Zelenskyy Meets Pope Leo Amidst Ongoing Russia-Ukraine War

Diplomatic Engagements in Europe

• 🇻🇦 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Pope Leo near Rome, following calls from the Pope for a ceasefire.
• 🇪🇺 Zelenskyy also engaged with leaders from the UK, France, and Germany to discuss strategies for ending Russia's war.

Peace Deal Negotiations and Sticking Points

• 🕊️ Discussions centered on a US-proposed peace deal to conclude the conflict.
• 🚫 Zelenskyy stated he cannot and will not concede more land to Russia, a key point of contention in the draft peace plan.
• 🗣️ Former President Trump criticized European leaders as weak and urged Zelenskyy to accept the deal, asserting Russia has the upper hand.

Ongoing Conflict and Military Actions

• 💥 Russia claims its forces have captured two more settlements in Zaporizhzhia.
• 🏠 Civilian infrastructure, including a residential building, was hit, wounding at least 11 people.
• ✈️ Ukraine reported strikes on Russian military targets, while Russia stated its air defenses destroyed over 100 Ukrainian drones overnight.