That will take some doing. Putin remains uninterested in peace talks as long as Russian troops continue to gain ground in Ukraine’s east, albeit at a slow pace, and while Ukrainian forces hold seized territory in the Kursk region inside Russia, according to John Herbst, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, and other former officials.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said Ukraine would have a seat at the table during any peace negotiations with Russia over ending the war. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said the war in Ukraine has to end.