By Ben Aris in Berlin Russian President Vladimir Putin has formally withdrawn from a key arms control agreement with the United States governing the disposal of weapons-grade plutonium, as the few remaining nuclear security accords between the two powers continue to vanish.

The Trump administration on Wednesday imposed sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies as it called on Moscow to agree to an immediate ceasefire in the war with Ukraine.

Days after canceling a planned summit with Putin, citing a lack of progress toward ending the war in Ukraine, Trump took a major step by effectively blacklisting Rosneft and Lukoil.

The European Union has imposed more economic sanctions on Russia. The new penalties announced on Thursday add to measures by U.S.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy for investment and economic cooperation said he believes the United States, Ukraine, and Russia are close to a diplomatic solution to end the war in Ukraine.

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was delighted to learn last week that Russia and the United States had chosen his country as the venue for another summit on ending the war in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy was in London for talks with two dozen European leaders who have pledged military support to shield his country from future Russian aggression.View on euronews

It is increasingly difficult for Putin to finance his war. Every Euro we deny Russia is one it cannot spend on war."

The move against Rosneft and Lukoil is designed to choke off Kremlin revenues without causing a spike in global prices.