Despite evidence that the conflict between Israel and Iran is escalating, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism on Sunday that peace would come soon and cited the possibility that Russia's Vladimir Putin could help.

A "two week" deadline imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump to see if Russia is serious about peace in Ukraine has been and gone, with Moscow's escalation of attacks on civilians during this period failing to draw the slightest condemnation from the White House.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with US President Donald Trump, the Russian state news agency TASS informs. Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov said the conversation lasted 50 minutes and was "useful.

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that special attention in the country's new arms programme should be paid to the nuclear triad - land-based, sea-based and aircraft-launched weapons.

Yuri Ushakov, foreign policy advisor to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, says Putin has held a phone call with US President Donald Trump. Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian state news agencies RIA Novosti and TASS Details: Ushakov stated that during the conversation,

Nuclear missile developer Dr Yury Dikov, 87, developer of deadly Bulava, Yars, and Sarmat [Satan-2] warheads, spoke as he was awarded a top honor in the Kremlin by the Moscow dictator - issuing a chilling warning in the process.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that drones had played a major role in the conflict in Ukraine and called for the rapid development and deployment of separate drone forces within the military.

Zelensky claims his troops ‘gradually pushing back’ Putin’s forces in Sumy - Russian forces seeking to create 'buffer zone' in Sumy after beating back Ukrainian incursion into Kursk

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with US President Donald Trump for 50 minutes on Saturday, focusing on hostilities between Israel and Iran and calling for efforts to bring them to an end. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin condemned the Israeli military operation against Iran and expressed concern about the risks of escalation.

A Russian economist has warned that the country may slide into "stagflation" by the end of the year if its leaders don't take action.

Ukraine has destroyed a Russian military convoy in a single strike using a U.S.-supplied HIMARS rocket system in the Donetsk region. According to early reports, more than 20 Russian soldiers were killed and many others injured in the attack,