At least three oil tankers have been hit by explosions in what appears to be a stepped up unilateral effort by Ukraine to sink Russia's sanctions-dodging oil sales.

But they spared civilian boats, even those carrying Russian oil from Russian ports to finance the Russian war on Ukraine. Only in the past two weeks has Ukraine set aside those rules of engagement. Amid the latest U.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday he was prepared to hold elections within three months if the U.S. and other Kyiv allies could ensure the security of the vote.

Russia is pushing to take over all of eastern Ukraine's Donbas region, where one resident tells NPR that she feels her "life depends on how our guys at the front hold on."

The president called European leaders weak and said Russia holds the cards in any negotiation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Pope Leo XIV near Rome on Tuesday, amid further planned meetings with fellow European leaders.

Keir Starmer, Ukraine's President Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are discussing the Ukraine peace plan.

Ukrainian forces were fending off an unusually large Russian mechanised attack inside the strategic eastern city of Pokrovsk, Kyiv's military said on Wednesday, a battle taking place as the U.S. presses for an agreement to end Russia's war in Ukraine.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “has to be realistic” about the war with Russia and questioned when Ukraine would next hold elections. Trump’s remarks at the White House followed calls with the leaders of France,

Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to Lance Corporal George Hooley, who the Ministry of Defence say died in a "tragic accident" away from the front lines.

Oil prices held steady on Wednesday after falling about 1% in the previous session, as investors watched for progress in Russia-Ukraine peace talks and awaited a decision on U.S. interest rates. Brent crude futures were up 7 cents,