Russia and Ukraine are maneuvering for leverage ahead of potential peace negotiations.

The Russian central bank announced on Friday that Moscow has filed a lawsuit against a Belgian custodian institution holding tens of billions in Kremlin funds. Meanwhile, Ukraine continues escalating strikes, with Kyiv claiming its forces attacked two Russian cargo ships carrying weapons in the Caspian Sea. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the frontline to counter Putin's assertion that Russian forces control Kupiansk.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has been pushing to end the nearly four-year conflict. However, Zelensky faces the greatest pressure, with the White House threatening to cut military support unless he makes sweeping concessions. The EU is also struggling to allocate new funds to sustain Ukraine's military operations.

Trump expressed skepticism about Ukraine's capacity to continue resisting and singled out Zelensky's refusal to compromise as the key obstacle to ending the war. "I thought we were very close to a deal with Russia. In fact, I thought we were very close to a deal with Ukraine too—the only obstacle was President Zelensky," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

Moscow's legal move on Friday appears aimed at disrupting Europe's efforts to release up to €90 billion ($106 billion) in new funding for Kyiv, further weakening Zelensky's negotiating position.