US President Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine are “very close to a deal” that would end their three-year war, after his envoy met with President Vladimir Putin on Friday in talks Moscow said were “constructive and very useful.

US envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin had "constructive" talks in Moscow on Friday lasting three hours, according to an aide of Putin's. Yuri Ushakov said the possibility of Russia and Ukraine resuming direct talks was a particular point of discussion.

Donald Trump says that he can see "success" on a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine with talks going "smoothly" but he has continued to put pressure on Volodymyr Zelensky. The US leader said today that “Crimea will stay with Russia” which was another example of how he is trying to get Ukraine to make concessions to end the war while the country remains under siege.