Overview

• President Volodymyr Zelensky offered an unconditional 30-day ceasefire ahead of a leaders’ summit, but Russia’s delegation countered with a limited two- to three-day pause.
• Zelensky condemned Moscow’s written conditions as an ultimatum and pressed for direct talks with President Putin alongside U.S. and Turkish leaders.
• Moscow and Kyiv agreed to exchange roughly 500 prisoners of war this Saturday and Sunday under terms brokered during the Istanbul talks.
• Ukraine insists only the United States can effectively monitor and enforce any ceasefire, with European partners involved under U.S. coordination.
• Fighting persists along key sectors of the front, including Ukraine’s deep-strike operations on Russian bases and bridges and Russia’s reported gains in the Sumy region.