Russia’s Vladimir Putin suggested Thursday that a settlement to end the war was possible, while Ukraine predicted a “new dynamic” in peace efforts, marking a notable shift in rhetoric that could open a window for diplomatic progress.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he expected US envoys to hold talks in Moscow and Kyiv in coming days, suggesting Washington, which diverted its focus to the Iran conflict, is renewing efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war as both sides wage an increasingly deadly aerial campaign.
Zelenskyy is also contending with domestic political turmoil involving high-profile firings, graft scandals, and strife within government agencies — discord that burst into the open Thursday after rival Ukrainian intelligence units exchanged fire on the streets of Kyiv.