News of the phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday, in which they agreed to meet in person to discuss the war in Ukraine, will have come as an unwelcome surprise to Kyiv.
The country is being hit hard.
The last 24 hours alone have seen Russia launch dozens of missiles and more than 300 drones at multiple targets.
Once again, they include a large amount of civilian infrastructure with further damage to the country's gas supply network, just as the first signs of cold herald a long, hard winter ahead.
Attacks on the electrical grid are already leading to nationwide power outages.
For Ukraine's government it's a sign of Russian desperation.
The frontlines are at effective stalemate, involving huge loss of life for incremental territorial gains.
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