Ukraine: Trump wants the EU to foot the bill for Biden’s aid. Brussels: ‘No comment’

Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, envoys of the US President, Donald Trump, are due to arrive in Moscow and then in Kyiv this weekend. This has been reported by sources to the Russian news agency TASS. Just yesterday, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, announced in a video message carried by Ukrainska Pravda that the US negotiators tasked with mediating a possible solution to the war against Kyiv will soon visit both Ukraine and Russia. According to TASS, the US negotiators will visit Moscow first and then Kyiv on 5 and 6 September. Their arrival in Kyiv on Sunday was also confirmed on his Telegram channel by a Ukrainian MP, Alexei Goncharenko.

Meanwhile, on the conflict, it is reported that Russian attacks have caused the deaths of at least six people and injured a further 56 across Ukraine in the last 24 hours. In Kyiv, which has been the target of continuous Russian drone attacks for over a week, 13 people were injured. Six people, including a child, are still in hospital, said the mayor, Vitali Klitschko. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched 121 Shahed-type attack drones against targets across Ukraine, half of which were jet-powered models. Ukrainian air defences intercepted 103 drones and other types of munitions. Russian attacks were recorded in 15 locations, whilst debris from downed Russian drones was found in six of them, the air force added.

One person has died and three others have been injured following an attack by Russian troops on Odessa. According to the head of the military administration of the city of Odessa, Serhiy Lysak, initially, three people were injured, and they were immediately given the necessary medical attention. It was later reported that one had died.

According to reports, in one of the city’s neighbourhoods, residential buildings and cars have been damaged. The relevant services are working at the scene; the area is being inspected and the consequences of the attack are being documented. An operational headquarters has also been set up to provide assistance to the victims.

The Ukrainian army launched several waves of attacks last night against the Russian city of Sochi, including a drone strike on a Russian ship and an oil depot. A video released by the Ukrainian Navy shows the fire caused by the attack on the vessel. The Nefrit formed part of Russia’s maritime and energy infrastructure and supported oil and gas operations, the maintenance of offshore platforms, the transport of goods and personnel, and underwater technical work. Also last night, footage published on various Russian Telegram channels shows a fire at an oil depot in the centre of Sochi, near the port, following a Ukrainian air strike, although the facility itself has not been identified.