Sunday, August 24th, live news on the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine celebrates Independence Day today.

18:13 | 24 August

Tajani: We will do everything for the Zelensky-Putin meeting.

We will do everything we can to reach an agreement, we support the American initiatives, and we will do everything we can to ensure a direct confrontation between Zelensky and Putin. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, at a press briefing at the Rimini Meeting. The G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting concluded a short while ago. Today is the anniversary of Ukraine's independence, and this meeting also had symbolic significance: we wanted to send a clear message of unity in support of Ukrainian independence. The key issue is ensuring Ukraine's security after a desirable peace agreement, the minister added.

5:36 PM | August 24

Tajani: No to troops in Ukraine, but we could help Kiev with mine clearance.

Progress is also being made on the Italian proposal to have a NATO-style Article 5 guarantee, with an American presence. We are not in favor of sending troops, but we could make a significant contribution given our extensive experience in both maritime and land mine clearance. We'll see how things go later. Progress has also been made in terms of coordination on this type of proposal. This was stated by Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani at a press conference at the Rimini Meeting following the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting on Ukraine.

5:25 PM | August 24

Zelensky, talks with Putin are the most effective way

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin would be the most effective way forward amid stalled diplomatic efforts to end the war. The format of talks between leaders is the most effective path forward, Zelensky said during Ukraine's Independence Day celebrations, renewing his call for a bilateral summit with Putin. Zelensky also promised to push Russia toward peace during a ceremony attended by US envoy Keith Kellogg, whom he awarded the Ukrainian Order of Merit, and other Western officials. Following pressure from US President Donald Trump to broker a Ukraine-Russia summit, hopes for peace faded when Russia ruled out an immediate meeting between Putin and Zelensky on Friday. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Western countries of seeking a pretext to block the negotiations and harshly criticized Zelensky for demanding an immediate meeting at all costs .

4:07 PM | August 24

Lavrov: Putin wants to continue talks in Istanbul first

Putin received a call from President Trump after the tycoon's meeting with Zelensky at the White House and clearly stated his readiness to continue the direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations that began in Istanbul. He also stated that top-level meetings, summits, especially between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine, must be very well prepared. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated this. We have suggested raising the level of the delegations that have met and will meet in Istanbul to address specific issues that need to be brought to the attention of President Putin and Zelensky.

4:04 PM | August 24

Kiev: We have recaptured three villages in Donetsk

Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said that Kiev troops have recaptured three villages in the Donetsk region that had fallen under Russian control. Our troops successfully counterattacked and liberated the villages of Mykhailivka, Zeleny Hay (already claimed yesterday by the Kiev army, ed.), and Volodymyrivka in the Donetsk region from the enemy, Syrsky stated on social media.

3:59 PM | August 24

Lavrov: Putin-Zelensky meeting in Alaska not discussed

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin did not discuss a summit between the Russian president and Volodymyr Zelensky during their meeting in Alaska. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated this in an interview with NBC News published on the ministry's website. It was not discussed in Anchorage. This was brought up later, as something improvised, emerging from the meeting in Washington between President Trump and his guests, he said. When Zelensky says that the immediate priority is a meeting with Putin, it's essentially a game. A game he's very good at playing, because he likes theatrics in everything he does. He doesn't care about substance.

3:55 PM | August 24

Vance: Russia makes significant concessions to Trump on Kiev

Russia has made significant concessions on Ukraine, Vice President J.D. Vance said in an interview with NBC."I think they've made significant concessions to Donald Trump for the first time in three and a half years," Vance emphasized, adding that Russia is very flexible on some of its key demands.

3:39 PM | August 24

Carney: It's not up to Russia to choose security guarantees

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that it is not up to Russia to decide what security guarantees Ukraine might require from its Western allies to end the war. It is not up to Russia to decide how to guarantee Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and freedom in the future. This is Ukraine's choice and the decisions of its partners, Carney stated during a joint press conference with President Volodymyr Zelensky, marking the 34th Ukrainian Independence Day.

