Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow and Washington could make a deal on mining rare earth minerals both in Russia and parts of Russian-occupied Ukraine.

This comes after US President Donald Trump has repeatedly pushed for Ukraine to give up some of its minerals in exchange for support, in a deal which is currently being finalised, according to a Ukrainian minister.

In an interview with a Russian state TV journalist, President Vladimir Putin said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is becoming toxic because "he gives absurd orders dictated not by military considerations,

In an interview broadcast on Monday, President Vladimir Putin said U.S. companies stood to profit in Russia, but suggested a Ukraine peace deal was still far off.

China and Russia “cannot be moved away” from one another, Chinese leader Xi Jinping told his counterpart Vladimir Putin Monday, in their first phone call since US President Donald Trump upended American foreign policy with a sweeping pivot toward Moscow as he pushes for peace in Ukraine.

President Donald Trump’s rapprochement with Russia has some experts suggesting he might be trying to do a “reverse Nixon” and isolate Beijing by courting Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered the U.S. the opportunity for joint exploration of the country's rare earth metals deposits, as well as the supply of aluminum to the U.S. domestic market, under a future economic deal.

Europe's participation in Ukraine peace talks will be needed eventually but Moscow first wants to build trust with Washington, President Vladimir Putin said on Monday, while suggesting that a deal to end the conflict may still be far off.

President Donald Trump says he'll meet with Russia's Vladimir Putin soon to try and end the war in Ukraine. He also expects Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to come to Washington soon as well.

In August 2000, two explosions led Russian nuclear submarine Kursk to sink, claiming the lives of all 118 crew members.