Is the war entering a new phase? Russia-Ukraine war: Why has Putin rejected limits on long-range strikes? Russian President Vladimir Putin says Moscow will continue its more than four-year-long war on Ukraine, rejecting Kyiv's proposals to limit the use of long-range missiles and stop hostilities. In an interview with Russia's state television service on Sunday, Putin said Ukraine had proposed a mutual halt to long-range attacks as a step towards peace. But the Russian president suggested this proposal was made because Kyiv's forces were under pressure along the 1,250km (775-mile) front line.

President Gitanas Nausėda called Russian aircraft incursion into Lithuanian territory a blatant breach of international law as NATO jets responded quickly.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has held talks with Germany's Friedrich Merz in Berlin, days after the newly installed chancellor said Kyiv's Western allies had lifted range restrictions on their missiles and would allow Ukraine to use them to strike deep inside Russian territory. Merz made the announcement on Monday as Russia carried out heavy aerial bombardments on Ukraine and both sides launched tit-for-tat drone attacks. That comment sparked hope in Kyiv and put renewed attention on the possibility of Germany supplying Ukraine with Taurus missiles, which the war-wracked country has long requested. However, Merz, in a joint appearance with Zelenskyy on Wednesday, promised the Ukrainian leader that Germany would help his country develop long-range missiles on its territory. He did not make any commitments regarding the Taurus.

United States President Joe Biden has reportedly lifted restrictions on Kyiv on the use of long-range missiles, which means Ukrainian forces may fire American-made missiles inside Russian territory for the first time. The move, which comes weeks before Biden leaves office and hours after massive Russian missile and drone attacks, has angered the Kremlin, which accused Washington of "throwing oil on the fire". Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the decision would mean Washington's direct involvement in the conflict, echoing a similar sentiment expressed by President Vladimir Putin in September. The White House and President-elect Donald Trump have not commented yet, but Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, said: "The military industrial complex seems to want to make sure they get World War III going before my father has a chance to create peace and save lives." The elder Trump, who takes office on January 20, repeatedly pledged during his campaign to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war.