US President Donald Trump says he had a “productive” call with Vladimir Putin, where both agreed to start talks on a Ukraine ceasefire. He later spoke with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, promising to stop Russian aggression, but concerns are growing that the US might pressure Ukraine into concessions like ceding land or dropping its NATO bid. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called pre-2014 borders unrealistic and warned that insisting on them would prolong the war. The US also won’t support Ukraine’s NATO membership in a peace deal, expecting Europe to take on more financial aid. European leaders worry that a rushed US-Russia deal could favour Moscow, while Ukraine insists that any talks must align with its interests.
