US defence chief visits Kyiv for talks on how to keep supporting Ukraine

His strategy includes a formal invitation for Ukraine to join Nato and permission to use Western long-range missiles to strike military targets in Russia - steps Kyiv's allies have previously balked at supporting.

The Western response has been lukewarm, and Austin was expected to discuss the plan with Ukrainian officials in Kyiv.

Zelenskyy said in a Sunday evening video address that his plan had won the backing of France, Lithuania, Nordic countries and many other allies in the European Union which he didn't name.

The key country, however, is the United States, which is Ukraine's biggest military supplier.

Zelenskyy said he had received very positive signals from the United States, but he stopped short of saying he had secured Washington's endorsement for the plan.

Russia fired three missiles and 116 Shahed drones at Ukraine overnight from Sunday to Monday, Ukraine's air force said.

Machine gun fire and the noise of drones' engines was heard in Kyiv's centre throughout the night. Authorities reported minor damages to civilian infrastructure caused by falling drone debris in the three districts of the city.