Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia has suffered more than 63,000 casualties in Kursk and that Ukrainian operations there continue, hours after Vladimir Putin made a surprise visit to the region.

Ukraine is ready to exchange collaborators on the condition that Ukrainian citizens are returned from Russian captivity. However, Moscow is in no hurry to act on this issue, the Ukrainian project "Khochu k svoim" (I want to go to my own) reports.

Ukraine's military launched what has been described as the largest drone assault on Russian territory since March.

Recent diplomatic efforts involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States have failed to produce a breakthrough in the ongoing conflict, with differing stances on key issues like territorial integrity and conditions for peace talks remaining significant obstacles.

President Donald Trump held a high-stakes call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday over the war in Ukraine.

The Vatican has a deep history of conflict mediation, with varying degrees of success. An effort by the pope to end the war in Ukraine would face long odds.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has been briefed on a Moscow move to capture the Ukrainian region of Sumy, next to the frontier.

Pope Leo XIV has confirmed his willingness for the Vatican to host the next round of Ukraine peace talks, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni said."Finding in the Holy Father confirmation of the readiness to host the next talks between the parties in the Vatican,