NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is set to visit the United States on 21-22 October to meet US President Donald Trump to discuss the Alliance's backing for Ukraine and Trump's peace efforts .

Preparations for the planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Budapest have been suspended, NBC News journalist Garrett Haake has reported.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, as urged by European leaders, would, in his words, mean "preserving the Nazi regime" and "banning the Russian language".

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said there are no confirmed dates for a summit between the leaders of the United States and Russia.

If a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine is ever signed, the United States could assume a leading role in monitoring a large buffer zone in Ukraine, designed to shield the country from renewed Russian aggression.

Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, has said that there are no agreements between Moscow and Washington regarding a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, US President Donald Trump and Putin.

European Union member states will send military instructors to Ukraine as part of the EUMAM training mission for Ukrainian troops, which will form part of the EU’s contribution to security guarantees for Ukraine once a ceasefire is established.

Russia maintains its long-standing position that NATO countries’ troops should not be deployed to Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday 27 August amid ongoing discussions regarding security guarantees for Ukraine.

Ukraine's Western partners have drafted a rough three-tier defence plan to ensure the country's security in the event the war ends.

A peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia may be achieved by the end of the year or even earlier, Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s Special Envoy for the Middle East, has said.

Reuters, citing sources, has reported that during peace negotiations this month aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, US and Russian government representatives discussed several energy deals.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul believes that Russia’s actions cast doubt on Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s willingness to achieve a just peace in Ukraine.

President of Finland Alexander Stubb believes that in the current negotiations to end the war, Russia is deliberately putting forward demands that cannot be accepted.

US President Donald Trump has said that he would prefer not to take part in a potential meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian ruler Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the role individual countries will play will become clear only after the full framework of security guarantees for Ukraine is defined.

The security guarantees for Ukraine, being negotiated by European countries and the United States, will consist of two levels.

Austria’s Foreign Ministry has said the country is ready to host talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

At a meeting of the European Commission on Wednesday, all members were briefed on the most recent days of diplomatic talks concerning Ukraine.

The 32 NATO member states have discussed the results of talks in Washington and the preparation of security guarantees for Ukraine during an ambassador-level meeting at NATO Headquarters on the morning of Wednesday 20 August.

The Kremlin has reported that Russian ruler Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have held a phone call amid intensified diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful settlement of the war in Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump has said that Washington may provide air support to Ukraine as part of a potential peace agreement with Russia.

European Council President António Costa has said that the European Union’s top priority in peace negotiations on Ukraine is for Russia to cease fire. Otherwise, the EU will increase sanctions pressure.

Following an online meeting of EU leaders, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has stated that only talks between the leaders of the US and Russia can prevent further military escalation.

US President Donald Trump has stated that on 18 August, he did not speak with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the presence of European leaders, as this would have been disrespectful to the Kremlin head.

US President Donald Trump has said that, as president, he will not authorise the deployment of American troops to Ukraine.

US and European officials are to begin working immediately on providing reliable security guarantees for Ukraine to pave the way for a landmark meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is holding consultations with European leaders at the Ukrainian Embassy in the US on Monday 18 August ahead of his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House.

Russia can only be forced to peace through strength – and US President Donald Trump has that strength, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said following a meeting with General Keith Kellogg, Trump’s Special Envoy for Ukraine, in Washington.