Sunday, August 10th's live news on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Meloni and European leaders: Peace cannot be decided without Kiev. US media: The White House is considering inviting Zelensky.

6:28 PM | August 10

Kiev: Explosions in Zaporizhia region, three injured

Explosions reverberated today in the Zaporizhia region and the oblast's capital city after Russian forces launched an attack with guided aerial bombs. The region remains under threat, RBC-Ukraine reported, citing Ivan Fedorov, head of the Zaporizhia Regional State Administration, who said at least three people were injured. Fedorov said one of the city's neighborhoods is engulfed in smoke from the explosions, and emergency services are working on the scene. Fedorov then warned of the risk of further attacks on the region and the city, urging residents to observe safety measures and remain in protected areas until the emergency is over.

5:55 PM | August 10

Vance: A Putin-Zelensky meeting before the Alaska summit would not be productive.

A meeting between the presidents of Russia and Ukraine, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, before the summit between Donald Trump and Putin scheduled for August 15th in Alaska would not be very productive. US Vice President J.D. Vance stated this in an interview with Fox News."Of course, we condemn the invasion. We don't like how things turned out, but we need to make peace," Vance added, noting that Washington is nevertheless working on a summit between the leaders of the two warring countries.

4:40 PM | August 10

Vance: Trump considers punishing Beijing over Russian oil

Donald Trump is considering punishing Beijing for Russian oil. US Vice President J.D. Vance said this in an interview with Fox, emphasizing that China's case is more complicated than India's.

4:22 PM | August 10

JD Vance: The deal will ultimately make neither Russia nor Ukraine happy.

The deal will ultimately make neither Russia nor Ukraine happy, Vice President J.D. Vance said in an interview with Fox.

4:12 PM | August 10

Video meeting of EU ambassadors on Kiev

The permanent representatives of the EU member states will meet this afternoon via videoconference for an extraordinary meeting on Ukraine. This was learned in Brussels from European sources. The ambassadors of the 27 will be updated on the summit on Ukraine held yesterday in Kent, attended by US Vice President J.D. Vance, ahead of the August meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

2:20 PM | August 10

Ukraine's grass trampled by elephants, sparks fly between Fico and Kiev

A new clash erupts between Prime Minister Robert Fico's Slovakia and Ukraine. In a video shared on social media yesterday, the Slovak prime minister quoted an African proverb, reiterating his distance from the EU's unified support for Kiev ahead of the Trump-Putin meeting:"It doesn't matter if elephants fight or mate, the grass always suffers. Regardless of the outcome of the elephant negotiations on August 15, the grass will suffer." In this case, Ukraine, Fico attacked, claiming Kiev will pay dearly for the West's failed strategy to weaken Moscow.

Kiev's reaction was equally harsh. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called it deplorable that the head of government of an EU country would resort to openly offensive rhetoric against Ukraine and its people, who continue to defend their homeland in the interests of the security of the entire European continent. We warn against the use of hostile and folkloristic analogies and attempts to boost domestic political approval ratings at Ukraine's expense, Ukrainian diplomacy emphasized further, adding that with his statements Fico also disrespects his own people, who have instead shown solidarity towards Ukraine.

1:38 PM | August 10

Kiev confirms attack on Russian refinery in Saratov

The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed last night's drone attack on the Russian oil refinery in Saratov, Ukrainska Pravda reports. Overnight, the Armed Forces of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, in cooperation with other components of the Defense Forces, struck the Saratov oil refinery (Saratov Region, Russian Federation), according to a statement. Following the attack, explosions and a fire broke out on the facility's premises, the statement noted. The Saratov refinery is a key site in Russia's oil infrastructure, supplying troops at the front, Ukrainska Pravda comments, and has an annual processing capacity of seven million tons of oil.

