KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia’s military forces are blasting Ukraine’s capital region and other major cities as they try to crush a Ukrainian defense that has frustrated their progress nearly three weeks after invading.
With Russia’s ground advance on Kyiv stalled despite the sustained bombardment, a glimmer of optimism emerged that talks between the two sides could make progress.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Wednesday that a neutral military status for Ukraine was being “seriously discussed” at the “businesslike” talks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described Russia’s demands for ending the war as becoming “more realistic.”
Zelenskyy said Russian forces had been unable to move deeper into Ukrainian territory but continued their heavy shelling of cities.
