Monday, August 25th's live news on the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

8.05pm | 25 August

At 9.30 pm Tajani will have a telephone call with the ministers of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Finland and Ukraine.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani will have a telephone conversation this evening at 9:30 PM with the foreign ministers of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Finland, and Ukraine to review the situation in Ukraine.

7:44 PM | August 25

Woody Allen praises Russia during a Moscow film festival. Kiev's irritation: An insult to the memory of murdered actors and directors.

By Serena Palumbo

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​I love Russian cinema. I've always been an apolitical director. These are the words Woody Allen declared at the Moscow International Film Week, sparking outrage in Kiev. The 89-year-old director—speaking via video link on August 24th during the Legends of World Cinema panel moderated by Russian director Fyodor Bondarchuk—praised Soviet cinema, citing Oscar-winning Sergei Bondarchuk's adaptation of War and Peace.​

​Continue reading the full article.

7:41 PM | August 25

Trump: Putin and Zelensky should meet

In my opinion, Putin and Zelensky should meet before I have a meeting and probably close a deal. US President Donald Trump said this while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office of the White House."It takes two to tango, I always say," Trump added.

6:29 PM | August 25

Trump: We're not spending any more money on Ukraine.

We no longer spend any money on Ukraine, we deal with NATO and not with Ukraine: Donald Trump said this, adding that no specific security guarantees for Kiev were discussed but that the US will be there for this.

6:28 PM | August 25

Trump: Putin doesn't want to meet Zelensky because he doesn't like him

Putin doesn't want to meet Zelensky because he doesn't like him. Donald Trump said this in the Oval Office, reiterating that if he had been president, the war in Ukraine would never have happened.

6:27 PM | August 25

Trump: Zelensky is the world's greatest salesman

Donald Trump once again accuses Volodymyr Zelensky of being the world's greatest salesman. Every time he left the White House, he took millions of dollars with him, the president said in the Oval Office.

6:22 PM | August 25

Trump: I spoke to Putin again

US President Donald Trump said he spoke again with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, after Monday's White House summit with Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, the US president said all his conversations with Putin were good: then another bomb dropped on Kiev or some other city. Trump concluded by saying he believed we could get the job done. And then the tycoon said the US is no longer spending money on Ukraine.

4:31 PM | August 25

Zelensky: I don't see any concessions from Moscow in the peace talks.

As for Russia's concessions, I know nothing about them. I don't think what the Russians said, namely that they are ready to stop occupying Ukraine, are concessions. I don't think they are offering to withdraw from territories that Russia doesn't control. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this, quoted by Ukrainska Pravda. Zelensky also added that the timing of the leaders' meeting depends exclusively on Russia and the US. Because it was the United States that proposed, I recall, a ceasefire on March 7. We supported it, he explained. Just yesterday, Vice President J.D. Vance, in an interview with NBC, declared that Russia had made significant concessions on Ukraine:"I think it has made significant concessions to Donald Trump for the first time in three and a half years." He also clarified that Moscow is very flexible on some of the key requirements for the agreement.

3:54 PM | August 25

Kellogg: Ukrainians have been at war longer than the US was in World War II.

Ukrainians have been fighting Russia longer than the United States fought in World War II, said Keith Kellogg, the US President's special representative, on the sidelines of the national prayer breakfast in Kiev. People forget how long this war has been going on. It hasn't been going on for four years. It's the largest war in Europe since World War II. (...) Ukrainians have been at war longer than we were in World War II, Kellogg said. The special representative emphasized the conflict's high casualties, estimating that combined Ukrainian and Russian losses are greater than those suffered by the United States in World War II. That's why those who served in the military and saw the devastation war can bring want to stop it, he added.

12:44 PM | August 25

Tajani: I have faith in the Pope for peace

In a private audience with Pope Leo XIV, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani reiterated to the Pontiff Italy's commitment to peace, which is a priority both in the Middle East and in Ukraine. The Foreign Minister himself told journalists at the end of his audience in the Vatican."We discussed the situation in Sudan, the many wars raging around the world, and the importance of a commitment to peace for each of us," Tajani added."I have great faith in this Pontiff," Tajani emphasized,"and I also reiterated Italy's strong commitment, both to the West, which must continue to push Putin to reach an agreement with Ukraine for a ceasefire and lasting peace, and in the Middle East."

