Leaders from Europe and Canada have held talks on U.S.-led peace efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has claimed that Kyiv launched a drone attack on Putin’s state residence on Sunday (28 December). Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky has denied the allegations, dismissing them as “typical Russian lies”.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has admitted his country “can’t win” its war against Russia without US support. In a candid moment Monday, Zelensky underscored the importance of American military weapons to defend his country’s airspace and fight the Russians on the battlefield.

WASHINGTON, Dec 30 (Reuters) - U.S. ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker cast doubt on Tuesday on Russia’s accusation that Ukraine attacked President Vladimir Putin’s residence, saying he wants to see U.S. intelligence on the incident.

The United States and Ukraine have reached a consensus on several critical issues to end the nearly four-year conflict with Russia.

The United States is offering Ukraine security guarantees for a period of 15 years as part of a proposed peace plan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday, though he said he would prefer an American commitment of up to 50 years to deter Russia from further attempts to seize its neighbor’s land by force.

A steep rise in soldiers' obituaries is documented by the BBC as part of its work in counting Russian war losses.

By Andrea Shalal and Gram Slattery PALM BEACH, Florida, Dec 28 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy were "getting a lot closer, maybe very close" to an agreement to end the war in Ukraine,