The day's narrative centered on ongoing peace negotiations in Berlin, with US envoy Witkoff reporting "significant progress" after talks with Zelenskyy, indicating Ukraine's flexibility on concessions. This followed Zelenskyy's earlier rejection of proposals for unilateral withdrawal from Donbas, a stance echoed by a significant portion of Ukrainians opposed to such concessions.
Later in the day, US officials confirmed "real progress" in the peace talks, emphasizing security guarantees as a core element, with the White House signaling readiness for Senate approval of "platinum standard" guarantees. Concurrently, Ukrainian media prominently reported on the SBU's successful drone strike on a Russian submarine in Novorossiysk, marking a notable operational achievement.