Putin escalates war after misreading US signals, reports Washington Post

US President Donald Trump's administration is preparing to renew diplomatic efforts to end Russia's war in Ukraine, with special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner planning to meet representatives of both countries this weekend, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky said the envoys will visit Moscow and then Kyiv on Sunday, with Kyiv ensuring safe travel through Russian airspace. However, Bloomberg reports Russia is pessimistic about reaching an agreement, with Putin showing no signs of abandoning demands for Ukraine to cede remaining territory in Donetsk region. Russia has also filed a protest with the International Civil Aviation Organization over Zelensky's warnings that Russian airspace is dangerous due to Ukrainian drones. Separately, Rosneft chief Igor Sechin said China has saved $27 billion on discounted Russian oil since 2022, while India saved $12.6 billion.