European shares extend gains ahead of US-Russia talks
The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 0.3% by 0708 GMT, hovering near its strongest level since July 31.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy won diplomatic backing from Europe and the NATO alliance ahead of a Russia-U.S. summit this week, where Kyiv fears Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump may try to dictate terms for ending the 3-1/2-year war.
Trump, who is set to meet Putin in Alaska on Friday, said a potential deal would involve 'some swapping of territories to the betterment of both (sides).'
Hopes of a peace deal weighed on German defence companies.
Shares of Rheinmetall dropped 3.7%, while those in Renk and Hensoldt were down 3% and 2.1%, respectively.
Orsted plunged 22% after the Danish wind farm developer said it plans a 60-billion-crown ($9.4 billion) rights issue, citing adverse development in the U.S. offshore wind market.
Northern Data dropped nearly 3% after U.S. video platform and cloud services provider Rumble said it was considering an offer of about $1.17 billion for the German AI cloud group.
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