Authorities say a new wave of Russian shelling and drone attacks has killed five people in Ukraine. Kiev has also hit an oil refinery in Russia's Saratov region. There has been no let-up in hostilities on the front lines, despite the United States and Russia agreeing to hold a summit in an effort to resolve the conflict.
Most important events
- The war in Ukraine has lasted 1 264 days
- Drone attacks and shelling kill five people in Ukraine, two in Russia
- Ukraine claims to have recaptured a village in the Sumska region
- European leaders call for more pressure on Russia ahead of the Trump -Putin summit
- Fico is unaware of the real reasons for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, reports from Kiev
- What does Kellogg's daughter think about Ukraine? She warns that Trump should not come off like the British leader who gave in to Hitler
Czech Čmeliak receives missiles against Russian drones
19:05 Any agreement between the United States and Russia to end the war in Ukraine must also include Kiev and the European Union, said EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. She also announced that she had called an extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers of the Union's member states for Monday.
Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will meet in the US state of Alaska on Friday, August 15, in an effort to resolve the three-and-a-half-year war in Ukraine. European officials have stressed that Ukraine must be included in the talks.
"President Trump is right that Russia must end its war against Ukraine. The United States has the power to force Russia to negotiate seriously. Any agreement between the United States and Russia must include Ukraine and the EU, because it is a matter of security for Ukraine and all of Europe," Kallas said in a statement on Sunday.
"I will convene an extraordinary meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday to discuss our next steps," she said, adding that the talks would be held online.
"When we work for a sustainable and just peace, international law is clear: all temporarily occupied territories belong to Ukraine," Kallas added, warning that any agreement must not be a springboard for further Russian aggression against Ukraine, the transatlantic alliance and Europe. (tasr/afp)
18:24 German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is urging that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky be included in US President Donald Trump's talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Merz also announced that he wants to speak to Trump on the phone on Sunday about the summit in Alaska planned for next Friday, TASR reports, citing the DPA agency.
"At the European level, we are intensively preparing for this meeting together with the US government," Merz told ARD television. He said he expected Zelensky to attend the talks. He also expressed hope that a ceasefire would be decided at the summit.
"In any case, we cannot accept that Russia and America talk or even decide on territorial issues without the knowledge of the Europeans, without the knowledge of the Ukrainians. I assume that the American government sees it the same way," said the German Chancellor. According to him, Europeans cannot be"spectators" when it comes to a key strategic issue for the future of Europe.
Trump and Putin will talk in the US state of Alaska on Friday, August 15, about a possible peaceful resolution to Russia's three-and-a-half-year war with Ukraine. Zelensky, who is not invited, like his Western partners, fears that decisions on Ukraine will be made without its participation.
17:10 Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has spoken out in favor of a"diplomatic solution to the conflict in Ukraine" ahead of Friday's summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Klitschko told the German daily Bild, which published the comments on Sunday.
"Everyone in our state, in our country, is tired of this war," the Ukrainian politician said."Unfortunately, we have paid a high price for this war: the lives of our patriots, our soldiers, our citizens. Hundreds of cities have been destroyed. A large part of Ukraine is occupied by Russia," Klitschko said.
On the issue of territorial concessions from Ukraine, which Russia is making a condition for ending the war, Klitschko said that it was still"too early" for such negotiations. At the same time, he did not immediately rule out the possibility of a territorial surrender. That is a question for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Kiev mayor emphasized, noting that some"difficult decisions" currently rest on the shoulders of the Ukrainian leader."But some people will never be willing to cede part of the country to Russia," he added.
Zelensky has held a series of phone calls with Kiev's allies in recent days following a visit by US President's special envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow and the announcement of Trump's planned meeting with Putin. The talks between the two leaders are set to take place on August 15 in Alaska. But there are concerns in Kiev and Brussels that the two leaders could agree on a permanent withdrawal of Ukrainian territory. (tasr/dpa)
16:40 The summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska may bring a breakthrough in negotiations to stop the fighting in Ukraine. This was stated by Slovak President Peter Pellegrini.
