Vladimir Putin may be preparing to make difficult concessions to end the war in Ukraine, according to a seasoned Kremlin observer.

Vladimir Putin has made the startling claim that the West is responsible for the conflict in Ukraine. The Russian dictator said he was doing all he could to stop the war despite continuing to launch missile and drone strikes on civilians. He also claimed Western people were friendly to him and Russia.

Vladimir Putin engaged in a number of unusual activities prior to and after the Alaska summit with Donald Trump, suggesting he is preparing the ground for a peace deal.

A top Russian official told NBC News that there was no meeting planned between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, dealing a blow to President Trump’s efforts to mediate an end to the war between the two countries.

Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov told NBC News there's no meeting in the works between Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky.