The Europeans are imposing sanctions against Moscow, the US is waiting: Nevertheless, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy continues to rely fully on US-led mediation.

Following the telephone conversation between US President Donald Trump and Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, the US is awaiting a proposal from Moscow for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Putin said that Russia would put forward a proposal that would lead to a ceasefire, which would then lead to broader negotiations, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at a hearing before a US Senate committee in Washington. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is counting on the US as the driving force behind potential peace negotiations with Russia.

On Monday, following his phone call with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, US President Trump promised immediate negotiations in the Vatican on a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. However, Trump did not provide any details and was once again criticized for not exerting sufficient pressure on Moscow in his peace efforts. According to reports, Trump did not offer Putin any further sanctions against Russia for the time being.

Rubio said that the context of the proposed Russian proposal would provide insight into the Russian mindset and where they stand. "I think Putin will always make a deal when he believes it's in his best interest, for the country, for Russia, and for his view of the world." Ukraine has been fending off a Russian war of aggression for more than three years.

Despite the US's wait-and-see attitude, Zelensky advocated for Washington's leading role in further negotiations. "It is America that Russia fears, and it is American influence that can save many lives if used as leverage to persuade Putin to end the war," Zelensky said in his evening video message. "It is important that America remains committed to moving toward peace."

Zelensky praised the 17th sanctions package adopted by the EU on Tuesday. "This is a step in the right direction, and there should be as many sanctions steps as necessary to make Russia interested in peace and feel the full price for its aggression and desire to prolong the war," he said. There is a sanctions resolution by the United Kingdom and the EU, "and it would be good if the United States also contributed to this."

The now 17th package of punitive measures provides, among other things, for further tightening of the measures against the so-called Russian shadow fleet for the transport of oil and oil products.

Meanwhile, according to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Pope Leo XIV confirmed his willingness to host negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Meloni reported a telephone conversation with the Pontiff in which he confirmed the availability of the Vatican as a neutral venue for possible negotiations between the aggressor from Moscow and Kyiv. The new head of the Catholic Church had already made a similar offer in recent days.

Meloni said that during a telephone conference on Monday with Trump and European heads of state and government, among others, she was asked to check with Pope Leo again. She quickly did so. She thanked the Pontiff for his commitment and willingness to work toward a fair and lasting peace in Ukraine, according to the prime minister's office in Rome.

Russian authorities say they sent around 20,000 migrants to the war against Ukraine after they had been naturalized. Military investigators regularly conducted raids to find newly naturalized men who refused to register with the military, said the head of the Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin, according to the state news agency Tass. "We have identified 80,000 and registered them for military service, and 20,000 of these 'young' Russian citizens, who for some reason don't like living in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, or Kyrgyzstan, are already at the front."

More than 30 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia remains a destination for many immigrants, especially from the former Soviet republics of Central Asia. In the countries mentioned by Bastrykin, the standard of living is significantly lower than in Russia and there is a lack of jobs, so many young men come as guest workers and then try to acquire Russian citizenship.

In addition to immigrants, the Kremlin is relying on financial incentives to attract volunteers to the front, especially from Russia's poorer regions. Furthermore, soldiers of the Kremlin's ally North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un have been deployed in the recapture of parts of the western Russian region of Kursk in recent months. There are also regular reports of recruited citizens from other countries such as China, India, Cuba, Senegal, and Togo.