Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelensky has accused Russia of "doing everything it can" to prevent a meeting with Vladimir Putin to try to end the war. US President Donald Trump has sought to bring the two leaders together, but he said on Friday "that's like oil and vinegar... they don't get along too well".

The European Union has paid out further financial aid amounting to €4.05 billion ($4.7 billion) to Ukraine as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov poured cold water on the idea of a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders any time soon.

Russia’s top diplomat said in an interview released on Friday that “there is no meeting planned” between President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, the clearest sign yet that a summit the White House had said was imminent is nowhere close to materializing.