U.S. President Joe Biden's administration imposed its broadest package of sanctions so far targeting Russia's oil and gas revenues on Friday, in an effort to give Kyiv and Donald Trump's incoming team leverage to reach a deal for peace in Ukraine.

Thousands of protesters in the Slovak capital held banners and chanted slogans on Friday accusing Prime Minister Robert Fico of dragging the country towards Russia after he met President Vladimir Putin last month amid a gas dispute with Ukraine.

Ukraine's leader says partners sending ground troops would help "force Russia into peace," as America's European allies ponder Trump's next move.

Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, has blocked an air defence package worth €3 billion (£2.5 billion) for Ukraine in one of his last key decisions before the election, according to German media reports.

Russian forces have used reconnaissance drones to support their deep-strike operations in Ukraine. This has been a major headache for Kyiv.

US President Joe Biden has said he has done everything he could to help Ukraine. He has also expressed his hopes that the United States will continue to support Kyiv under the incoming administration of Donald Trump.

Russia accused Ukraine on Friday of carrying out a missile strike on a supermarket in the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. Denis Pushilin, who heads the parts of Donetsk region controlled by Russia,

The Biden administration has announced the final tranche of military aid it will send to Ukraine, amounting to about $500 million.

The White House seized a rare chance to undermine Russia and build up regional allies as it built a coalition to support the Ukrainians.

If Ukraine falls, it will be hard to spin as anything but a debacle for the United States, and for its president.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin used their final meeting in Germany to press the incoming Trump administration not to give up on Kyiv’s fight.