Valentina Matviyenko believes it is likely negotiations could start in 2025; Ukraine president says army lacks strength to retake occupied territory

• German chancellor Olaf Scholz arrives in Kyiv for surprise visit

Officials said today that Russian attacks against Ukraine have killed at least four people and injured 23 across multiple regions. Here is a report, summarising the attacks, from the Kyiv Independent:

Russian forces launched 110 Shahed-type drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles against Ukraine overnight, the air force said.

Fifty-two were shot down, 50 were lost across Ukraine thanks to electronic warfare countermeasures, and six flew to Belarus and Russia, according to the statement.

He basically thinks we are defending Europe, we don’t get anything out of it. They are not paying anything. What is in it for us? It s the same view he has with our alliances with South Korea and with Japan. I am very worried about it.

Now Europeans and many others say ‘but we are close to paying 2% of our GDP on defence – which we pledged, by the way, ten years ago at a Nato summit’ and which many have still not reached. I think the US is going to have to increase its defence spending to something close to Reagan era level (4/5%). That means Europe is going to have to go up to 3%.