Paris Defense Talks Resume Amid Strikes

European defense coordination has entered a new phase as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine enters its fifth year. Defense ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom began meeting in Paris on Monday to coordinate further support for Kyiv.

The gathering follows a June summit in Berlin where the same five nations pledged continued backing for Ukraine. Officials said the Paris talks will also address European defense strategy and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Combat operations continued while the ministers met. A Russian strike hit Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine on Monday morning, injuring four people according to regional Governor Mykhailo Semikin. Ukrainian emergency services reported that two additional people were hurt in strikes on the Chernihiv region.

Russia's Ministry of Defense stated that its forces targeted a power station and nearby warehouse in Kharkiv. The ministry also claimed strikes on a power station in the Khmelnytskyi region, port infrastructure in Chornomorsk, and a cargo vessel near Odesa that it said was being used for military purposes.

In Russia, Ukrainian drone attacks caused significant damage. Regional Governor Alexander Gusev said two people were killed and 17 wounded in Voronezh. Debris from a drone struck a commuter train in a left-bank suburb, injuring many passengers. Gusev noted that fires broke out at several industrial businesses, a business center, and a residential building, though industrial sites sustained no significant damage.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlined terms for de-escalation in an interview aired on Sunday. He stated that Kyiv would cease striking Russian oil refineries only if Moscow stops attacking Ukrainian power infrastructure. Zelenskyy added that if strikes on the grid continue, the United States should allow the use of Starshield over Russia to detect missile launch sites or provide Patriot missiles to Ukraine.

Ukraine confirmed on Saturday that the Starlink satellite system and its military variant, Starshield, are fully functional again after more than a week of restrictions. Diplomatic talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States are scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi during the first half of November.