The issue of ceding territory remains a major sticking point in negotiations, and Vladimir Putin last week reiterated his goal to take eastern Ukraine “by force” unless his demands are met.

It comes as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky ruled out a ceasefire by Christmas, saying Russia is likely to reject a new European-backed peace proposal and that Ukraine must be ready to continue fighting.

Larry Fink’s BlackRock, Marc Rowan’s Apollo Global Management and Henry Kravis’s KKR are in talks to manage a US investment fund to bankroll postwar reconstruction in Ukraine,

Kurt Volker, former U.S. Ambassador to NATO, speaks with Bianna Golodryga about the negotiations underway in attempt to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

MOSCOW, Dec 7 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's outgoing Ukraine envoy said a deal to end the Ukraine war was "really close" and depended on resolving just two major issues but the Kremlin said there had to be radical changes to some of the U.S. proposals.

Meloni also told the ​Italian ‌parliament that ‍finding a ⁠legal way to use frozen Russian assets to help finance Ukraine remained "far from ​easy". She reaffirmed Italy's support for Kyiv, insisting Moscow must pay for war damages,