Seeking to overcome tensions with Kyiv, President Emmanuel Macron of France and Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany backed away from Moscow diplomacy, at least for now.
An operation to bring grain out from Ukraine through Lithuania, with considerable political hurdles, is just one option being considered amid warnings of mass starvation around the world.
Despite many stumbles and setbacks, the Russian military has gained near total control of the Donbas region, giving the Kremlin huge leverage in any future talks.
Although Russian forces failed to take Kyiv, they have captured large chunks of the south and east, giving Moscow a chance to strangle the country economically.