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.

The United States and its allies have agreed that a potential trilateral summit involving the leaders of Ukraine, the United States and Russia will take place in Europe.

US President Donald Trump was reportedly ready to cut short talks with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska due to Putin’s intransigence over his demand to annex the entire Donetsk Oblast.

US President Donald Trump has said that the goal of the Alaska summit with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is to bring Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table, and no decisions on Ukrainian territory will be made without Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump has departed Washington aboard Air Force One and is heading to Alaska to meet Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin for the highly-anticipated summit in an attempt to end the war in Ukraine.

A US official has said that "all options remain on the table" during the summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska, including the possibility of Trump walking out of the meeting if he does not believe that Putin is serious about making a deal.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has arrived at a hotel in Anchorage, Alaska, where US-Russia talks are to take place, wearing a jumper with an inscription likely spelling out "USSR".

US President Donald Trump has said that he believes Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is arriving at the Alaska summit on Friday 15 August, with the intention of "making a deal" to end the war in Ukraine.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna is convinced that only strong pressure can force Russia to agree to an immediate ceasefire.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said she is satisfied with the unity of purpose in the West following a 13 August discussion with European leaders and US President Donald Trump regarding the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Ukraine's allies are assessing the possibility of easing sanctions against Russia if a ceasefire is achieved in the Russo-Ukrainian war.