3:29 PM | August 24

Zelensky: Foreign troops will be important for Kiev after the war ends

President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that the presence of foreign troops in Ukraine after the end of the war with Russia is important, as Kiev seeks to work on potential security guarantees with its Western allies."The issue of the presence on the ground, as they say, 'boots on the ground,' is important to us," Zelensky said, speaking alongside Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who is visiting Kiev for Ukrainian Independence Day.

2:56 PM | August 24

Zelensky: We are not consulting the US on long-range strikes

Ukraine has used its own weapons to strike targets deep inside Russia and is not consulting with Washington about it, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, quoted by Sky News, in response to a Wall Street Journal article that the Pentagon had quietly prevented Kiev from using US-made long-range missiles to strike targets inside Russia.

2:40 PM | August 24

Independence Day is celebrated in Ukraine

2:21 PM | August 24

Moscow: New exchange of 146 prisoners each with Kiev

The Russian Defense Ministry announced that 146 Russian servicemen have been repatriated from territory controlled by Kiev, and in exchange, 146 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been returned. RIA Novosti reports this. According to the ministry, the United Arab Emirates provided humanitarian mediation during the return of Russian servicemen from captivity. Additionally, eight residents of the Kursk region illegally detained by the Kiev regime have been repatriated and will be returned home, the ministry noted.

1:21 PM | August 24

Zelensky: We will resist. 100 years on this earth.

We are confident that we will resist this war: the Ukrainian state, the Ukrainian people. We will defend our independence and our land, and the right to an independent national life for Ukrainians. So that our children and grandchildren, and their children and grandchildren, can live safely on their land and according to their own rules. This was written in X by President Volodymyr Zelensky on the occasion of Ukraine's Independence Day. Ukraine is now in the fourth year of full-scale war, preserving its independence, its sovereignty, and the ability of our state to achieve—and continue to achieve—the necessary results, the Ukrainian leader emphasized. Ukrainians are—and will remain—on this land where in a hundred years our future generations will arise. And in a hundred years, they will celebrate Ukraine's Independence Day here, Zelensky concluded.

11:56 AM | August 24

Palazzo Chigi: Italy stands with the Ukrainian people

Today marks Ukraine's Independence Day. Italy stands with the Ukrainian people in their courageous struggle for freedom and the achievement of a just and lasting peace, writes X from Palazzo Chigi.

11:45 AM | August 24

Kellog's also in Kiev for Independence Day

US President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, is in Kiev, where he took part in Independence Day celebrations, local media reported.

11:35 AM | August 24

The Pope writes a letter to Zelensky: My heart is wounded, let the weapons be silent. Yes to dialogue.

With a heart wounded by the violence devastating your land, I turn to you on this day of your national holiday. Pope Leo XIV wrote this in a letter to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky himself made the Pontiff's letter public on his X profile."I wish to assure you of my prayers for the people of Ukraine who are suffering because of the war—especially for all those who are physically wounded, for those grieving the loss of a loved one, and for those who have been deprived of their homes," Leo continued."May God himself console them; may he strengthen the wounded and grant eternal rest to the deceased. I beg the Lord to move the hearts of people of good will to silence the clamor of arms and make way for dialogue, opening the path of peace for the good of all," the Pope concluded.

11:03 AM | August 24

Trump: Now is the time to end the carnage in Ukraine

The time has come to end this senseless carnage. The United States supports a negotiated agreement that will lead to a lasting peace that will stop the bloodshed and safeguard Ukraine's sovereignty and dignity. These are the words of President Donald Trump in a message calling for the country's independence published on X by Volodymyr Zelensky.

10:52 AM | August 24

Zelensky: We need a just peace

A united Ukraine will never again be forced into the shameful thing the Russians call compromise. We need a just peace. This was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's statement on the country's independence day. What our future will be, only we can decide. And the world knows it. And the world respects it. It respects Ukraine. It perceives Ukraine as its equal, the president said in a video message recorded in central Kiev.

