Overview
- The Kremlin called the diplomacy a serious process as it announced a preliminary agreement for Witkoff to travel to Moscow next week for talks with Vladimir Putin.
- President Donald Trump said only a few disagreements remain, tasked Army Secretary Dan Driscoll to meet Ukrainian officials after contacts in Abu Dhabi, and stated he will meet Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky only once a deal is near final.
- Following weekend negotiations in Geneva, the U.S. blueprint was cut from 28 to roughly 19 points, reportedly allows Ukraine to maintain an 800,000‑strong army, and is viewed in Kyiv as improved though sensitive issues remain.
- A Bloomberg-released transcript shows Witkoff advising a senior Kremlin aide on presenting a plan to Trump, mentioning Donetsk and a possible territorial exchange, as the White House defended his outreach as standard negotiation practice.
- Russian strikes continued as Zaporizhia was hit in a massive attack that damaged dozens of buildings and injured at least 18, while key disputes over territory, NATO prospects and security guarantees remain unresolved.