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European leaders joined Volodymyr Zelensky in backing negotiations that begin by freezing Ukraine’s current front line, echoing US President Donald Trump’s call to halt fighting now. Moscow pushed back: Sergei Lavrov dismissed a contact-line ceasefire; Dmitry Peskov reiterated demands for Ukrainian troop withdrawal, and Lavrov said talks must address root causes. Plans for Trump–Putin talks in Budapest remain hazy, with a Lavrov–Marco Rubio advance meeting slipping and Putin’s travel complicated by an arrest warrant, though Bulgaria signaled flexibility. Reports said Trump pressed Zelensky to cede parts of Donbas—claims he denied—while Kyiv said its position had not changed.

Prepared by Rachel Morgan and reviewed by editorial team.