10:40 AM | August 24

Zelensky thanks Trump for his letter of congratulations

Volodomyr Zelensky thanked Donald Trump for the letter he received on Ukraine's Independence Day."We appreciate your kind words for the Ukrainian people and thank the United States for standing with Ukraine in defending what is most precious: independence, freedom, and the guarantee of peace," the Ukrainian president wrote on X, adding that Kiev and Washington are working together to end the war and achieve true peace for Ukraine. In his letter to Zelensky, Trump emphasized the courage and indomitable spirit of the Ukrainian people."On this important day, know that the United States respects your struggle, honors your sacrifices, and believes in your future as an independent nation," the US president continued, emphasizing that the time has come to end these senseless killings. And to this end, Trump reiterated, the United States supports a negotiated solution that leads to a lasting and stable peace, puts an end to the bloodshed and safeguards Ukraine's sovereignty and dignity.

10:12 AM | August 24

Starmer: We will always stand by Kiev

We stand with Ukraine today and always. Glory to Ukraine: with this message on X, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer sent his greetings for Ukraine's Independence Day, which is celebrated today.

10:11 AM | August 24

Carney in Kiev to celebrate Independence Day

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Kyiv to celebrate Ukrainian Independence Day."On this Ukrainian Independence Day, and at this critical moment in their nation's history, Canada is intensifying our support and efforts for a just and lasting peace for Ukraine," Carney wrote on X as he landed in the capital.

10:10 AM | August 24

Rutte: Kiev deserves peace soon, NATO is with you

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte congratulated Ukraine on the 34th anniversary of its independence."I want to congratulate Ukraine on its 34th Independence Day. If any country deserves peace as soon as possible, it is Ukraine, and I want to assure you that NATO is with you," Rutte wrote in a message on X.

9:49 AM | August 24

Tajani: Full support for Kiev for a just and lasting peace

On the occasion of Ukraine's Independence Day, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani reiterates Italy's full support for Kyiv in achieving a just and lasting peace, with full respect for Ukrainian sovereignty and in close coordination with the United States and European partners. This is according to a statement from the Farnesina. In this regard, Tajani will participate in the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting, convened by the Canadian Presidency for 2:00 PM today, which will also provide an opportunity to review the follow-up to the leaders' meeting in Washington on August 18 and the prospects for peace in Ukraine. To mark the Day, the Minister has ordered the façade of the Farnesina to be illuminated. Today we pay tribute to the strength and courage of the Ukrainian people and army, who for over three years have resolutely defended their independence, freedom, and national identity. We are also doing so by illuminating the façade of the Farnesina with the colors of the Ukrainian flag, as will the Colosseum, demonstrating the closeness of the Italian people and institutions to our Ukrainian friends, the minister commented.

8:58 AM | August 24

WSJ: US approves sale of 3,350 missiles to Kiev

The Trump administration this week approved the sale to Ukraine of 3,350 missiles with a range of up to 450 kilometers, according to the Wall Street Journal, cited by Ukrainian media. This $850 million package, largely funded by European countries, includes the sale of

SM-6 ERAM (Extended Range Active Missile), which are capable of hitting not only aircraft and cruise missiles, but also ballistic missiles and can be used against enemy ships.

8:22 AM | August 24

Merz: People fight for just peace and liberal order in Europe

German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz reiterated Germany's support for Ukraine on Independence Day."Ukrainians are defending themselves with great courage from Russian attacks. They are fighting for our liberal order in Europe and for a just peace," Merz wrote in a message on X. The Chancellor added:"As the country celebrates its independence, we stand firmly by its side – today and in the future."

8:21 AM | August 24

Metsola: With Kiev for all of Europe, commitment to real peace

On the occasion of Ukrainian Independence Day, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola reaffirmed the European Union's support for Kyiv."With Ukraine, for all of Europe." For three and a half years, Europe's support for Ukraine has remained unwavering, Metsola wrote in a message on X. The European Parliament President added:"Today, on Independence Day, we reaffirm our commitment to peace in Ukraine. A true peace built on security, strength, and sovereignty."

