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Why the World Can’t Ditch Diplomacy in Putin’s War

A former U.S. diplomat who served in Afghanistan on why talks still matter.

By , a former intern at Foreign Policy.
Ukrainian and Russian officials meet for talks in Belarus.
Ukrainian and Russian officials meet for talks in Belarus.
Ukrainian and Russian officials meet for talks as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Belarus's Brest region on March 7. MAXIM GUCHEK/BELTA/AFP via Getty Images

Russia’s War in Ukraine

Officials from Ukraine and Russia met in Belarus for a third round of peace talks Monday, after two attempts to establish a partial cease-fire and humanitarian corridors to allow for the evacuation of Ukrainian civilians broke down due to Russia’s continued shelling. Nearly 2 million people have fled Ukraine so far, according to the United Nations refugee agency, as families have fled to neighboring countries by train, car, and foot, while many men, called by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to join the fight, have stayed behind.

Mary Yang is a former intern at Foreign Policy. Twitter: @MaryRanYang

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