In September 2022, Moscow claimed to have annexed the four Ukrainian regions and to this day it does not fully control them. Putin illegally annexed Crimea in 2014. Kyiv has repeatedly rejected any suggestion it would surrender the regions.

Donald Trump offered Vladimir Putin “large-scale trade” with the US after the war in Ukraine is over, following a two-hour phone call between the two men. Mr Trump said ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will start immediately after his “excellent” phone call with the Russian president.

Referring to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Trump said the discussion will focus on "stopping the bloodbath."