Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday Russia continued attacking Ukraine ahead of a summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, but its attempt to demonstrate power by launching a new assault in the east failed.

The timing of Russia’s advance is a calamity for Kyiv, which already fears its most important ally will abandon it as Trump floats exchanging territories to end the war.

"What has been building up for the Ukrainians is fundamentally a manpower issue," a former senior Pentagon adviser told Newsweek.