One of Vladimir Putin's close allies has outlined a set of demands that Russia wants met to end its violent conflict in Ukraine. Moscow's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov insists that a resolution to the fighting cannot be reached unless the "root causes of the conflict" are "eliminated.

The Russian leader is convinced that Moscow’s battlefield superiority is growing, and that Ukraine’s defenses may collapse in the coming months, according to people close to the Kremlin.

The United States said it would pause the delivery of some weapons to Ukraine as the Pentagon conducts a review of its munition stockpiles.