“Concessions will not convince Russia to end the war.” Left out, at least for now, of the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska on August 15, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky again urged his allies to increase pressure on Russia to reach a truce. Zelensky insisted, regardless of what he said, Moscow has no interest in ending the war: “Another week has ended without any attempt by Russia to accommodate the world’s numerous demands and to stop the killings,” the Ukrainian president said in a social media post.

Faced with continued Russian attacks,"we are holding our positions and doing everything we can to destroy or drive out the occupier," Zelensky said."We are defending the lives of our people and strengthening our air defenses. Russia refuses to stop the killings and therefore should not receive any reward or benefit," he continued."This is not just a moral position, it is a rational one. Concessions do not convince a murderer." Ukraine, he continued, is working with its partners to"achieve genuine peace that is achieved through force." Because, he concluded, this is"the only kind of peace that can be achieved with Russia."

An emergency meeting of European Union foreign ministers is scheduled for 4 p.m. Here, the EU, excluded from the peace negotiations, will decide on a common line to support Kiev, also in light of Zelensky's statements. The main objections will once again be raised by Slovakia and Hungary, who continue to distance themselves from the European coalition. The situation is described as"delicate," but the goal, it is emphasized, is to exert"maximum pressure" on Moscow, also counting on the echo of Washington's threat of new sanctions. The EU's red line, also reiterated by European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas, is clear: no diktats over Kiev's head and no territorial concessions before the ceasefire.