The Trump administration has been working with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine to reach a peace deal to end the war

As Ukrainian drones strike deep into Russian territory, they are disrupting day-to-day life and reminding Russians that the war is not confined to the trenches.

War experts believe Moscow is planning a summer offensive in Ukraine. Economic and military pressures closer to home could end up pushing Moscow into peace talks. A slowdown in inflation, declining industrial output and consumer spending all point to a slowdown in the Russian economy.

Trump’s lead envoy to Ukraine and Russia, Steve Witkoff, has had similar moments of confusion. In an interview in March, he could not name the regions over which the war is being fought. “These so-called four regions,” he said, struggling to recall them. “Donbas, Crimea... You know the names.”

The United States and its allies have imposed broad economic penalties on Russia over its war in Ukraine. As the conflict continues, experts debate whether the sanctions are working.

Moscow’s battlefield edge is waning, experts say. But President Donald Trump seems disinclined to ramp up pressure on the Kremlin to end the war in Ukraine.