Russia's war on Ukraine latest: Ukraine dismisses Russia truce order as a ploy

* The leaders of the United States and Germany on Thursday announced they were sending armoured fighting vehicles to Ukraine after a similar move by France earlier this week. * The Kremlin said Putin told Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan that Moscow was ready for peace talks - but only under the condition that Ukraine acknowledge Moscow's annexation of Ukrainian territory.

Ukraine dismissed as a trick a unilateral order by Russia for a 36-hour ceasefire starting on Friday and the leaders of the United States and Germany said they were sending armoured fighting vehicles in a boost for the Kyiv government. TRUCE OFFER

* Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops to cease firing from midday on Friday along the entire front, in response to a call for a Christmas truce the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, a close Putin ally. * Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy rejected the ceasefire and called it a trick. His adviser Mikhailo Podolyak tweeted that Russia "must leave the occupied territories - only then will it have a 'temporary truce'."

* The United States greeted Putin's order with scepticism, calling it "cynical" and raising concern Russia would use the temporary pause to regroup. DIPLOMACY/AID

* A new U.S. weapons package for Ukraine will be worth roughly $2.8 billion, U.S. officials told Reuters. * The leaders of the United States and Germany on Thursday announced they were sending armoured fighting vehicles to Ukraine after a similar move by France earlier this week.

* The Kremlin said Putin told Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan that Moscow was ready for peace talks - but only under the condition that Ukraine acknowledge Moscow's annexation of Ukrainian territory. * Ukraine's Podolyak called that demand "fully unacceptable".

* Erdogan said his government was ready to take on mediation duties to secure a lasting peace. But U.N. chief Antonio Guterres said serious peace negotiations were still far away. FIGHTING

* Ukrainian and Russian troops battled in eastern regions as Kyiv tried to push back occupying forces, Zelenskiy urged the West to provide his army with heavy tanks. * The Ukrainian military said the Russians were focused on an offensive in the Bakhmut sector of the Donetsk region.

* The United States believes Yevgeny Prigozhin, owner of the Wagner mercentary group and Putin ally, wants control of salt and gypsum from mines near Bakhmut, a White House official said. * The Ukrainian prosecutor general's office said at least 452 children have been killed and 877 children injured in the war.

* Reuters could not immediately verify the battlefield reports. (Compiled by Cynthia Osterman)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)