US-Russia talks in Riyadh dominated morning coverage, with Putin signaling readiness to meet Zelensky "if necessary." The Kremlin acknowledged Ukraine's right to join the EU but rejected NATO membership. By early afternoon, Washington declared "important progress" while Zelensky denounced "talks about Ukraine without Ukraine."
Macron's attempts to maintain European relevance met resistance as most EU states declined to support potential troop deployments. His evening declaration of Russia as an "existential threat" and announcement of new multilateral talks highlighted Europe's diminishing influence in negotiations.
The Bétharram affair intensified as documents revealed Elisabeth Guigou knew of abuse allegations in 1998, while Bayrou denied intervention and blamed the Jospin government. Trump's late evening statement supporting European peacekeepers in Ukraine further emphasized Washington's control over the continent's security agenda.