Much hype preceded the Paris meeting of Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin, the first face-to-face talks between the current leaders of Ukraine and Russia on the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Many Ukrainians feared Mr. Zelenskyy would make major concessions to Mr. Putin, particularly with European leaders eager for progress toward peace looking on.
But the modest agreements reached seemed to leave little room for concerns of “capitulation” to Moscow, making for a mix of relief at that result and disappointment about the obstacles that still loom large in a country torn by a five-year war in its east.