As Russian President Vladimir Putin explores a potential peace settlement to end the war in Ukraine, hawkish anti-Western nationalists at home are waging a campaign to keep the conflict going.

Pope Leo XIV has met at the Vatican with the head of the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine. It was one of his first audiences as pontiff that reaffirmed his appeal for a peaceful, negotiated end to Russia’s war.

On May 5, Ukraine's National Guard released a clip it said showed how it used drones to rebuff a Russian motorcycle onslaught of troops trying to plant their flag on the ruins of a building. The video ends with the bodies of wounded or dead Russian soldiers lying next to their motorcycles.

Moscow's goal in the expected peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul is achieving "sustainable peace" by addressing the "root causes of the conflict" rather than a ceasefire, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on May 15.

A leading economist has been telling EU finance ministers that Russia’s economy is under growing strain as its invasion of Ukraine drags on

Satellite imagery has revealed an increase in Russia's military activity near its border with Finland signaling its intention to beef up its troops by NATO 's eastern flank.