Overview

• Politico reports Secret Service preparations for possible meetings that could include a trilateral in Budapest, as the White House says Vladimir Putin promised to meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Moscow counsels careful planning.
• The White House says a team is drafting a framework of acceptable guarantees and confirms allied chiefs of defense will confer this week on options and implementation.
• President Donald Trump rules out U.S. ground troops but leaves air support on the table, with his spokesperson describing it as an option under discussion.
• With Russia rejecting any NATO contingents in Ukraine, European governments debate ground-force commitments as experts warn a credible mission would require many thousands of troops.
• Germany’s debate intensifies as figures from Merz to Kretschmer and Pistorius stake out differing positions and the Bundestag’s defense chair Thomas Röwekamp deems a Bundeswehr role likely; separately, Hungary accuses Ukraine of striking a Russian oil pipeline critical to its supplies.