Oil prices were largely unchanged on Monday after a drop in early trade, as the United States exerted no further pressure on Russia to end the Ukraine war through measures to disrupt its oil exports following a meeting of the leaders of both nations.

In President Donald Trump’s warm red-carpet greeting at the Alaska summit, Russians saw an opening to pull America away from its traditional allies in Europe.

Last week, the Kremlin's troops were reported to have driven through exposed Ukrainian defences near Dobropillia in Donetsk, marching as far as six miles behind the front line in just 48 hours.