US president softens his rhetoric but it is unclear whether this will result in tangible support in the war against Russia

The Russian leader is convinced that Moscow’s battlefield superiority is growing, and that Ukraine’s defenses may collapse in the coming months, according to people close to the Kremlin.

A bipartisan U.S. bill that would hit Russia with sanctions in a bid to pressure Moscow into good-faith peace negotiations with Ukraine has gained momentum this week in Congress, but it still lacks the presidential push it needs to get over the finish line.