War and peace on Putin’s mind

Three Ukrainian drone strikes lit up the night sky in Moscow this weekend, damaging office towers and causing a brief closure of the city’s Vnukovo International Airport. The Russian defense ministry labeled it an “attempted terrorist attack” and reported that one Ukrainian UAV was destroyed and that two more were “suppressed” by electronic warfare. No injuries were reported.

Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, suggested he might be open to peace talks … but (and it’s a big one) only if Ukraine halts its offensive. Volodymyr Zelensky promised the exact opposite, vowing instead to increasingly take the war to Russia, which he called "an inevitable, natural, and absolutely fair process.”

But after being accused for a year of siding with Russia – and against a backdrop of Russia and the West vying for support from developing countries over Ukraine – Saudi Arabia is set to hold peace talks next weekend in Jeddah. The Gulf kingdom has invited 30 countries, including Egypt, Mexico, Chile, Zambia, the UK, South Africa, and Poland. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan is reportedly set to attend the talks, which exclude Russia.

The goal? To begin forging a framework and international support for ending the war – perhaps leading to a peace summit later this year.

Putin, however, has shown no signs of letting up. In recent days, he has halted the Black Sea grain deal, launched missiles at grain storage facilities in Ukraine, maneuvered to enlarge his army, and announced the purchase of 30 new ships.

We’ll be watching to see who gathers in Jeddah on Aug. 5.