Russia’s stalling contrasted with Trump’s rush for a valuable breakthrough as his trade policies set off stock market slumps and cast a cloud over the economy. “I think we’re going to be in very good shape to get it done. We want to get it over with,” Trump said at the Oval Office on Thursday, in an outburst of optimism that jarred with reality.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's reaction to the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine exemplifies typical behavior of an aggressor country, according to Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation at Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.