A U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine was due to expire on Monday with both sides accusing each other of breaching the 72-hour arrangement, as American and European officials considered how they might steer the warring countries into further talks.

Ukrainian authorities said Monday that Russian drones, bombs and artillery shelling struck civilian areas of the northeastern Kharkiv and southern Kherson regions, killing at least two people and wounding seven others.

A French woman and two Americans tested positive or showed symptoms of hantavirus Monday as nations around the world scrambled to repatriate passengers from a cruise ship hit by an outbreak and quarantine or isolate them.

Passengers from the ship began flying home aboard military and government planes Sunday after the vessel anchored in the Canary Islands. Personnel in full-body protective gear and breathing masks had escorted the travelers from ship to shore in Tenerife in an effort that was continuing Monday.

China said Monday it was ready to work with the United States in the pursuit of "more stability" globally, ahead of this week's meeting between leaders Xi Jinping and Donald Trump.

"Top-level diplomacy plays an irreplaceable strategic guiding role in China-U.S. relations," foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a regular news briefing.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday accused Iran of "playing games" and laughing at America for decades, but said it soon would be made to stop -- without commenting directly on reports of Tehran's response to Washington's latest peace proposal.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards threatened Saturday to target U.S. sites in the Middle East if its tankers come under fire, Iranian media reported, as Washington was left waiting for Tehran's response to its latest negotiating position.

Iran's army warned on Sunday that countries complying with U.S. sanctions against the Islamic republic would face difficulties crossing the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he was expecting Iran's response to Washington's latest proposal on a deal to ending the Middle East war by "tonight."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that his soldiers in Ukraine were fighting an "aggressive force" backed by all of NATO, and that the Russian army's cause was "just", as he addressed an annual Victory Day parade on Red Square.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced a three-day ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia starting Saturday, saying he hoped it could lead to long term deal to end Moscow's war.

A U.S. fighter jet disabled two Iranian-flagged tankers to enforce a port blockade on Friday, prompting retaliatory attacks and rattling a shaky truce as Tehran weighed Washington's latest proposal to end the Middle East war.