However, Russian officials, who over the weekend held their own talks with the U.S. team in the Sunshine State, continued to downplay any sense of progress and Moscow still shows little sign of yielding from the maximalist war demands that Ukraine surrender territory, reduce its army and never join NATO.

Pope Leo said on Tuesday (December 23) that he feels "great sadness" that Russia did not agree to a Christmas ceasefire in its nearly four-year old war with Ukraine. Will Central African Republic's crypto embrace endanger state assets?