Just before another meeting with the Ukrainian president at the White House on Friday, Donald Trump telephoned the Russian one.
Amid speculation that the US could give Ukraine access to Tomahawk cruise missiles, something has shifted on the board.
Ukraine war latest: Trump and Putin agree location to meet again
The prospect of more military support for Kyiv may have been the catalyst for Russia's return to the table.
High-level officials from Washington and Moscow will meet next week.
Mr Trump and Vladimir Putin, who last came face-to-face in Alaska two months ago, will meet again soon in Budapest, Hungary.
Asked if the US president still believes he can get Mr Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy together soon, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: "I think he thinks it's possible, and he would, of course, love to see that happen."
But there's currently no plan for the Ukrainian leader to join Trump and Putin in Hungary, and that will be a concern for Kyiv and its European allies.
How does call impact Ukraine's Tomahawk request?
It's difficult to envisage the US granting Ukraine's request for Tomahawk cruise missiles against the backdrop of these diplomatic manoeuvres.
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Mr Trump had already done a handbrake turn, from telling Mr Zelenksyy "you don't have the cards" to suggesting Ukraine could win back all its land.
Now he appears to be looking in the rear view mirror, back to the Alaskan summit, where his hopes of brokering a ceasefire were dashed.
He's expressing hope that the end of the war in the Middle East could have a knock-on effect in Ukraine - one man on a mission to end two wars.
More broadly, Sir Ken McCallum said the number of people in the UK under investigation for "state threat activity" - also including from Russia and Iran - has jumped by 35% in the past year compared with the previous 12 months.
He admitted he felt frustration at the collapse last month of a trial against two British men accused of spying for China, but he stressed that the Security Service had still successfully derailed the alleged espionage operation.
With pressure mounting on Sir Keir Starmer over why the high-profile trial foundered, the director general of MI5 - choosing his words carefully given the controversy - confirmed that "Chinese state actors" pose a threat to UK national security "every day".
Politics latest: Senior MPs launch 'formal inquiry' into China spy case collapse
He also warned that the wider threat from nation states is escalating and becoming as ugly as terrorism.
He used an annual speech at MI5's headquarters in London to say:
• Attempts by states - principally China, Russia and Iran - to carry out operations involving violence, sabotage, arson or surveillance are "routinely" being uncovered.
• MI5 has tracked more than 20 "potentially lethal" plots backed by Iran in the past year.
• Russia is hatching a "steady stream" of surveillance plots with "hostile intent", while MI5 officers take it as a working assumption that Russian trolls will attempt to exploit any particular "fissures" in UK society using online posts, though these efforts are largely unsuccessful.
• On terrorism, MI5 and the police have disrupted 19 late-stage attack plots since 2020 and have intervened in many hundreds of developing threats.
• There is growing concern about children becoming involved in terrorism, with one in five of the 232 terrorism arrests last year involving minors under 17.
"MI5 is contending with more volume and more variety of threat from terrorists and state actors than I've ever seen," Sir Ken said.
'Biggest shift'
Declaring a "new era", the MI5 boss warned of "fast-rising" state threats coupled with a "near record" number of terrorism investigations.
He said this was forcing the biggest shift in MI5's mission since the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.
China is a particular challenge as the Starmer government seeks to bolster economic ties with Beijing, while also wary of the security threat posed by Chinese spies.
"The UK-China relationship is by its nature complex, but MI5's role is not," Sir Ken said.
"We detect and deal, robustly, with activity threatening UK national security."
These threats range from cyber espionage; attempts to steal secrets from universities such as by cultivating academics; or efforts to target parliament and other parts of public life.
"MI5 will keep doing what the public would expect of us, preventing, detecting and disrupting activity of national security concern," said the MI5 chief.
"Our track record is strong. We've intervened operationally again just in the last week and we will keep doing so."
The spy boss continued: "I am MI5 born and bred. I will never back off from confronting threats to the UK wherever they come."
The speech was delivered amid a growing row around a decision by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to drop the espionage trial of Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher to two prominent Conservative MPs, and Christopher Berry, a teacher.
Both have denied any wrongdoing.
Prosecutors said the government had not provided evidence that China represented a threat to national security, prompting allegations by the Conservatives that the prime minister's team had interfered with the case to protect the UK's trading ties with China.
Attempting to push back, ministers on Wednesday released written evidence by Matthew Collins, the deputy national security adviser, that was given to the CPS. It spelled out the threat posed by China and his assessment of the allegations against the two individuals.
China's UK embassy said Mr Collins' statements contained "unfounded accusations that are purely fabricated and groundless".
"We urge the UK to stop making an issue out of China, stop engaging in anti-China hype, and stop undermining China-UK relations," a spokesperson said on the embassy's website.
