Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky might meet Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in Turkey on Thursday – if the Russian leader decides to show up for a summit that he himself suggested.

The Russian economy is in an increasingly precarious state as a result of a shift to a war mode and of Western sanctions over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, a report by the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics (SITE) said on Tuesday.

NATO's eastern flank has grown increasingly nervous that Moscow's forces could quickly rebuild after a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Ukrainian drone strikes have heightened anxiety across Moscow ahead of this year’s May 9 parade on Red Square, where President Vladimir Putin will be watching with other leaders.

Accused of supporting the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the well-known Russian bard Sergei Nikitin, who later categorically rejected the accusations, spoke on the occasion of the Physicist's Day at Moscow State University (Moscow State University).

Vladimir Putin will not travel to Turkey and is instead sending the deputy foreign affairs and defence ministers, the head of his military intelligence, and the presidential aide, who will lead the delegation,

The French Foreign Minister, on his part, adds that he is working with US Senator Lindsey Graham on "massive sanctions" against Moscow. Brussels defined its 17th package of sanctions against Russia this Wednesday,

Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski says is ordering the closure of Russia’s consulate in the southern city of Krakow after Polish authorities said Russia was responsible for a fire that destroyed a shopping center in Warsaw last year.