The president-elect had said Russia’s leader wanted to meet him to discuss the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin said it welcomed such dialogue, but a meeting could occur only after Mr. Trump took office.

Even though a figurehead, Mikheil Kavelashvili occupies a symbolic role as the country moves further from the West and toward Russia and China.

Flight attendants and a passenger described the moments before an Azerbaijan Airlines flight went down in Kazakhstan, killing dozens.

Russian aviation authorities said the Azerbaijan Airlines plane had hit a flock of birds. But some experts cast doubt on that account, pointing to footage showing apparent holes in the fuselage.