Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday pressed allies for ironclad security guarantees against any renewed Russian attack while also seeking progress on EU membership talks and tougher sanctions on Moscow.

Most Ukrainians see this as a ruse that could allow Vladimir Putin to circumvent Ukraine’s defences and continue his invasion. Even with its impressive fortifications, in the past few months Ukraine has been losing ground. Most of the city of Pokrovsk has fallen.

An explicit commitment that Washington would backstop Kyiv was scrapped in the leaders’ final joint statement.

The European Commission has announced plans to phase out imports of Russian liquefied natural gas by the end of 2026. As Europe proceeds with this goal, will it deliver?

Ukraine’s allies are meeting Tuesday in Paris for key talks that could help determine the country’s security after a potential ceasefire with Russia. But prospects for progress are uncertain with the Trump administration's focus shifting to Venezuela.