MPs will hold a formal inquiry to discuss the China spying case and the issues that have arisen from it.
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Given the political storm, the MI5 director general was careful when responding to questions on the furore.
But he chose to voice his support for Mr Collins who he has worked with, describing him as a "man of high integrity and a professional of considerable quality".
Sir Ken was asked by journalists if he had been frustrated at the failure to prosecute.
"Of course I am frustrated when opportunities to prosecute national security threatening activity are not followed through for whatever reason," he said, though he noted not all cases that involve MI5 lead to prosecution.
"I would remind you all that in the particular case… the activity was disrupted."
On whether he regarded China to be a threat, the MI5 chief said: "Do Chinese state actors present a UK national security threat? And the answer is of course yes, they do every day."
But he added that UK wider bilateral foreign policy on China is a matter for the government.
Sky News has approached the Chinese embassy for comment on Sir Ken's comments.
West Midlands Police (WMP) said the decision not to allow away fans to attend the game next month was taken by a joint safety committee and was based partly on what happened in Amsterdam last year, when Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters attending a game against Ajax were caught up in attacks in the city.
Responding to the announcement, the prime minister said: "This is the wrong decision.
"We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets. The role of the police is to ensure all football fans can enjoy the game, without fear of violence or intimidation."
WMP said it had taken into account the "violent clashes and hate crime offences" that occurred in the Dutch capital when classifying the event as "high risk".
Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the opposition, criticised the decision, saying it was a "national disgrace".
She has challenged Sir Keir to "guarantee that Jewish fans can walk into any football stadium in this country".
The Tory leader added: "If not, it sends a horrendous and shameful message: there are parts of Britain where Jews simply cannot go."
The Jewish Leadership Council, which works to protect British Jews, also slammed the decision.
In a post on X, it said it was "perverse that away fans should be banned from a football match because West Midlands Police can't guarantee their safety".
It added: "Aston Villa should face the consequences of this decision and the match should be played behind closed doors."
The Campaign Against Antisemitism said it was "another alarming sign of how British authorities are failing to ensure that Jews can participate safely and equally in public life".
It added: "Instead of confronting the antisemitic hatred that has made it unsafe for Israeli fans to attend, the response is to exclude the victims."
Gideon Sa'ar, Israel's foreign minister, said it was a "shameful decision" which should be reversed.
But Ayoub Khan, the independent MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, said he welcomed the news that Maccabi Tel Aviv fans would "not be permitted to watch the match at Aston Villa!"
He added: "Well done to all those that signed our petition!"
There had been "so much hostility and uncertainty around the match" that it was "only right to take drastic measures", he said.
And he referenced "latent safety risks" that law enforcement "would not be able to fully manage".
The petition, signed by Mr Khan and his fellow MP Jeremy Corbyn, attracted 3,861 signatures.
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign, also posting on X, said the match should be cancelled altogether.
It accused Israel of committing "genocide and apartheid" and said Israeli football teams "shouldn't play in international tournaments" while that is allegedly happening.
Israel denies it has committed genocide in Gaza and says it is fighting a terrorist organisation - Hamas - which is dedicated to its destruction.
Aston Villa said the decision followed safety concerns raised by officers.
The local Safety Advisory Group (SAG) said no fans of the Israeli club would be able to attend the match on 6 November, the club added.
A SAG is a multi-agency forum coordinated by a local authority.
Aston Villa said in a statement: "Following a meeting this afternoon, the SAG has formally written to the club and UEFA to advise no away fans will be permitted to attend Villa Park for this fixture.
"West Midlands Police have advised the SAG that they have public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the ability to deal with any potential protests on the night.
"The club are in continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with the safety of supporters attending the match and the safety of local residents at the forefront of any decision."
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In a statement, West Midlands Police said the upcoming game had been classified as "high risk" following a "thorough assessment".
"West Midlands Police supports the decision to prohibit away supporters from attending," a spokesperson said.
"This decision is based on current intelligence and previous incidents, including violent clashes and hate crime offences that occurred during the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.
"Based on our professional judgement, we believe this measure will help mitigate risks to public safety.
"We remain steadfast in our support of all affected communities, and reaffirm our zero-tolerance stance on hate crime in all its forms."
Birmingham City Council said that following a "multi-agency meeting" and a "thorough review", a "collective decision was made to restrict away fan attendance".
Public executions, arson attacks and gun battles have raised the spectre of a slide into civil chaos as Hamas battles armed groups it accuses of collaborating with Israel.
Experts say Hamas is attempting to reassert its authority following Israel's withdrawal from parts of the Gaza Strip.
But members of three anti-Hamas militias, operating from areas still controlled by Israel, have told Sky News they have no intention of laying down their arms and plan to fight Hamas to the end.
