm nicky schiller. european countries say ukraine will need us security guarantees before they are willing it comes as european leaders are meeting in paris earlier, the bbc spoke to lord dannat, former chief of general staff for the british army,