Russia claims to have captured the strategically important Ukrainian town of Velyka Novosilka, as Vladimir Putin’s forces continue their push in the Donetsk region.While Moscow’s claims could not be independently verified,

Volodymyr Zelensky has stated his belief that a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine could be made under Donald Trump’s presidency but demanded Kyiv be included in any peace talks.The Ukrainian president also said on Saturday that the terms of any deal that might arise under the new US president were still unclear – and might not even be clear to Trump himself – because Vladimir Putin had no interest in ending the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said allies should work towards determining a format for potential peace talks with Russia, reiterating that only talks involving Kyiv could bring about a sustainable peace.