Pro-Kremlin social media claims that the assassination of Armen Sarkisyan in Moscow on Monday was carried out by a suicide bomber with criminal links to the founder of the ArBat battalion.

The Kremlin pointed to a decree signed by Zelenskyy that barred direct negotiations with Vladimir Putin in 2022.

The Kremlin confirmed Wednesday that Russian officials have been in contact with members of the Trump administration but did not say whether the discussions focused on ending the war in Ukraine.