NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte issued a stark warning to Western allies about the reality of the threat posed by Russia, as negotiations are making slow progress to end the war in Ukraine and the U.S. pressures Kyiv to make painful compromises with the Kremlin, including on territorial concessions.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Berlin, Germany on Monday with senior American and European leaders for the second consecutive day, in the U.S.'s latest attempt to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

European leaders are gathering for a pivotal summit in Brussels to decide whether the EU will be loaning tens of billions of euros in frozen Russian assets to Ukraine. Some members firmly oppose the move but without these funds,

Russia-Ukraine peace talks are “more on pause” than they are active, the Kremlin said Friday, in an acknowledgement that confirms what Ukraine has been warning for months – negotiations are faltering despite a push from US President Donald Trump.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told ABC News during an exclusive interview in Moscow on Monday that he believes the warring parties are close to a deal.

But part is because Ukraine is keeping secret the methods it hopes will help it regain a winning edge elsewhere. Participants refuse to say how they circumvented the all-seeing eyes and kill-zones of the modern battlefield.

Washington and Kyiv appear to have made notable shifts to secure progress, but big questions remain, not least whether Moscow will once again reject making concessions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and 34 other countries have formally approved plans to create a compensation body for damages caused by Russia's invasion.