Poland's Andrzej Duda to meet Donald Trump on Saturday– Europe ...

Polish president Andrzej Duda will fly to Washington to meet with US president Donald Trump on Saturday, multiple Polish media reported.

The state news agency, PAP, said the pair would meet in the White House on Saturday.

If confirmed, that would make Duda the first European leader welcomed by Trump in the White House, ahead of French president Emmanuel Macron expected on Monday, and UK prime minister Keir Starmer expected on Thursday.

We are now closing the blog. Here is a summary of events today:

• Polish president Andrzej Duda could be the first European leader to meet with US president Donald Trump, after Polish media reported that he will travel to Washington on Saturday (17:14). According to the media, the pair is expected to meet early afternoon, but we are yet to have a formal confirmation of the meeting (17:43).

• US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who was involved in the US-Russia talks in Riyadh, claimed that Ukraine was about to sign the new mineral deal with the US “in the very short term” as he praised US president Donald Trump for starting talks about the conflict (16:25).

• Austria may finally be close to getting a new government as the conservative People’s Party (OVP) and Social Democrats (SPO) confirmed they are in talks over forming a new coalition with the support of the liberal Neos party (16:48).

• French far-right leader Jordan Bardella has cancelled his speech at the US Conservative Political Action Conference conference after former Trump aide Steve Bannon appeared to make a Nazi salute at the end of his speech last night, French media are reporting. (15.08)

• US special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg has praised his talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “extensive and positive” in a social media post at the end of his visit to Kyiv. (13.37)

• Pope Francis, who is being treated in hospital for double pneumonia, is not in danger of death, but has not been fully cured and his condition could yet change, one of his doctors said on Friday. (17.19)

• Sweden is investigating a possible breach of an undersea cable off the island of Gotland on the country’s southwestern coast in the Baltic Sea, the coastguard said on Friday, in an area where multiple seabed cables have been damaged in recent months. (09.27)

Pope Francis, who is being treated in hospital for double pneumonia, is not in danger of death, but has not been fully cured and his condition could yet change, one of his doctors said on Friday.

“Is he out of danger? No. But if the question is ‘is he in danger of death’, the answer is ‘no’,” Sergio Alfieri told a press conference.

His medical team said the pope was able to get out of bed and sit in an armchair to do some work, but predicted that he would remain in hospital “at least” through the coming next week, Reuters reports.

Alfieri said that given the pope was 88, with prior health concerns, he was obviously a fragile patient.

He added that the pope did not have sepsis, a potentially life-threatening condition when a body responds to an infection by harming its own tissue and organs.

However, he said there was always a risk that the infection could spread in his body.

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“I don’t think that this ‘peace process’ is for Ukrainians’ sake. It is laughable that they pretend it is,” said Iryna, 26, a lawyer from Kyiv.

Iryna was among thousands of Ukrainians who got in touch with the Guardian to share how they felt about the Trump administration-led peace talks with Russia, which exclude Ukraine.

“It doesn’t seem like a negotiation to me, more like a cruel auction. My main concern is that we are being sold for someone else’s gain. I am afraid that the USA sees us as just an asset to sell and move on, while Europe is too concerned about itself.”

Iryna’s comments were echoed by many other respondents to a callout, with Ukrainians living in the wartorn country as well as in other countries around the globe voicing their shock and frustration, but also defiance of what they deemed absurd and unacceptable proposals emerging from talks between Washington and the Kremlin about a possible deal to end the war.

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… and on that note, it’s a wrap from me, Jakub Krupa, but stay with us as Jane Clinton takes over the blog to guide you through this evening in Europe.

Here are the three things to take away from today’s Europe Live blog so far:

• Polish president Andrzej Duda could be the first European leader to meet with US president Donald Trump, after Polish media reported that he will travel to Washington on Saturday (17:14). According to the media, the pair is expected to meet early afternoon, but we are yet to have a formal confirmation of the meeting (17:43).

• US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who was involved in the US-Russia talks in Riyadh, claimed that Ukraine was about to sign the new mineral deal with the US “in the very short term” as he praised US president Donald Trump for starting talks about the conflict (16:25).

• Austria may finally be close to getting a new government as the conservative People’s Party (OVP) and Social Democrats (SPO) confirmed they are in talks over forming a new coalition with the support of the liberal Neos party (16:48).

That’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, for today. See you again on Sunday, for the German federal election – from Berlin!

