Ukrainian forces may soon give up the key battleground of Severodonetsk in the east, where their troops have suffered heavy losses and the Russian offensive has gained significant ground.
EU leaders have approved Ukraine's candidacy as to join the bloc, marking a milestone in its long journey to join the union.
Russian and Ukrainian forces remain nailed down in street battles in many cities, towns and villages in the eastern Luhansk region as Russian artillery fire destroys swathes of infrastructure and homes in the broader Donbas.