President Donald Trump's efforts to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war closely mirrors the tactics he used to end two years of fighting between Israel and Hamas: bold terms that favor one side, deadlines for the combatants and vague outlines for what comes next.

President Donald Trump says Ukraine and Russia are making progress in peace talks but called the conflict difficult to solve on Tuesday night.

The Kremlin has expressed fury after a transcript of a phone call leaked showing a Moscow aide agree that Putin would flatter Trump in a bid to reach a Ukraine peace deal.

Ukraine has destroyed a number of key Russian military targets in devastating air attacks over the past 24 hours. Despite facing intense Russian pressure, Kyiv's military continues to fight back strongly.

Trump and Putin held their call two days later, at Russia’s request, and the US president described the two-and-a-half-hour-long conversation as “very productive.” Afterward, he announced plans to meet with the Russian leader in Budapest, a summit that is yet to take place, and also mentioned that Putin had congratulated him on the Gaza deal.

In a matter of days, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll vaulted to a key negotiator in the Trump administration's push to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

Russia is threatening to reject President Donald Trump's Ukraine peace plan unless "key understandings" from his Alaska summit with President Putin are upheld.

The chairman of Russia's State Duma Defence Committee has issued Europe a chilling warning over the Ukraine war.