15:33 Five people died in Ukraine today as a result of Russian shelling and drone attacks. Two people died in Russia and a fire broke out at an oil refinery during Ukrainian attacks. This was reported by the AFP agency, citing authorities in both countries.
Ukrainian police said three people had died as a result of Russian shelling in the Zaporizhzhia region. They added that two more people had lost their lives in the Donetsk region.
A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person in Russia's Saratov region today, local governor Roman Busargin said. Another person died in Russia's Belgorod region, local authorities said.
Massive oil refinery fire in Russia's Proletarsk (archive video)
"One of the drones fell into the yard of a residential building," Busargin wrote on Telegram. He later said, according to Reuters, that debris from the destroyed drone damaged three apartments."Several residents required medical attention. Assistance was provided on the spot and one person was hospitalized. Unfortunately, one person died," he added.
Earlier, Busargin also reported on the damage caused by the attack to an unspecified industrial enterprise. The Ukrainian military later announced that it had struck an oil refinery in the Saratov region. According to it, the attack caused an explosion and fire.
The Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsia ordered the suspension of operations at Gagarin Airport in Saratov, as well as in Vladikavkaz, Grozny and Magas, according to the state news agency TASS. The measure was later lifted.
Russian air defenses shot down 121 Ukrainian drones overnight, including eight over the Saratov region, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said, according to TASS. In wartime, it was impossible to verify these claims from independent sources.
Saratov Oblast is located southeast of Moscow on the border with Kazakhstan, several hundred kilometers from the nearest territory under Ukrainian control.
14:20 The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized the statements of the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, Robert Fico, who, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Diplomacy, is unaware of the real reasons for the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the danger of cooperation with the aggressor.
12:36 The Ukrainian army announced on Sunday that it had regained control of the border village of Bezsalivka in the Sumy region.
The Ukrainian army's general staff said on the social network Telegram that it had"liberated and completely cleared" the village of Bezsalivka of Russian troops. 18 Russian soldiers were reportedly killed in the fighting. The village is located on the northern front line, about 20 kilometers west of the main battleground between the two armies.
Russia launched a new offensive into the Sumy region in April this year after regaining full control of Russia's Kursk region from the Ukrainian army. Fighting is currently taking place about 20 kilometers from the regional capital, Sumy.
According to AFP, Moscow is focusing its offensive mainly on the eastern part of Ukraine, where it has strengthened its positions in recent months. (tasr/afp)
11:27 Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva spoke by phone with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin on Saturday. According to Lulu's office, the leaders discussed negotiations between Russia and the United States and"recent peace efforts between Russia and Ukraine." TASR reports this based on reports from Reuters and TASS.
During the approximately 40-minute conversation, the presidents discussed cooperation within the BRICS group and spoke about"the current international political and economic situation," the Brazilian president's office said in a statement.
The Russian side also reported on the conversation."Vladimir Putin informed his Brazilian counterpart about the main results of the recent meeting with the US President's special envoy Steve Witkoff. The Brazilian president expressed support for efforts aimed at helping resolve the Ukrainian crisis," the Kremlin announced.
According to the Kremlin, the presidents of Brazil and Russia also"confirmed their mutual commitment to strengthening the Russian-Brazilian strategic partnership, as well as cooperation within the BRICS framework."
Reuters recalls that Putin has spoken by phone with several foreign leaders in recent days before a meeting with US President Donald Trump scheduled for Friday (August 15) in Alaska.
On Friday, the Kremlin chief held telephone conversations with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also spoke with other presidents of Central Asian and European states to brief them on his contacts with the United States regarding the war in Ukraine, Reuters reports.
