Shona Murray

Vladimir Zelensky wants a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin in an open letter.

The Ukrainian president said he doesn't want to wait for the U.S.

to shift its focus back from the Middle East before talking to his Russian counterpart in a bid to end the war.

Shona Murray, Europe correspondent with Euronews, is with us now.

Good morning, Shona.

Morning, Clare.

So is this an attempt to really set up a meeting between the two or is it just to draw focus back to what's been happening in Ukraine?

Okay, I wondered whether it was a genuine attempt though to set up a meeting because there were a couple of pops at Putin in the letter too, weren't there?

Well, there may be some confidence there as well, due to the fact that those long range strikes from Ukraine into Russia, they've just managed to, it would appear from looking at it from here, complicated Russian advancements, you know, to be part of the reason for those inch by inch movements that you've mentioned.

OK, so we've had no meaningful response from Russia to this letter as of yet.

They've acknowledged publicly that they have received it.

But Emmanuel Macron is among those who has encouraged the potential or the possibility of a meeting between the two.

Shona, thank you very much.

Shona Murray there joining us from Euronews.

We're hearing all this week that another flotilla interception of a Gaza-bound flotilla occurred.

And my first guest this morning was in fact part of the medical boat which supported the flotilla.

It was made up of doctors and nurses bringing medical supplies to Gaza and also providing medical care for flotilla activists in the event of any misadventure occurring.

Well, she joins me on the line.

Maureen Alma, good morning.

Can you tell us about your role in this latest flotilla?