Overview
- Volodymyr Zelenskyy signaled Ukraine could drop its NATO bid in exchange for firm, legally binding Western security guarantees.
- U.S. officials said roughly 90% of a multi-point framework is narrowed, describing proposed protections as Article 5-like.
- European leaders floated a European-led multinational force and a U.S.-led monitoring and verification mechanism to enforce a ceasefire.
- The core dispute over Donbas persists, with reports that U.S. negotiators urged a Ukrainian withdrawal from parts of the region and Kyiv rejecting the demand.
- President Donald Trump said a deal is closer than ever after Berlin talks, while Russian and Ukrainian strikes continued during negotiations.