Putin Rejects Calls for Peace Talks With Ukraine, Sources Say

Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected calls to hold peace talks with Ukraine, according to people described as close to the Kremlin. According to Odaily, the sources said recent Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries and ports have strengthened Putin’s resolve to continue fighting. They added that Putin may escalate the conflict, which they said has entered its fifth year, with one source saying the likelihood of escalation in the coming months is “very high.” U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Putin wants to end the war and that a solution is closer than people realize. Trump said he spoke separately with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. Trump also met Zelenskyy on Wednesday at a NATO summit, where Zelenskyy said they discussed ideas to “bring peace closer.”