11:28 AM | August 25

China: Our peacekeeping forces in Ukraine? It's all false.

For the second time in recent months, China has ruled out involvement in peacekeeping forces in Ukraine, following reports in Die Welt that diplomatic representatives of some EU countries said Beijing had expressed willingness to participate in a possible UN-mandated international peacekeeping force should the Kyiv-Moscow conflict be resolved. These reports are untrue, noted Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun. China's position on the Ukrainian crisis is consistent and clear, he added at the daily briefing.

10:35 AM | August 25

Russian raids in Sumy and Kharkiv leave two dead and 14 injured.

The latest Russian strikes against Ukraine have caused at least two deaths and at least 14 injuries in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions. The website Ukrinform reports, citing local administrations in the two affected areas. Specifically, in 24 hours, Russian troops carried out nearly 140 attacks on 46 settlements in the Sumy region, resulting in deaths and injuries. According to a Facebook post by the Sumy regional military administration, a 37-year-old man was killed, four other men were injured, and four women were injured. The highest number of Russian strikes were recorded in the Sumy, Shostka, and Konotop districts. In the Kharkiv region, one person was killed and six others were injured during the day due to Russian shelling. According to Ukrinform, the head of the Kharkiv regional military administration, Oleh Syniehubov, reported the incident on Telegram. Four settlements in the Kharkiv region were hit by enemy attacks. As a result of the shelling, one person was killed and six were injured, Syniehubov reported. He clarified that an 82-year-old woman died in Kupiansk, a 35-year-old woman, an 83-year-old woman, and a 56-year-old man were injured. In the village of Staryi Saltiv, a 39-year-old man was injured. In the village of Korotych, in the Pisochyn community, a 43-year-old man was injured. In the village of Pidserednie, in the Velykyi Burluk community, a 54-year-old woman was injured.

8:16 AM | August 25

Moscow: 21 Kiev drones destroyed overnight

Russian air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 21 Ukrainian drones overnight in Russian skies, including two headed for Moscow, the Russian Defense Ministry reported, citing TASS.

7:56 AM | August 25

Berlin: Putin shouldn't fool himself, Ukraine can count on us.

Putin should have no illusions that Germany's support for Ukraine will waver, German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said on his unannounced visit to Kiev.

On the contrary, we remain Ukraine's second-largest supporter globally and the largest in Europe, he added, emphasizing that Ukraine can continue to count on Germany. Klingbeil urged Putin to demonstrate interest in a peace process in Europe's bloodiest war in 80 years.

7:44 AM | August 25

Lavrov's accusations against the West

By Elena Tebano, taken from the Prima Ora newsletter

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​Yesterday, Kiev celebrated Independence Day, which commemorates Ukraine's separation from the Soviet Union in 1991. President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke via video conference from Kiev's Independence Square, reaffirming the nation's determination to resist the Russian invasion."We are building a Ukraine that will have the strength and power to live in security and peace," he said."We will not cede our national territory. No compromise on our Donbass, on our Crimea," he added, implicitly rejecting Russia's demand to cede all of Donbass in exchange for an end to hostilities."We will never again be forced into the shameful act that the Russians call compromise. We need a just peace. What our future will be depends only on us. It is only a matter of time before Ukraine can reunite its occupied lands with the rest of the country," he proclaimed. US President Donald Trump also expressed optimism in his message to Zelensky during the celebrations:"The time has come to put an end to this senseless carnage. The United States supports a negotiated agreement that leads to a lasting peace that stops the bloodshed and safeguards Ukraine's sovereignty and dignity," he said.

