Ukrainian troops struggle with exhaustion but pledge to fight ‘until we break the Russians’ belief that we can be defeated’

Russia will be ready to hand Ukraine a draft document outlining conditions for a long-term peace accord once a prisoner exchange now under way is completed, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.

Russia is still refusing to sign up to an unconditional comprehensive ceasefire. It has no intention of returning any of the Ukrainian land it has seized, occupied and claims to have annexed. On the contrary: it's pushing for more.

Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy shared details on his meeting with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Rome on Sunday.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in a statement on Tuesday that Pope Leo had confirmed during a phone call with her his willingness to host in the Vatican the next round of negotiations to try to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.