President Donald Trump on Monday sought to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin in a bid to secure an end to Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Peace talks and a settlement in Ukraine have never been on the real agenda of the West, Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday, in her first comments on negotiations since Russian and Ukrainian officials held talks on Wednesday.

Others with a stake in Ukraine’s security and relations with Russia must stay engaged too, argues the Nobel Peace Prize winner

Kyiv and Moscow will hold a new round of peace talks — the first in seven weeks — on Wednesday in Turkey, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Ukrainian drones pummelled the Russian Black Sea city of Sochi - where Vladimir Putin is building his own palace - as Russia's bombs rocked the Ukrainian resort of Odesa

Russia and Ukraine discussed further prisoner swaps on Wednesday (July 23) at a brief session of peace talks in Istanbul, but the sides remained far apart on ceasefire terms and a possible meeting of their leaders.

Oil prices rose 2% on Monday after a trade deal between the U.S. and the European Union, and U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that he would shorten the deadline for Russia to end its war in Ukraine or face sanctions.