Overview
- At Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV urged continued dialogue and discussed prisoner exchanges and the return of Ukrainian children with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
- Zelensky said the peace framework has been trimmed to 20 points and is being continually edited, with separate papers on security guarantees and reconstruction.
- He indicated the transfer of the updated documents to Washington was delayed and could occur on Wednesday after further work by advisers.
- Ukraine says it removed “openly Ukraine-hostile” elements from the initial U.S. draft, while rejecting reported U.S. pressure to consider territorial withdrawals in Donetsk.
- In Rome, Zelensky met Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who reaffirmed Italian support, including assistance for Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, as fighting and drone attacks continue on both sides.