Ukraine has recaptured approximately 300 square kilometers during the summer counteroffensive so far, United Kingdom Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said Tuesday.

The gains represent more territory than Russia seized during its winter offensive in 2022, Wallace told Parliament.

-ABC News' Ellie Kaufman

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko provided more details about his alleged role in negotiations between Wager Group leader's Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russian President Vladimir Putin following the PMC's rebellion.

Lukashenko claimed Prigozhin abandoned his demands, including the resignation of Shoigu, after they talked.

"[Prigozhin] told me 'Alexander Grigoryevich, I will not demand from the president that he give up Shoigu and Gerasimov, and I will not even ask for a meeting,' I say, 'Well, that’s good. This is a very good move,'" Lukashenko claimed.

Lukashenko said that Wagner forces could join the Belarusian army but said that he won't built camps for Wagner's troops in his country.

"We don't need to open any Wagner recruitment points," he said.

-ABC News' Victoria Beaule

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said on state media Tuesday that Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin arrived in his country earlier in the day.

Lukashenko claimed on state media that "security guarantees" Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to Prigozhin were provided.

"Yes, indeed, he is in Belarus today. As I promised, if you want to stay with us for a while and so on, we will help you," Lukashenko said.

A senior U.S. official confirmed to ABC News that Prigozhin is in exile in Belarus, surrounded by a security force of his own Wagner mercenaries.

-ABC News' Victoria Beaule, Tanya Stukalova and Martha Raddatz

Ukrainian troops have reportedly seized a small village on the Russian-occupied eastern bank of Dneipr after crossing the river from the liberated city of Kherson, according to Russian accounts on Tuesday.

A small Ukrainian force has managed to dig in to the village of Dachi after making a landing there a few days ago and are trying to expand the beachhead. Ukrainian troops in small boats crossed the river and landed at the base of the ruined Antonivskiy Bridge, which they destroyed last year.

Russian military bloggers reported very heavy fighting on Tuesday, saying Russian airborne units have been trying unsuccessfully to dislodge the Ukrainians for the past four days. Russian aviation and heavy artillery have been firing on the Ukrainian position.

So far, the Russian side claims some 70 Ukrainian soldiers are dug in, covered by intense artillery fire from across the river. The Russian accounts say Ukraine is trying to move reinforcements across. Video released by Ukraine also shows a Russian APC being destroyed in the village of Oleshkjy, further south, indicating the bank south of Kherson is now contested.

Ukrainian troops have also managed to advance and liberate Rivnopil, a village on the Zaporozhzhia front, breaking through after more than two weeks of fighting. It's notable because the Russians had been fighting hard to hold it.

Taken together the advance there, the landing in Kherson and advances near Bakhmut are small signs the Ukrainian counteroffensive may be starting to pick up steam and the Russians are coming under growing pressure.

-ABC News' Patrick Reevell

The United States is standing by the NATO communique released Tuesday and its language around Ukraine joining the alliance, despite criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the lack of a timeline to do so.

"The United States clearly joined with NATO allies in agreeing to a strong positive message reaffirming that Ukraine will become a member of the alliance," U.S. National Security Council Senior Director for Europe Amanda Sloat said during a press briefing in Lithuania's capital on Wednesday morning, on the final day of a high-stakes NATO summit. "And as the communique has made clear, as the president has spoken to directly in the past, we recognize that Ukraine has already made significant progress in terms of reforms. That was part of what led to allies making the decision to say that the Membership Action Plan was no longer required for Ukraine."

"But as both the president has said and as the communique made clear, there is still the need for Ukraine to take further democratic and security sector reforms," she added.

Sloat told reporters that the U.S. has been and would continue to work with Ukraine both bilaterally and through the NATO alliance to ensure that the reforms required to join the alliance are met.

When asked to respond to Zelenskyy's criticism that the lack of a timeline was "unprecedented and absurd," Sloat defended the agreement as a significant one.

"I would agree that the communique is unprecedented, but I see that in a positive way. We joined with allies yesterday in agreeing to a very strong, positive message. We reaffirmed that Ukraine will become a member of the NATO alliance," she said, arguing that removing the Membership Action Plan requirement for Ukraine was a "very significant" step on NATO's part.

-ABC News' Molly Nagle