Overview
- President Donald Trump told Reuters that Vladimir Putin is ready for a deal and blamed Volodymyr Zelenskiy for the holdup, a view the Kremlin publicly endorsed.
- Zelenskiy rejected the accusation, saying Ukraine is not an obstacle to peace and citing ongoing Russian missile and drone strikes as evidence Moscow is not seeking agreements.
- Zelenskiy said a Ukrainian delegation is en route to the United States to work on security guarantees and a post‑war recovery package, expressing hope the documents could be signed next week in Davos.
- Recent talks have focused on a U.S.-led security‑guarantees framework, with reporting that American negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are leading efforts and have considered a Moscow visit, as territorial terms including Donbas remain contentious.
- European leaders pushed back on Trump’s stance, with Poland’s Donald Tusk saying Russia rejected a U.S. plan and Czech President Petr Pavel asserting only Ukraine currently shows willingness for peace, while Russian strikes strain Ukraine’s energy system and air‑defense supplies.