European and Canadian leaders held a virtual meeting to discuss a U.S.-led initiative to end the nearly four-year Russia-Ukraine war. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said "peace is on the horizon" but cautioned it is not guaranteed. The session was shadowed by competing Moscow and Kyiv claims that 91 long-range drones attacked a presidential residence near Valdai — a charge Ukraine denies and says lacks evidence. Analysts warn the Kremlin may be seeking to delay or influence negotiations.
European and Canadian Leaders Back U.S.-Led Peace Push as Moscow and Kyiv Trade Blame Over Alleged Drone Strike
In this photo provided by Ukraine's 65th Mechanized Brigade press service, recruits attend drills at a training ground in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Andriy Andriyenko/Ukraine's 65th Mechanized Brigade via AP)
KYIV, Ukraine — European leaders and Canadian representatives met virtually Tuesday to discuss a U.S.-backed initiative aimed at ending the nearly four-year war between Russia and Ukraine, even as Moscow and Kyiv traded sharp accusations over an alleged mass drone attack on a lakeside presidential residence.
The virtual session, according to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, brought together heads of European governments, senior European institution officials, NATO representatives and Canadian delegates to review progress on peace proposals being advanced by the United States.
Tusk told his cabinet meeting: "Peace is on the horizon," while stressing that a settlement was far from certain: "It is still far from a 100% certainty."
The meeting came days after U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Florida resort. Trump has said the parties are "closer than ever before" to a deal but acknowledged outstanding obstacles could still prevent a settlement.
A German participant who joined the talks, Friedrich Merz, wrote on X: "We are moving the peace process forward. Transparency and honesty are now required from everyone — including Russia." His comment followed an exchange of accusations after Russia alleged that Ukraine mounted an attack using dozens of long-range drones on a presidential residence in northwestern Russia.
Russia claims the alleged strike involved 91 long-range drones near the Dolgie Borody residence, close to Valdai in Novgorod region. Ukraine has denied the attack and said no plausible evidence has been produced.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X that Moscow "still hasn’t provided any plausible evidence" and that "no such attack happened." President Zelenskyy called the allegation "another lie" meant to sabotage diplomacy. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov countered that the claim was aimed at undermining U.S. mediation efforts, saying the question of presenting physical proof would be handled by Russia’s military.
Independent verification of the incident has been limited because of the ongoing conflict, and both Moscow and Kyiv have frequently traded claims that are difficult to confirm on the ground.
The Washington think tank Institute for the Study of War said that since the U.S. diplomatic push began earlier this year, the Kremlin may be seeking to delay or complicate negotiations to protect its military objectives or to extract concessions in broader bilateral talks.
Reporting: Additional reporting contributed from international bureaus.
