Latest news with #115thSeparateMechanizedBrigade
Japan Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Today
Zelenskyy wins EU, NATO backing as he seeks place at Trump-Putin talks
A serviceman of the 115th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces attends a training between combat missions at a training ground, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine August 9, 2025. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova By Dan Peleschuk and Mark Trevelyan Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy won diplomatic backing from Europe and the NATO alliance on Sunday ahead of a Russia-U.S. summit this week where Kyiv fears President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump may try to dictate terms for ending the 3-1/2-year war. Trump, who for weeks had been threatening new sanctions against Russia for failing to halt the war, announced instead on Friday that he would meet Putin on August 15 in Alaska. A White House official has said Trump is open to Zelenskyy attending but preparations are underway for only a bilateral meeting. Russian strikes injured at least 12 in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, the country's foreign affairs ministry said on Sunday. Zelenskyy, responding to the strike, said, "That is why sanctions are needed, pressure is needed." The Kremlin leader last week ruled out meeting Zelenskyy, saying conditions for such an encounter were "unfortunately still far" from being met. Trump said a potential deal would involve "some swapping of territories to the betterment of both (sides)", compounding Ukrainian fears that it may face pressure to surrender land. Zelenskyy says any decisions taken without Ukraine will be "stillborn" and unworkable. On Saturday the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland and the European Commission said any diplomatic solution must protect the security interests of Ukraine and Europe. "The U.S. has the power to force Russia to negotiate seriously," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Sunday. "Any deal between the U.S. and Russia must have Ukraine and the EU included, for it is a matter of Ukraine's and the whole of Europe's security." EU foreign ministers will meet on Monday to discuss next steps, she said. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told U.S. network ABC News that Friday's summit "will be about testing Putin, how serious he is on bringing this terrible war to an end". He added: "It will be, of course, about security guarantees, but also about the absolute need to acknowledge that Ukraine decides on its own future, that Ukraine has to be a sovereign nation, deciding on its own geopolitical future." Russia holds nearly a fifth of the country. Rutte said a deal could not include legal recognition of Russian control over Ukrainian land, although it might include de facto recognition. He compared it to the situation after World War II when Washington accepted that the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia were de facto controlled by the Soviet Union but did not legally recognize their annexation. Zelenskyy said on Sunday: "The end of the war must be fair, and I am grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine and our people today." A European official said Europe had come up with a counter-proposal to Trump's, but declined to provide details. Russian officials accused Europe of trying to thwart Trump's efforts to end the war. "The Euro-imbeciles are trying to prevent American efforts to help resolve the Ukrainian conflict," former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev posted on social media on Sunday. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a vituperative statement that the relationship between Ukraine and the European Union resembled "necrophilia". Roman Alekhin, a Russian war blogger, said Europe had been reduced to the role of a spectator. "If Putin and Trump reach an agreement directly, Europe will be faced with a fait accompli. Kyiv - even more so," he said. CAPTURED TERRITORY In addition to Crimea, which it seized in 2014, Russia has formally claimed the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as its own, although it controls only about 70% of the last three. It holds smaller pieces of territory in three other regions, while Ukraine says it holds a sliver of Russia's Kursk region. Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin analyst, said a swap could entail Russia handing over 1,500 sq km to Ukraine and obtaining 7,000 sq km, which he said Russia would capture anyway within about six months. He provided no evidence to back any of those figures. Russia took about 500 sq km of territory in July, according to Western military analysts who say its grinding advances have come at the cost of very high casualties. Ukraine and its European allies have been haunted for months by the fear that Trump, keen to claim credit for making peace and hoping to seal lucrative joint business deals between the U.S. and Russia, could align with Putin to cut a deal that would be deeply disadvantageous to Kyiv. They had drawn some encouragement lately as Trump, having piled heavy pressure on Zelenskyy and berated him publicly in the Oval Office in February, began criticizing Putin as Russia pounded Kyiv and other cities with its heaviest air attacks of the war. But the impending Putin-Trump summit has revived fears that Kyiv and Europe could be sidelined. "What we will see emerge from Alaska will almost certainly be a catastrophe for Ukraine and Europe," wrote Phillips P. O'Brien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. "And Ukraine will face the most terrible dilemma. Do they accept this humiliating and destructive deal? Or do they go it alone, unsure of the backing of European states?" Ukrainian political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko said on Sunday that Kyiv's partnership with its European allies was critical to countering any attempts to keep it away from the table. "For us right now, a joint position with the Europeans is our main resource," he said on Ukrainian radio. U.S. Vice President JD Vance said a negotiated settlement was unlikely to satisfy either side. "Both the Russians and the Ukrainians, probably, at the end of the day, are going to be unhappy with it," he said on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Deccan Herald
