Russia took weeks to present Ukraine with a “memorandum” setting out its conditions for a ceasefire, as well as key guidelines for a comprehensive treaty to end the more than 3-year-old war. To practically no one’s surprise,

The second Istanbul meeting confirms that Moscow has no intention of stopping the war by making demands that imply Kyiv’s surrender

The readout of the pope's call with Vladimir Putin was unusual for the Vatican, which does not always issue statements about papal phone calls.