Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky (Tetiana Dzhafarova/AFP)
EA-Ukraine VideoCast: A Split in Trump Administration Over Putin’s Invasion?
UPDATE 1439 GMT:
Citing events in Lithuania and Denmark, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has condemned “reckless and dangerous Russian behavior”.
She said the drone incursion over Lithuania and Russia’s firing of a flare on Danish forces were “not isolated incidents” but “part of a broader pattern of Russian aggression and provocation against Europe, testing our readiness and our resolve”.
Russia will find our resolve only growing stronger. We are reinforcing our collective deterrence and defence, together with NATO. And we are stepping up the pressure on Russia.
Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said the downed drone was carrying an explosive device. It “was discovered and subsequently neutralized by bomb disposal experts”.
He thanked Italian fighter jet pilots for taking “decisive actions” to shoot down the drone.
UPDATE 1152 GMT:
Denmark’s Defense Minister Jeppe Bruus says no warning or radio contact was made before a Russian frigate fired flares towards a Danish military helicopter on Monday.
Noting that the flare passed “within a matter of meters” from the helicopter, Bruus said the showed Russia’s increased willingness to take risks in its aggressive behavior.
Ukraine Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha declared Kyiv’s “full support” for Copenhagen over the “unacceptable actions”.
Moscow continues its attempts to destabilise Europe, not just Denmark. Joint and decisive action is required and Ukraine is ready to contribute to all efforts aimed at strengthening the protection of Europe from Russian threats.
Analysts noted that Russian crew sometimes point weapons or use a tracking radar on Danish ships, helicopters, or planes monitoring Russia’s state-owned ships and warships. However, the firing of flares is unusual and marks a “change in pattern”.
UPDATE 0822 GMT:
At least one civilian has been murdered in Russian drone strikes on Kyiv.
The man was critically injured and died in hospital.
Ukraine’s emergency services said eight people have been injured as two gasoline stations were targeted.
UPDATE 0811 GMT:
“Sources familiar with the Kremlin’s position” say Vladimir Putin is reluctant to agree a mutual ceasefire of attacks on energy infrastructure before winter.
The sources told the Financial Times that Putin believes attacks on the Ukrainian energy sector could increase pressure on Kyiv to make concessions.
Moscow and Kyiv have resumed talks on a possible ceasefire, but there is no agreement despite Donald Trump’s claims.
The issue was initially raised during trilateral consultations. The meetings ended in February, but consideration continued in informal talks.
UPDATE 0804 GMT: The annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club has been moved from the Black Sea city of Sochi to the Moscow region because of the threat of Ukrainian strikes.
Sources said participants were informed of the change of venue in late August. They told the Financial Times that the decision was made at the insistence of the Presidential Security Service.
The theme of the meeting, from September 28 to October 1, is “Responsibility for the Future: Limits of the Possible or Unlimited Possibilities?”
Vladimir Putin has only visited Sochi, where one of his residences is located, twice in two years. The last occasion was a Valdai Club meeting in October 2025.
UPDATE 0725 GMT:
A NATO fighter jet shot down a drone in Lithuania shortly after midnight.
The drone entered from Belarus. It was downed near Kaunas, Lithuania’s second-largest city, in the south of the country.
A drone alert was issued earlier in the capital Vilnius and the surrounding region.
ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a mutual ceasefire with Russia on strikes against infrastructure, saying it is a “strong US proposal”.
In his nightly address to the nation, Zelensky summarized:
There is now a strong U.S. proposal for a mutual halt to strikes on critical infrastructure. If this can become the first de-escalatory step – a step toward ending Russian strikes on our critical infrastructure and our strikes in response – then Ukraine is ready to support de-escalation.
Donald Trump’s envoys, real estate developer Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, visited Moscow and Kyiv just over a week ago.
So far, the Kremlin has shown no sign of easing its attacks to break Ukraine’s civilian resistance and infrastructure. Zelensky noted, “No one has seen any genuine desire on Russia’s part to move toward ending the war.” However, he explained:
We see that the Russians feel the pressure from our precise strikes on Russia’s war economy….If our American partners can ensure that Russia is genuinely ready to stop this war aimed at destroying life – and to do so for real and for the long term – Ukraine will take its own de-escalatory steps.
He called for further details on a wider settlement halting Russia’s 54 1/2-month full-scale invasion: “We need a strong and fair solution, and not just for the [Russian] “elections” but for good. We expect specifics from our partners.”
Ukraine counter-attacked overnight with strikes on the Syzran Oil Refinery in the Samara region and on a warehouse of online retailer Ozon in the Rostov region.
