US President Donald Trump has openly expressed dissatisfaction with the ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, stating that Washington will engage in upcoming European talks only if there is a strong prospect for concrete progress. His remarks reflected growing irritation toward both Kyiv and Moscow over what he described as a cycle of repetitive and unproductive meetings.

White House Spokesperson Caroline Leavitt said the President is “tired of meetings that produce no results,” underscoring that the United States will not attend weekend consultations in Europe unless meaningful advancement toward a viable settlement is clearly visible. Trump reportedly discussed potential diplomatic engagements with the leaders of France, Germany and Britain during recent phone calls.

On the Ukrainian side, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that two major points of disagreement remain in the latest US proposal, which partially aligns with Moscow’s demands. The disputed issues concern the status of parts of the Donetsk region and the Zaporijia Nuclear Power Plant. Zelensky stressed that withdrawal from certain areas in Donetsk, as suggested in Washington’s plan, would be “constitutionally and morally impossible.”

The revised US framework reportedly allows Russian forces to remain along current positions in southern Ukraine while requiring their withdrawal from select northern territories not formally annexed by the Kremlin. Kyiv has submitted a new 20-point counterproposal, though its contents have not been publicly disclosed.

In Europe, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the coming week as “critical for Ukraine,” reiterating calls for a just and lasting peace. However, divisions persist within the European Union over a financing mechanism for Ukraine, particularly due to Belgium’s objections regarding the use of frozen Russian assets.

On the ground, Russia claimed to have captured the city of Siversk in the Donetsk region, characterizing it as its most significant territorial advance in the past year. The Ukrainian military denied this assertion, insisting that the city remains under Ukrainian control.(ILKHA)