The Kremlin has been discussing Donald Trump's claims that a meeting between him and Vladimir Putin is being set up. Meanwhile, Russian elites are concerned with Vladimir Putin's efforts to wage a full-scale war in Ukraine.

The president-elect had said Russia’s leader wanted to meet him to discuss the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin said it welcomed such dialogue, but a meeting could occur only after Mr. Trump took office.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcomed what he said was Donald Trump’s “readiness to solve problems through dialogue.” The last U.S.-Russian summit was in 2021.

Donald Trump said talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin were in the works and while the president-elect provided no timeline, he stressed that his preference would be for after his Jan. 20 inauguration.

President-elect Trump said late Thursday that a meeting is in the works with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine. Why it matters: Trump said on the campaign trail that he would swiftly end the nearly three-year-old war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office.

The report documents violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws, including possible war crimes

On the last day, 161 combat engagements were registered in the frontline. Most of the fighting took place near Pokrovsk and in the Kursk region, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Russia was once again in flames today as a suspected Ukrainian drone strike' devastated a chemical plant in Vladimir Putin's home city of St Petersburg, leaving a "pillar of fire". Huge repeated explosions were heard at the facility in Gatchina - which makes acetone that can be used for military explosives and rocket fuel.