Core Points - European leaders strongly support Trump's position on Ukraine, advocating for an immediate ceasefire and using the current front lines as a negotiation starting point [2][3] - Trump suggests that both Russia and Ukraine should declare victory and withdraw troops based on the current front lines, which would likely result in significant territorial gains for Russia in the Donbas region [7][8] Group 1: European Leaders' Position - A joint statement from multiple European leaders emphasizes the principle that international borders should not be changed by force and expresses intent to increase pressure on Russia while continuing support for Ukraine [3] - The leaders are planning to utilize frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and will hold a related meeting soon [3] Group 2: Russian Response - Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov argues that the call for an immediate ceasefire ignores the roots of the conflict and contradicts previous agreements made between the US and Russia [4][5] - Lavrov maintains that the objectives of the special military operation are gradually being achieved and expresses confidence in eventual victory [5] Group 3: Trump's Stance - Trump clarifies that he has never claimed Ukraine would win the conflict, indicating skepticism about Ukraine's prospects [7] - He has previously pressured Ukraine to make territorial concessions to end the conflict and has fluctuated in his views on Ukraine's ability to reclaim its territory [7] Group 4: Zelensky's Position - Ukrainian President Zelensky expresses readiness to negotiate based on the current lines of contact and emphasizes the need for dialogue to end the war [9] - He has indicated willingness to participate in discussions involving US and Russian leaders to achieve a lasting peace [9] Group 5: Meeting Dynamics - Russian presidential spokesman Peskov states that no specific date has been set for a meeting between US and Russian leaders, and emphasizes the need for thorough preparations [10] - Peskov also mentions that discussing the involvement of European leaders in the US-Russia summit is premature, and highlights ongoing tensions between Hungary and Ukraine [10]

Group 1 - European leaders strongly support Trump's position on Ukraine, advocating for an immediate ceasefire and using the current front lines as a negotiation starting point [2][4] - The joint statement emphasizes that international borders should not be changed by force and outlines plans to increase pressure on Russia while supporting Ukraine [5] - The leaders involved in the statement include key figures such as the President of France, the Prime Ministers of the UK, Germany, Italy, Poland, Norway, Finland, and Denmark, as well as the Presidents of the European Commission and European Council [5] Group 2 - Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov argues that the call for an immediate ceasefire ignores the root causes of the conflict and contradicts previous agreements made between the US and Russia [7][8] - Lavrov maintains that the objectives of the special military operation are gradually being achieved and expresses confidence in eventual victory [8] - Trump has expressed skepticism about Ukraine's chances of winning the conflict, stating he never claimed Ukraine would win but suggested a potential agreement could lead to a favorable outcome [10][11] Group 3 - Ukrainian President Zelensky has indicated readiness to negotiate on territorial issues based on the current lines of engagement, emphasizing the need to end the war [12][13] - Zelensky has also mentioned discussions regarding Ukraine's involvement in a potential meeting between US and Russian leaders, highlighting the importance of both parties' participation for lasting peace [13] - Russian Presidential Press Secretary Peskov stated that no specific date has been set for a meeting between US and Russian leaders, and discussions about the involvement of EU leaders are premature [14][17]

Core Points - Bulgaria is willing to facilitate the flight of Russian President Putin's aircraft over its airspace to enable a meeting with US President Trump in Budapest later this month [1][3] - The Bulgarian Foreign Minister emphasized the importance of facilitating the meeting as a logical step towards achieving peace [1] - Currently, Russia has not formally requested permission for the aircraft to fly over Bulgaria [3] Summary by Sections Meeting Facilitation - Bulgaria's Foreign Minister Georgi Georgiev stated that all possible means should be utilized to facilitate the meeting between Putin and Trump [1] - The meeting is seen as a prerequisite for peace efforts [1] Flight Route Challenges - Due to EU sanctions and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, Putin's aircraft is unable to fly over most EU member states, necessitating a longer detour [3] - The direct route of approximately 1500 kilometers is obstructed, leading to a potential alternative route of about 5000 kilometers, increasing flight time by approximately 3 hours [3] Geopolitical Context - Bulgaria and Hungary do not share a border, but both countries are connected through Serbia, which could significantly reduce flight time if the aircraft flies over Bulgaria [5] - An alternative route avoiding EU countries and Ukraine would involve crossing the Adriatic Sea and flying over Montenegro or Albania before reaching Serbia [5] - The choice of Budapest for the meeting is attributed to the good relations between Hungarian Prime Minister Orban and both US and Russian leaders [6]