Germany, France, the U.K. and Poland outmaneuvered the Kremlin by persuading Ukraine’s Zelensky to accept Trump’s cease-fire demand. Russia’s leader balked.

Türkiye hosts first direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in three years, sides agree on largest prisoner exchange since war began

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being too "afraid" to turn up for face-to-face peace talks in Istanbul, as direct negotiations erupted in accusations that Russia made "unacceptable demands".