A law curbing the independence of anti-graft agencies triggered the first street protests of the war and rare rebukes from European allies.

Vasily Astrov, expert on the Russian economy at the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, told Newsweek that "inflation has really subsided markedly over the past few months. The outcome of this policy has been a marked cooling of domestic demand, with the welcome side effect of rapid disinflation.

The long-range Russian drones come in swarms each night, buzzing over Ukraine by the hundreds, terrorizing the population and attacking targets from the industrial east to areas near its western border with Poland.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is stalling over a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Trump has changed his mind about sending weapons to Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a new bill that critics says weakens the country's anti-corruption agencies.

Kyiv said the French fighter, one of six in its air force, was performing a flight mission but was not shot down by Russian fire.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Fox News on Tuesday that sanctioning Russian oil to end the Ukraine war is a "very real possibility."

"Ukraine protects the front line against Russian aggression for all of Europe," Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said on Monday.