Diplomats from Moscow and Washington agree to press ahead with negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. The talks, which are taking place in Saudi Arabia, are underscored by the absence of any Ukrainian representative. We talk about the latest diplomatic developments and the role of sanctions in the conflict.

Also on the programme: we hear from the patients in Nigeria who are affected by cuts in USAID’s HIV care; and Britain’s new National Poetry Centre.

(Photo: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attending a press conference after negotiations with US officials in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Credit: Shutterstock)