Moscow's troops continue to gain ground in Ukraine's east, while Kyiv's forces control a small chunk of Russian territory across the border President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that the current state of play on the battlefield had created an opportunity for steps to end Russia's more than 2 1/2 -year-old invasion no later than next year.

Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, said he will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday. During a press conference on Thursday at Trump Tower in Manhattan, Trump said, "President Zelensky has asked to meet with me, and I will be meeting with him tomorrow morning at around 9:45 in Trump Tower."

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that the battlefield situation 'creates opportunity' to take steps to end the war in Ukraine no later than 2025. "In October, November and December we have chance to move things toward peace and lasting stability.