Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for giving "so much attention" to the prospect of a Russia-Ukraine deal.

Russia’s president appeared to hedge his bets on the issue of a Ukrainian ceasefire, saying it was a good idea but refusing to implement it, for now. That keeps the dialogue open with Donald Trump, but it means the war continues.

In trying to get Russia to the negotiating table, the president continues to give its leader a degree of latitude and deference he denied Zelenskyy.