Overview
- President Trump said he is trying to reach an agreement to end the war and argued Ukraine is unlikely to win outright.
- U.S. and Russian foreign ministers held a call and plan an in‑person meeting Thursday to prepare a potential Trump–Putin encounter, with Hungary discussing logistics and Bulgaria offering an air corridor for Putin.
- Ukraine’s role remains unsettled as Zelensky says he is willing to participate, voices doubts about Budapest as a venue, and notes he has not been formally invited.
- The U.S. has paused potential Tomahawk transfers to Kyiv after their recent meeting, with reports of Trump urging concessions or a front‑line freeze that Ukrainian sources describe as a tense but not explosive exchange.
- EU energy ministers approved a phased halt to new Russian gas and LNG contracts through 2027 over Hungarian and Slovak objections, while European leaders insist any talks on Ukraine include Kyiv and the EU.