8:08 AM | August 24

WSJ: Pentagon blocks use of long-range missiles against Russia

For months, the Pentagon has been blocking Kiev from using long-range US missiles to strike targets on Russian soil, limiting Ukraine's offensive capabilities in the war against Moscow. The Wall Street Journal reports, citing official sources, according to which an unannounced internal approval mechanism requires final authorization from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth before allowing the use of ATACMs tactical missiles, with a range of approximately 300 kilometers. At least one Ukrainian request to strike a target in Russia has already been rejected. The White House, led by Donald Trump, aims to facilitate peace negotiations with the Kremlin while maintaining control over Ukrainian operations. Although Trump has stated that it is difficult to win a war without attacking and that Kiev must be able to play the offensive, US officials confirm that there are no policy changes for now. The veto also affects the use of other long-range systems, such as the British Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which rely on targeting data provided by the United States. Meanwhile, Washington has approved a new $850 million military aid package, largely funded by European partners, which includes 3,350 long-range Eram air-to-surface missiles. These weapons, expected to arrive in Ukraine within six weeks, will also require Pentagon authorization before deployment. Kiev, meanwhile, continues to develop its own long-range strike capabilities, such as drones and the new cruise missile called Flamingo, expected to be in production by early next year.

8:06 AM | August 24

Alexander Drozdenko: Ukrainian drone attack causes fire at Russian refinery in Ust-Luga

A fire has broken out at an oil refinery in the Russian port of Ust-Luga, on the Baltic Sea, following a Ukrainian drone attack. The governor of the Leningrad region, Alexander Drozdenko, announced the news on Telegram, specifying that ten drones were shot down over the port and that debris from an unmanned aerial vehicle caused a fire at the Novatek terminal. Firefighters and civil defense teams are engaged in extinguishing operations. The terminal of Novatek, an energy giant close to the Kremlin, plays a strategic role: it converts liquid gas condensate into petroleum products such as gasoline and kerosene, some of which are exported across the Baltic. These fuels, including aviation fuel, are also essential to the Russian war effort in Ukraine. For this reason, the facility had already been targeted in previous attacks.

8:02 AM | August 24

Kiev's Interior Minister: Attacks and sabotage, Putin doesn't want to negotiate but to advance further

By Federico Fubini

​

​Ihor Klymenko, Ukrainian Interior Minister, absolutely doesn't believe Vladimir Putin intends to reach a peace agreement. And he expects Donald Trump to understand this within two weeks. Minister, how do you interpret the activism surrounding the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska and the European leaders' visit to the White House? Our president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has clearly stated that we want peace. Putin spreads distorted information, for example when he says that Russia also wants to participate in a system of security guarantees. But a real peace can only be a just peace. Unfortunately, this war has already caused too many human losses and has set our economy back a quarter of a century.

​Continue reading the full article.

8:01 AM | August 24

Incursions, drones, and missiles. From the Alaska summit to today, the Russian military has upped the ante in Ukraine.

By Lorenzo Cremonesi, Kharkiv

Regional roads and small urban centers that until six months ago we considered essentially safe are now in the hands of Russian soldiers, or at least are constantly targeted by their drones. There is no longer a direct connection between Kramatorsk and Pokrovsk; you have to make a detour of about 250 kilometers into the Ukrainian rear to get from one area to the other, compared to about eighty kilometers previously. And in any case, since mid-June, the Kiev command has no longer allowed civilians into Pokrovsk, which is now almost completely surrounded.

​Continue reading the full article.

6:55 AM | August 24

Ukraine hits Russian oil pipeline, Hungary and Slovakia remain dry and protest

By Monica Ricci Sargentini

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​A kamikaze drone attack by the Ukrainian armed forces hit the pumping station of the Druzhba oil pipeline in the Russian city of Unecha, in the Bryansk region, on the night of August 22. The victims were indirectly Hungary and Slovakia, the only EU member states still receiving Russian oil. The attack was claimed on Telegram by the commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces Robert Brovdi, known by his nom de guerre Magyar. According to the Ukrainians, the Unecha station is a strategic hub in the Friendship Pipeline (Druzhba) network, owned by the Transnefteproduct company, and plays a key role in supplying the Russian military-industrial complex. The message ends with the Hungarian slogan"Ruszkik haza!" (Russians, go home!). ​

​Continue reading the full article.

