Recent days have seen heightened tension around peace talks involving Ukraine, Russia, and the US. After Russia's Foreign Minister Lavrov dismissed the possibility of a three-way meeting, the Trump administration responded by stating there would be no negotiations unless Putin met with Zelensky first. Russia's initial rejection of this approach effectively stalled the peace process.
Publicly, Trump has stated he may change his strategy toward Russia, including possibly allowing Ukraine to conduct offensive actions with US support. He gave Putin a new "deadline" to engage in real peace talks, warning that further refusal may result in new political steps. Ukraine, in turn, rejects any territorial concessions and changes to the Donbas status, despite internal debates and rumors regarding the possible preparation of a referendum.
Moscow's current conditions—Ukraine abandoning Donbas, barring foreign troops, and renouncing NATO—have been declared unacceptable by Ukrainian officials. At the same time, Kyiv is showing readiness to negotiate, fulfilling Western diplomats' requests to demonstrate a constructive position.
The information space is rife with reports about changes in the military balance: Ukrainian drones and missiles are being contrasted with Russia's attempts to shoot them down with hunting rifles, highlighting the difference in respective approaches.
Political uncertainty will persist until Russia meets the US demand to engage directly with Ukraine or presents new compromises. Trump continues searching for which side will make the first move, applying public pressure on Moscow and reaffirming support for Ukraine during this critical stage of negotiations.
