President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia needs to strengthen its position in the global arms market by increasing exports of weapons.

War experts believe Moscow is planning a summer offensive in Ukraine. Economic and military pressures closer to home could end up pushing Moscow into peace talks. A slowdown in inflation, declining industrial output and consumer spending all point to a slowdown in the Russian economy.

Ukraine would like U.S. President Donald Trump to be present at a potential meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrinform reported on May 23, citing Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

Zelensky says Putin makes ‘mockery of entire world’ as historic prisoner swap continues - The Ukrainian president said 390 prisoners were returned on Friday, with more to follow over the weekend

The West's newfound interest in the Arctic unnerves Moscow. Russia has longstanding geopolitical, strategic and socio-economic interests in the region President Putin slammed recent NATO exercises in Norway designed to prepare troops for "extreme cold-weather warfare.

The US and European leaders are placing their hopes in the Vatican to engage Russia and Ukraine in peace talks, after President Donald Trump said Pope Leo XIV had expressed interest in the idea. The Kremlin isn’t so keen.

The White House has said president Donald Trump “believes” Vladimir Putin is winning the war with Ukraine.The statement follows a Wall Street Journal that Mr Trump told European leaders after a phone call with Mr Putin that the Russian president is not ready to end the war.

A large-scale prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia in the 1,000 for 1,000 format likely cannot be completed in a single day and may need to be carried out in several stages, according to Russian State Duma deputy Shamsail Saraliyev.