Moscow's diplomatic threats against Mattarella materialized into cyber attacks on Italian infrastructure, targeting transportation and banking systems. By morning, European leaders gathered in Paris for an emergency summit on Ukraine, while Trump announced imminent US-Russia talks in Riyadh.
The Vatican reported Pope Francis's condition had deteriorated, requiring extended hospitalization for a complex polymicrobial respiratory infection. Meanwhile, Scholz explicitly opposed discussions of European troop deployment in Ukraine, contradicting London's openness to peacekeeping forces.
By evening, the summit concluded with a split between Macron's push for military presence and German-Italian opposition. Starmer emphasized US guarantees as crucial for peace, while Tusk insisted on Kiev's involvement in all negotiations. The parallel diplomatic tracks - Paris's reactive summit and Riyadh's exclusive talks - highlighted Europe's diminishing role in Ukraine negotiations.