Meanwhile the US president says Europe should provide the security guarantees after any ceasefire deal with Russia.

Putin welcomed the idea of sweeping joint defense cuts and suggested the world's biggest defense spender could join.

A top security aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as the Kremlin builds ties with Southeast Asian nations seeking to offset the risks of the growing competition between the US and China.

A US-educated former Goldman Sachs banker, with no formal diplomatic role at the time, Dmitriev cut an unexpected figure at the talks next to more conventional members of the Russian delegation such as foreign minister Sergei Lavrov.

But, from Mr Putin’s point of view, he had good reason to be part of it. As the boss of one of Russia’s state-backed investment funds, Mr Dmitriev has been cutting deals for more than a decade. Mr Putin wants America to loosen sanctions on his economy.

In the epic US-Russian prisoner swap last summer, Vladimir Putin brought home an assassin, spies, and another prized ally: the man behind one of the biggest insider trading cases of all time.

"The View" co-host Joy Behar suggested that President Donald Trump might owe something to Russian Vladimir Putin during a discussion about his admin's posture on the war.

Sir Keir Starmer has reiterated his call for a US security guarantee in Ukraine to deter Vladimir Putin from invading again, as he prepares to meet Donald Trump. Speaking on the plane to Washington DC,

Ukraine holds trillions of dollars worth of rare earth elements, which are critical for the modern high-tech economy.

As a senator, Marco Rubio prided himself on challenging tyrants. But as secretary of state, President Trump has tasked him with helping to potentially turn Russia from an enemy into an ally.