Moscow's soldiers are not conquering territory, but taking back what belongs to Russia. Speaking to reporters with his trusted Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko, who had said that the Russians were advancing and conquering territory, Vladimir Putin reiterated his usual nationalist narrative about the nature of the"special military operation" in Ukraine. The two presidents answered questions from reporters during an informal visit by Lukashenko to Putin on Valaam Island on Lake Ladoga, north of St. Petersburg. The Belarusian leader criticized the authorities in Kiev for, in his view, failing to understand how effectively Moscow's forces are operating."They will nibble away, take it, and start conquering again," said the strongman from Minsk, who has ruled his country with an iron fist for over 30 years, thanks in part to the Kremlin's support. At these words, Putin corrected him:"They will take it back," he stated."This is ours."
Putin then emphasized "the positive dynamics at the front." "Our troops are advancing along the entire line of contact: in the border area, in the Donetsk Republic, in Luhansk, Zaporozhye, and Kherson." And the Kiev authorities, who deny that Moscow forces have captured the town of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk,"are not well informed" about the progress of the fighting.
The progress Putin speaks of is confirmed by the American Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank. The Russian military has accelerated its advance in Ukraine for the fourth consecutive month, recording its greatest advance since November in July, according to an AFP analysis of ISW data. In one month, Moscow's forces captured 713 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory, compared to the 79 recovered by Kiev, for a net gain of 634 square kilometers. This latter figure exceeds the 588 square kilometers gained in June, 507 in May, 379 in April, and 240 in March, after a slowdown during the winter. These advances include territories fully or partially controlled by Russia, as well as those claimed by it.
As the deadline for Donald Trump's ultimatum to Moscow draws ever closer—the White House chief has said he wants a ceasefire by August 8—the president of the Russian Federation has said he is"in favor of reaching a long-term peace," "which will have no time limit." But to achieve this goal, the conditions he himself set a year ago remain valid: recognition of Crimea and the four partially occupied regions as Russian, and Kiev's refusal to join NATO. Between Russia and Ukraine, there is a need for a"lasting peace that guarantees security for both countries," added the Kremlin leader, according to whom the agreement should be found within a framework of"general European security." "And we think that's right," he added enigmatically.
Regarding Europe, Putin noted, many analysts have said that the European Union is no longer an economic giant, but a"political dwarf." "These are not my words; I don't want to offend anyone; we've read this in Western publications," the Kremlin chief added."But a loss of political sovereignty now will lead to a loss of economic sovereignty and massive financial damage," Putin added. And this, he emphasized, is why Moscow is fighting in Ukraine:"Our main goal is to strengthen Russia's sovereignty."
Zelensky's response was immediate."We have listened to Russia's statements. If these are signs of a genuine desire to end the war with dignity and establish a truly lasting peace—and not an attempt to buy time—then Ukraine reiterates its readiness to meet at the leadership level at any time," the Ukrainian president wrote on X."We understand who makes the decisions in Russia and who must end this war. We propose moving from exchanges, statements, and meetings at the technical level to talks between leaders. America proposed this. Ukraine supported it. Russia's willingness is necessary."
Meanwhile, the death toll from the massive Russian airstrikes on Kiev continues. At least 31 people were killed in the Russian attack that hit the capital on the night between July 30 and 31, one of the most serious in recent weeks. Among them, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced, were"five children." Nearly 160 people were injured, while rescuers continued to work among the ruins of the affected buildings."Unfortunately, the worst-case scenarios regarding the number of people who could remain trapped under the rubble have been confirmed," said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city's military administration. Among the dead was police lieutenant Liliia Stepanchuk, who has been serving in the capital since 2017, while three other officers were injured. Five more children are hospitalized.
On the European front, allies' efforts to support Kiev continue. Germany has announced the imminent delivery of two Patriot anti-missile batteries to Ukraine. Following the agreement reached with Washington, the German military will be able to deliver"Patriot launchers to Ukraine in the coming days, followed by other system components over the next two to three months," the German Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The statement also specifies that it has been agreed with the U.S. Department of Defense that Germany will be the first nation to receive state-of-the-art Patriot systems, newly developed so that"it can continue to fulfill its obligations within the Atlantic Alliance," as Defense Minister Boris Pistorius emphasized. The financing will be provided by Germany. Pistorius also commented:"Germany is by far Ukraine's strongest supporter in the air defense sector."
