Russia-Ukraine War

The U.S. state secretary says the Vatican would not act as a peace broker but would provide a place that both sides would be comfortable going.

It comes as cease-fire talks have stalled after the Istanbul summit yielded only a prisoner swap.

European leaders called for new sanctions to force Putin to the negotiating table after he skipped direct Russia–Ukraine peace talks in Turkey.

On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters in Abu Dhabi a meeting with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin would happen ‘as soon as we can set it up.’

Lower-level Russian and Ukrainian teams were set to meet in Istanbul as both leaders opted out, while Trump said only a meeting with Putin can end the deadlock.

Both Washington and Kyiv have called for leader-level meetings to hammer out a peaceful settlement to the Ukraine war.

The president said he plans to visit the United Arab Emirates on May 15 but could instead fly to Turkey if it helped negotiations along.

An Australian volunteer has died in Ukraine.

Citing battlefield carnage, Trump said he’s weighing a detour from his Gulf trip to attend the high-stakes Russia–Ukraine meeting.

Zelenskyy said he was ready to meet Putin in Turkey on May 15 after Trump told him to immediately accept the Kremlin leader’s proposal of direct talks.

‘It is a positive sign that the Russians have finally begun to consider ending the war,’ Zelenskyy said.

He said the direct talks could start with a meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, on May 15.

Ukrainian leadership is prepared to accept an unconditional cease-fire proposed by Washington.

The vice president said Putin had demanded Ukraine surrender territories that Moscow had failed to occupy or capture.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the move, saying it was a moral duty for Europe to hold Moscow accountable for the war.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has said a cease-fire Russia called to mark Victory Day over Nazi Germany has turned into a ‘farce.’

The president also said that he would “stay committed” to ending the war in Ukraine.

The new partnership aims to boost military cooperation as the United States pushes Europe to shoulder more responsibility for its own defense.

Kyiv says Ukrainian forces are still active in Kursk despite Russian claims to the contrary.

Zelenskyy touted the U.S.–Ukraine minerals deal as a key outcome of the meeting, urging Ukrainian lawmakers to ratify it quickly.