Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on August 22, 2025, that no meeting is planned between President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, emphasizing that Putin would only engage if a substantive agenda is prepared, which currently does not exist. This development persists despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s mediation efforts, including separate meetings with both leaders last week to push for negotiations aimed at ending the three-year war. Meanwhile, Ukraine conducted strikes on August 21, 2025, targeting Russia’s Unecha oil pumping station, disrupting supplies to Hungary and Slovakia for at least five days. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned on August 22, 2025, that conceding territory to Russia would reward aggression and fall into a trap set by Moscow, highlighting the entrenched positions complicating peace prospects.