Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin talking at International Economic Forum; Ukraine has right to strike targets in Russia - NATO boss

Russia needs to boost its use of non-Western currencies, Vladimir Putin said as he addressed the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

He also said his country needs to reduce imports while calling for a major expansion of its domestic financial markets.

Trade with Asia is soaring, he told delegates, adding that almost two fifths of Russian external trade is now in roubles.

The share conducted in US dollars, euros and other Western currencies has declined.

Russia will try to boost the share of settlements conducted in the currencies of BRICS countries - which include Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, Mr Putin said.

"Last year, the share of payments for Russian exports in the so–called 'toxic' currencies of unfriendly states halved, while the share of the rouble in export and import transactions is growing - it is approaching 40% today," the president said.

Russia has referred to nations that imposed sanctions on it as "unfriendly".

 The session begins with an address by the Russian president. 

Vladimir Putin says there is a race among world powers to establish sovereignty. 

He speaks of the need for countries to both establish partnerships and also to look internally to tackle challenges presented by the current global economic landscape. 

Despite all the "obstacles and illegitimate sanctions", Russia remains one of the world's economic leaders, he says. 

He adds that "friendly countries" - those that have not joined sanctions against Moscow - account for three quarters of Russia's mutual trade turnover, and praises them for that. 

Countries including India and China have strengthened economic ties since Mr Putin launched his war in Ukraine. 

Vladimir Putin has taken to the stage in St Petersburg to address the International Economic Forum there.

He's joined by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwais and Bolivian President Luis Alberto Arce Catacora. 

Chairing the session is Sergey Karaganov - a Russian political scientist. 

We'll bring you any key lines here in this live blog. 

A T-shirt is on sale at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum printed with a phrase attributed to Vladimir Putin, Sky News has discovered. 

"If a fight is inevitable, throw the first punch," it says.

The Russian president reportedly said it in 2015.

He apparently explained that it was something he had learned while growing up on the streets of Leningrad - a former name of St Petersburg. 

The Russian defence ministry has accused Ukraine of injuring 20 people, including children, in a missile attack on the Russian-controlled eastern Ukrainian city of Luhansk, using US-supplied ATACMS missiles.

Four of five missiles were shot down by air defence systems, the ministry said in a statement.

However, one of the missiles damaged two residential apartment blocks, it added, claiming it was deliberate.

Sky News is unable to verify the allegations.

There has been no immediate comment from Ukraine. 

The European Commission supports starting EU accession talks with Ukraine, the country's prime minister has said.

Denys Shmyhal said the commission had confirmed in a report that Kyiv had fulfilled the remaining steps required to start negotiations. 

"Now we expect our European partners to take the next step - to start negotiations on European Union membership this month," Mr Shmyhal said on Telegram. 

Earlier (7.43am post) we reported that the commission was reportedly ready to recommend that accession talks get underway.

It is part of an attempt to signal support for Kyiv before Hungary takes over the rotating presidency of the EU next month, the Financial Times reported.

The EU announced earlier this year that it was sending an additional £42bn in aid to Ukraine - but only after weeks of resistance from Hungary, which reportedly has concerns about minority rights in Ukraine. 

Vladimir Putin is likely to adopt a provocative tone as he addresses the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum this afternoon, Ivor Bennett, Sky News's Moscow correspondent, has said.

In his speech, expected at midday UK time at the earliest, the Russian leader may stress there is an alternative view of world affairs to the one being put forward by the West, Bennett added.

"I think he will undoubtedly use some more provocative rhetoric," Bennett said - noting there has been more confrontation in the Russian leader's tone recently, "culminating in that threat on Wednesday night to potentially send weapons to other nations to hit Western targets".

Bennett added: "Whether or not he'll be drawn more on that, giving specific examples, I'm not so sure. 

"But I think he could potentially talk more about nuclear weapons, reiterating Russia's readiness to use them.

"The Kremlin likes to say that it's not Russia making the escalations here - they're merely responding to Western provocations. 

"Russia is merely defending itself."

Ukraine has the right to attack legitimate military targets in Russia, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said.  

"Ukraine has the right to self defence," Mr Stoltenberg said during a news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson at a military base near Stockholm. 

He added: "The right to self defence also includes the right to hit legitimate, military targets on the territory of the attacking party, the aggressor - in this case Russia." 

Mr Stoltenberg continued: "This is a war of attack that Russia has begun against a peaceful, democratic neighbouring country - Ukraine - that at no point has been a threat to Russia.

"There is no question that Ukraine has the right to hit targets on Russian territory."

The United States recently gave Ukraine permission to use American weapons on Russian territory near Kharkiv.

Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for the Russian foreign ministry, has claimed that HIMARS rockets have been used since then on civilian targets (8.36 post).

Vladimir Putin has said he is considering arming the West's enemies in retaliation.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has thanked France for its support as he addressed the country's National Assembly.

President Emmanuel Macron has said his country will send Mirage 2000 warplanes to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian president's speech was part of an official visit to France following the 80th anniversary commemorations of D-Day.

"I'm sure a day will come when Ukraine will see the same jets in our skies that we saw in Normandy skies yesterday," Mr Zelenskyy said.

"Your combat aviation [and] brilliant fighter jets under Ukrainian pilots' command will prove that Europe is stronger, stronger than [the] evil which dared to threaten it. 

"Now, just like 80 years ago, we can prove it — the power of our unity, the power of our alliance, the power of our shared ideals." 

He added: "Can Putin win the war? No, because we have no right to lose." 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has accused Emmanuel Macron of fuelling tensions across Europe.

Yesterday, the French president said he was planning to send Mirage 2000 warplanes to Ukraine.

The Moscow spokesman claimed Mr Macron had declared his absolute support for Kyiv - and shown his readiness for direct French involvement in the Russia/Ukraine conflict.

The French president did not say how many Mirages France would provide.

Nor did he say when it would happen, and under what financial terms.

France has proposed that Ukrainian pilots be trained in France from this summer, Mr Macron said.