Kyiv is working with allies on security guarantees akin to NATO's mutual protection pledge, Ukraine's president Volodymr Zelensky has said. Officials from Ukraine and allies the U.S., the U.K., France and Germany met in London on Thursday in a week when a peace proposal was produced which outlined an Article 5-like agreement which would be backed by Washington.

Russian Foreign Minster Sergey Lavrov gave the strongest indication so far that the war in Ukraine could be coming to a peaceful conclusion, saying the Kremlin was "ready to reach a deal."