Russia's defense ministry published a video Wednesday of a downed drone that it says Ukraine launched at President Vladimir Putin's residence in north-west Russia this week -- a claim Kyiv has denied as a "lie."

The EU's top diplomat accused Russia Wednesday of pushing "unfounded claims" that Ukraine fired drones at a residence of President Vladimir Putin, branding the allegation a "deliberate distraction" from peace efforts.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday said his country's answer to an attack would be harsh, which appeared to be in response to a warning by U.S. President Donald Trump over reconstruction of Iran's nuclear program.

"Answer of Islamic Republic of Iran to any cruel aggression will be harsh and discouraging," Pezeshkian said on the social media platform X.

President Donald Trump has indicated that the U.S. has "hit" a dock facility along a shore as he wages a pressure campaign on Venezuela, but the U.S. offered few details.

Trump initially seemed to confirm a strike in what appeared to be an impromptu radio interview Friday, and when questioned Monday by reporters about "an explosion in Venezuela," he said the U.S. struck a facility where boats accused of carrying drugs "load up."

European leaders were due to hold talks Tuesday on U.S.-led peace efforts to end the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine, amid a flare-up in tensions between Moscow and Kyiv over Russian claims, denied by Ukraine, of a mass drone attack on a lakeside residence used by President Vladimir Putin.

The virtual European meeting was expected to gather leaders who attended talks in Berlin earlier this month, according to Polish government spokesman Adam Szłapka, although it was not clear who would be taking part.

Russia has given no "plausible evidence" for its claim that Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack on one of President Vladimir Putin's homes, Ukraine said Tuesday.

"Almost a day passed and Russia still hasn't provided any plausible evidence to its accusations of Ukraine's alleged 'attack on Putin's residence.' And they won't. Because there's none. No such attack happened," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said in a post on X.

China flexes blockade capabilities near Taiwan on second day of military drills

China's People's Liberation Army staged a second day of large-scale military drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, unleashing a live-fire show of force as part of what it called "Justice Mission 2025" to demonstrate its ability to deter any external armed support for the self-ruled island that it has long insisted is part of its sovereign territory.

Iran's president urged his government to listen to the "legitimate demands" of protesters, state media reported Tuesday, after several days of demonstrations by shopkeepers in Tehran over economic hardships.

Shopkeepers in the capital had shut their stores for the second day in a row on Monday, after Iran's embattled currency hit new lows on the unofficial market.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran of fresh strikes and said Hamas would have "hell to pay" if it fails to disarm in Gaza, as he presented a united front with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.

Speaking at a news conference with Netanyahu in Florida, Trump threatened to "eradicate" any attempt by Tehran to rebuild its nuclear program or ballistic missile arsenal following U.S. and Israeli strikes earlier this year.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran against reconstituting its nuclear program Monday as he welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to his home in Florida for wide-ranging talks.