There is an air of desperation around Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky these days as he tries to convince his Western allies, the United States in particular, that he has a realistic plan to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to give up his maximalist goals and sue for peace.

Ukraine said it destroyed a large weapons stockpile in Russia overnight using long-range drones to stage the attack as Kyiv awaits U.S. permission to use western-made missiles in such operations. About 100 explosive-laden unmanned aircraft destroyed a large cache of Iskander and Tochka-U missiles as well as glide bombs in Toropets,

Ukraine's "victory plan" in the war against Russia depends on quick decisions being taken by allies this year, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday during a visit by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Russia on Friday dismissed a "victory plan" elaborated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as a gambit to keep the West onside and said it had nothing to do with the search for a diplomatic or political solution to end the war.

Ukrainian president tells press conference with Ursula von der Leyen that Ukraine plans to use EU loan for air defence, energy and weapons purchases