Geopolitics will be the main theme of the day, with markets watching the high-stakes talks between the U.S. and Iran, as well as Ukraine and Russia.

The US special envoy struck an optimistic note after the first day of talks in Geneva, but hopes for a breakthrough remain low.

A Russian woman in Milan made a quiet protest against the war by leading Ukraine’s Olympic team into the stadium.

In recent months, North Korea has intensified propaganda glorifying troops deployed to fight in Russia’s war against Ukraine, which analysts see as an effort to bolster internal unity and curb potential public discontent.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (Nabu) said in a statement on Sunday that its detectives had detained the former energy minister "while crossing the state border", as part of the Midas case. It did not name Galushchenko explicitly, but he has been named by several prominent Ukrainian media organisations.

Vladyslav Heraskevych's "helmet of remembrance" was banned by the IOC, with the Ukrainian losing a subsequent appeal to CAS.

Two days of peace talks between the U.S., Ukraine and Russia began on Tuesday in Switzerland.

Feb 17 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said U.S. President Donald Trump was exerting undue pressure on him in trying to secure a resolution to the nearly four-year-old war pitting Kyiv against Moscow.