1:24 PM | August 10

Sweden: Full support for Kiev, including the Volunteers

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held a telephone conversation."I reiterated Sweden's full and lasting commitment to supporting Ukraine in every way possible, including within the framework of the Willing Coalition," Kristersson reported on X, noting that Stockholm is the world's fifth-largest donor to Ukraine and will continue to provide military, humanitarian, and financial aid based on the country's needs. Sweden fully supports the recent declaration by European leaders on peace for Ukraine, he added, endorsing the document signed by the leaders of France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Finland, and the European Commission.

1:22 PM | August 10

Moscow: Kiev-EU relations now resemble necrophilia

Relations between Ukraine and the European Union have become akin to necrophilia, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said today on her Telegram channel. Relations between Bankova (the Ukrainian presidential administration) and the Brussels bureaucracy already resemble necrophilia, characterized by strong reciprocity between the parties, the official wrote, commenting on yesterday's statement by European leaders and the EU Commission on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

1:11 PM | August 10

Netherlands: Kiev's sovereignty non-negotiable, support for allies

The Netherlands welcomes the positive steps taken this week by the United States in its attempt to reach a ceasefire in Ukraine. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof wrote this in X, endorsing the joint statement of European allies issued overnight by the leaders of France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Finland, and the European Commission. The Netherlands continues to provide strong support and is in close contact with its partners. Achieving a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine is of the utmost importance: Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity cannot be questioned and must be respected, Schoof emphasized, emphasizing that Ukraine should determine its own future.

12:16 PM | August 10

Guru Bashirov: Ukraine's fate is the last priority. Only strength matters.

by Marco Imarisio

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​You Europeans hope that we only talk about Ukraine.... A step back. At the beginning of last May, when no one yet thought it was possible, Marat Bashirov said in an interview with this newspaper that before any agreement, before any hypothesis, there would be a meeting between Trump and Putin, and that there was no way to escape this crucial step. Today, to the former United Russia MP, political scientist, professor at the Higher School of Economics, owner of a company that brings foreign entrepreneurs to the Kremlin , who has become, among other things, one of the most popular Russian commentators, with over a million followers on his paid Telegram channel, the reasons for his certainty back then seem even more obvious. There will be a very broad agenda to discuss. The two presidents will address several issues, among which the Ukrainian issue is not the most important. Neither for us nor for them.

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​ What would the priorities be?

First, nuclear security, which must be reviewed in light of the new vectors that make it increasingly difficult to intercept missiles. Second: problems related to world trade. What Trump is doing is applying tariffs sparingly against various countries, and he is certainly holding back against Russia and China. It is clear that these large countries are the key players. Third: the Middle East, which involves a large number of countries with transport corridors and energy market security. Israel-Palestine-Gaza, Israel-Iran, Iran-Middle Eastern monarchies, Hussites: a very sensitive issue for everyone. Lastly, but only after, the war in Ukraine, which is especially important because Trump keeps talking about it.

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12:00 PM | August 10

Zakharova: EU leaders' statement is another Nazi leaflet

The European leaders' statement on negotiations between Russia and Ukraine is another Nazi pamphlet, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. Zelensky's office published a joint statement by the leaders of several EU countries and Ursula von der Leyen, calling for a ceasefire that would not be achieved by cutting off the supply of weapons to Kiev's terrorists. On the contrary, it is another Nazi pamphlet claiming that success in achieving peace in Ukraine can only be achieved by pressuring Russia and supporting Kiev, Zakharova emphasized.

11:08 AM | August 10

Kiev: Russian-occupied village liberated in Sumy region

Ukraine claims to have liberated a border village in the Sumy region, in the north of the country, from Russian forces. The Ukrainian General Staff announced this on Telegram. The village is Bezsalivka, located near the border with Russia.

10:23 AM | August 10

Medvedev: EU politicians want to hinder US efforts to contribute to peace

European politicians are trying to thwart US efforts to help resolve the conflict in Ukraine, while Kiev has gone so far as to hire hitmen from Latin American drug cartels to fight back, according to Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev. While"euro-imbeciles" are trying to thwart US efforts to help resolve the Ukrainian conflict, the panicked Bandera regime (the 20th-century Ukrainian nationalist leader, ed.) is recruiting the vilest scum of humanity to the front. It has reached the level of the Colombian and Mexican cartel hitmen, whose names are known worldwide thanks to reports and TV series on drug crime, Medvedev writes on his Telegram channel.

