Russia offers to resume talks

Russia said on Tuesday that peace talks with Ukraine could resume even after Moscow faced one of the largest drone attacks on the capital region in more than a year. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said attention should also be paid to Ukrainian strikes on what he described as civilian targets inside Russia, according to NBC News. The remarks came after a weekend barrage that Russian authorities said killed at least three people in the wider Moscow region. The exchange underscored how negotiations and long-range attacks are again moving in parallel rather than sequence. ### Why did Moscow talk about negotiations after a major drone attack? Dmitry Peskov said on May 19 that talks with Ukraine could resume, even as the Kremlin pointed to the latest strikes around Moscow as evidence of continued pressure from Kyiv. NBC reported that the comments followed what it described as Moscow’s biggest attack in over a year. The weekend strikes gave Russia a fresh case for highlighting attacks on its own territory while keeping the diplomatic channel nominally open. IBTimes reported that Moscow signaled a return to talks after Ukraine launched a sweeping drone operation targeting Moscow and other Russian regions. (nbcnews.com) ### What did Zelenskyy say Ukraine had hit inside Russia? Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian long-range strikes had reached the Moscow region, according to IBTimes and other coverage cited in the briefing. He said Russia “must end its war,” framing the attacks as pressure on Moscow rather than a substitute for negotiations. (ibtimes.com) Time reported on May 17 that one of Ukraine’s largest drone barrages against Moscow to date highlighted Kyiv’s expanding ability to strike deep inside Russian territory despite the capital’s air defenses. Russian regional officials said at least three people were killed near Moscow, and another person was killed in the Belgorod region. (ibtimes.com) Kyiv Post, in an analysis cited in the briefing, said Ukrainian drones had recently hit refineries, naval vessels and air-defense systems deep inside Russia. That account describes a widening target set for Kyiv’s drone campaign, though battlefield claims from either side are often difficult to verify independently. (time.com) ### Where does China fit into this week’s diplomacy? Vladimir Putin is due in Beijing on Tuesday for a two-day summit with Xi Jinping, according to AP and other reports surfaced in the search results. The trip comes days after Xi also hosted U.S. President Donald Trump, placing China at the center of several overlapping diplomatic tracks tied to the war and broader great-power relations. (ibtimes.com) AP reported that Putin’s visit is intended to reaffirm Russia-China ties. The Independent, cited in the briefing, also said Xi had told Trump that Putin might regret invading Ukraine, though that claim was presented in live coverage and should be read in that context. ### Why is Norway asking India to get involved? (apnews.com) Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said Norway hopes India will use its contacts with Russia to press for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Hindustan Times reported on May 19 that Støre said there was a need to put “more pressure” on Russia to come to the negotiating table. (apnews.com) The Hindu separately reported that Støre said he hoped Prime Minister Narendra Modi would use channels to Russia to help bring about a ceasefire. Modi, speaking in Oslo on May 18, said conflicts including Ukraine should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, according to Indian media reports. (hindustantimes.com) ### What happens next? The immediate next step is Putin’s May 19-20 visit to Beijing, where he is scheduled to meet Xi Jinping. Any movement on direct Russia-Ukraine contacts is likely to be judged against that summit, continued drone exchanges, and whether outside governments such as India publicly press Moscow for a ceasefire in the coming days. (apnews.com) (thehindu.com)