The U.S. has expanded its sanctions on Russian companies while simultaneously removing restrictions on the wife of Boris Rotenberg, a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control reported on April 2.

Russia and Ukraine accused each other on Wednesday of violating a new agreement to refrain from attacks on energy targets, with scores of drone strikes launched hours after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone to Russia's Vladimir Putin.

The Russian leader recently said that Zelenskyy lacks the legitimacy to sign a peace deal and suggested that Ukraine needed external governance.