RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin held talks with US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow today, the Kremlin said.

The meeting between Mr Putin and Mr Witkoff lasted about three hours, and neither side gave an immediate briefing on the talks.

The meeting comes days before the White House’s deadline for Russia to reach a peace deal with Ukraine or potentially face further economic penalties that could also hit countries buying its oil.

Overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, Russian forces hit a leisure centre in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region, killing two people and injuring 12, including two children, regional Governor Ivan Fedorov said today.

Russian forces launched at least four strikes on the area and initially attacked with powerful glide bombs.

“There is zero military sense in this strike. Only cruelty to intimidate,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on Telegram today.