- Ukraine reported that Russia suffered its deadliest day of the war on 17 March, with over 1,700 troops killed or wounded, alongside significant equipment losses, particularly during an attempted advance on the Zaporizhzhia front.
- The Kremlin stated that peace talks between Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv are currently on a 'situational pause', though Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sent a delegation to the United States to push for their resumption.
- European Union leaders are seeking alternative methods to disburse a crucial €90bn (£77bn) loan to Ukraine, after Hungary's 'unacceptable' veto was condemned as an 'act of serious disloyalty' by other member states.
- Russia accused Ukraine of drone attacks on compressor stations connected to the TurkStream and Blue Stream gas pipelines in the Krasnodar region, warning that these actions could further destabilise global energy markets.
- The French Navy, in cooperation with British allies, seized the Mozambique-flagged oil tanker Deyna in the Mediterranean, suspecting it to be part of Russia's 'shadow fleet' and involved in circumventing international sanctions.
IN FULL