Ukraine, Trump: 'Severe consequences for Russia if it does not stop the war'

"Honestly, I thought it would be easier to deal with Russia and Ukraine, but it turns out there are some big personality conflicts," President Trump said, during the signing of two executive orders at the White House. "But we'll be able to stop that, too. Eventually, we'll stop that, too," the president added.

Ukraine's accession to the European Union would be a 'historic mistake', as Kiev's behaviour does not correspond to its status as a candidate country, said the head of the Hungarian Prime Minister's Office, Gergely Gulyas.

"As for Russia's concessions, I know nothing about them. I do not believe that the things said by the Russian side, namely that they are ready not to continue occupying Ukraine, are concessions. I do not believe that the fact that they are offering us to withdraw from territories that Russia does not control are concessions." This was stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as quoted by Ukrainska Pravda. Zelensky added that the timing of the meeting between the leaders depends solely on Russia and the US. "Because it was the US that proposed, I remind you, on 7 March a ceasefire. We supported it,' he explained.

Over the past ten days, the US has focused on the security guarantees component for Ukraine and made 'significant progress'. This was reported by European sources close to the negotiations. Ukraine - and it repeated this also during the G7 foreign ministers' meeting - demands that the guarantees be 'legally binding', European troops on its territory with US support. "Russia and China," Kiev emphasised to its allies, "cannot guarantee our security, the OSCE experience has not worked, and therefore a mechanism similar to Article 5 is needed; EU membership is also an integral element of the security guarantees". All parties then agree that 'the Ukrainian armed forces are the strongest security guarantee'. The US, at the moment, is then raising the question of 'the trigger', i.e. the clear definition of what will trigger the guarantees themselves. Washington, at this point, wants to understand - one learns - what the Coalition countries 'are ready to agree' before making a 'legal commitment'. On this point, Brussels points out that Article 5 of NATO is indeed 'legally binding' but must first be 'collectively activated' by the Alliance. In short, it is not automatic. This is an important element that could be repeated in the mechanism being studied by the Volunteers.

Ukraine has condemned Woody Allen's participation in the Moscow International Film Week. The famous American director took part in a videoconference on 24 August at a meeting on the future of cinema in the light of the development of artificial intelligence. The Kiev Foreign Ministry 'strongly condemns the participation of American director Woody Allen at the Moscow International Film Week,' reads the note taken up by Ukraina Pravda. "This is a disgrace and an insult to the memory of Ukrainian actors and directors killed or injured by Russian war criminals during Russian aggression against Ukraine." "By taking part in a festival that brings together Putin's supporters and spokesmen, Allen is deliberately turning a blind eye to the atrocities Russia has been committing in Ukraine every day for 11 years," the ministry continued.

What was achieved during the summit in Alaska must now be consolidated and promoted, and that is what the Russian side is doing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said today. "It seems to me that everyone should now build on those successes, on those achievements in Alaska. That's what we should focus on now, and that's probably what the Russian side is doing," Zakharova said.

"I thank the Holy Father for accepting my request to be able to meet him for an audience with my family as well. In the meeting I reiterated Italy's commitment to peace in the Middle East, Ukraine and we also talked about the situation in Sudan. About all the wars that there are in the world and how important it is for each of us to be committed to peace. I have great confidence in this Pontiff, a spiritual guide for Christians, but not only'. This was said by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, as he left the Vatican after being received in audience by Pope Leo XIV. Asked if there was any talk of possible mediation by the Vatican for Ukraine, Tajani replied: 'We have not spoken about it. We spoke in general about peace'.

One civilian died and two others were injured today in shelling by Ukrainian forces on the Russian-controlled part of the Kherson region. This was reported by the head of the pro-Russian administration, Vladimir Saldo. One man was killed in the village of Novaya Zburyevka, while another man and a woman were injured in the village of Alyoshki, Saldo specified on his Telegram channel.

Russian forces claim control of Zaporizke, a locality in the Dnipropetrovsk region in east-central Ukraine. This was reported by the Russian media on the basis of information from the Moscow Defence Ministry.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store visited Ukraine. This was announced in a post on X where they are pictured together by Kiev's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who called Norway 'one of our closest allies'. Store will meet the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky.

China will not send peacekeepers to Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told the press today.

"These reports do not correspond to reality," said Guo referring to the German newspaper Welt's exclusive in which reference was made to Beijing's alleged readiness to participate in peacekeeping forces for Ukraine.

"We are in a regime of war, people are aware that they must defend themselves, but within this war they must at the same time continue to live". Thus, in an interview with ilSussidiario.net, the bishop of the Ukrainian diocese of Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia, Pavlo Honcharuk, today guest at the Rimini Meeting. "The situation of the people who live near the front line, where there is constant bombing and those near you die, is very different," he observed, "compared to those who live 50-100 kilometres from the front line, or even more so on the other side of Ukraine, in the West. The intensity of this 'life at war' also depends a lot on these geographical parameters'. In any case, he reflects, 'on people, war has a bit of a microphone effect, amplifying what they already have inside them: it depends a lot on where everyone gets the resources for their lives. In a state of war, above all, the meaning one gives to it is very important. War brings to light who I am'. In the opinion of the bishop of Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia, 'it not only materially destroys everything around a person, but also in some way the supports they rely on. And on these supports depends a lot the perception I have of myself and who I am. War,' he argues, 'creates space for a search for meaning. It is very important, in this search, that a person is able to touch the love of God. When this is missing, despair sets in. Man feels a big hole, which is filled with aggressive feelings, with hatred. That emptiness falls on my actions, on how I behave". As for relations with other Christian denominations, he emphasises, 'even before the war, there were good relations with all denominations and also with other religions. What is different is the Moscow Patriarchate, because there, at the bottom, there is Putin's policy. We have different foundations'. However, Honcharuk concludes. "the Popes", from Pius XI and John XXIII to Francis, "were right to say that we must ensure that wars do not happen. And it is not a question of this or that war, more or less extensive: because just one war is something horrible'.

