Europe's participation in Ukraine peace talks will be needed eventually but Moscow first wants to build trust with Washington, President Vladimir Putin said on Monday, while suggesting that a deal to end the conflict may still be far off.

But what are these major players thinking ahead of fresh US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia next week? Five BBC correspondents have analysed the week's events. Tom Bateman, State Department correspondent,

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Monday, a day ahead of crucial talks between Ukrainian and US officials on ending the war with Russia. Zelensky has visited Saudi Arabia several times since Russia's invasion in 2022 but postponed a trip last month,