Previous Trump promises, threats and cajoling have failed to yield results., and the stubborn diplomatic stalemate will be hard to clear away. Meanwhile, Ukraine is losing more territory on the front line, although there is no sign of a looming collapse of its defenses.

President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Russia later this week, the president told reporters on Sunday, in a bid to secure an elusive ceasefire deal "where people stop getting killed.

The U.S. envoy is set to discuss with Russia how to end the war President Vladimir Putin began, U.S. President Donald Trump said.