The Russian president is demanding that Ukraine fully relinquish the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, but Zelensky has rejected this demand. US President Donald Trump spoke with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin by phone for two hours on Monday.

Vladimir Putin has made a rare visit to the front lines amid a deadly drone attack on a Ukrainian military training camp. Devastating missile and drone strikes in the Sumy region of Ukraine have killed at least six Ukrainian soldiers carrying out training exercises,

Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s statement about creating a buffer zone on the border with Ukraine comes amid ongoing international efforts to secure a ceasefire, stated Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

Donald Trump has been urged to pressure Russia with further sanctions, after Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky warned Vladimir Putin is “trying to buy time” to continue his war.The US president insisted progress had been made after his two-hour call with the Russian president on Monday.

Over three years after Russia invaded Ukraine, the countries are finally meeting for direct peace talks in Istanbul. Vladimir Putin will be not be attending. Ironically, given his no-show, it was Putin who suggested the peace talks instead of immediately agreeing to a proposed 30-day ceasefire.