We are hearing more about a potential meeting between Polish president Andrzej Duda withUS president Donald Trump, with Polish state news agency PAP reporting it is expected to take place tomorrow early afternoon (13:30 EST, 19:30 CET), either at the White House or at the CPAC conference, where Trump is scheduled to speak later.

There has been no formal confirmation from either administration. We will bring you further updates if and when we get them.

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Polish president Andrzej Duda will fly to Washington to meet with US president Donald Trump on Saturday, multiple Polish media reported.

The state news agency, PAP, said the pair would meet in the White House on Saturday.

If confirmed, that would make Duda the first European leader welcomed by Trump in the White House, ahead of French president Emmanuel Macron expected on Monday, and UK prime minister Keir Starmer expected on Thursday.

Austria may finally be close to getting a new government as the conservative People’s Party (OVP) and Social Democrats (SPO) confirmed they are in talks over forming a new coalition with the support of the liberal Neos – The New Austria and Liberal Forum party, the three groups said.

Multiple previous attempts at forming a government in the aftermath of the September election were ultimately failed, most recently led by the far-right Freedom party.

This is the longest it has taken Austria to form a government since the second world war, Reuters noted.

“It is clear that there will be statements from the parties on the status of the talks this evening,” the three parties said in a joint statement.

US National Security Adviser Waltz also dismisses any suggestion that the US failed to consult with European partners on the US-Russia peace talks.

“President Trump has talked to Macron twice last week, he’s coming here Monday. The prime minister of Britain is coming here next Thursday. We are engaging all of our European allies,” he insists.

He says that the new US administration insists on “peace through strength,” asking allies to “step up and contribute to their own defence.”

He says it is “unacceptable” that so many Nato allies do not meet the 2% GDP target.

He says that if Trump “rattled their cage a bit,” and they “suddenly found more and coming to the table with more,” that is “fine by us, we have only been asking for over a decade.”

Waltz says that signing the minerals deal between Ukraine and the US was originally an idea proposed by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

“Well, look, here’s the bottom line. President Zelensky is going to sign that deal, and you will see that in the very short term. And that is good for Ukraine. What better could you have for Ukraine than to be in an economic partnership with the United States?,” he asked.

He says that “by the end of this all, we are going to have the Nobel Peace Prize sitting next to the name of Donald J. Trump.”

US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz is speaking at the CPAC conference right now.

He is asked about the US-Russia negotiations in which he took part in earlier this week in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

He praises US president Donald Trump for making them happen, as he claims that “under Trump this war will end, and it will end soon.”

French far-right leader Jordan Bardella has cancelled his speech at the US Conservative Political Action Conference conference after former Trump aide Steve Bannon appeared to make a Nazi salute at the end of his speech last night, French media are reporting.

Bardella said that he made the decision in response to a “gesture alluding to Nazi ideology” by Bannon, AFP reported.

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US national security adviser Mike Waltz is expected to speak at the Washington conference today, with president Donald Trump lined up for Saturday.

The development comes a month after a similar controversy with CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and senior Trump aide, Elon Musk.

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Ahead of the German federal election this Sunday, which we will cover for you in a special Europe Live blog, here is another story on the atmosphere in the country before the vote.

A high-stakes electoral campaign defined by anti-migration rhetoric has stoked fear instead of discussion of pressing structural problems, Ashifa Kassam reports from Berlin.

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US special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg has praised his talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “extensive and positive” in a social media post at the end of his visit to Kyiv.

“A long and intense day with the senior leadership of Ukraine. Extensive and positive discussions with @ZelenskyyUa, the embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war and his talented national security team,” he said.

Kellogg’s praise for Zelenskyy is in stark contrast to what we heard from US president Donald Trump and some other senior members of his administration, who either attacked him with misleading claims, or criticised for his public comments.

Notably, Kellogg’s post also comes a day after his joint press conference with Zelenskyy got cancelled at the last minute, reportedly at the request of the US side.

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Polish president Andrzej Duda has just posted a social media update about his phone call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Duda, who has long been a vocal supporter of US president Donald Trump, told Zelenskyy in a “candid conversation” that “there is no other way to stop the bloodshed and achieve lasting peace in Ukraine except with the support of the United States.”

“For this reason, I suggested to President Zelenskyy to remain committed to the course of calm and constructive cooperation with @POTUS Donald Trump,” he said.

Duda added that he trusted that “good will and honesty form the foundation of the US negotiation strategy,” and had “no doubt” that Trump was “guided by a deep sense of responsibility for global stability and peace.”

The Polish president’s comments are one of the most supportive from any head of state or government in Europe after Trump’s recent criticism of Zelenskyy and Ukraine.