• Putin claims Ukraine is unwilling to pursue peace, hinting at escalated military actions.
• Zelenskyy asserts Kyiv's desire for peace amid ongoing Russian drone and missile attacks.
• Ukraine disputes Russian claims of territorial gains in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Ukraine is in no hurry to end the ongoing conflict peacefully and warned that Moscow would achieve all its military objectives by force if necessary. His comments followed extensive drone and missile assaults on Ukraine, as reported by the state news agency TASS. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted, indicating that Russia is intent on prolonging the war, even as Ukraine seeks peace, according to Indiatimes, Reuters, and SCMP.

In light of the ongoing situation, Zelenskyy plans to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida to discuss ways to resolve the conflict that has persisted since Russia's full-scale invasion nearly four years ago. The White House has not yet commented on Putin's remarks regarding the escalation, according to Reuters and SCMP.

Russian military officials reported to Putin during an inspection that their forces had captured several towns, including Myrnohrad and Artemivka in the Donetsk region, as well as Huliaipole and Stepnohirsk in Zaporizhzhia. However, Ukraine's military disputes these claims, asserting that defensive operations are ongoing and that "fierce fighting" continues, especially in Huliaipole, according to Indiatimes, Reuters, and SCMP.