Peace Elusive As Ukraine Allies Double Down On Military Support Amid Russia's Continued Aggression

 Peace remains out of reach for Ukraine, European defense leaders emphasized Friday, citing continued Russian military strikes despite diplomatic overtures. The comments came as U.S. officials pushed ahead with talks in Moscow — a move met with mixed reactions among Ukraine's Western allies.

Steve Witkoff, a top Trump administration official and the president’s special foreign envoy, met Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin described the meeting as a “good opportunity” to present Russia’s stance on the Ukraine conflict and hinted that a possible Putin-Trump meeting could also be in the works.

According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, the discussion aimed to address “various aspects of the Ukrainian settlement,” with Witkoff reportedly conveying a message from President Trump to Putin. Witkoff also held talks with Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev and is expected to attend high-level discussions on Iran in Oman on Saturday.

While U.S. diplomacy unfolded in Moscow, Ukraine's key allies gathered in Brussels for a critical session of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, co-hosted by Germany and the United Kingdom. Notably, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not attend in person, marking the first such absence from a senior Pentagon official since the group’s founding in 2022.

Despite Hegseth’s virtual attendance, the meeting produced strong declarations of continued support for Ukraine and sharp criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Given Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, we must concede peace in Ukraine appears to be out of reach in the immediate future,” said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. “We will ensure that Ukraine continues to benefit from our joint military support. Russia needs to understand that Ukraine is able to go on fighting, and we will support it.”

British Defense Secretary John Healey added:

“Putin said he wanted peace, but he rejected a full ceasefire. He continues to drag his feet and delay negotiations while his forces target Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure.”

Healey also noted that it’s now one month since Russia dismissed President Trump’s proposed peace settlement.

A Record Military Aid Package

Despite shifting dynamics within the U.S. administration, Friday’s meeting resulted in a record-breaking military aid pledge. More than €21 billion (approximately $23.8 billion) in new support for Ukraine was announced.

Germany committed an additional €11 billion ($12.5 billion) in aid through 2029, including IRIS-T mobile air defense missile systems and PATRIOT missiles. The UK and Norway jointly pledged another $589 million to fund maintenance for vehicles, radar systems, anti-tank mines, and hundreds of thousands of drones.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the pledges but reiterated the urgent need for more air defense systems.

“We just need to address the shortage of air defense systems to make our sky protection stronger,” Zelensky said. “Patriots that remain unused in storage with our partners should be protecting lives.”

Russia’s Offensive Intensifies

The backdrop to these meetings is a sharp escalation in Russia’s military campaign. Ukrainian military officials have warned of a renewed Russian offensive targeting the Sumy and Kharkiv regions.

General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s top military commander, confirmed Thursday that the offensive has already begun.

Meanwhile, a new United Nations report released this week revealed a troubling spike in civilian casualties in March. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission reported at least 164 deaths and 910 injuries — a 50% increase from the previous month.

As the war grinds on and peace remains elusive, Ukraine’s allies continue to rally military support — even as diplomatic overtures from Washington suggest a shift in tone. Whether that shift leads to lasting results, however, remains to be seen.