Witkoff, the man whom Washington has sent to negotiate with Putin this week, is viewed with suspicion by Kyiv and its allies after a leaked phone call suggested he was advising Moscow on how to deal with Trump, according to a transcript published by Bloomberg News.

The European Commission plans to make a legal proposal this week to use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine while also leaving open the possibility of borrowing on financial markets or mixing the two options,

Vladimir Putin struck a defiant tone earlier on Tuesday when he warned Russia was "ready right now" if Europe wanted a war.

European leaders are hoping to bolster the controversial plan, which Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy said was forcing his country to choose between "dignity" and a "key partner."

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was expected to miss Wednesday's meeting, which will unfold during high-stakes negotiations in Moscow and in Europe about Ukraine's future.

Helping Ukraine defeat Russia is a cheaper prospect for Europe than giving into the Kremlin’s concessions, according to a new study titled “Europe’s Choice” out of Norway.

A Ukrainian delegation will meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff in Florida later Sunday for the latest round of negotiations over the US-backed plan to end the war.