Overview
- Volodymyr Zelensky met Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner for more than five hours at the German Chancellery, with negotiations set to continue Monday ahead of a wider European summit convened by Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
- Kyiv is discussing a roughly 20-point U.S.-backed plan that would culminate in a ceasefire, and seeks legally binding Western security guarantees, potentially Article 5–style, in place of an immediate NATO bid.
- Zelensky rejects proposals for Ukrainian troop withdrawals from Donetsk and favors freezing current lines, raising concerns about who would administer any proposed demilitarized or “economic” zone.
- Following a major overnight barrage, over one million Ukrainian households lost power, authorities said, with DTEK reporting 20 damaged substations in Odesa and officials citing injuries and water and heat disruptions.
- Military tallies diverged: Ukraine reported downing 110 of 138 incoming drones, while Russia claimed it shot down 235 Ukrainian drones and, through aide Yuri Ushakov, signaled skepticism about modified peace drafts.