President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that Ukraine has to confront the possibility of losing its dignity or risking the loss of a key partner as it figures out how to respond to a U.S. peace proposal to end Russia's war with his country.

"This is one of the most difficult moments in our history," Zelensky said in a video address to the nation. "Currently, the pressure on Ukraine is one of the hardest. Ukraine may now face a very difficult choice, either losing its dignity or the risk of losing a key partner."

Russia is looking to use the U.S. proposals to end the war in Ukraine to stall sanctions from Washington and EU talks on using Moscow's frozen assets to fund Kyiv, the bloc's top diplomat said Friday.

World leaders arrived Friday for a historic first Group of 20 summit in Africa that aims to put the problems of poor countries at the top of the global agenda. But the talks have been undermined by a rift between host South Africa and the United States over a Trump administration boycott.

The weekend summit in Johannesburg will be attended by delegations from 18 of the world's richest and top developing economies — minus the U.S., which has branded South Africa's hosting a "disgrace " and won't participate in the talks.

A strong, 5.5 magnitude earthquake shook central Bangladesh on Friday, killing at least eight people and leaving more than 300 injured, authorities and local media said. Buildings in the country's capital, Dhaka, swayed in the temblor, sending panicked residents into the streets.

The quake hit at 10:38 a.m., with the epicenter in the Ghorashal area in Narsingdi district, about 25 kilometers (16 miles) from Dhaka. The U.S. Geological Survey said that it had a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles).

The leaders of Germany, France and the United Kingdom spoke by phone Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, assuring him of their continued support amid the war with Russia as European officials scrambled to respond to U.S. peace proposals that apparently caught them unawares.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer assured Ukraine of "their unchanged and full support on the way to a lasting and just peace," Merz's office said.

The International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday adopted a resolution that called on Iran to provide it with access and information regarding its nuclear program, as required under U.N. resolutions.

The resolution "urges Iran to comply fully and without delay with its legal obligations under... UNSC resolutions and to extend full and prompt cooperation to the IAEA, including by providing such information and access that the Agency requests," said the text, which was adopted by a vote of 19 for, three against and 12 abstentions.

An express train collided with another passenger train in the southern Czech Republic on Thursday, injuring dozens of people, officials said.

The accident took place near the city of Ceske Budejovice at around 6:20 a.m.

Indonesian authorities said Thursday they helped more than 170 climbers who were caught a day earlier by Mount Semeru's sudden eruption to return to safety as the seismic activity of Java island's highest volcano indicated that the eruption will continue.

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he plans to put greater attention on helping find an end to the brutal civil war in Sudan after being urged to take action by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Trump, who claims to have ended several wars since returning to office and has openly lobbied for the Nobel Peace Prize, admitted the conflict "wasn't on my charts" before his conversation with the crown prince.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Thursday Kyiv and Europe needed to be involved in any Ukraine peace plan, as the U.S. pushes a new proposal that appears to repeat Russia's demands.

"For any plan to work, it needs Ukrainians and Europeans on board," Kallas told reporters in Brussels.