What to know about the Ukraine-Russia war and efforts to end it
KYIV, TBILISI AND PARIS — Nearly every day for the last three years, Russian drones and missiles have hit Ukraine, striking power plants, hospitals, schools and homes.
“This is part of our life,” says Volodymyr Silvanovskyi, a 63-year-old customs official from the northeastern city of Sumy. “And then the day comes when your home is the target.”
A few weeks ago, a Russian drone ripped into the apartment building where Silvanovskyi lives. He was turning off the TV to go to bed when the blast blew out his windows and jammed his front door shut. He forced his way out with a hammer, then checked on his neighbors, a couple in their 60s, only to see their entire apartment caved in. He found out later that they were among nine residents killed in the attack.
“This happens every day, everywhere in Ukraine,” he says.
Thousands of civilians have been killed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. Ukrainians want the war to end, but not on Russia’s terms. That would be rewarding the aggressor, they say, and an unequal peace deal could lead to more war. Yet Russia’s bargaining power has increased with President Trump returning to the White House last month.
Trump came to office with vows to end the war quickly — and he is acting on them. First there was a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Within days, American and Russian delegations were gathered in Saudi Arabia to begin to talk specifics. The meetings last week marked the first direct high-level contact between the two sides since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion — and a stark shift in U.S. policy.
The sudden return of U.S.-Russian diplomacy after years of absence has stunned Ukraine and America’s traditional allies in Europe — who have been sidelined from negotiations for now. President Trump’s false claims that Ukraine bore responsibility for starting the war are further cause for concern among Ukrainians and Europeans that the American leader is eyeing a resolution heavily tilted in Moscow’s favor.
As negotiations move forward, here are key developments to keep an eye on — both regarding the war and efforts to end it.
U.S.-Russia détente
President Trump and Putin are both praising the Saudi talks, which took place Feb. 17, as a positive step toward normalizing ties between Washington and Moscow.
For now, that means an agreement to increase staff levels at embassies and explore what Secretary of State Marco Rubio calls “incredible economic and investment opportunities” — an acknowledgement that sanctions relief is on offer.
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