"Putin's Plan for a Ukraine Buffer Zone to Protect Russia"

Russian President Vladimir Putin, following his re-election in a controversial vote, announced plans to establish a buffer zone inside Ukraine to protect against Ukrainian strikes and incursions. He warned against Western military intervention and reiterated Russia's openness to negotiations while rejecting a truce that would allow Ukraine to rearm. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for Putin to face trial at the International Criminal Court, as U.S. aid to Ukraine remains pending amid ongoing conflict and desperate need for military support.