Ukraine war today: Putin speaks to Middle East leaders amid Iran crisis | The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentIndependentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload ourSocial PartnerWe are 8 logo (opens in a new tab)AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleIndependent ReportersMonday 02 March 2026 16:35 GMTMacron ‘very sceptical’ about Russia-Ukraine peace talksUkrainian drones launched a massive overnight attack on the Russian city of Novorossiysk, injuring five people, damaging 20 buildings, and reportedly striking an oil terminal and naval base.Belgian forces, aided by the French navy, seized a suspected Russian 'shadow fleet' oil tanker, the Ethera, in the North Sea, alleging it used false documents and was on sanctions lists.Russian President Vladimir Putin held phone calls with Saudi Arabia's crown prince and Bahrain's King to discuss the risks of escalation around Iran, offering Russia's help to stabilize the situation.Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico called for an urgent meeting with the EU Commission, Ukraine, and Hungary to restart oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline, blaming Ukraine for delays.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted the difficulty of achieving 100% air defense against missiles and drones, even for advanced systems, and indicated that the location for upcoming peace talks might change due to Middle East hostilities.In fullUkraine-Russia war latest: Five injured in Ukrainian drone attack on major Russian oil terminalThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in