Overview
- Trump said he began arranging direct leader‑level talks after hosting Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House.
- The president set a two‑week window to decide next steps if no meeting is scheduled, raising the prospect of new sanctions or tariffs on Russia.
- Russia carried out one of its largest aerial barrages of the year during the diplomatic push, including 574 drones and 40 ballistic and cruise missiles.
- European officials voiced guarded optimism about diplomacy but warned that pressuring Ukraine to cede territory would reward Russian aggression.
- Zelenskyy asserted that Moscow is blocking a meeting and urged allies to increase pressure through additional sanctions.