Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks Hit Roadblock

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of trying to prevent a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss ending the war. US President Donald Trump has been attempting to broker a peace deal between the two leaders, but Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has stated that there is no meeting planned. Zelensky has sought security guarantees from Western allies to prevent future Russian attacks in the event of a peace deal. The EU's foreign policy chief has warned that Putin is seeking territorial concessions from Ukraine that are a 'trap.' Despite diplomatic efforts, Russia launched a heavy attack on Ukraine on Thursday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has made demands to cease military operations in Ukraine during a meeting with US President Donald Trump. Putin's demands include no NATO membership for Ukraine, no Western troops on its soil, and surrender of the Donbas region. The demands were formally delivered to Washington, and Putin may agree to freeze the front lines and relinquish some captured territory. The development is seen as a shift from Putin's previous demands, and comes after years of Russia's inability to significantly move the front lines. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has also made comments that have escalated concern about Putin's ultimate war aim.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed his desire for a strong reaction from the US government if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to meet with him bilaterally. This comes as US President Donald Trump is attempting to broker a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, which have been at war since Moscow's invasion in February 2022. Zelenskyy has agreed to a proposed meeting with Putin, but is uncertain about Russia's willingness to make concessions on territory. Trump has met separately with both leaders and has proposed a trilateral meeting between himself, Putin, and Zelenskyy.