Vladimir Putin has vowed Russia will prevail in Ukraine, as Kyiv awaits word from Donald Trump about whether it can use long-range missiles that would bring Moscow within its range.
In a video message on the Kremlin’s website, Mr Putin said: “Our fighters and commanders go on the attack, and the entire country, all of Russia, is waging this righteous battle and working hard.
“We are fighting and we are prevailing.”
Ukraine war – follow latest updates
Mr Putin‘s comments come as Russian forces claimed they’d seized control of two more frontline settlements in key areas of eastern Ukraine‘s Donetsk region.
They are Shandryholove and Zarichne, two settlements northeast of Sloviansk – a key city it aims to capture as part of its westward push through Donetsk. Ukraine has not confirmed their capture.
Russia has been making steady gains along the frontline in eastern and southern Ukraine, frequently announcing the capture of new villages, though often with significant troop and equipment losses.
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US considering Kyiv’s request for Tomahawk missiles
Donald Trump, who had previously taken a different position, said last week Ukraine has a chance to reclaim all of its lost territory.
It marked a further shift in his position on the war, having grown frustrated with Mr Putin’s unwillingness to stop the fighting following the pair’s self-proclaimed peace summit in Alaska.
Ukraine remains hopeful of persuading the US to let it use long-range Tomahawk missiles that could hit Moscow.
Vice President JD Vance has suggested that Mr Trump was looking into the matter, and the US special envoy on Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, doubled down on that possibility.
“Reading what [Trump] has said, and reading what Vice President Vance has said… the answer is yes. Use the ability to hit deep. There are no such things as sanctuaries,” he told Fox News on Monday.
Mr Vance has said the US president would make the “final determination” on whether to allow their use.
Commenting on the development, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the allegations are “very serious” and “we are studying them”.
What are Tomahawks?
Originally developed during the Cold War, Tomahawk missiles serve as the US Navy’s primary long-range land-attack cruise missiles, capable of being launched from both ships and submarines.
They offer military forces strike capabilities that do not rely on aircraft carriers.
Their most significant advantage is a range of approximately 2,500 km (1,550 miles), which would put Moscow within reach if Ukraine were to receive them.
In comparison, the US-supplied ATACMS missiles for Ukraine have a much shorter range of around 300 km (190 miles).
Ukraine has persistently requested Tomahawk missiles from the US, though officials have previously dismissed the idea as “totally unfeasible,” aiming to avoid escalating tensions with Russia.
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However, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly reiterated this request last week during a meeting with Mr Trump during the UN General Assembly in New York.
Mr Trump has recently expressed greater support for Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, stating it is “impossible to win a war” without such capabilities and accusing his predecessor, Joe Biden, of restricting Ukraine to a purely defensive stance.
European leaders meeting in Copenhagen
Tuesday marks another important day for Ukraine, as EU leaders gather in Copenhagen for an informal summit to discuss the bloc’s collective defence and ongoing support for Kyiv.
The leaders are also expected to explore ways to utilise frozen Russian assets held in Europe to aid Kyiv, following a new proposal from the European Commission earlier this month that has received support from Germany.
Germany has become the largest provider of military aid to Ukraine, surpassing the US this year.
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German defence minister Boris Pistorius, who co-chairs the Ukraine Contact Group alongside British Defence Secretary John Healey, expressed pessimism about the prospect of peace in Ukraine at the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday, despite US efforts.
“Diplomatic efforts fail to bring about any meaningful truce… Russia has even increased its attacks on Ukraine,” he said.
“All of this leaves no doubt: Vladimir Putin does not want a ceasefire, and he does not want peace for Ukraine.”
