Russia
A video of the French president’s wife shoving him went viral. Here’s why it matters
Macron said that the video depicts the couple "joking" and dismissed it as part of a disinformation campaign. Experts say Russian accounts are trying to undermine his image as a strong advocate for the West.
Trump calls Putin ‘absolutely crazy’ following Russia’s latest barrage on Ukraine
Trump's remarks were a rare rebuke of the Russian president and followed a storm of drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities on Sunday evening.
Inside Ukraine’s last maternity ward in a region surrounded by Russian forces
NPR visits a hospital in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, in a town where many residents have fled but some young couples are holding on and hoping to raise their children one day in peace.
Ukraine and Russia begin the largest prisoner-of-war exchange since the invasion
Ukraine and Russia have begun the exchange of 1,000 prisoners of war, the largest such swap since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy arrives in Turkey for talks with Russia, without Putin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Turkey for direct talks with Russia. But the Kremlin sent a lower-level delegation that doesn't include President Vladimir Putin.
As Russia and Ukraine prepare for possible direct talks, cue President Trump
There are lots of unknowns ahead of potential direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey.
Zelenskyy challenges Putin to meet him in Turkey ‘personally’ for ceasefire talks
Ukraine and European allies had demanded Russia accept a 30-day ceasefire starting Monday before holding talks, but Moscow effectively rejected the proposal and called for direct negotiations instead.
Ukraine’s allies push for 30-day ceasefire starting Monday
U.K. Prime Minister says Europe and the U.S. are "calling out" Putin, by proposing a 30-day unconditional ceasefire starting Monday.
How this teen fled Russian occupation to become an unassuming hero in Ukraine
An 18-year-old from Russian-occupied Luhansk tells NPR how and why he escaped to Kyiv.
Word of the Week: Crimea’s tumultuous history shrouds the origin of its very name
At the northern end of the Black Sea, Crimea sits at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, having been at various times in its long history either coveted, conquered or controlled by various powers.
Putin declares a 3-day ceasefire for May’s WWII anniversary. Ukraine says why wait?
Russia declared a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine starting May 8 for the anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany. Ukraine called for an immediate, 30-day truce instead.
Ukrainian families divided by Russian occupation hang on and hope to be reunited
Ukrainians displaced by Russian occupation are helping the war effort — and longing for the homes they fled and the loved ones they left behind.
Trump meets Zelenskyy during visit to Pope Francis’ funeral
The White House says it will release more details of the meeting, which it described as "a very productive discussion."
Trump has his old friend Steve Witkoff leading his toughest diplomatic talks
President Trump has put Steve Witkoff — a friend from New York's real estate world — in charge of delicate talks on the war in Ukraine, Iran's nuclear ambitions and the conflict in Gaza.
Russia launches airstrikes on Kyiv as Trump pushes for Kremlin-favored peace deal
The Ukrainian military says Russia launched at least 215 drones and missiles at Ukraine, most aimed at the capital.
Officials from U.S., Europe meet in London for Ukraine peace talks
The U.S. is showing signs that it is increasingly willing to withdraw from a peace process that has grown more complex in recent months.
Putin calls an Easter ceasefire as Russia and Ukraine swap hundreds of POWs
The Russian president announced a temporary ceasefire, citing humanitarian reasons, as Russia and Ukraine swapped hundreds of captured soldiers.
Trump may abandon Ukraine peace talks ‘within days,’ Rubio warns
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that the U.S. would walk away from efforts to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine if progress isn't made within days.
U.S.-Russia ballerina freed in prisoner swap
Ksenia Karelina, jailed over a $50 donation to Ukraine, released after U.S.-Russia prisoner swap.
The U.S. and Russia are holding talks in Saudi Arabia on a Black Sea ceasefire
The closed-door talks at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh follow U.S. consultations with a Ukrainian delegation on stabilizing the front lines and implementing a proposed 30-day armistice.
European military leaders discuss Ukraine peacekeeping force
The number of troops that would help enforce a peace in Ukraine is vague. Officials have cited figures of between 10,000 and 30,000 troops as part of what's been termed a "reassurance force."
Zelenskyy and Trump speak after Trump’s call with Putin
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke for about an hour with President Trump on Wednesday, following Trump's call on Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kremlin says it will halt strikes on Ukraine energy sector after Trump and Putin talk
President Trump has said he wants to broker an end to Russia's war in Ukraine. This was his second call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the issue.
What Russia and Ukraine want out of talks, as Trump speaks to Putin Tuesday
President Trump will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, as the U.S. pursues a ceasefire deal in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy wants U.S. to hit Russia with ‘maximum’ sanctions if it refuses a ceasefire
Ukraine's president said he hopes the U.S. applies "maximum additional sanctions" on Russia if it refuses to accept a 30-day ceasefire, describing the Russian leader's "bravado" as a stalling tactic.
A Putin aide rejects Trump’s 30-day Ukraine ceasefire proposal
As U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff enters talks in Moscow on a Trump administration proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine, an adviser to the Russian president rejected the idea.
Ukraine wants ‘constructive, friendly’ talks with the U.S. as they meet in Saudi Arabia
Diplomatic teams from Ukraine and the United States are holding talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday in steps toward ending a full-scale war started by Russia in 2022.
Five takeaways: China’s foreign minister slams Trump’s ‘two-faced’ policies
China's top foreign policy official addressed the escalating trade war with the U.S. and promoted China as an "anchor" on the global stage as America retreats from international involvement.
European leaders renew support for Ukraine after Zelenskyy’s stormy meeting with Trump
Leaders from across Europe came quickly to the defense of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after his televised clash with President Trump and Vice President Vance.
Trump and Zelenskyy’s meeting turns into a heated argument
A meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy grew contentious, with Trump telling Zelenskyy that "you're not acting at all thankful" for U.S. support.
Meeting Trump at White House, Zelenksyy hopes for continued aid in war with Russia
It's the first face-to-face meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump since Trump's inauguration, and it comes about a week after Trump called Zelenskyy a dictator and repeated Kremlin talking points, including suggesting that Ukraine started the war with Russia.
Trump says he doesn’t see need for U.S. security guarantees to end Ukraine-Russia war
In a meeting with the British Prime Minister, Trump said reaching a peace deal would be the "difficult part." He said security would be made easier by a U.S. deal with Ukraine on critical minerals.
