Ahead of the Trump-Putin meeting, Ukraine seeks peace but faces doubts and recent escalations.

Ahead of the Trump-Putin meeting, Ukrainians are eager for peace but wary of making concessions. Russia accuses Ukraine of escalating attacks to derail negotiations, claiming recent drone strikes on Russian border cities were aimed at creating a hostile atmosphere. While Ukraine has faced manpower shortages, it has managed to eliminate over 150 Russian forces recently. A recent prisoner exchange saw 84 Ukrainian detainees returned. Despite increased fighting, Zelensky doubts the summit will lead to changes, as Putin shows no sign of preparing for a truce.