The fighting has drawn the ire of US President Donald Trump, who posted on his Truth Social platform on Thursday: "If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them."
Who are the Doghmosh clan?
On the night the ceasefire was agreed, Majed Doghmosh - not his real name - was sheltering in Gaza City's abandoned Jordanian Hospital alongside his parents and six-year-old sister.
Like many residents of the surrounding Al Sabra neighbourhood, Majed belongs to the Doghmosh clan - an influential extended family which has long had a tense relationship with Hamas.
Many members of the clan had fled to the hospital two weeks earlier, after the Israeli forces entered Al Sabra.
When the ceasefire was announced, Majed says, "people began to rejoice that the war was over and life would return to normal."
But as people were returning to their homes, a contingent from Gaza's Hamas-led security forces arrived at the hospital. They said they were searching for collaborators.
'They came with hundreds of people'
"We, as a family in general, have completely refused any cooperation with the occupation," says Nizar Doghmosh, the family's leader in Gaza.
"But the occupation managed to infiltrate one... weak, shallow-minded, foolish person."
While in the Jordanian Hospital, Nizar says, this person recruited seven or eight others into an anti-Hamas militia.
Instead of handing themselves in, these men opened fire on the security forces, killing Mohammed Aqel - the son of senior Hamas commander Imad Aqel.
"Suddenly, we started hearing that Hamas wants to kill everyone who calls himself a Doghmosh," Majed says.
"They came with hundreds of people, killing women, children and young people and burning down our homes."
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Majed fled, but left behind his parents and sister - who he says are still trapped and hiding in Al Sabra neighbourhood.
Palestinian journalist and social media influencer Saleh Al Ja'afari was killed on Sunday while reportedly covering the fighting in Al Sabra. It remains unclear who shot him.
Footage posted on Sunday shows a gun battle at a junction near the neighbourhood.
On Monday evening, footage emerged of a mass public execution at the same intersection.
"All they wanted were 6 or 7 people, and these people were killed," says Basel Doghmosh - not his real name - who also managed to escape the fighting. "Now they are killing everyone."
Speaking to Sky News in Gaza, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem described these incidents as "efforts to maintain order in Gaza, not acts of revenge".
"Hamas has not targeted any family," he said.
"The occupation has formed armed militias loyal to it, and these militias are accused of high treason - the most severe charge in Palestinian revolutionary law.
"All clans, social and family bodies have expressed support for this effort by the security forces of the government in Gaza."
At least four anti-Hamas militias
Hamas has made a show of force in recent days, with its fighters appearing on street patrols and at hostage handover ceremonies across the Gaza Strip.
Amjad Iraqi, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, says that Hamas's "vicious" response to the Doghmosh clan is partly intended to deter other armed groups from challenging its authority.
Sky News has confirmed that at least four anti-Hamas militias are currently active within the Gaza Strip, all of them based in areas still under Israeli control - where Hamas is unable to operate freely.
Who is Yasser Abu Shabab?
The most influential is a former looting gang led by Yasser Abu Shabab, which controls territory along Gaza's main route for transporting aid. The group claims that 1,500 people are living in their territory, including 500-700 fighters.
Abu Shabab's militia maintains loose ties to the other groups, whose control of territory is much less clear.
Members from three of the militias told Sky News they have no intention of laying down their arms, and intend to fight Hamas to the end.
Ashraf Al Mansi's militia
The leader of the fourth group, Ashraf Al Mansi, posted a statement to social media on Tuesday warning Hamas against approaching areas under their control.
Al Mansi's militia has established itself north of Gaza City.
Its headquarters are at an abandoned school more than 500 metres inside the Israeli zone of control.
Although the militia claims to control significant territory in northern Gaza, Sky News has not seen any evidence of their presence more than 200 metres from the school.
Where do the Halas militia operate?
Further south, to the east of Gaza City, gunfire could be heard on Tuesday as Hamas battled another militia, led by Rami Halas.
On Sunday, 12 October, Gaza's Hamas-run interior ministry offered amnesty to any militia members not involved in killings, so long as they turned themselves in by 19 October. "Consider this a final warning," the statement said.
Speaking to Sky News from his base in the Israeli-controlled zone, a member of the Halas militia says that his group has no plans to surrender.
"Hamas destroyed the Gaza Strip - it has become nothing but a pile of ashes and stones," says Basel.
"We are not afraid of death as long as it is for the sake of liberating the Gaza Strip from their ignorance, backwardness, and destruction."
Fighting could imperil planned aid surge
The growing violence comes as Palestinians continue to wait for a surge in aid promised under the ceasefire agreement.
Gaza City is currently experiencing famine, with the rest of the territory suffering from severe food shortages after months of Israeli restrictions on aid deliveries.
