Ukraine’s counteroffensive momentum appears to have been partially drained by the need to defend the area around Avdiivka, a ruined town of strategic importance in Eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, President Zelenskyy is preparing for a peace summit in Malta, holding talks with key stakeholders such as Turkey’s leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, hoping not only for an “authoritative voice and position” from Ankara, but also the continuing backing for Ukraine’s effort to maintain Black Sea grain shipments. What progress, if any, can the Malta summit be expected to bring?
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