6:54 AM | August 24

Zelensky meets with Kellogg: We will not cede land to the occupiers. As Kiev prepares to celebrate Independence Day

By Lorenzo Cremonesi 

​

​For the first time since the beginning of the Russian invasion three and a half years ago, the municipality has decided to turn on the street lights and decorations to celebrate Flag Day, which coincides with the city's local day and tomorrow (today for those reading this) extends to the annual national independence day. Lights, songs, dances, traditional costumes, flags with the Trident (the Ukrainian symbol) everywhere, and many young people. Crowds and smiles against the fear of bombs: here, Russian attacks are a daily occurrence, causing victims and damage. And roads are closed to traffic, this time not for the emergency, but for the joy of the celebration: it's also a way to forget, to seek together a moment of respite from the anxieties of the future. Ukraine, Ukraine. Putin, go to f…, people shout, even knowing that Russian drones can see them and strike at any moment.

​Continue reading the full article.

6:34 AM | August 24

Drones attack Russian industrial plant in Syzran

Ukrainian drones attacked a business in the southern Russian city of Syzran, the governor of the Samara region said, adding that there were no casualties. According to preliminary information, there were no casualties or injuries as a result of the attack, Vyacheslav Fedorishchev wrote on the Telegram app, without specifying the targets or whether any damage was caused.

5:56 AM | August 24

WSJ: US approves sale of 3,350 missiles to Kiev

The Trump administration this week approved the sale to Ukraine of 3,350 missiles with a range of up to 450 kilometers, according to the Wall Street Journal, cited by Ukrainian media. This $850 million package, largely funded by European countries, includes the sale of SM-6 Eram (Extended Range Active Missile), which are capable of hitting not only aircraft and cruise missiles but also ballistic missiles and can be used against enemy ships.

4:41 AM | August 24

Fire erupts at Russian nuclear site after Ukrainian drone downed

A fire broke out overnight at a Russian nuclear power plant after the country's air defenses shot down a Ukrainian drone, the site reported. The device exploded upon impact with the Kursk nuclear power plant (west), causing a fire that was extinguished by firefighters, according to a statement published on Telegram. No casualties or injuries were reported, but the plant's capacity was reduced. The level of radioactivity at the Kursk nuclear power plant site and the surrounding area has not changed and corresponds to natural values, the statement continues.

4:26 AM | August 24

Kiev flags in ethnic Ukrainian villages in Russian Kursk

Ukrainian troops erected blue and yellow flags yesterday, marking National Flag Day, in ethnic Ukrainian lands in Russia's Kursk region, Ukrainska Pravda reports. The flags were placed by soldiers from the Rugby Team unmanned systems battalion of the 129th Mechanized Rifle Brigade in the villages of Gornal and Guyevo. The flags now fly over Gornal and Guyevo as a sign of invincibility, a reminder to the enemy: Ukraine never forgets and takes back what belongs to it, the brigade stated on Facebook.

2:18 AM | August 24

Kiev drones to Moscow and St. Petersburg, many airports closed

Russian authorities temporarily closed many airports across the country last night, including those in Moscow and St. Petersburg, after air defenses shot down several Ukrainian drones approaching the capital, Russia's second city, and its region, Leningrad. The restrictions were later lifted, but at least three airlines—Aeroflot, Rossiya, and Pobeda—announced changes to their schedules, TASS reports. St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport diverted more than 30 flights to alternative airports, and more than 50 flights were delayed. Other airports affected by the measure were Nizhny Novgorod, Tambov, Samara, Nizhny Kama, Izhevsk, Ulyanovsk, Kirov, Kazan, and Penza. On Saturday night, Russian air defenses shot down 21 Ukrainian drones in the Bryansk region alone, Governor Alexander Bogomaz said.

0:44 | August 24

WSJ: US blocks long-range missiles against Russia

For months, the Pentagon has been blocking Ukraine's use of long-range missiles to strike Russia, US officials told the Wall Street Journal, preventing Kiev from using a powerful weapon in its fight against Moscow's invasion. A high-level approval process at the Department of Defense, which has not yet been made public, has prevented Ukraine from launching US-made Army Tactical Long-Range Missile Systems, or ATACMs, against targets in Russia since late spring, officials said. On at least one occasion, Ukraine attempted to use ATACMs against a target on Russian soil, but Kiev's request was denied, two officials said.

