Russia launched “massive” strikes across Ukraine overnight, rescue services said yesterday, a new blow to peace efforts that drew a fresh appeal from President Volodymyr Zelensky for US and European help.

On the eve of a visit to China, Russian leader Vladimir Putin blasted Western sanctions as his country’s economy teetered on the brink of recession, wounded by trade curbs and the cost of his war in Ukraine.

Ukrainian Navy’s reconnaissance ship Simferopol, which was reportedly the largest ship commissioned by the country in over a decade, has been hit and sunk in a naval drone strike, the Russian Defence Ministry announced on Thursday.

"Europe must not miss this opportunity -– it should define real foundations for joint action," Zelensky said

Russia pounded Ukraine with deadly missiles and drone strikes early yesterday in a sweeping attack that President Volodymyr Zelensky said was Moscow’s answer to diplomatic efforts to end its war.

US President Donald Trump renewed a threat to impose sanctions on Russia if there is no progress toward a peaceful settlement in Ukraine in two weeks, showing frustration at Moscow a week after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

Russia yesterday ruled out an immediate meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, as diplomatic tension escalated with the Ukrainian president and US mediation efforts appeared to stumble.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he could meet with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, but only after his allies agree security guarantees for Ukraine to deter future Russian attacks once the fighting stops.

Russia on Tuesday returned the bodies of what it said were 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers, five of whom died while in captivity, a Ukrainian government agency said.

US President Donald Trump yesterday said he hoped Russia’s Vladimir Putin would move forward on ending the war in Ukraine, but conceded that the Kremlin leader may not want to make a deal at all, adding this would create a “rough situation” for Putin.

Ushakov in his remarks did not specify what he meant by raising the level at meetings, and did not directly address the possibility of a trilateral meeting between the leaders

The negative focus on Zelenskiy's attire at the White House earlier in February was widely criticised at the time by Ukrainians, who have largely rallied around their leader since Moscow's invasion.

During an interview on Fox News' "The Ingraham Angle" show, Rutte said security guarantees for Ukraine were discussed in the meeting and that there was no discussion about boots on the ground.

Trump pressures Ukraine to compromise, warns against NATO aspirations

European leaders including from Germany, France and Britain will accompany Volodymyr Zelensky to meet Donald Trump in Washington, they said yesterday, seeking to bolster him as the US president presses Ukraine to accept a quick peace agreement.

Ukrainian drones hit a Russian oil refinery and an apartment block in an overnight attack just hours before US President Donald Trump hosts his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for a high-stakes summit in Alaska.

The US and Russian presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are to meet at a US air base in Alaska on Friday for talks on the Ukraine war.

Ukraine won’t surrender land to Russia to buy peace, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned yesterday, after Washington and Moscow agreed to hold a summit in a bid to end the war.

Ukrainian drone strikes killed three people and wounded two others overnight in western Russia, regional governors said yesterday.

It also said 159 people were wounded in Thursday's strikes, including 16 children