Lula said on Wednesday he planned to speak by phone with BRICS leaders to discuss a joint response to the tariffs imposed by the United States. The Brazilian president then spoke by phone with India's prime minister on Thursday. Trump last month threatened BRICS nations with additional 10 percent tariffs on U.S. goods, Reuters reported.
10:15 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that Kiev"values and fully supports" a joint statement by European leaders on ending the war in Ukraine and establishing peace ahead of Friday's bilateral summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"The end of the war must be just, and I am grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine and our nation today in the interests of peace in Ukraine, which defends the security interests of our European nations," Zelensky wrote on the X social network, thanking European leaders.
French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen issued a joint statement welcoming Trump's efforts to end the war, but calling for greater pressure on Russia and security guarantees for Ukraine.
The statement came a day after Trump announced he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on August 15 to discuss ways to end the war in Ukraine. Trump has previously suggested that Ukraine may have to make territorial concessions in the interest of peace. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has flatly rejected this. (tasr/reuters)
9:27 What will happen in the coming weeks will not be pretty. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico thinks so before the Trump-Putin summit. According to him, Ukraine will suffer the most."We are all following the fuss around the meeting between the American and Russian presidents scheduled for August 15 next week. Everyone already knows that the conflict has serious roots in recent history, that it has no military solution, everyone already knows that Ukraine's membership in NATO is impossible, everyone already knows that Ukraine was used by the West to try to weaken Russia, which failed and for which Ukraine will apparently have to pay dearly," Fico said on the social network.
Fico on energy, tenders for ambulances and Ukraine
According to him, one African truth still applies in this case."Do you remember the old African truth that I like to repeat so much? It doesn't matter whether elephants fight or have sex, the grass always suffers. No matter how the elephants' negotiations on August 15th turn out, the grass will suffer - in this case, Ukraine," Fico stated.
According to him, Ukrainian political leaders are to some extent responsible for this state of affairs, because they allowed themselves to be lured by the West and fully supported the failed Western strategy of harming Russia through all possible support for Ukraine in the military conflict."It is generally known that the war could have ended in April 2022, two months after it began, but several Western politicians prevented it with their own bodies," Fico noted.
However, according to the Slovak Prime Minister, two things are most important."First, to agree on an immediate halt to military operations and end the senseless killing of Slavs, and second, to prevent other Western players from throwing pitchforks into a potential ceasefire agreement. The war will end in any case," Fico emphasized.
The Prime Minister is already looking forward to seeing all those who shouted the ugliest words at the Russian Federation flee to this country and outdo each other in finding business opportunities."However, I would be most looking forward to the long noses of those who invented all sorts of nonsense in the EU, starting with sanctions and ending with the halt of Russian energy imports. I believe that this day will come very quickly," added Fico, who is convinced that in the SMERE-SSD party they will be able to look everyone straight in the eye in relation to the war in Ukraine."Because from the very beginning of this conflict we have rejected propaganda, lies and have focused on objective information and, above all, peace. Let's keep our fingers crossed for the Russian and American presidents that they find a meaningful solution," concluded Fico.
9:00 Her father has a very important role in finding a diplomatic way to end the war in the territory of the invaded state, and she is expressing her displeasure with the American plan to stop the Russian invasion. We are talking about Meaghan Mobbs, the daughter of Keith Kellogg, who serves as the US President's special envoy for Ukraine. In her latest post on the social network X, she questioned the White House's idea, which could suit Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
7:30 One person has died in a Ukrainian drone attack in Russia's Saratov region, the regional governor Roman Busargin said on Sunday. The attack also damaged an industrial plant, he said. In total, Russian air defenses shot down 121 drones on Sunday night.
"One of the drones landed in the yard of a residential building," Busargin wrote on Telegram."There are injuries in the attack. One person has died, provisionally," he added.
Earlier, Busargin reported on the damage caused by the attack at an unspecified industrial plant. He said rescue services were working at the scene.
The Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsia ordered the suspension of operations at Gagarin Airport in Saratov, as well as in Vladikavkaz, Grozny and Magas, according to the state news agency TASS. The measure was later lifted.
