A barrage of Russian drone and missile attacks in Ukraine killed at least two people Saturday – including a 9-year-old girl – as Kyiv weighs whether to attend peace talks with Russia

A bipartisan pair of US senators met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Friday and urged stronger sanctions against Russia, while uncertainty swirls over whether the next round of peace talks will move ahead in the coming days.

Ukrainian intelligence and open-source data show Russian President Vladimir Putin does not "plan to end the war," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday.

With diplomatic efforts to reach a cease-fire appearing remote, and President Trump apparently abandoning the process, Russia has been escalating its assaults on Ukrainian cities and on the battlefield.

A claim that President Vladimir Putin 's helicopter faced a combat incident during his visit to the Kursk region was concocted by Russia's authorities, it has been reported. Russia's Defense Ministry said that during Putin's trip to the border region where Kyiv previously staged an incursion, his aircraft came under fire from Ukrainian drones.

A Ukraine presidential adviser says Ukraine is ready to resume direct peace talks with Russia in Istanbul on Monday but insists that the Kremlin provide a promised memorandum setting out its position on ending the war.

Zelensky accuses Kremlin of ‘engaging in yet another deception’ over peace proposal - Kremlin says Kyiv has failed to reply to offer of new direct talks in Istanbul on Monday

Credit ratings agency Moody's affirmed Ukraine's 'Ca' rating on Friday, citing the long-lasting impact of the war with Russia on its economy and finances, as well as uncertainties over peace negotiations with Moscow.