Sergey Lavrov gave an extensive interview to the state-run TASS agency. The head of Russian diplomacy emphasized the need for a "lasting agreement on Ukraine." Simultaneously, in a propagandistic discourse,

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia is open to a Slovakian proposal to host peace talks with Ukraine to end a conflict he said Russia was determined to bring to a conclusion.

Tensions are rising between Slovakia and Ukraine. The Slovak Minister of Defense, Robert Kaliniak, stated that the situation on the front suggests that Ukraine may need to give up some of its territory.

Ukraine and Russia today swapped over 300 prisoners of war as Putin said he is "open to peace talks". Moscow's Defence Ministry said each side freed 150 prisoners of war, although Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the number of Kyiv's soldiers at 189. The reason behind the discrepancy is unclear at the moment.

By Chris Summers Contributing Writer Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was ready for “compromises” over Ukraine in possible talks with President-elect Donald Trump but said Russian forces were in a

Russia rebuffed incoming U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine, while saying it’s ready to hold negotiations on a long-lasting peace agreement to end almost three years of war.