The wish came after Russia launched a major missile attack in several regions of Ukraine on Tuesday, ahead of Christmas Eve. The attacks killed three people and triggered major power outages in the country.

Ukrainian drone attack in southwestern Russia killed two people as parts of Ukraine went without power after Russian assaults on energy sites hours before peace talks were to restart in Germany.

A majority of Russians expect the war in Ukraine to end in 2026, state pollster VTsIOM said on Wednesday, in a sign that the Kremlin could be testing public reaction to a possible peace settlement as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict intensify.

Kyiv claims successful Storm Shadow strike on major Russian oil refinery - Britain gave Ukraine permission last year to use its Storm Shadow missiles against targets inside Russia

The toll on older people and those with disabilities is especially severe as Moscow’s forces repeatedly attack the port city’s infrastructure.

The issue is that “nobody believes” giving Russia Ukrainian territory is a “true alternative” to create lasting peace, Bosak says.

The announced meeting is the latest development in an extensive U.S.-led diplomatic push to end the nearly four-year Russia-Ukraine war, but efforts have run into sharply conflicting demands by Moscow and Kyiv.