Russia’s Ukraine war live: Putin faces rare protest as Kiev uses first US weapons inside Russia

China’s foreign minister is pushing Beijing’s potential role as a mediator in Ukraine-Russia peace talks, days after China pulled out of a peace summit in Switzerland.

Wang Yi told reporters that Russia and Ukraine have separately expressed support for the peace plan drafted by China and Brazil last month.

Mr Wang said the two countries had “confirmed most of the content of the plan”, which called for an international conference to which both Russia and Ukraine were invited.

He said 26 countries had agreed or expressed interest in the plan, and a total of 45 countries had given “positive feedback” to the idea.

China is seen as a close ally of Russia, which calls into question its ability to serve as an independent mediator, although Ukraine has not completely ruled out the idea.

US President Joe Biden is set to skip a Ukraine peace summit in Switzerland, despite Ukraine’s president addressing his most important ally directly.

The US will instead be represented by Vice President Kamala Harris and Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan at the two-day event on June 15 and 16 in Lucerne, the White House said in a statement.

Mr Zelensky said only Vladimir Putin would “applaud” Biden if he didn’t show up in Switzerland.

“I believe the peace summit needs President Biden and other leaders need President Biden because they will look at the reaction of the US,” Mr Zelensky said at a news conference in Brussels last week.

Biden’s absence “will only be met with applause from Putin – a personal, standing ovation,” he added.

China has already pulled out of the summit after expressing concern over Russia’s invitation.

The Kremlin has been pressuring its allies not to take part in the summit, arguing that it has no clear objectives and that it is absurd to hold it without Russia.

According to a tender published on the government’s website, Great Britain will send 1,000 drones to Ukraine.

The government is inviting bidders to supply drones that “can carry a variety of payloads depending on their propeller size,” according to The Telegraph.

The announcement called for 15 lots of 20 “first view racing quadcopter-style drones” worth £300,000.

The potential delivery would be part of an international coalition that Britain and Latvia launched in February to deliver unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the Ukrainian frontline.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said any French military instructor in Ukraine would be a “legitimate target” for Russia’s armed forces, as Paris considered sending trainers to Kiev.

Yesterday, during the African tour, Mr. Lavrov said that the French instructors were already on the territory of Ukraine.

“As for the French instructors, I think they are already on Ukrainian territory,” Mr. Lavrov said, referring to military instructors France could send to train the Ukrainian army. Regardless of their status, military officials or mercenaries are legitimate targets for our armed forces.

Ukraine’s top commander said last week that he had signed documents allowing French military instructors to enter Ukrainian training centers soon.

But French President Emmanuel Macron said last week that he would not comment on “rumors or decisions that may be taken”.

He said he would discuss in detail France’s support for the 80th anniversary of D-Day later this week.

Macron’s office said it would not comment on Lavrov’s statements.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “instructors who train the troops of the Kiev regime do not have any kind of immunity, and it does not matter if they are French or not.”

President Joe Biden will meet with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky in Normandy during his D-Day visit to France, White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said.

He confirmed that the US was not going to send American military trainers to Ukraine.

“For our part, we are not planning a training mission to Ukraine,” Mr. Sullivan said.

“They need more air defenses and we’re working on that, and they need a steady stream of weapons that we’re going to get them.”

The US president’s remarks in Normandy, both at the official 80th anniversary ceremony on Thursday and at the famous Pointe-du-Hoc cliffs on Friday, will focus on the dangers of isolationism and the need to stand up to dictators, Mr Sullivan said.