Four years on: Is peace any closer in Russia-Ukraine crisis?

A woman holding a child calls her husband as she sees him through the window of the bus transporting released Ukrainian prisoners of war, June 12, 2025. [Xinhua]

As the Ukraine crisis marked its fourth anniversary on Tuesday, the conflict remains entrenched in a stalemate, with mounting human and economic costs and little immediate hope for a negotiated peace.

While both Kiev and Moscow reaffirm their willingness to engage in dialogue, the reality on the ground reflects a complex interplay of military aid, diplomatic maneuvers, and international pressure, leaving the future of Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II uncertain.