Russian air defenses shot down 121 Ukrainian drones on Sunday night, including eight over the Saratov region, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said, according to TASS. In wartime, it was impossible to verify these claims from independent sources.
Saratov Oblast is located southeast of Moscow on the border with Kazakhstan, several hundred kilometers from the nearest territory under Ukrainian control.
6:00 The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be determined without Ukraine, the leaders of Britain, Finland, France, Italy, Germany and Poland, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, said in a joint statement. They said a ceasefire was a prerequisite for negotiations.
The plan was released by European leaders after they met on Saturday to discuss US President Donald Trump's efforts to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal reported on the plan on Saturday, citing informed sources.
Trump will meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, August 15. It will be a bilateral meeting, but the White House is still considering inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Alaska, according to NBC News.
"We share the belief that a diplomatic solution must protect the vital security interests of Ukraine and Europe," the British government said in a statement released late Sunday. These interests include"robust and credible security guarantees that allow Ukraine to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity."
"The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be determined without Ukraine's participation," the statement added, adding that Ukraine has the freedom to decide its own destiny.
In a statement, European leaders praised US President Donald Trump's efforts to secure peace in Ukraine."We stand ready to support these efforts diplomatically, as well as through significant military and financial support to Ukraine, including through the activities of the Coalition of the Willing, and by reaffirming and implementing restrictive measures against the Russian Federation," the statement said.
European officials said meaningful talks could only take place in the context of a ceasefire or a reduction in fighting."The current line of contact should be the starting point for negotiations," they said. They also expressed their belief that international borders cannot be changed by force and called for maintaining pressure on Russia to end its invasion.
A majority of Ukrainians now favor a negotiated end to the war with Russia, as support for fighting to victory has plummeted since the conflict began. While their hopes for joining NATO and the European Union have faded and approval of U.S. leadership has plummeted, Ukrainians still see the EU, the U.K., and the U.S. as key factors in ending the war. But most doubt that will happen in the near future, said Benedict Vigers of the Gallup Institute in a commentary on a poll the institute conducted.
More than three years into the war, Ukrainians' support for continuing to fight until victory has hit a new low (24%).
— Gallup (@Gallup) August 7, 2025
New data: https://t.co/l5IS4CPpaN pic.twitter.com/nH02tMvnY4
Bloomberg reported on Friday that Washington and Moscow are preparing a ceasefire agreement in Ukraine that would confirm Russia's territorial gains in eastern Ukraine, particularly in the Donbass. Moscow also wants to keep the Crimean peninsula, which it seized in 2014. Trump spoke at the White House on Friday about a territory swap that"would benefit both sides."
Ukraine has been resisting large-scale Russian military aggression since February 2022. Zelenskyy warned on Saturday that any solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict made without Ukraine's participation would be a solution against peace. He added that Ukrainians will not surrender their country to the occupiers.
6:00 The White House is considering inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to Alaska, where US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on August 15. NBC News reported on Saturday. The main topic of the meeting is expected to be the situation in Ukraine, which has been militarily invaded by Russia.
Trump announced on Saturday that he would meet Putin in Alaska on Friday, August 15. He did not provide further details about the meeting. The location and date of the summit were later confirmed by Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov, who said Moscow expects the next meeting between the two presidents to take place in Russia.
The NBC report cites a senior US official and three people briefed on internal White House discussions.
"It's being discussed," the station quoted one of the people familiar with the negotiations as saying.
A senior US official and people familiar with the talks also said that Zelensky's visit has not yet been finalized and it is unclear whether Zelensky will ultimately attend the Alaska talks.
A senior Trump administration official said it was"absolutely" possible."Everybody is very hopeful that it will happen," he added.
Trump remains open to a three-way summit with the two leaders, he said. But for now, the White House is"focused on preparing for the bilateral meeting that President Putin has requested," the official said.
