Economists say the talks are "already a win" for Putin, whose economy is limping along after three years of war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy won diplomatic backing from Europe and the NATO alliance on Sunday ahead of a Russia-U.S. summit this week where Kyiv fears President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump may try to dictate terms for ending the 3-1/2-year war.

President Trump said a deal would involve "some swapping of territories to the betterment of both." Kyiv and its European allies say ceding land would only encourage Russian aggression.