Putin may have signalled in last week's interview with right-wing US talk show host Tucker Carlson that Russia was interested in negotiations but this would be so much on Moscow's own terms that Kyiv would not countenance such talks.

President Daniel Noboa announced last month that Quito had agreed to exchange Russian military equipment that had become "scrap metal" for new US weapons worth around $200 million.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war, migration, the climate crisis and the "despicable" practice of surrogate motherhood made it to the list

Russia has also had to find new markets for its natural gas exports as Moscow cut its exports to EU nations, which have also looked for new suppliers.

The Russian leader will "sum up the results of the year", his spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

The crunch summit in Brussels -- which diplomats fear could drag on longer than the two days planned -- comes as fears mount over Western backing for Ukraine nearly two years into Russia's war.

The Russian military has also lost some 2,200 of the 3,500 tanks it had before the start of the conflict, the source said, citing a declassified US intelligence assessment shared with Congress.

In a flurry of diplomatic activity after the White House announced Zelensky's visit, an aide for Mike Johnson said the new Republican speaker for the House of Representatives will also meet with the Ukrainian leader Tuesday.

The first was harsh, but the servicemen said they have learned to manage, particularly by installing heating.

Zelensky made a plea for air defence, long-range missiles and ammunition in the face of fears that the Hamas attack on Israel could distract key backer the United States from the conflict in his country.

Russia launched the strikes as Ukraine prepares for a third winter during Moscow's 19-month long invasion and as President Volodymyr Zelensky made his second wartime trip to Washington.

Ukraine's first lady urged world leaders on Tuesday to help return Ukrainian children forcibly taken to Russia, where she said they are being indoctrinated and deprived of their national identity.

Ukraine on Tuesday said the International Court of Justice should impose reparations on Russia for its "war of annihilation", arguing that international law itself was at stake.

Pope Francis met on Monday with the new Russian ambassador to the Vatican, who said they discussed the pontiff's efforts to bring peace to Ukraine.

Unfortunately, the ministry did not provide further details regarding the specific parts of the sea that would be affected by this declaration.

Diplomats said Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela had opposed language criticising Russia, and other countries--while agreeing to support Ukraine's sovereignty--had stressed that different crises and conflicts were also worthy of the world's attention.

South Africa is the current chair of the BRICS group, a gathering of heavyweights that also includes Brazil, Russia, India and China, which sees itself as a counterweight to Western economic domination.

Speculation arose in Russian media suggesting that the assailant may have tracked Rzhitsky through his profile on the fitness app, Strava.

Russia seems to have moved to take direct control of the Wagner Group amid war with Ukraine.

Amid Ukraine invasion that started more than a year ago, the war has seemed to move to Russia.

The Ukrainian president and Sunak spoke for approximately two hours on Monday at Chequers, which is close to London.

President Zelensky says the new tranche is the largest since the beginning of the full-scale aggression by Russia in February 2022.

In the most recent Russian raids, which lasted more than four hours, Iranian-made Shahed kamikaze drones were used.

The mayor of Kyiv reported that 60 Iranian-made kamikaze drones had been fired by Russia at targets in Ukraine, including 36 toward the city.

A day after blaming Ukraine for the alleged attack, Putin's spokesperson said that Washington had supported it.

The Wagner mercenary company, which has been targeting the eastern Bakhmut city, is responsible for half of the fatalities.

Russian Wagner Group were planning to do business close to the U.S, revealed leaked classified U.S. documents.

The German defence ministry said that the first shipment of Leopard 2 tanks from the country has been sent to Ukraine.

As war continues in Ukraine, it has three options, but peace talks are not included, said experts.

Nato's secretary general cautioned that Vladimir Putin has no immediate intentions for peace in Ukraine.