China has called on "all parties" to remain calm and exercise restraint following Russia's strike on the city of Dnipro with a new ballistic missile and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin's threats to Western countries about the use of weapons against them.

Claims from Ukraine that the missile was an ICBM come as Ukraine is using U.S.-supplied missiles against targets in Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said his forces may use a new missile again after targeting Ukraine in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of American and British-made weapons on Russian territory this week.

European leaders are likely to be pressured to take a harder line on China, even as they see a more immediate threat from Russia.

Both could feature in negotiations next year, if that’s the path Donald Trump intends to pursue. So far, the US president-elect has given very few clues as to how he intends to end the conflict, beyond a typically vainglorious promise to end the war in 24 hours.

Moscow appears to be maximising its gains while Joe Biden abandons long-held red lines at the end of his presidency.