Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that talks about a security guarantee for Ukraine – against Russia – must involve Moscow itself. "Moscow won't agree with collective security guarantees negotiated without Russia," he said, implying a Russian veto over defenses for Ukraine.

U.S. President Donald Trump started the week declaring a diplomatic breakthrough in his bid to prod Moscow and Kyiv closer to peace, announcing he had begun arranging for direct talks between Russia's Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Ukraine’s attacks, encouraged by President Trump, have disrupted flows and triggered angry reactions from regional leaders.

U.S. President Donald Trump started the week declaring a diplomatic breakthrough in his bid to prod Moscow and Kyiv closer to peace, announcing he had begun arranging for direct talks between Russia's Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Special U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff says Russian leader Vladimir Putin agreed to allow the U.S. and Europe to offer Ukraine a security guarantee resembling NATO's collective defense mandate.

Ukrainian forces obliterated a critical part of Russia’s Druzhba oil pipeline overnight — as Kyiv fought back against Moscow’s ramped-up attacks despite ongoing peace deal talks.

By Twesha Dikshit (Reuters) -European shares edged higher on Tuesday as investors weighed the possibility of a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine following encouraging diplomatic signals after a White House meeting with European leaders.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief said Friday that the possibility of Ukraine ceding land to Russia as part of a peace deal to end their three-year war is “a trap” set by Russian President Vladimir Putin.