RUSSIA A ‘NYET’ ON PUTIN ZELENSKY TALKS: No sooner had Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky floated the idea of a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to break the impasse over the ceasefire than the Kremlin shot down the idea, again signaling an intent to fight on into the fall.

Speaking to reporters last week, Zelensky suggested that “a meeting at the level of leaders” is likely the only way to find a negotiated way to end the war. “It won’t work any other way with them,” Zelensky said.