0:36|August 24

Media: China ready to send peacekeeping troops to Kiev

China would be willing to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine on a UN mandate, according to Welt am Sonntag, citing European diplomatic sources who learned the information from Chinese government officials. The Chinese government would only be willing to do so if the troops were deployed on a UN mandate, the sources emphasized.

0:28|August 24

Zelensky: Developments on guarantees in the coming days

Regarding security guarantees, the teams of Ukraine, the United States, and European partners are working on their architecture: all developments will be ready in the coming days. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky in a post on X, published after his meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof. Now there is a real chance of ending this war, and Ukraine is ready to take constructive steps that can bring about real peace. However, Russia shows no intention of peace on its part and continues to bomb our cities. We interpret all the signals coming from Moscow these days in the same way. Pressure is needed to change their position, as well as a meeting at the highest level to discuss all issues, Zelensky wrote on social media. With Prime Minister Schoof, we also discussed how the Netherlands can increase its involvement in this process and help ensure security guarantees. We also discussed our joint projects and investments in Ukraine's defense production. We are preparing important agreements and a meeting soon, the Ukrainian president concluded.

0:21|August 24

Zelensky: We will not give up our land to the occupier

Today (yesterday for those reading) is an important day, the day of one of our strongest emotions: the feeling of being at home or of recognizing our belonging. And wherever you are in the world, whatever country you arrive in, when you see the Ukrainian flag, you understand that next to you, perhaps you don't know people personally, but who are certainly familiar hearts. This flag is the feeling of salvation for the people returning from Russian captivity. When they see the Ukrainian colors, they understand: evil is over. This flag is the goal and dream of many of our citizens in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. And they protect this flag, they protect it because they know: we will not surrender our land to the occupier. Thus, on National Flag Day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This flag symbolizes the most precious asset for hundreds of thousands of our soldiers, men and women from across our Ukraine, who defend not just this or that particular direction, not just Vovcansk or Dobropillya, but all of our Ukraine and, risking their lives, fight for the right to life for our entire state. And may all those who have contributed to this force of Ukrainian colors hear these words today. And these words are, first and foremost, words of gratitude. It is absolutely deserved. Long live Ukraine. May our blue and yellow flag always stand proud. Happy Flag Day, dear Ukrainians. Glory to Ukraine, Zelensky concludes.

Zelensky: We will not give up our land to the occupiers

0:16|August 24

Zelensky: Major defense agreements with the Netherlands soon

We discussed security guarantees with the acting Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Dick Schoof, and how the Netherlands can increase its involvement in this process. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote this in a post on X, thanking Schoof following a telephone conversation between the two leaders on National Flag Day. During the call, Zelensky explained, we also discussed our joint projects and investments in Ukraine's defense production. We are preparing important agreements and an upcoming meeting.

0:03|August 24

Stubb: Zelensky-Putin meeting unlikely, Trump is losing patience with Putin

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said he currently sees no sign of Russia's willingness to sit down at the negotiating table to discuss a ceasefire or peace with Ukraine, the newspaper Ukrainska Pravda reports. If the goal was a bilateral meeting two weeks after Washington, that is, a week after Monday, then I find it highly unlikely. Russia's delaying tactics continue, the Finnish president said, asserting that Russia intends to continue hostilities against Ukraine at least until the fall to maximize its territorial gains. He added:"There is only one person who can force Putin to make peace, and that is President Trump. He is the only person Putin listens to and, frankly, the only person Putin fears."

0:03|August 23

Kiev, a village in Donetsk has been recaptured

Ukrainian forces have regained control of the village of Zeleny Hay in the Donetsk region. The Dnipro Operational-Strategic Group of Troops claimed responsibility, cited by RBC Ukraine. The soldiers halted the enemy's advance and took control of the Zeleny Hay settlement in the Donetsk region, according to a Telegram message. At the same time, the military noted that the Russians continue to actively attempt to recapture this settlement, as well as other settlements in the Donetsk region.