NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) – Invading Russian forces are closing in on Ukraine’s capital, in an apparent encircling movement after a barrage of airstrikes on cities and military bases around the country. Hopes for a negotiated end to the conflict faded on Friday after a tentative deal to discuss Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s offer to designate Ukraine a non-aligned country that wouldn’t join NATO appeared to break down. U.S. President Joe Biden and his NATO partners agreed Friday to send thousands of troops to help protect allies along Europe’s eastern edge. And the EU unanimously agreed to freeze the assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov.