Ukraine is preparing to take official steps to prove that Russia's presence on UN Security Council is "illegal" and have it removed from the body, Kyiv announced on Tuesday.
Russia has vowed to retaliate should the United States choose to send Patriot missile systems to Ukraine, saying that Washington has effectively become a party to the conflict amid reports that the White House is finalizing plans to supply the advanced weapon platform.
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, responded to queries from reporters following the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) conference in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
The US and Russia both benefit from the New START agreement, according to Russia, which added that the required conditions must be met before discussions can resume.
Ukrainian authorities on Friday gradually restored power, aided by the reconnection of the country's four nuclear plants, but millions of people were still in the dark after the most devastating Russian air strikes of the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared Kherson "ours" after Russia withdrew troops from the city, which the US hailed Saturday as an "extraordinary victory".
Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly endorsed the evacuation of civilians from parts of Ukraine's southern Kherson region on Friday, the latest sign of Russia's retreat in one of the most bitterly contested areas in Ukraine.
The United States believes China and Russia have leverage they can use to persuade North Korea not to resume nuclear bomb testing, a senior U.S. administration official said on Thursday.
