European countries pledged billions in additional military aid for Ukraine on Friday, aiming to help Kyiv continue resisting Russia’s invasion. At the same time, a U.S. representative met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an effort to push for a ceasefire, though questions continue to rise about Moscow’s willingness to end the conflict, now entering its fourth year.
Russian forces remain in a stronger position on the battlefield. Although Ukraine has shown support for a ceasefire proposal from the U.S., Russia has held up progress by demanding broad conditions. European leaders have accused Putin of intentionally slowing down the peace process.
“Russia needs to act,” President Donald Trump wrote in a social media post, describing the war as “senseless and tragic.”
In Russia, Kremlin officials confirmed that Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, had a meeting with Putin in St. Petersburg. Before that, Witkoff had discussions with Putin’s advisor, Kirill Dmitriev, according to footage shown by Russian state media. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the meetings were part of ongoing U.S. efforts to secure a truce and ultimately reach a peace agreement.
Russia’s state news agency, RIA Novosti, reported that the meeting between Witkoff and Putin lasted four and a half hours, during which they discussed elements of ending the war. However, no specific details were made public.
After leading a summit of Ukraine’s Western allies in Brussels, UK Defense Secretary John Healey announced more than €21 billion (around $24 billion) in fresh military commitments—a record level of support, he noted. “We’re accelerating this aid directly to the front lines,” Healey added.
He didn’t specify what the new aid packages include. Ukraine has previously criticized such announcements, saying that they sometimes reflect previously made promises or result in delays in delivering actual weapons or supplies. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte noted that around $21 billion had already been provided in the first three months of the year, while EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said more than $26 billion has been pledged in total so far.
Ahead of the NATO meeting, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov emphasized the urgent need to boost the country’s air defense systems. After the conference, he called it “productive and efficient,” and said it had produced one of Ukraine’s biggest military assistance packages to date. “We’re deeply grateful to every nation offering help,” Umerov said.
The UK and Norway jointly pledged over $580 million to supply Ukraine with hundreds of thousands of drones, radar systems, anti-tank mines, and repair services to keep military vehicles operational.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who joined the meeting via video, renewed his call for more Patriot missile systems after a deadly Russian missile attack in his hometown killed 20 people—including nine children—just a week earlier.
Russia Hesitates on Ceasefire Deal
Russia’s slow response to the U.S. ceasefire proposal has caused frustration in Washington, leading to greater doubt over Putin’s intentions as Russian forces continue to make gains.
The Institute for the Study of War, a U.S.-based think tank, stated that Moscow is using one-on-one talks with the U.S. as a stalling tactic, indicating a lack of serious interest in ending the war.
Despite the delays, the U.S. is still pushing for a negotiated peace. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Thursday that it’s been four weeks since Washington put forward its ceasefire plan. “This conflict won’t be resolved through combat—it’s become a meat grinder,” she said, stressing that meaningful discussions can’t happen “until the violence stops.”
