Russia's former culture minister and Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky took part in failed talks with Ukraine at the start of Moscow's invasion in 2022 and has built a career promoting an ultra-patriotic version of Russian history.

The first direct peace talks between Ukraine and Russian in three years due to get underway in Turkey on Thursday were thrown into doubt in a dispute over the seniority of their respective delegations.

The talks in Istanbul complicated a European push for the United States to pressure Russia into a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Ukraine faces a difficult balancing act — sanction more Chinese firms for aiding Russia’s war machine without alienating Beijing, which could be key to ending Russia’s invasion. Kyiv is currently considering imposing new sanctions against Chinese firms providing raw materials to Russia’s defense sector,

MOSCOW/WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump's offer to join proposed Ukraine-Russia peace talks triggered a flurry of diplomacy as powers from Europe to the Middle East sought a possible path out of the deadly conflict.

Ukraine claims Russia has broken its own cease-fire more than 734 times since it took effect Thursday, Ukraine said.

Ahead of Putin's Victory Day Parade, Ukrainian drones reportedly target Moscow, Russian officials claim * Ukraine strikes Russian drone control center in Kursk Oblast, Ukraine's General Staff says * Special tribunal against Russian leadership may be launched in 2026,

Ukraine and its allies are ready for a 'full, unconditional ceasefire' with Russia for at least 30 days starting on Monday, Ukraine's foreign minister said Saturday during a visit to Kyiv by the leaders of four major European countries.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said on Saturday that nobody could guarantee that the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv would survive to see May 10 if Ukraine attacked Moscow during World War Two victory celebrations on May 9.

Kyiv still has not received an answer from Moscow over whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel for potential peace talks in Turkey, a Ukrainian official told AFP on Wednesday, hours before Moscow said they were due to start.