Could the latest Ukraine talks actually end the war? Here’s what to know

Meetings in Switzerland. Talks in the United Arab Emirates. A possible Ukrainian presidential visit to the United States.

And yet, despite the recent flurry of diplomacy to end the war in Ukraine and officials touting promising developments, more often than not in off-the-record briefings, it’s hard to say if an agreement is actually close to the finish line. The core demands of each side remain the same.

The Trump administration is pushing hard to get a landmark agreement, but Russian President Vladimir Putin and his delegates have not given any indication that they want the years-long conflict to end in compromise.

Now, a US official has briefed reporters in a closed group that…