4 days ago
- General
- Deccan Herald
August 11, 2025: Best photos from around the world
A dog sits in oily wastewater in the Hasaka countryside, Syria. Credit: Reuters Photo Servicemen of the 115th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces use an RPG-7 grenade launcher during a training between combat missions at a training ground, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine. Credit: Reuters Photo Fireworks explode in front of the full moon known as the "Sturgeon Moon" during celebrations ahead of the Feast of St Lawrence in Vittoriosa, as seen from Valletta, Malta. Credit: Reuters Photo Yerai Garcia (31), plays with his dog Greta as the full moon, known as the "Sturgeon Moon," rises in Arguineguin, on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain. Credit: Reuters Photo Boatmen row their boats in the Hooghly river near Prinsep Ghat as the sun sets behind clouds, in Kolkata, West Bengal. Credit: PTI Photo Artistes of Yakshagana Abhyasa Kendra UAE perform during an event at the of Shri Kateelu Durgaparameshwari Temple, in Mangaluru, Karnataka. Credit: PTI Photo
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Zelenskiy thanks Europe for its support as Kyiv seeks place at table with Trump and Putin
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A serviceman of the 115th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces attends a training between combat missions at a training ground, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine August 9, 2025. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked European leaders on Sunday for backing his demand for a seat at the table as Russia and the United States prepare for a summit this week where Kyiv fears they could seek to dictate terms to it for ending the 3-1/2-year war. U.S. President Donald Trump, who for weeks had been threatening new sanctions against Russia for failing to halt the conflict, announced instead last Friday that he would hold an August 15 summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. A White House official said on Saturday that Trump was open to Zelenskiy attending, but that preparations currently were for a bilateral meeting with Putin. The Kremlin leader last week ruled out meeting Zelenskiy at this point, saying the conditions for such an encounter were "unfortunately still far" from being met. Trump said a potential deal would involve "some swapping of territories to the betterment of both (sides)", a statement that compounded Ukrainian alarm that it may face pressure to surrender more land. Zelenskiy says any decisions taken without Ukraine will be "stillborn" and unworkable. On Saturday the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Finland and the European Commission said in a joint statement that any diplomatic solution must protect the vital security interests of Ukraine and Europe. "The path to peace cannot be decided without Ukraine," they said, demanding "robust and credible security guarantees" to allow Ukraine to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 55,000 BTO units to be launched from 2025 to 2027, will help moderate HDB resale prices: Minister Singapore First voluntary redevelopment projects for HDB flats likely to be launched in first half of 2030s Singapore Over 118,000 speeding violations in first half of 2025; situation shows no signs of improvement: TP Singapore Israel's plan to step up Gaza offensive dangerous and unacceptable: MFA Singapore Four men arrested in Bukit Timah believed to be linked to housebreaking syndicates Singapore Criminal trial of Hyflux founder Olivia Lum and five others starts Aug 11 Singapore 'We could feel the heat from our house': Car catches fire in Bidadari area Singapore Why some teens cook despite Singapore's da bao culture Zelenskiy said on Sunday: "The end of the war must be fair, and I am grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine and our people today for the sake of peace in Ukraine, which is defending the vital security interests of our European nations." A European official said Europe had come up with a counter-proposal to Trump's, but declined to provide details. Russian officials accused Europe of trying to thwart Trump's efforts to end the war. "The Euro-imbeciles are trying to prevent American efforts to help resolve the Ukrainian conflict," former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev posted on social media on Sunday. