Will the Russia-Ukraine war end? Putin invites Zelensky to Moscow for peace talks

Moscow (The Uttam Hindu): Russia has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to visit Moscow for peace talks as efforts intensify to end the Russia-Ukraine war with US mediation. The Kremlin confirmed the development in an official statement. The conflict between the two countries has been ongoing for nearly four years.

The Kremlin also said that Russia and Ukraine have completed another phase of exchanging soldiers killed in the war. However, Russia declined to comment on any possible agreement related to halting attacks on energy infrastructure. Peace efforts gained some momentum after talks mediated by the United States in Abu Dhabi last weekend, but major differences between the two sides still remain. Fighting continues on the ground, and recent missile strikes have worsened Ukraine’s power crisis.

According to a US official, the possibility of a direct meeting between President Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin has increased. Another round of talks between negotiators from both countries has been proposed for Sunday in Abu Dhabi. US President Donald Trump said that positive progress is being made in the peace process, though agreement on issues such as territorial control and post-war arrangements is still far away.

Meanwhile, President Trump claimed on Thursday that he had requested President Putin to pause attacks on Kyiv for one week due to extreme cold conditions. Russian strikes have caused severe damage to critical infrastructure in several Ukrainian cities, leaving many residents without electricity and heating. Trump said Putin agreed to the request, though Russia has not officially confirmed this so far.