Overview

• Volodymyr Zelensky says he will meet Vladimir Putin only after a concrete security‑guarantee framework is agreed, accusing Moscow of trying to dodge a leaders’ meeting and aiming to define the architecture within 7–10 days.
• Sergei Lavrov calls talks on guarantees without Russia an “utopia,” presses for a guarantor format that includes Moscow with de facto veto power, and rejects any foreign troop presence in Ukraine.
• White House officials say Donald Trump has stepped back from direct mediation for now, urging Moscow and Kyiv to arrange their own meeting, while Vice President J.D. Vance signals Europeans should carry the main burden of post‑war security.
• Ukraine reports one of the largest recent barrages with 40 missiles and 574 drones overnight, striking multiple regions and damaging infrastructure including Odessa port and a U.S. electronics plant in Mukachevo.
• Potential venues under review include Switzerland, Austria and Turkey, as European capitals debate Article‑5‑style assurances and a 24‑hour response model that stops short of NATO membership.