In a blunt assessment, Finnish President Alexander Stubb laid bare the situation: Kyiv seeks peace and a ceasefire, but Moscow does not. Russia is playing the long game in Ukraine, with no desire for a ceasefire or peace, said Stubb following a "coalition of the willing" conference organized by the UK.

"Putin is not striving for a truce, a ceasefire, or peace. His primary goal—destroying Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity—remains unchanged. Hopefully, we can …

France’s President Emmanuel Macron has made clear that Russia should have no say over the deployment of European troops in Ukraine, should Kyiv request their presence. In an interview with Le Parisien, Macron emphasized Ukraine's sovereignty, indicating that decisions regarding allied troop deployment are solely Ukraine’s prerogative.

Macron highlighted a growing alignment between Ukraine and the United States during talks in Saudi Arabia culminating in a mutual agreement on a 30-day ceasefire. …

In a recent statement, Yuri Ushakov, an aide to the Russian president, hinted that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump could be organized on short notice. "We are preparing for the meeting, and it will be arranged as soon as there's a necessity," TASS quoted him as saying.

Ushakov noted that discussions are ongoing and emphasized that the logistics for such a meeting could be swiftly managed.

Additionally, Ushakov expressed Russia's …