US President Joe Biden will attend three summits later, meeting leaders of NATO, G7, and European Union countries.

Mr Biden will be in Brussels for discussions with allies about the next step in responding to Russian president Vladimir Putin and his invasion of Ukraine.

The first meeting is with NATO leaders, where it is expected that there will be a commitment to increase military deployments on Europe’s eastern flank.

There are already some 40,000 troops spread from the Baltic to the Black Sea and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said the leaders will discuss deploying four new combat units in Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia.

The 30-nation military alliance will also agree to send equipment to Ukrainians that could help them defend themselves against Russian biological, chemical, and nuclear attacks.

The meeting of G7 leaders and the later summit with the 27-nation European Union are likely to focus on further sanctions against Russia.

European countries are also likely to discuss ways of cutting reliance on Russian gas.

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Key points

• It is estimated that some 100,000 people remain trapped in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol with no access to food, water, or heating
• It is estimated that 3.6 million Ukrainians have fled the country, among more than 10 million who have fled their homes. Some 4,554 people were evacuated from Ukrainian cities through humanitarian corridors on Wednesday, considerably fewer than the previous day
• Russian troops are still trying to resume offensive operations to capture the cities of Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Mariupol, according to Ukraine’s armed forces chief of staff
• Russia is moving fresh units close to the Ukrainian border, also calling up soldiers who have recently served in Syria
• A Russian regulator blocked Google News in the country, saying it allows access to fake material about what Mr Putin has described as a “military operation”
• Kyiv is still under fire, with attacks on a shopping centre and high rise buildings in the Sviatoshynskyi and Shevchenkivskyi districts injuring four people on Wednesday. Mayor Vitali Klitschko, said 264 civilians had been killed in the capital so far, including four children

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Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to address the NATO and EU summits by video.

He has failed to get NATO to create a no-fly zone over his country, but many countries have shown their support by imposing sanctions on Russia and donating weapons and aid to Ukraine.

But at least one report has said that Ukraine might be starting to turn the tide against the Russian troops.

The UK Ministry of Defence, in its regular update on the war, said: “Ukraine is increasing pressure on Russian forces north-east of Kyiv.

“Russian forces along this axis are already facing considerable supply and morale issues.

“Ukrainian forces are carrying out successful counter attacks against Russian positions in towns on the outskirts of the capital, and have probably retaken Makariv and Moschun.

“There is a realistic possibility that Ukrainian forces are now able to encircle Russian units in Bucha and Irpin.

“It is likely that successful counter attacks by Ukraine will disrupt the ability of Russian forces to reorganise and resume their own offensive towards Kyiv.”

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Russian forces have struggled with supply problems and low troop morale, as well as determined resistance from Ukrainians.

Moscow – increasingly isolated from the rest of the world through financial sanctions – has accused Kyiv of stalling peace talks by making proposals unacceptable for Russia. Ukraine has said it is willing to negotiate but will not surrender or accept Russian ultimatums.

On Wednesday night, Mr Zelenskyy called on people around the world to stand with Ukraine and against the war on Thursday, a month after the invasion began.

He said: “Come from your offices, your homes, your schools and universities.

“Come in the name of peace.

“Come with Ukrainian symbols to support Ukraine, to support freedom, to support life.

“Come to your squares, your streets. Make yourselves visible and heard.

“Say that people matter. Freedom matters. Peace matters. Ukraine matters.”

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