Moscow has not responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s challenge for Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to meet him for face-to-face talks.

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed that the militant group will free Israeli American soldier Edan Alexander for a ceasefire and an end to the aid blockade.

Ukraine and its European allies have demanded Russia accept an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting this week before holding talks.

The newly elected pope followed in his predecessor's footsteps, calling for ceasefires in Ukraine, Gaza, India, Pakistan and Kashmir.

India’s military strikes into Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and Pakistan earlier this week killed more than 100 militants including their prominent leadership, India's director general of military operations said on Sunday.

"We are proposing that Kyiv resume direct negotiations without any preconditions," Putin said from the Kremlin in the early hours of Sunday.

He identified AI as one of the main issues facing humanity, saying it poses challenges to defending human dignity, justice and labor.

Hours after the agreement, explosions heard by residents in Srinagar and Jammu in Indian-controlled Kashmir were followed by blackouts in the two cities.

India has fired missiles at three air bases inside Pakistan but most of the missiles were intercepted.