Russia, Ukraine Grapple for Frontline City Amid Push for Peace Talks

With the prospect of U.S.-backed peace talks increasingly likely, the months-long battle for Pokrovsk appears to have gone into overdrive.

A Ukrainian serviceman runs to help farmers extinguish a burning field near Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, on Sept. 16, 2024. Oleksii Filippov/AFP via Getty Images

After this week’s landmark phone conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, speculation has mounted that the three-year-old war between Russia and Ukraine may soon draw to a close.

In advance of expected U.S.-backed peace talks, the warring sides are now scrambling to improve their positions, especially in the frontline city of Pokrovsk.