British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to London on Thursday, a day before a critical U.S.-Russia summit in Alaska.

Zelensky's trip to the British capital comes a day after he took part in virtual meetings from Berlin with U.S. President Donald Trump and the leaders of several European countries. Those leaders said Trump had assured them he would make a priority of trying to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine when he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Anchorage.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has mocked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's offer to help with Iran's water crisis.

Pezeshkian said Wednesday on X that Israel has denied Palestinians access to water and food, so can't be trusted.

President Donald Trump warned Wednesday that there will be "very severe consequences" if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not agree to stop the war against Ukraine after the two leaders meet for a summit later this week in Alaska.

Trump made the comment in response to a question from a reporter after announcing this year's Kennedy Center Honors recipients in Washington. He did not say what the consequences might be.

For most of his quarter-century rule, President Vladimir Putin visited Paris, London, Vienna and New York. Since Moscow invaded Ukraine, however, his destinations have been places like Minsk, Pyongyang, Hanoi and Beijing, as the West sought to turn Russia into a pariah.

Russia has countered Western attempts to isolate it by bolstering its ties with ex-Soviet allies and other developing countries. Putin's travel also has been limited by an International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued in 2023 that has prompted him to avoid visits to places that recognize the court's authority. The U.S. isn't a member of the court and thus doesn't have an obligation to arrest him.

Russia's offensive in eastern Ukraine was gaining speed and seizing more ground Wednesday ahead of a summit in Alaska between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin.

According to an AFP analysis of battlefield data from the US-based Institute for the Study of War, Russian forces have made their biggest 24-hour advance into Ukraine in more than a year.

U.S. President Donald Trump praised European leaders as "great people" on Wednesday ahead of talks in Berlin on ending the war in Ukraine.

Trump was to participate in a conference call with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of his summit with Russia's Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday.

Britain, France and Germany have told the United Nations they are ready to reimpose U.N.-mandated sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program if no diplomatic solution is found by the end of August, according to a joint letter obtained by AFP.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that Ukraine and its allies must work together to pressure Russia into ending its invasion, ahead of talks in Berlin with European leaders and U.S. leader Donald Trump.

Ukraine on Tuesday ruled out withdrawing troops from its Donbas region as part of a peace deal with Russia, after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested both sides would have to cede territory.

The Council of Europe urged its member states on Tuesday to halt deliveries of weapons to Israel if they could be used for human rights violations.