From prison and from exile, supporters of Moscow have been ramping up social media posts aimed at backing Russia’s call for elections in Ukraine and slamming President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s top negotiator, said the U.S. would be looking to talks from early in the war as a basis for a deal. Ukraine’s supporters saw it as an embrace of a Kremlin talking point.

During the February 18 meeting between the US and Russia, there were no talks about Ukraine. The American side tried to determine whether the Russians were seriously committed to ending the war, stated US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during an interview,