Zelensky faces dejection in talks with key ally; After Trump's US, Europe goes cold on Ukraine?

A major political shockwave hits Europe as a bombshell report reveals that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has privately urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to make “painful concessions” to end the war with Russia. According to Corriere della Sera, the meeting, publicly presented as “constructive”, was in fact marked by sharp disagreements over the conflict’s future and the U.S.-drafted peace plan. Behind closed doors, Meloni reportedly pressed Zelensky to accept conditions such as withdrawing from parts of Donbass and shelving Ukraine’s NATO ambitions. The Italian PM’s team believes Kyiv has been weakened by recent corruption scandals, while Rome faces skyrocketing financial pressures.