Steve Gutterman

After two hours of talks with his Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on December 28, US President Donald Trump said they were “getting a lot closer” to agreement on a deal to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. Here’s what to watch for as the US push for peace continues.

As the US presses for an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine, the fate of territory in the Donbas and a massive nuclear power plant may be the biggest barriers to a peace deal. Here’s a look at these and other obstacles, including the mechanics of security guarantees and a potential vote in Ukraine.

While the loss of a Latin American ally is a blow, Russia may hope the US intervention in Venezuela means Moscow can do as it wishes in what it considers its sphere of influence, primarily Ukraine. In practice, though, there’s no guarantee it will lead to big changes in the war or the wider region.

For years, President Vladimir Putin has used Russia’s Victory Day parade to show off its weapons, accentuate his dominance, and deliver narratives on World War II and the present. This year is different, with Russia's struggles in Ukraine in focus amid signs his authority at home is "in decline."

A corruption scandal closes in on Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s former chief of staff Andriy Yermak. How badly could it hurt Ukraine’s wartime president?

Poor turnout for an online election underscores the daunting challenges faced by the largely exiled Belarusian democratic opposition six years after a groundswell of popular protests raised hopes for change in a country ruled by authoritarian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko since 1994.

When he launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, many warned Vladimir Putin that the offensive he claimed was meant to bolster Russia’s security would instead put it in jeopardy. Now, in a country steeped in war, analysts say peace could pose major risks – not least for Putin himself.

Pulling up at a gas station with no fuel for sale, a Russian woman is aghast: “What’s going on in this country?” What’s going on is that in the fifth year of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine is fighting back with strikes on oil refineries, part of a bid to bring the war to citizens across Russia.

A veteran of Russia’s war against Ukraine sparked a stir with a viral video post, demanding a meeting with President Vladimir Putin and warning of a rebellion – before retracting the threat. The episode highlighted growing tensions over a war estimated to have killed half a million Russian soldiers.

Poland, steeped in bad memories of the 1939 invasion and decades of Soviet dominance after World War II, is a firm backer of Ukraine’s defense against Russia. But a flare-up over their own bloody history is threatening Polish-Ukrainian ties at a crucial time -- and could have wide repercussions.