Dutch TTF Natural Gas Futures, the benchmark for Europe’s gas trading, jumped early on Friday in Amsterdam by as much as 5%, before giving up some of the gains by midday. As of 12:24 p.m. Amsterdam time, prices were still rising, by 3.3% on the day, at $49.27 (47.23 euros) per megawatt-hour (MWh).

Slovakia could host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in the future after receiving approval from Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader who this week hosted Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico in Moscow, said he had offered his country to host negotiations about the end of the war as it will soon near its three-year mark.

Vladimir Putin says Russia is 'striving' to end the conflict in Ukraine. The Russian President said the Government was prepared to use intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missiles or to use more powerful intermediate-range weapons.