​But beyond the statements, the situation remains deadlocked. Yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Western countries of trying to impede negotiations on Ukraine and criticized Zelensky as usual:"He persists, he sets conditions, he demands an immediate meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at all costs." On Friday, Lavrov also said that Putin will not meet Zelensky until the Ukrainians accept some of Moscow's key demands. This is a cold shower that belies the diplomatic breakthrough announced earlier this week by Trump, who had said he had begun preparations for direct talks between the two presidents. Trump had touted his diplomatic initiative as a success for an agreement that would end the conflict, which he had promised to end on the first day of his mandate, but that is not the case.  

​Continue reading the newsletter here First Hour.

7:33 AM | August 25

A journey to Kramatorsk, the Ukrainian outpost in Donbass, among drones, soldiers, and the few remaining families: The Russians are advancing, but we are resisting.

By Lorenzo Cremonesi, Kramatorsk (Donbass)

The most immediately visible innovation is the anti-drone nets. Arriving from Kharkiv, you immediately encounter them at the checkpoints in Sloviansk: black spiderwebs that create undulating tunnels above the heads of the soldiers on guard. But the most massive are precisely those on the bridge leading into the territory of the Kramatorsk municipality. If you hear the buzz in the air, it's already too late, jokes a sentry, but not too late. It means the Russian kamikaze drone has already detected you and will strike the cockpit in a few seconds. They no longer differentiate between military and civilian vehicles; they target anything that moves, he warns.

​Continue reading the full article.

A video report from Kramatorsk, a city on the outskirts of Donbass threatened by the Russians: Between memorials, resistance, and the nightmare of drones.

7:06 AM | August 25

Moscow: Village captured in Dnipro region

Moscow claimed on Sunday that it had seized another settlement in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region. In a statement, the Russian Defense Ministry said its forces had captured the village of Filiya, located about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) south of the settlement of Novopavlivka, a key front in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Filiya is located about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from the administrative border between Dnipropetrovsk and eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region. In an earlier statement, the Ukrainian General Staff said that Russian forces had carried out 33 assaults over the past day near eight settlements on the Novopavlivka front, including Filiya. However, Ukrainian authorities have not commented on Russia's claims.

6:06 AM | August 25

Vance: New sanctions against Russia not ruled out

US Vice President J.D. Vance stated in an NBC interview that new sanctions against Russia are not out of the question as a means of pressuring Moscow to end the war in Ukraine."No, sanctions are not out of the question. But we will make these decisions on a case-by-case basis," Vance said. The Russians do not want a ceasefire for complex reasons."We, of course, pushed for a ceasefire. But, again, we do not control what Russia does. If we had, the war would have ended seven months ago," the US vice president emphasized. However, we believe we still have many cards up our sleeves. The president of the United States has many cards to play to apply pressure and try to end this conflict, and that is what we will do."

5:03 AM | August 25

Moscow claims the seizure of another village in the Dnepropetrovsk region.

Russian forces have occupied the village of Filiya, in the Dnepropetrovsk region, after crossing the Volchya River and breaking through Ukrainian defenses. The Russian Defense Ministry reported this, according to the Tass news agency.

3:42 AM | August 25

Luca Cecca died in Ukraine. But the Foreign Ministry hasn't confirmed it.

Our brother Luca Cecca died on the battlefield: the news was released by the Memorial association and concerns the fate of an Italian foreign fighter who reportedly lost his life fighting in Ukraine as a volunteer for Kiev's forces. The conditional is, however, necessary because the Farnesina has not confirmed the death of the Italian, who has, however, been missing for months.

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​Read the full article here

3:31 AM | August 25

Russian opposition leader Khodorkovsky: Financial and recruitment problems: Putin has good reasons to negotiate

by Federico Fubini

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Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once the richest man in Russia, spent ten years in prison in Siberia for challenging Vladimir Putin. Today he lives in London and is one of the Kremlin's most feared opponents.

Do you think Putin is aiming for a deal on Ukraine?

I think he has good reasons to negotiate seriously. Economic and recruitment problems are piling up in Russia. Furthermore, the occupied territories in Ukraine are proving to be another problem and a huge cost, going forward...

Read the full interview here

3:29 AM | August 25

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.

3:28 AM | August 25

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.

3:28 AM | 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.