Overview

• Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said no date will be set for a leaders’ meeting until a presidential‑level agenda is finalized and claimed Zelensky rejected Trump’s proposals, a characterization Ukraine disputes.
• President Donald Trump said he would prefer not to be present at a possible Putin–Zelensky meeting, comparing such a session to mixing oil and vinegar.
• Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated willingness to negotiate but vowed not to cede territory, as U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg met him in Kyiv during Ukraine’s Independence Day events.
• NATO chief Mark Rutte visited Kyiv, emphasized the need for robust security guarantees and pledged additional military equipment reported at €1.5 billion, while the EU announced a €4.05 billion disbursement to support Ukraine.
• Ukraine reported intensified Russian strikes during the diplomatic push, with Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko citing more than 1,500 attacks in the week of talks and 55,000 attacks on civilian sites so far in 2025; media also report Moscow has floated China as a potential UN‑mandated guarantor or peacekeeper.