Five Capitals Meet as Drone Hits Train
Ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the UK convene in Paris while strikes escalate on both sides of the front line.
By Nikolai Patterson ·
Defence ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom gathered in Paris on Monday to coordinate their support for Ukraine. French officials stated that the group aims to evaluate further aid packages while also discussing European defense strategy and the conflict in the Middle East. This meeting follows a similar session held in Berlin in June, where the five nations reaffirmed their commitment to Kyiv to signal continued European backing against Moscow.
Combat continued in both countries during the talks. In southeastern Ukraine, a Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia injured four people, according to regional Governor Mykhailo Semikin. Ukrainian emergency services reported two additional injuries in the Chernihiv region. The Russian Ministry of Defence claimed its forces hit a power station and warehouse in Kharkiv, a power station in the Khmelnytskyi region, and port infrastructure in Chornomorsk. The ministry also targeted a cargo vessel bound for Odesa that it said was being used for military purposes.
On the Russian side, a Ukrainian drone attack on Voronezh resulted in two deaths and 17 injuries. Regional Governor Alexander Gusev stated that many of the wounded were aboard a commuter train in a left-bank suburb when debris struck the vehicle. Gusev noted that two people were seriously injured on the train. The impact also ignited fires at several industrial businesses, a central business center, and a residential building, though he reported no major damage at the industrial sites.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a Sunday interview that Kyiv would pause attacks on Russian oil refineries only if Moscow stops striking Ukrainian power infrastructure. He argued that if Russia continues hitting the grid, the United States should either allow Starshield to be used over Russia to detect missile launch sites or supply Ukraine with Patriot missiles. Zelenskyy framed this as a condition for meeting the demand from US President Donald Trump to reduce refinery strikes.
Ukraine announced on Saturday that the Starlink satellite system and its military version, Starshield, were fully operational again after more than a week of restrictions. The temporary curbs had disrupted military operations and increased tensions between Kyiv and Washington.
Diplomatic efforts continue in parallel with the fighting. Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are expected to meet in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates during the first half of November.
