Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov cast doubt on Friday over the Vatican as a potential location for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, saying that the Holy See itself would find it uncomfortable to host two mainly Orthodox Christian nations.

The first direct Ukraine-Russia talks did not deliver a ceasefire but it did result in the largest prisoner swap of the war. CHERNIHIV REGION, Ukraine — For hours Friday, a crowd of hopefuls stood on the roadside wrapped in blue-and-yellow flags and clutching photos of captured Ukrainian soldiers — their eyes peeled for any sign of buses.

Footage captured the moment a Ukrainian Himars rocket launcher was destroyed by an elite Russian drone unit just 10km (six miles) from the front line last month.

President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia needs to strengthen its position in the global arms market by increasing exports of weapons.

The U.S. National Security Agency says hackers working for Russian military intelligence tried to access the systems of Western technology and logistics companies involved in shipping assistance to Ukraine.

The announcement was made ahead of an expected prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia on Friday – an outcome of last week’s face-to-face talks in Turkey, the first time the two countries have held direct talks at any level in three years.

The White House has said president Donald Trump “believes” Vladimir Putin is winning the war with Ukraine..The statement follows a Washington Post report that Mr Trump told European leaders after a phone call with Mr Putin that the Russian president is not ready to end the war.

Finland, which shares hundreds of miles of border with Russia, joined NATO two years ago, swiftly followed by neighboring Sweden.