Ukraine, Zelensky: agreement with the US for monthly missile deliveries, but they are not enough

During his meeting with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, in Belgrade, “we discussed the challenges that lie ahead as we head into the coming winter, when, due to Russian attacks, virtually no thermal power stations in Ukraine will remain intact and the enemy is intent on making life unbearable for the population”. The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, wrote this on X, adding that ‘whatever happens, people must be given every opportunity to live, and for this reason our cooperation in the energy sector is of great importance. I would like to thank the President for the constructive dialogue and for the new package of humanitarian aid for Ukraine, particularly in the health and energy sectors.’ Furthermore, ‘we discussed relations with the European Union. We would be delighted if Serbia’s path towards EU accession were to accelerate. It is important that every European country receives a clear message: Europe needs each and every one of them, and no one can be left behind,” he added.

Kyiv must contend not only with the military threat and Moscow’s relentless attacks, but now also with threats from Elon Musk. The US billionaire is said to have refused to allow Ukrainian forces to use Starlink to launch attacks on military targets on Russian territory and is reportedly continuing to argue that the time has come to reach an agreement to end the conflict. This is reported by The Atlantic, citing sources close to the former Ukrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

According to the US magazine’s account, Fedorov is trying, through informal channels, to persuade the owner of SpaceX to authorise the Ukrainian armed forces to use the Starlink satellite network to strike targets in Russia, in particular the missile launch systems used by Moscow against Ukraine. However, ‘at the moment, there is no positive decision’, stated one of the sources quoted by The Atlantic. The issue first came to light at the end of July, when The Atlantic reported that the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky had asked the US president Donald Trump to intervene personally with Musk. Zelensky is said to have made the request during his meeting with Trump at the White House, explaining that expanding the system’s capabilities would allow Ukraine to use drones to strike Russian missile launchers before they could carry out attacks.

Zelensky himself has been in Serbia since Friday evening on his first official visit to the Balkan country, which is regarded as a traditional ally of Russia. The Ukrainian president is meeting his counterpart Aleksandar Vučić today to discuss cooperation in various sectors and their respective countries’ path towards European Union membership.

Il presidente ucraino Volodymyr Zelenskiy arriva a Belgrado, in Serbia, il 7 agosto 2026. Ufficio stampa presidenziale ucraino/Foto fornita tramite REUTERS.

Meanwhile, drones launched from Kyiv struck, last night, an oil refinery in the Samara Oblast and another in Krasnodar Krai, in southern Russia. This has been reported by Ukrainian media. Both refineries caught fire, and smoke and flames were reported by local residents who posted videos on social media. The fires are still being brought under control. The drone attack was confirmed by the governor of Samara, Vyacheslav Fedorishchev.

Moscow also claims that Russian forces struck two cargo ships with drones which, according to Moscow, were carrying weapons and military equipment destined for Ukrainian ports. The Russian Ministry of Defence announced this today in an official statement. Although no independent confirmation is available, the Russian claim comes against the backdrop of a sharp escalation in Russian attacks on Ukraine, particularly in the Black Sea. The aim is to block the country’s access to the sea, with serious consequences for trade and military supplies alike.