Trump's initiative to negotiate Ukraine peace with Putin, bypassing European allies, dominated morning coverage. EU leaders demanded inclusion while US officials dismissed European concerns. Zelensky explicitly rejected bilateral negotiations without Ukraine's participation, as NATO's Rutte insisted peace terms must not appear as Western defeat.
Hamas confirmed plans to release hostages on Saturday to maintain ceasefire, while Spanish Leopard tanks in Pokrovsk reported diminishing effectiveness of tank warfare. Defense Ministry announced €4.2 billion in new contracts.
Evening news shifted dramatically as Trump declared trade war against EU, announcing retaliatory tariffs over VAT policies. This move, following previous days' steel tariffs, signaled escalating US-EU economic tensions. Meanwhile, CIS polls showed PSOE maintaining lead despite minimum wage taxation controversy from previous days.