9:43 AM | August 10

Massive Russian attack on Kharkiv region, kindergarten on fire

Russian forces launched a massive drone strike last night in the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkhiv, striking the city of the same name as well as several villages, including a fire in a kindergarten. The region's State Emergency Service announced this on Facebook, as reported by RBC-Ukraine. The Chuguev district was specifically targeted, where at least five fires broke out. The head of the regional military administration, Oleg Synegubov, said that eight drones were used in the attack, striking communities near the villages of Rozdolnoye, Martove, and Korobochkyne in the Chuguev district. In addition to the kindergarten, fires also broke out in a warehouse and a field. No casualties or injuries were reported.

8:58 AM | August 10

Zelensky: I appreciate the statement by European leaders; the end of the war must be just.

The end of the war must be just, and I am grateful to all those who today stand with Ukraine and our people for the sake of peace in Ukraine, which defends the vital security interests of our European nations. This was written by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on X.

Adding: Ukraine appreciates and fully supports the statement by President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni, Chancellor Merz, Prime Minister Tusk, Prime Minister Starmer, President Ursula von der Leyen, and President Stubb on peace for Ukraine.

8:03 AM | August 10

WP: Zelensky still not invited to Trump-Putin summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has not yet been invited to the summit between US and Russian leaders Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, scheduled for August 15 in Alaska, an anonymous US administration official told the Washington Post. A White House source later told Reuters that Trump is open to a three-way summit but that Washington is currently preparing for bilateral talks.

8:01 AM | August 10

Kiev: 70 out of 100 Russian drones shot down overnight

Russian forces attacked Ukraine last night with 100 drones of various types, including Shahed kamikaze drones, 70 of which were shot down or disabled with electronic warfare systems, the Kiev Air Force reported on Telegram. Thirty enemy unmanned aerial vehicles struck 12 locations in the Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions, while debris from downed drones fell in three locations.

7:55 AM | August 10

Crimea and the disputed territories: the key points of the negotiations between Moscow and Kiev

by Marta Serafini 

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​Swapping, exchange of territories. The expression used by Trump has partially confirmed a scenario that has been circulating in recent days. Namely, Putin is ready for a ceasefire in exchange for a military withdrawal of Kiev forces from the Donetsk region and full control of Donbass, a term used to indicate eastern Ukraine made up of the disputed oblasts of Donetsk and Lugansk. A move that would allow the Kremlin to win at the diplomatic table what the military has failed to gain on the ground in ten years of war and to gain possession of the raw materials in which the region is rich.

What Kiev's military counterpart to this agreement might be is not yet clear. While Washington has previously offered Moscow recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea and control of parts of other Ukrainian regions, the fate of the partially Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts is uncertain. Would the front be frozen at the status quo, or would Moscow withdraw from the occupied territories in these two regions, including the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe? Furthermore, would the ceasefire resulting from this agreement be total or partial? Read the article here.

7:53 AM | August 10

Zelensky and Europe are icy about the Alaska summit. Trump: I want peace.

by Viviana Mazza, correspondent in Washington

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​As president, my highest aspiration is to bring PEACE and STABILITY to the WORLD, Trump wrote on his social Truth yesterday, the day after an agreement signed at the White House between Armenia and Azerbaijan and in view of the summit with Vladimir Putin on August 15 in Alaska.

On Friday evening the American president said that we are very close to a potential agreement between Russia and Ukraine, which would require an exchange of territories, for the best of both countries and added that he will try to help Kiev recover some territories conquered by the Russians. These words come after days of confusion over exactly what signals Putin gave Steve Witkoff on August 6, two days before Trump's ultimatum for secondary sanctions on Russian oil expired.

