Russia to scale back attacks on Kyiv

Moscow agreed on Tuesday to “drastically” cut down on its military activity near the cities Kyiv and Chernihiv to “increase mutual trust” while peace talks continue. At negotiations in Istanbul, the Ukrainian delegation laid out a framework for the country to declare itself neutral — thus promising not to join NATO — as long as its security is still guaranteed by a coalition of countries such as the U.S., Britain, and France. Negotiators also said they are willing to hold talks over the next 15 years about the future of the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia seized and annexed in 2014.

What’s happening in Ukraine? While the delegations talked, Russian strikes hit a nine-story government administration building in Mykolaiv, killing at least 12 people. The regional governor said the attackers waited until employees arrived for the workday, and he only survived because he overslept. Western officials reported Moscow is reinforcing its troops in the Donbas region. In the south, civilians are still trapped in Mariupol debris. Although Ukraine’s military noted some withdrawals of Russian troops near Kyiv and Chernihiv, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Russia appears to be merely repositioning its troops to attack other parts of Ukraine.

Dig deeper: Read WORLD’s latest coverage of the war.