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.

Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, said Monday that it was selling its investments in 11 Israeli companies, following reports it had invested in an Israeli jet engine maker even as the war in Gaza raged.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday he will deploy military and federal law enforcement in Washington as he seeks to curb violent crime in the nation's capital.