Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces dramatically escalated their shadow war against NATO on Wednesday, with the U.K. warning “military options” were on the table after a spy ship blinded air force pilots with lasers.

The Kremlin’s leader is standing back as Ukraine and Europe scramble to negotiate changes to a U.S. proposal to end the war.

A new Russian cruise missile is causing concern for NATO. The Burevestnik missile has a range of up to 5,500 kilometres and the warhead can be equipped with different types of ammunition, including nuclear ones.

Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says the way to change Russian President Vladimir Putin mind and bring him to the negotiating table to end the war in Ukraine is to step up military aid to Kyiv.

Putin has not indicated a willingness to negotiate an end to the war that doesn't include giving Russia gains it has not acquired militarily.

The road to a peace deal has been fraught with changing dynamics involving President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.