Blinken warns against premature cease-fire in Ukraine.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned against supporting a ceasefire or peace talks to end the war in Ukraine until Kyiv gains strength and can negotiate on its own terms. Blinken said heeding calls from Russia and others for negotiations now would result in a false “Potemkin peace” that wouldn't secure Ukraine’s sovereignty or enhance European security. Ukrainian officials have given confusing signals about whether a counteroffensive, relying heavily on recently deployed advanced Western weapons and training, is coming or already underway.