Overview

• U.S. President Donald Trump held separate calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodímir Zelenski, declaring that negotiations for a ceasefire and peace will begin immediately.
• Putin expressed willingness to work on a memorandum outlining principles for a ceasefire and peace agreement, but reiterated demands for Ukraine to recognize annexed territories, a stance Kyiv rejects.
• The Vatican has been proposed as a potential venue for future peace talks, with Pope León XIV offering support for negotiations between the two nations.
• Russia launched its largest drone attack since the war began, targeting Ukrainian civilians, even as diplomatic efforts to establish a truce intensified.
• The European Union prepares to implement a new sanctions package to pressure Moscow, while Western leaders urge a 30-day unconditional ceasefire as a starting point for peace discussions.