At the core of the discussions in Berlin is the 20-point peace plan proposal presented to the US by Ukraine last week to counter an initial American plan which was seen as heavily favouring Russia.

BERLIN, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Germany will host U.S. and Ukrainian delegations over the ‌weekend ​for talks on a ceasefire in Ukraine, before ‌a summit with European leaders and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Berlin on Monday, a German official said.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s August summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, is looming large as the White House presses its peace efforts.

Ukraine's president continues ceasefire talks in Berlin with Trump envoys and European leaders, pressing for concrete security guarantees so Russia won't invade Ukraine again in the future.

MOSCOW, Dec 15 (Reuters) - The founder of Russia's opposition Yabloko party, ‌which ​wants a ceasefire in Ukraine, has said ‌his party will keep campaigning despite the arrest of two senior figures, a move he said ​was meant to derail it before next year's parliamentary election.

A US-backed European peacekeeping force would secure an eventual peace deal, with additional help for Ukraine to build an 800,000-strong peacetime force.

Britain readies troops and 30-nation coalition for Ukraine ceasefire enforcement as Trump pushes peace negotiations with Russia and European allies.

European leaders said they had agreed on Monday any decisions on potential Ukrainian territorial concessions to Russia could only be made once robust security guarantees were in place which should include a European-led multinational force.

Ukraine’s domestic security service, the SBU, said Monday that it struck a Russian submarine in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, causing critical damage to the vessel and effectively disabling it.

The oil market has come under further pressure with Russia-Ukraine ceasefire talks progressing Renewed optimism over a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire weighed on the oil market yesterday. ICE Brent settled a little more than 0.