When Russian and Ukrainian peace negotiators met last month, they could agree on little more than exchanging bodies. Those negotiations, brokered by the Trump administration, appeared to show its goal of ending the war was deeply stalled.

Russia's defence ministry says more than 230 Ukrainian drones have been downed over Russia since Saturday morning.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he wants a meeting with Russia next week to push forward ceasefire talks.

Fresh off securing a plan to receive more U.S. weaponry, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed a new prime minister – the key negotiator of his country’s deal with the U.S. to partner on the development of minerals.

Russia now controls more than two-thirds of Ukraine’s Donetsk region — the main theater of the ground war. Russian forces have carved out a 10-mile-deep pocket around the Ukrainian troops defending the crucial city of Kostiantynivka, partly surrounding them from the east, south and west.

The Pentagon moved Germany to the front of the line for the air-defense systems after President Trump said allies will pay for additional Ukraine weapons.

For the past three years carpenter Matt has been delivering aid to the city of Sumy, which is on the front line of the war in Ukraine. Every six weeks he makes the 2,000-mile (3,219km) trip from his home in Oxfordshire, working extra days so he can afford to regularly drive to the warzone.

Britain and Germany are set to pledge new air defense systems for Ukraine as the UK government pushes for a “50-day drive” to arm Kyiv and bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.