Five European Powers Convene in Paris to Coordinate Ukraine Support

Defense ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom convened in Paris on Monday to coordinate military support for Ukraine and discuss European defense strategy. The gathering, organized by French officials, marks the second meeting of this specific five-nation group since June, when they pledged continued backing for Kyiv in Berlin.

The talks address the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the broader state of European defense. The meeting occurs as hostilities intensify on both sides of the front. Regional Governor Mykhailo Semikin reported that a Russian strike hit Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine on Monday morning, injuring four people. Ukraine’s emergency services also reported two additional injuries from strikes in the Chernihiv region.

Russian military operations targeted critical infrastructure across Ukraine. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that its forces struck a power station and a nearby warehouse in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. The ministry also claimed hits on a power station in the Khmelnytskyi region, port infrastructure in Chornomorsk, and a cargo vessel bound for Odesa that it said was being used for military purposes.

Ukrainian forces conducted a drone attack on Voronezh, Russia, killing two people and wounding 17, according to Regional Governor Alexander Gusev. Gusev stated on Telegram that many of the injured were aboard a commuter train in a left-bank suburb when drone debris struck. He noted that the attack started fires at industrial businesses, a business center, and a residential building, though he described industrial damage as minor.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlined conditions for a potential pause in Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries during an interview aired on Sunday. Zelenskyy said Kyiv would stop hitting refineries, as demanded by U.S. President Donald Trump, only if Moscow ceases attacks on Ukraine’s power grid. If Russian strikes continue, Zelenskyy proposed that the U.S. allow Starshield to detect missile launch sites over Russia or supply Ukraine with Patriot missiles.

Ukraine confirmed on Saturday that the Starlink satellite system and its military version, Starshield, are fully functional again after more than a week of restrictions. The disruptions had affected military operations and heightened tensions with Washington. Diplomatic efforts continue in parallel, with negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States scheduled to meet in Abu Dhabi during the first half of November.