The Russian army’s advance in Ukraine is slowing, just as President Trump is pressing for talks.The slowdown comes at a critical time for both sides. Russia wants to trade gains on the battlefield—and the impression that further advances are inevitable—for a favorable deal in peace talks proposed by Trump.

Russia’s objective remains control of the entire Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which together form Ukraine’s industrial heartland, the Donbas. Ukraine’s recent setbacks in the east coincide with uncertainty surrounding continued US military aid, a crucial factor in Kyiv’s defense.

The Times interviewed Russian soldiers who said they face a brutal fight to dislodge determined Ukrainian forces from a sliver of Russian land. Trapped civilians fear catastrophe.