Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks in Kyiv, August 4, 2024

EA on International Outlets: Anticipating Trump-Putin Meeting on Russia’s Ukraine Invasion

EA-Times Radio VideoCast: Countering the Spectacle and Threat of the Putin-Trump Meeting

Monday’s Coverage: Europe’s Leaders Seek Call With Trump Before Putin Meeting

UPDATE 1751 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has spoken to national leaders throughout the day, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Romanian President Nicușor Dan, and Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof.

Zelensky said Erdoğan emphasized that “any negotiations without Ukraine will not bring lasting peace” and offered to organize a summit including Zelensky, Donald Trump, and Vladimir Putin.

He thanked Dan for Romania’s support of the accession of Ukraine and Moldova to the European Union, and posted after the conversation with Schoof:

A genuine, real, and fair result can only be achieved with Ukraine and with Europe’s participation. European states are among the leaders in supporting Ukraine right now, and they are ready to take part in the reconstruction of our country after the war ends.

The President posted earlier in the day:

UPDATE 1049 GMT:

At least three civilians have been killed and at least 29 injured by Russian strikes across Ukraine over the past 24 hours.

Air defenses downed 36 of 48 drones and one of four ballistic missiles. The other 12 drones and three missiles struck seven locations.

In the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine, three civilians were murdered and 12 injured.

In Nikopol in the Dnipropetrovsk region, six people were injured on Monday. An apartment building, houses, a gas pipeline, and other civilian properties were damaged.

Casualties were also reported in the Kharkiv, Kherson, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia regions.

UPDATE 0659 GMT:

In their latest strike inside Russia, Ukrainian drones have targeted the only Russian facility producing helium for rockets, warplanes, and spacecraft.

The UAVs attacked the Orenburg Helium Plant, around 1,200 km (746 miles) from the frontline in Ukraine.

The extent of damage to the plant is being established.

Drones also struck the Monocrystal chemical plant, a key manufacturer of synthetic crystals used in weapons manufacturing, in Stavropol in southwest Russia early Tuesday.

Videos and photos showed a fire at the enterprise, after residents reported several explosions.

An oil refinery in Russia’s Saratov region has halted intake after drones caused explosions and a large fire on Sunday.

The refinery is owned by the Russian energy giant Rosneft. It has a processing capacity of 140,000 barrels of crude per day.

UPDATE 0655 GMT:

One person has been killed and 11 injured by an overnight Russian missile strike on a Ukrainian military training facility.

A group of soldiers was hit by cluster munitions as they sought shelter.

Russia has carried out a series of strikes on military training facilities, including an attack on July 29 that killed three soldiers and injured 18 and an assault on June 1 that slew 12 and wounded 60.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Ahead of Friday’s meeting in Alaska between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia is preparing for new offensives rather than a ceasefire.

Zelensky said in his nightly address to the nation, “Putin is determined only to present a meeting with America as his personal victory and then continue acting exactly as before, applying the same pressure on Ukraine.” He noted that the Russians “are redeploying their troops and forces in ways that suggest preparations for new offensive operations”.

The President spoke with a series of leaders on Monday, including Lithuanian counterpart Gitanas Nauseda, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Trying to move India away from its imports of Russian oil and towards efforts for the ceasefire, Zelensky posted:

It is important that India is supporting our peace efforts and shares the position that everything concerning Ukraine must be decided with Ukraine’s participation. Other formats will not deliver results.

We also discussed in detail the sanctions against Russia. I noted that it is necessary to limit the export of Russian energy, particularly oil, to reduce its potential and ability to finance the continuation of this war. It is important that every leader who has tangible leverage over Russia sends the corresponding signals to Moscow.

In a joint statement, all but one head of European Union members said Ukrainians must have the freedom to decide their future.

Meaningful negotiations can only take place in the context of a ceasefire or reduction of hostilities….We share the conviction that a diplomatic solution must protect Ukraine’s and Europe’s vital security interests.

Only Hungary, whose Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is a long-time ally of Putin, refused to join the statement.

Six leaders of European states — Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the UK — European Council President Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President António Costa, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will join Zelensky in a call with Trump on Wednesday.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the 27-nation bloc is preparing a 19th package of sanctions against Moscow:

As far as Russia has not agreed to full and unconditional ceasefire, we should not even discuss any concessions.

The sequencing of the steps is important. First an unconditional ceasefire with a strong monitoring system and ironclad security guarantees.