Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces launched a massive aerial assault on Ukraine early Thursday for the second time in two days.

Marco Rubio and Sergei Lavrov exchanged new ideas for ending the Ukraine conflict amid Trump's consideration of increased sanctions against Russia and military aid to Ukraine

North Korea's renewed military support for Russia comes as US President Donald Trump has resumed military supplies to Ukraine, after a brief hiatus. Trump told NBC News on Thursday that he had made a deal with Nato for the US to send Patriot air defence systems to Ukraine via the alliance, after a surge of Russian aerial attacks.

President Trump is weighing new funding for Ukraine for the first time since taking office in January, diplomatic sources told CBS News.

Donald Trump has said he plans to make a “major statement” on Russia next week, as he signalled the US would sell more weapons to allies to send to Ukraine, including Patriot missile systems. The US president renewed his criticism of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in an interview with NBC News,