Ukraine Gets Stronger Backing from Europe Amid Critical Peace Talks:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also revealed that Ukraine will present its own version of a 20-point peace plan on Tuesday. This comes as both Ukraine and Russia continue to react to a 28-point proposal introduced last month by US President Donald Trump. The American plan aims to create a path toward ending the war, though major disagreements still remain. Speaking to reporters in London, Zelenskyy said the United States is generally open to finding a compromise, but “there are complex issues related to territory, and a compromise has not yet been found there.” Territorial control remains one of the biggest obstacles in peace negotiations, with both sides unwilling to make major concessions. The London meeting marked the beginning of two intense days of diplomacy for Zelenskyy. European leaders are trying to show strong, unified support for Ukraine as Zelenskyy faces growing criticism from President Trump. Just days earlier, Trump said he was “disappointed” with Zelenskyy and accused him of not reading the latest US-backed proposals. During the discussions in London, the leaders of Finland, Italy, Poland, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Turkiye also joined a call to express their full backing for Ukraine. Starmer said the united message from Europe is that Ukraine will not be abandoned, especially at such a decisive stage of the conflict. After London, Zelenskyy traveled to Brussels, where he met with officials from the European Union and NATO. Later, he departed for Italy for talks with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. His goal throughout these meetings has been to secure continued financial, military and diplomatic assistance, while also coordinating a shared European stance on the US-led peace proposals. Meanwhile, in Moscow, the Kremlin responded to the new US national security strategy released by the White House. Surprisingly, Russian officials said parts of the document seem to align with Russia’s own views. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told state television that several adjustments in the strategy “correspond in many ways to our vision.” He particularly welcomed language suggesting the end of what the document describes as the “perception of NATO as a perpetually expanding alliance.” The US strategy is notably critical of European leaders, sceptical of further NATO enlargement, supportive of far-right parties in Europe, and open to improving relations with Russia. Analysts say the Kremlin’s positive reaction is unusual, given the typically hostile relations between the two countries. On the ground, however, the war continues with deadly intensity. Russian forces launched several attacks across Ukraine since Sunday, killing at least four civilians in the Donetsk region and five in the Kharkiv region. Russia’s Ministry of Defence claimed its troops captured the Ukrainian villages of Novodanylivka in Zaporizhia and Chervone in Donetsk, according to the state-owned TASS news agency. Ukrainian monitoring group DeepState reported additional Russian advances near the strategic town of Pokrovsk. According to the site, Russian troops have seized several small settlements—including Lysivka, Sukhyi Yar, Hnativka, Rih and Novopavlivka—and are pushing forward around Siversk and Myrnohrad. As both battlefield actions and diplomatic efforts intensify, Ukraine’s allies stress that the coming weeks may be crucial in shaping the future of the war—and any possible path toward peace.

NEWS