The war in Ukraine, sparked by Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, shows no sign of abating.
In the east of Ukraine, Russia presses on in a grinding and bloody advance. Deadly aerial strikes are a nightly occurrence across the country, while Russia's refineries and energy facilities come under regular attack from Kyiv's drones.
It is against this backdrop that the Kremlin confirmed a meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin was being planned and due to take place soon. "I'm here to get [the war] over with," the US leader said on Wednesday.
Three rounds of talks between Russia and Ukraine held at his behest between May and July have failed to bring the two sides any closer to peace, and Trump may hope that taking the situation into his own hands could finally result in a ceasefire.
But the gulf between Kyiv and Moscow is so large that even Trump-mediated talks could make it difficult to bridge.
