The president said he had exchanged “pretty strong words” with European leaders, while Russia signaled it saw itself as increasingly on the same page as the U.S.

Ukraine and its allies are scrambling to keep Trump onside as the U.S. piles pressure on Kyiv to make a peace deal.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces shot down at least 287 Ukrainian drones overnight into Thursday morning.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this week his country could be ready to hold elections in the next 60 to 90 days if security could be guaranteed, seeking to push back on claims by US President Donald Trump that he is using the war with Russia to cling to power.

The Ukrainian leader said Thursday that there was still no common understanding on the land issue and that Ukrainians should vote on any territorial concessions in a referendum.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he is ready to give up on demands for Nato membership in exchange for security guarantees from the US and Europe, in a move aimed at advancing peace talks in Berlin on Sunday.

Over the past week, Russia carried out one of the largest series of air attacks on Ukraine, deploying more than 1,500 strike drones, nearly 900 guided aerial bombs, and 46 missiles of various types, according to the President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Russia attacked two Ukrainian ports on Friday, damaging three Turkish-owned vessels including a ship carrying food supplies, Ukrainian officials and one ship owner said, days after Moscow threatened to cut "Ukraine off from the sea".