• Kremlin opposes European peacekeeping troops in Ukraine, viewing this negatively.
• Russia demands Ukraine cede more territory to reach peace, while Ukraine pushes for Western-backed security guarantees.
• Kremlin dismisses the likelihood of a summit between Presidents Putin and Zelenskyy anytime soon.
• Strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure continue, resulting in significant power outages.

The Kremlin has firmly opposed any discussions surrounding the deployment of European peacekeeping troops in Ukraine, emphasizing a negative stance on such proposals. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated, "We view such discussions negatively," further reiterating that Russia's original motivation for the military conflict was the advance of NATO military infrastructure into Ukraine, seen as a "root cause" of the conflict. Any presence of NATO troops in Ukraine would not be accepted by Russia, marking a significant barrier to potential peace negotiations, according to Reuters, TRT Global, Al Jazeera, and Dawn.

Moreover, Peskov highlighted that while the security guarantees for Ukraine are crucial in the context of potential peace talks, specifics regarding these guarantees should not be discussed publicly. Russia remains adamant that it should be a guarantor of Ukraine's security, a position that is at odds with Ukraine's demands for additional military support from Western nations to deter future aggression, as emphasized by multiple reports from Reuters, TRT Global, Al Jazeera, and Dawn.

On the diplomatic front, the prospect of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seems increasingly unlikely, with Peskov stating that any significant dialogue "must be well-prepared in order to be effective." This raises concerns among observers regarding the urgency and efficacy of the negotiations, which have stalled despite prior contacts between negotiators from both sides, as outlined by Reuters, TRT Global, Al Jazeera, and Dawn.

As tensions mount, recent military actions have impacted Ukrainian civilians significantly, with drone strikes targeting energy infrastructure leading to widespread power outages affecting over 100,000 households. Ukrainian officials condemned these attacks as part of Russia's deliberate strategy to undermine Ukraine's infrastructure as conflict persists, drawing attention to the critical need for reinforced security measures, as reported by Reuters, TRT Global, Al Jazeera, and Dawn.