Russian forces attacked Ukraine last night with 104 drones of various types, including Shahed kamikaze drones, 76 of which were shot down or neutralised with electronic warfare systems by the country's air defences, the Kiev Air Force announced on Telegram. Twenty-eight enemy unmanned aircraft hit 15 locations and debris from the destroyed drones fell in four locations.

"We recognise him as the de facto head of the regime. And in that capacity, we are ready to meet him. But as for signing legal documents.... When we get to the point where we sign documents, there must be a clear understanding on everyone's part that the person signing these documents has legitimacy. According to the Ukrainian Constitution, Mr Zelensky currently has none," Lavrov said in an interview with Nbc. "We cannot hold a meeting just so that Zelensky has a good image and can say, 'Look, I am legitimate'. Legitimacy is another matter. Because regardless of when such a meeting can take place, and it has to be prepared very well, the question of who will sign an agreement on the Ukrainian side is a very serious issue," he added. "No meeting is planned", Lavrov told the "Meet the Press" programme. The summit to end the war will only take place if it has a "presidential programme" agreeable to Putin, he said, but such a programme "is by no means ready".

"There is no need to tell the Ukrainian president what to do": the Ukrainian foreign minister, Andriy Sybiga, responded in this way to his Hungarian counterpart minister, Péter Szijjarto, who called on President Volodymyr Zelensky to "stop threatening Hungary" in connection with the Druzhba pipeline situation. This was reported by Ukrainska Pravda. "I will respond in the Hungarian way," Sybiga said on X: "There is no need to tell the Ukrainian president what to do, what to say and when. He is the president of Ukraine, not Hungary. Hungary's energy security is in your hands. Diversify and become independent from Russia, like the rest of Europe,' he added. On 21 August, Zelenskyy had stated that he had asked US President Donald Trump to intervene on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban not to block Ukraine's accession to the European Union. The next day, Hungary had denounced a new Ukrainian attack - the third - on the Druzhba pipeline on the border between Russia and Belarus. Yesterday Szijjarta had called on Zelenskyy to "stop threatening Hungary", after the latter had hinted at a link between the attacks on the Druzhba pipeline and Hungary's position on Ukraine's EU membership.

German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil arrived in Kiev for a series of talks with the Ukrainian government, focusing on the future peace process and regional security. "I am coordinating closely with Chancellor Friedrich Merz on how Germany can best support Ukraine in a potential peace process, Klingbeil said upon his arrival in the capital. The vice-chancellor emphasised that the issue concerns 'not only Ukrainian, but also European security' and reiterated the need for 'reliable security guarantees that will ensure lasting peace for Ukraine'. Klingbeil also emphasised that Berlin is working "closely with its international partners" and assured that "Germany will fulfil its responsibilities". Russian President Vladimir "Putin should have no illusions that Germany's support for Ukraine will falter", Klingbeil added. "On the contrary, we remain the second largest supporter of Ukraine worldwide and the largest in Europe, Ukraine can continue to rely on Germany."

Russian air defence forces shot down 21 Ukrainian drones overnight, the Defence Ministry of the Russian Federation announced this morning. "Over the course of the night, from 23:00 on 24 August to 7:00 on 25 August (Moscow time), air defence assets on duty intercepted and destroyed 21 unmanned drones belonging to Ukraine," the official statement read. In detail, seven drones were shot down over the Smolensk region, six over the Bryansk region, three over the Oryol Oblast, three in the capital Moscow region (including two headed towards the city), and one each over the Kaluga and Tver regions.

US Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday that Russia had made "important concessions" in talks to end the war with Ukraine, but he did not rule out imposing further sanctions to pressure the Kremlin to achieve peace. In an interview aired Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" programme, Vance was asked if Russia was taunting President Donald Trump. Vance answered no and said the Russians were "flexible" on some of his demands. "I think the Russians have made significant concessions to President Trump for the first time in three and a half years of conflict. In fact, they have been willing to be flexible on some of their key demands. They have discussed what would be necessary to end the war,' he said. 'Of course, they have not yet reached a final conclusion, otherwise the war would have ended. But we are pursuing this diplomatic process in good faith." Vance told NBC that further sanctions against Russia are possible, but that such decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. "No, sanctions are not off the table. But we will make those decisions on a case-by-case basis,' Vance said.

Russian armed forces have occupied the village of Filiya, in the Dnepropetrovsk region, after crossing the Volchya river and breaking through the Ukrainian defences. This was reported by the Tass news agency - the Russian Defence Ministry.

An Italian volunteer fighting alongside the Ukrainian army, Luca Cecca, has died. He had not been heard from since 2024. The news of his death was announced on the Facebook profile celebrating the memory of foreigners fallen in Ukraine, the Memorial International Volunteer for Ukraine. "Our beloved Italian brother, Luca Cecca, who was serving in Ukraine as a volunteer, has fallen on the battlefield. Honour, glory and gratitude to our brother,' reads a post next to the photograph of Luca Cecca.