• Zelensky proposes a trilateral meeting with Trump and Putin to address ongoing conflict.
• The Kremlin insists on preconditions before any direct meeting with Zelensky.
• Trump expresses frustration at both leaders for lack of progress on peace negotiations.
• Ukraine continues to face heavy drone attacks and has launched significant retaliatory strikes.
• Zelensky accuses Russia of stalling peace efforts and amassing troops near the border.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a three-way summit with U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as a strategy to counter Moscow's prolonged invasion. Zelensky stated, "If Putin is not comfortable with a bilateral meeting, or if everyone wants it to be a trilateral meeting, I don't mind," highlighting his willingness to pursue any diplomatic format that may lead to peace, according to ABC News and Channel News Asia.

However, the Kremlin quickly rebuffed Zelensky's proposal, asserting that any meeting involving Putin would only occur following “concrete agreements” achieved through ongoing negotiations. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that a direct meeting with Zelensky was unlikely without prior consensus between the negotiators, as Putin views Zelensky as lacking legitimacy, according to Dawn.

Trump has publicly expressed frustration with both leaders for their inability to advance peace talks, especially amid a surge of aerial attacks. Recently, he remarked that "What Vladimir Putin doesn't realize is that if it weren't for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia," illustrating his discontent, while also labeling Putin as "crazy" for the ongoing violence, as reported by Newsweek and Le Monde.

The conflict has escalated recently, with Ukraine conducting one of its largest drone assaults on Russia, which Moscow reported caused minimal damage, though it disrupted international air travel. In the days leading up to these events, reports indicated that Russia had launched over 900 drones targeting Ukraine, resulting in significant civilian casualties, including children, according to Channel News Asia and ABC News.

Zelensky has accused Russia of deliberately prolonging negotiations and has called for more robust sanctions against Moscow's banking and energy sectors. His administration is awaiting a promised memorandum from Russia outlining their stance on peace negotiations, which he believes has been unnecessarily delayed, as highlighted in reports by Dawn and Le Monde.

As the situation unfolds, Zelensky is scheduled to meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has pledged support for Ukraine amidst the conflict, further underscoring the international dimensions of this crisis, according to Channel News Asia and ABC News.