Overview

• Ukraine says its partners agreed to give Moscow until September 1 to show readiness for a bilateral meeting on ending the war.
• Zelensky outlined guarantees centered on sustaining Ukraine’s forces and funding, NATO-like protections, and sanctions using seized Russian assets for reconstruction.
• He urged that commitments be legally binding and ratified by parliaments, rejecting a repeat of the Budapest Memorandum.
• Russia rejected current Western proposals as one-sided, insisted it must help design any arrangement with possible UN Security Council involvement, and ruled out NATO troops in Ukraine.
• Zelensky warned of a major Russian buildup near Pokrovsk, citing up to 100,000 troops and possible offensive preparations.