Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that German troops could participate in a coalition to secure a demilitarized zone in Ukraine after a possible peace agreement with Russia.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told ABC News during an exclusive interview in Moscow on Monday that he believes the warring parties are close to a deal.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and 34 other countries have formally approved plans to create a compensation body for damages caused by Russia's invasion.

Finding a legal way to use frozen Russian assets to help finance Ukraine remains "far from easy", Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Wednesday, ahead of a summit of European Union leaders in Brussels.

The European Union wants to impose strict “Buy European” rules on Ukraine’s potential loan backed by Russian assets, which leaders will try to finalize during a summit on Thursday.

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has been given a final chance to turn over the 2.5 billion pounds ($3.25 billion) that he promised to give victims of Russia's war in Ukraine from the sale of Premier League club Chelsea,

But part is because Ukraine is keeping secret the methods it hopes will help it regain a winning edge elsewhere. Participants refuse to say how they circumvented the all-seeing eyes and kill-zones of the modern battlefield.

Ukraine controls nearly 90% of the strategic northeastern town of Kupiansk, its military chief said on Wednesday, but Russia's defence minister said a Ukrainian counter-attack on the town had been unsuccessful.

As they push for peace between Russia and Ukraine, President Donald Trump and his team are dangling the prospect of an investment bonanza once the killing stops. The glittering potential returns—Oil!