Insight Bureau: Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected the ceasefire appeal made by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron during their joint phone call.

Ukraininian President Zelenskyy has sought global help to secure release of Mayor of Melitopol Ivan Fedoro. He also proposed to hold talks with Putin in Jerusalem. Zelenskyy requested Israeli PM Naftali Bennett to act as an intermediary.

More than 2.6 million people have fled Ukraine since the war broke out, says UN Refugee Agency.