For most of his quarter-century rule, President Vladimir Putin visited Paris, London, Vienna and New York. Since Moscow invaded Ukraine, however, his destinations have been places like Minsk, Pyongyang, Hanoi and Beijing, as the West sought to turn Russia into a pariah.

Russia has countered Western attempts to isolate it by bolstering its ties with ex-Soviet allies and other developing countries. Putin's travel also has been limited by an International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued in 2023 that has prompted him to avoid visits to places that recognize the court's authority. The U.S. isn't a member of the court and thus doesn't have an obligation to arrest him.

Russia's offensive in eastern Ukraine was gaining speed and seizing more ground Wednesday ahead of a summit in Alaska between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin.

According to an AFP analysis of battlefield data from the US-based Institute for the Study of War, Russian forces have made their biggest 24-hour advance into Ukraine in more than a year.

U.S. President Donald Trump praised European leaders as "great people" on Wednesday ahead of talks in Berlin on ending the war in Ukraine.

Trump was to participate in a conference call with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of his summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

Britain, France and Germany have told the United Nations they are ready to reimpose U.N.-mandated sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program if no diplomatic solution is found by the end of August, according to a joint letter obtained by AFP.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that Ukraine and its allies must work together to pressure Russia into ending its invasion, ahead of talks in Berlin with European leaders and U.S. leader Donald Trump.

Ukraine on Tuesday ruled out withdrawing troops from its Donbas region as part of a peace deal with Russia, after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested both sides would have to cede territory.

The Council of Europe urged its member states on Tuesday to halt deliveries of weapons to Israel if they could be used for human rights violations.

Europe again increased its military aid to Ukraine in May and June, unlike the United States, and is depending increasingly on its defense industry rather than existing weapons stockpiles, the Kiel Institute for the World Economy said Tuesday.

Ukraine said Tuesday it was engaged in "difficult" battles with Russian forces after Moscow had made rapid advances in a narrow but important section of the front line in the country's east.

Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky said Tuesday that Moscow was not seeking peace in Ukraine and was instead preparing new attacks, ahead of a meeting between the Russian and U.S. leaders.