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Sam Rose, Gaza director of the UN refugee agency UNRWA, says that mounting an effective aid operation will require Israel to allow aid in at scale and to give aid groups the freedom to move across the Gaza Strip.
"But we also need to know that our trucks and staff are not at risk from fighting or looting by armed elements," he adds.
Among those leading the looting of aid trucks in the past was Yasser Abu Shabab, whose group has transformed itself into the most influential of the four anti-Hamas militias identified by Sky News.
Last week, Sky News revealed that Israel is providing extensive support to the group, allowing them to smuggle cash, guns and cars into Gaza.
We also found that Abu Shabab's militia has been receiving food aid from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israeli-backed aid group.
Footage from the camp, verified by Sky News, shows large stocks of fresh produce.
In other videos, militia members can be seen showing off stacks of cash and smuggled valuables.
Israel accused of 'divide and conquer' strategy
The GHF told Sky News that "every Gazan deserves to be fed with dignity - including those in areas controlled by [Abu Shabab]". The IDF declined to comment on Sky's findings.
Crisis Group's Amjad Iraqi says that, by supporting groups such as Abu Shabab's, Israel has been engaging in a strategy of "divide and conquer".
"What's happening right now is really a direct consequence of an Israeli policy throughout much of the war, but especially since it broke the ceasefire in March, to essentially render Gaza ungovernable."
"A power vacuum... is to Israel's advantage because it weakens Hamas and it weakens Gazan society writ large," he says.
Additional reporting by Sophia Massam and Freya Gibson.
The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.
Hazem Qassem, a Hamas spokesperson based in Gaza, said that recovering and identifying the bodies would require specialist equipment that no longer exists in the enclave and said that some of the hostages had been "vaporised" during Israeli military attacks.
He also said that the question of disarmament, which has been repeatedly highlighted by both American and Israeli politicians, was "complex and sensitive" with a need to avoid an "extremely dangerous security vacuum".
Gaza latest: Trump issues a warning to Hamas
Qassem was interviewed by journalists working for Sky News. International journalists are barred by Israel from entering Gaza independently.
The ceasefire deal initiated by Donald Trump mandated that Hamas should return all of the hostages it was holding, both living and dead.
So far, all 20 living hostages have been returned to Israel, while the remains of nine hostages have been handed over. That leaves a further 19 dead hostages unaccounted for.
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Israel has alleged that Hamas is breaching the terms of the agreement by deliberately delaying the return of bodies.
Mr Qassem flatly denies this and says it is all but impossible for them to now reach the remains of captives with the equipment they have.
He said: "We need heavy machinery, cranes, and specialised equipment for identifying remains, none of which exist in Gaza. All our heavy equipment was completely destroyed, as were all forensic laboratories.
"Therefore, we need technical teams capable of identifying bodies and dealing with the immense rubble. The mediators understand that."
He continued: "There are major difficulties in locating and reaching sites due to the destruction and the change in the geography of the areas. That means it all requires more time and effort. There is a great effort underway and Hamas is working to fully implement the agreement.
"We explained all this to the mediators from the outset, and they understood. We even heard from US President Trump that he acknowledged the difficulty of this issue, saying we showed a genuine intention to return the bodies."
What has Hamas said on disarmament?
Trump has also been vocal about the need for disarmament, another stipulation in the agreement, even if it is vaguely expressed.
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Mr Qassem made it clear to our team that, in the minds of Hamas, the subject still requires much more debate.
"We emphasise that there must be no security vacuum, because a vacuum is extremely dangerous," he said.
"There must be effort toward reforming administrative structures to prevent such a void.
"The issue of weapons is complex and sensitive, requiring national consensus and political approaches to solve this dilemma. We must avoid being trapped by the term 'disarmament' but instead find nationally agreed approaches to deal with the weapons issue."
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He claimed prisoners returned by Israel showed signs of torture, claiming there were "descriptions and testimonies that are too gruesome to mention in the media" and demanded "immediate accountability".
Israel has denied the mistreatment of prisoners, saying they are offered medical treatment while in detention.
Hamas comments on execution videos
Qassem also alleged that Israel was stoking violence in Gaza by supporting armed militias, who he accused of "high treason - the most severe charge in Palestinian revolutionary law".
Sky News recently reported on links between Israel and the Abu Shabab rebel group, which is based in Gaza but opposes Hamas.
Our team asked Qassem about images widely spread on social media that appeared to show people being executed on the street.
Qassem claimed the clashes were a result of action taken by government security forces, and not Hamas itself, but said that some people had been "turned in" after accusations that they had colluded with Israel.
"The most important point we stress is that these chaotic incidents must be decisively contained. The security forces are carrying out their lawful duty to impose order and prevent anarchy, holding offenders accountable."