A "two week" deadline imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump to see if Russia is serious about peace in Ukraine has been and gone, with Moscow's escalation of attacks on civilians during this period failing to draw the slightest condemnation from the White House.

President Vladimir Putin discussed the conflict between Israel and Iran, as well as efforts towards a Ukraine settlement in a phone call with U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, the Kremlin said Saturday.

Russia’s combat casualties in Ukraine are projected to reach the “grisly milestone” of one million this summer, according to a recent Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) report. -This staggering figure,