Russia has yet again ignored Donald Trump’s bid to hold a summit between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky and said attempts to resolve security issues for Kyiv without Moscow’s participation was a “road to nowhere”.

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO defense chiefs were due to hold a virtual meeting Wednesday, a senior alliance official said, as Western countries pushing for an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine devise possible future security guarantees for Kyiv that could help forge a peace agreement.

Russia said Wednesday attempts to resolve security issues relating to Ukraine without Moscow's participation were a "road to nowhere," and that much diplomatic work needs to be done before Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy are ever in the same room.

President Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House on Monday, an event the U.S. president called "a very good, early step" to possibly resolve the war in Ukraine.

NATO war jets have been forced to scramble after Vladimir Putin unleashed a terrifying drone strike on Odesa. It comes as hopes of ending the gruelling conflict continue to falter after

Officials told Reuters that the Pentagon is carrying out planning exercises on the support Washington could offer beyond providing weapons.

Just after noon, European leaders including Macron, Starmer, von der Leyen, Rutte, and Meloni began arriving one by one at the White House. According to the White House schedule, Trump will first meet with Zelensky at 1:15 p.m. before greeting the European leaders, followed by a multilateral meeting with all parties at 3:00 p.m.