Overview

• Zelensky said Kyiv wants the architecture of guarantees defined within 7–10 days and then aims for a first meeting with Putin one to two weeks later, citing Switzerland, Austria or Turkey as potential venues.
• Lavrov called talks on European or Western guarantees without Russia “utopian,” warned Moscow would defend its interests if U.S. aircraft patrolled Ukrainian airspace or European troops deployed, and urged painstaking summit preparation.
• Reuters‑cited sources say Kremlin conditions include Ukraine ceding the Donbás, abandoning NATO ambitions and barring Western troops on Ukrainian soil, with front lines frozen in parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
• NATO chiefs and U.S. generals discussed security options, with Trump ruling out U.S. ground troops but exploring U.S. Air Force cooperation; a 30‑country coalition is working on a European‑led force as U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance pressed Europe to bear most costs.
• Russian missile and drone strikes continued across multiple regions, causing civilian casualties, as Trump publicly backed potential air support for Ukraine and, according to reports, may let a Putin–Zelensky bilateral occur before any trilateral role.