7:34 AM | August 10

Zelensky now fears a noose deal and internal upheavals among the Azov nationalists

by Marta Serafini 

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​Zelensky is not only distressed by the prospect of a peace agreement decided behind closed doors without Ukraine. But he is also under pressure from Russian attempts to exploit the anti-corruption issue. A source within the Ukrainian government spoke to Corriere on condition of anonymity. The primary concern is that Trump may seek a rapid resolution to the war by offering
Putin
territorial concessions, legitimizing the illegal annexation of Crimea and the occupation of large parts of the four oblasts of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. The latest polls indicate that the share of Ukrainians willing to cede territory in exchange for peace has risen (69% from 52% last year, according to Gallup) but almost no one (only 17% according to another poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology) is willing to do so without guarantees in exchange, as the Ukrainian president himself declared yesterday. ​

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Read the article here

7:33 AM | August 10

Russian drone strikes Kharkiv, injuring six, including a 17-year-old girl.

Six people, including a 17-year-old girl, were injured in a drone attack launched last night by Russian forces on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, authorities reported, as Ukrainska Pravda reports. The attack hit the city's Kyivsky district and damaged a shop, said Oleg Synegubov, head of the Kyivsky Regional State Administration.

7:32 AM | August 10

Moscow: Over 120 Ukrainian drones destroyed overnight

A man has died in a drone strike in the courtyard of a residential building in the Saratov Region, Russia. The governor of the region, Roman Busargin, reported this on his Telegram channel. Authorities have announced the threat of a drone attack in the region. One of the drones crashed in the courtyard of a residential building, resulting in casualties. One person has died, the governor of the Saratov Region wrote.

0:48|August 10

European leaders, the joint declaration

A joint statement on Peace for Ukraine by French President Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Merz, Polish Prime Minister Tusk, British Prime Minister Starmer, European Commission President von der Leyen and President Stubb was broadcast during the night, ahead of the scheduled meeting between President Trump and President Putin.

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​We welcome President Trump's commitment to stopping the killings in Ukraine, ending the Russian Federation's war of aggression, and achieving a just and lasting peace and security for Ukraine.

​We are convinced that only an approach that combines active diplomacy, support for Ukraine, and pressure on the Russian Federation to end its illegal war can succeed.

We stand ready to support this commitment both diplomatically and by maintaining our substantial military and financial support for Ukraine, including through the action of the Coalition of the Willing, and by maintaining and imposing restrictive measures against the Russian Federation.

We share the belief that a diplomatic solution must protect the vital security interests of Ukraine and Europe.

We agree that these vital interests include the need for robust and credible security guarantees that will allow Ukraine to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ukraine has the freedom to choose its own fate. Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or a reduction in hostilities. The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine. We remain committed to the principle that international borders cannot be changed by force. The existing Line of Contact should be the starting point for negotiations.

We reiterate that Russia's unprovoked and illegal invasion of Ukraine represents a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, the Budapest Memorandum, and Russia's subsequent commitments. We underscore our unwavering commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

​We continue to stand firmly with Ukraine. We are united as Europeans and determined to jointly advance our interests. We will continue to cooperate closely with President Trump and the United States of America, as well as with President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people, for a peace in Ukraine that protects our vital security interests.

0:04|August 10

US: Significant progress made in the UK

Meetings in the United Kingdom have produced significant progress toward Donald Trump's goal of ending the war in Ukraine, a US official told CNN and Axios. According to a Ukrainian official, Kiev and the Europeans told Vice President J.D. Vance that an immediate ceasefire should be the first step and that Ukraine should not cede any territory in exchange for a truce.

0:03|August 9

WP: Putin is preparing another Munich for Trump, like in 1938.

Vladimir Putin is preparing another Munich for Donald Trump, according to Washington Post columnist and Council on Foreign Relations member Max Boot, who emphasizes that Trump is allowing Putin to manipulate him further. If Trump accepts Putin's terms, it would be a repeat of the Munich Agreement of 1938, when British Prime Minister Naville Chamberlain ceded the Sudetenland—a region of what was then Czechoslovakia—to Adolf Hitler without consulting the Czechs. In return, Chamberlain received nothing but empty promises of peace, Boot explains.