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a vituperative statement that the relationship between Ukraine and the European Union resembled "necrophilia". Roman Alekhin, a Russian war blogger, said Europe had been reduced to the role of a spectator. "If Putin and Trump reach an agreement directly, Europe will be faced with a fait accompli. Kyiv - even more so," he said. CAPTURED TERRITORY No details of the proposed territorial swap that Trump alluded to have been officially announced. Russia, which mounted a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, holds about a fifth of the country and has claimed the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia as its own, although it controls only about 70% of the last three. Russia has also taken pockets of territory in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions and said in recent weeks it has captured villages in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Ukraine says it holds a sliver of the Kursk region in western Russia. Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin analyst, said a swap could entail Russia handing over 1,500 sq km to Ukraine and obtaining 7,000 sq km, which he said Russia would capture anyway within about six months. He provided no evidence to back any of those figures. Russia took only about 500 sq km of territory in July, according to Western military analysts who say its grinding advances have come at the cost of very high casualties. Ukraine and its European allies have been haunted for months by the fear that Trump, keen to claim credit for making peace and hoping to seal lucrative joint business deals between the U.S. and Russia, could align with Putin to cut a deal that would be deeply disadvantageous to Kyiv. They had drawn some encouragement lately as Trump, having piled heavy pressure on Zelenskiy and berated him publicly in the Oval Office in February, began criticising Putin and expressing disgust as Russia pounded Kyiv and other cities with its heaviest air attacks of the war. But the impending Putin-Trump summit, agreed during a trip to Moscow by Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff last week, has revived fears that Kyiv and Europe could be sidelined. "What we will see emerge from Alaska will almost certainly be a catastrophe for Ukraine and Europe," wrote Phillips P. O'Brien, professor of strategic studies at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. "And Ukraine will face the most terrible dilemma. Do they accept this humiliating and destructive deal? Or do they go it alone, unsure of the backing of European states?" REUTERS
The Star
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Kremlin says weapons and ammunition deliveries to Ukraine from U.S. are continuing
FILE PHOTO: Servicemen from the mobile air defence unit of the 115th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fire a ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft cannon towards a Russian drone during an overnight shift, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv Region, Ukraine June 2, 2025. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova/File Photo MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Kremlin said on Monday that the big picture of U.S. President Donald Trump remarks about supplying Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine was that U.S. arms and ammunition deliveries to Kyiv have continued and are still continuing. Trump did not say how many Patriots he plans to send to Ukraine, but he said the United States would be reimbursed for their cost by the European Union. "Now it seems that these supplies will be paid for by Europe, some will be paid for, some will not," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about Trump's words. "The fact remains that the supply of weapons, ammunition, and military equipment from the United States continued and continues to Ukraine." Trump is expected to announce a new plan to arm Ukraine with offensive weapons in a sharp departure from his earlier stance, Axios reported on Sunday, citing two sources familiar with the matter. Peskov said that Kyiv was obviously in no hurry on the third round of peace talks, adding that Russia was ready for them and awaiting clarity on the timing from Ukraine. (Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
Straits Times
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Kremlin says weapons and ammunition deliveries to Ukraine from U.S. are continuing
FILE PHOTO: Servicemen from the mobile air defence unit of the 115th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces fire a ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft cannon towards a Russian drone during an overnight shift, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv Region, Ukraine June 2, 2025. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova/File Photo MOSCOW - The Kremlin said on Monday that the big picture of U.S. President Donald Trump remarks about supplying Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine was that U.S. arms and ammunition deliveries to Kyiv have continued and are still continuing. Trump did not say how many Patriots he plans to send to Ukraine, but he said the United States would be reimbursed for their cost by the European Union. "Now it seems that these supplies will be paid for by Europe, some will be paid for, some will not," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters when asked about Trump's words. "The fact remains that the supply of weapons, ammunition, and military equipment from the United States continued and continues to Ukraine." Trump is expected to announce a new plan to arm Ukraine with offensive weapons in a sharp departure from his earlier stance, Axios reported on Sunday, citing two sources familiar with the matter. Peskov said that Kyiv was obviously in no hurry on the third round of peace talks, adding that Russia was ready for them and awaiting clarity on the timing from Ukraine. REUTERS
