Kremlin

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed on Monday to do all he can to bring back the peninsula of Crimea, annexed by Russia seven years ago, and urged international allies to support the effort, news wires reported. He spoke at the Crimean Platform summit, called by Ukraine to build up pressure on Russia.

Former Deputy Minister for the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, Kiriya Grinchak, told "Obozrevatel" TV.

A major war is currently impossible because of the nuclear parity, Kremlin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview Thursday, answering a question on a potential world war with the use of nuclear weapons.

"Can a war happen? Putin said it clearly [during the Direct Line] that this is unlikely. We are being safeguarded by the nuclear parity," Peskov said.

Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin kicked off their summit Wednesday with a handshake outside the Geneva villa where the two presidents plan to confront each other over the worst U.S.-Russia tensions in years.    

Following an introduction by their host, Swiss President Guy Parmelin, Biden extended his arm for his first handshake with Putin since taking office in January.    

The presidents of Russia and United States of America, Vladimir Putin and Joseph Biden, will hold their first bilateral meeting today at Villa La Grange in Geneva. The agenda of the Russian-American summit includes issues related to cooperation between the two countries.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to discuss with his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky Crimea in the context of border cooperation between the two countries' regions, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"Russian President has ordered the government to provide aid and medical and psychological assistance to injured, wounded children, to provide the necessary assistance to the families of the victims," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that the Russian guard had been given special instructions to pass a new decree on the types of weapons that can be used in civilian traffic.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has not yet been able to speak to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to discuss the escalating conflict in eastern Ukraine despite lodging a request to do so, Zelenskiy's spokeswoman said on Monday.

Russia announced the start of mass military drills, ratcheting up tensions with neighboring Ukraine amid Western concerns about the risk of renewed fighting.

More than 4,000 training exercises will be held in military districts across Russia in April, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday, in comments posted on the ministry's website.

Russia is ready to cut ties with the EU if Brussels initiates it, but for its part, Moscow is calling for cooperation, the Russian Foreign Ministry told TASS on Friday.