Ceasefire negotiations are said to begin between Ukraine and Russia with aid from Trump.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that the US didn't have high expectations for the talks, and several world leaders slammed Putin's decision to not come.
Putin said that Russia was proposing direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul in an attempt to "eliminate the root causes of the conflict" and "to achieve the restoration of a long-term, lasting peace."
UK defense officials, fearing a direct attack from Russia, began revising contingency plans to prepare the country for a potential wartime stance.
Melnyk’s past defense of WWII-era nationalist leader Stepan Bandera and blunt diplomatic style continue to draw backlash from Israel, Poland, and beyond.
This comes as Russian President Putin is trying to push for a three-day ceasefire in remembrance of the 80th anniversary of World War II's end, which many parties are saying is a farce.
The former russian president also added that if Kyiv struck Moscow during a Kremlin proposed ceasefire, the Ukrainian capital might not survive Moscow's assault.
Zelensky said the meeting could prove historic if it delivers the kind of peace he is hoping for, and a White House spokesperson called it "very productive."
The Guardian reported that some members of the white supremascist terror group the Base believed that their leader is an agent for the Russian federal intelligence services.
"I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing," Trump wrote in a social media post.
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