Russian President Vladimir Putin told U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call on Thursday that Moscow wants a negotiated end to the Ukraine war but will not step back from its original goals, a Kremlin aide said.

The call comes ahead of an expected conversation between the US president and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

President Donald Trump revealed he is speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday morning. Their call occurs just days after the Trump administration decided to halt some military aid to Ukraine,

It's a clear message to step up our own support, ramping up our European defense capacities, not only at the level of the European Union, but at the continental level,' von der Leyen told a press conference in Aarhus,

Analysts say Ukraine’s European allies can fill some of the gaps and provide artillery systems. But they don’t possess alternatives to the U.S.-made HIMARS missiles and air defense systems, especially Patriots, which are crucial to help defend Ukrainian cities.

IN RECENT WEEKS Ukraine has endured some of the most intense drone and missile bombardments since the start of Russia’s full-on invasion three years ago. There could scarcely be a worse time for America to halt the delivery of precious air-defence equipment.

A view shows a scene of an explosion in which, according to Russia's investigative committee, Russian general Igor Kirillov, in charge of nuclear protection forces, and his assistant were killed, in Moscow,

Ukraine killed a senior Russian navy commander in a strike, but it may do little to ease anxiety over diminishing support from the White House.

Major General Mikhail Gudkov was killed in the Kursk region during what Russia's defence ministry described as "combat work".