Peace Talk Signals Clash With Fresh Strikes

Diplomacy over Ukraine's war took center stage. Zelensky said Trump is actively pressuring Putin to negotiate, and that US envoys Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Kyiv with word Moscow is ready to talk after meeting Putin. Witkoff himself, following visits to both capitals, reported substantial progress on three-way talks, though Zelensky stayed wary given Russia's continued strikes. That wariness proved justified. Kyiv was hit by a reactive drone attack despite Putin's pledge to spare the capital during talks, and missiles struck warehouses in the Kyiv region. Ukraine's General Staff logged 181 combat engagements for the day, with Russia firing 168 guided bombs and 5,506 kamikaze drones; Pokrovsk alone saw 32 battles. NATO jets scrambled three times over the Baltics in response to Russian aircraft. At home, Zelensky met Prosecutor General Kravchenko and Arakhamia as the NABU Karfagen scandal widened, while journalists found property tied to relatives of official Kropiva and Russian passports. A separate probe found Lavrov's partner and stepdaughter had obtained UAE citizenship, potentially skirting sanctions. Elsewhere, Portsmouth saw an anti-migrant protest, and Grindr agreed to pay 26m pounds settling a UK lawsuit over sharing users' HIV data.