Peace in Ukraine currently remains a piece of paper that no one wants to sign, not even those who proposed it. Special Representative Steve Witkoff asks for clarification: “I didn’t talk about a NATO Article 5-style guarantee; I said we agreed that the United States and European countries will be able to offer an Article 5-style formulation to resolve the security issue.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky flew to the United States on August 17 to meet with Trump. The packed meeting included French President Emmanuel Macron; German Chancellor Friedrich Merz; British Prime Minister Keir Starmer; Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni; European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen; Finnish President Alexander Stubb; NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte
Meanwhile, another batch of weapons has been sent from the United Kingdom to Ukraine. On August 17, Zelensky met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels. He also participated in an online meeting with the leaders of the “Coalition of the Willing.” Von der Leyen welcomed Trump’s Article 5-like security guarantees and stated that Ukraine must become a “steel hedgehog, indigestible to potential invaders.”
The “Coalition of the Willing” will work with the United States to ensure Ukraine’s security, Macron stated. The French president also added that it will be necessary to take into account “all the lessons of the last 30 years, particularly Russia’s persistent tendency to default on its obligations,” and confirmed the continuation of work with Trump and Zelensky. French President Emmanuel Macron: “Ukraine must be represented in all negotiations on its future.”
The Nordic and Baltic Eight (NB8)—comprising Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden—issued a statement following the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska, expressing support for President Trump’s efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine, as well as his statement of support for future security guarantees for Ukraine. They added that “there are no solutions for Ukraine without Ukraine, and there are no solutions for Europe without Europe.”
Western leaders are considering holding a trilateral summit with the participation of Russia, the United States, and Ukraine in a European city, Sky News reports. According to the broadcaster, “the allies agree that it should be Europe.”
Ukrainian authorities have decided to withdraw from the cooperation agreement between the CIS countries in the event of the evacuation of their citizens from third countries in emergency situations. Regarding Putin’s proposal for a lasting peace, which involves the transfer of territories, Zelensky stated: “The Ukrainian Constitution prohibits the transfer of territories or any ‘land trade.'”
Zelensky asked Trump for clarification on why he had changed his position, in line with Putin’s stance that a comprehensive peace agreement must be reached immediately, rather than Ukraine’s stance that a ceasefire must be reached first and then the details of a peace agreement must be discussed. Trump: “Zelensky can end the war almost immediately, if he wants, or continue fighting. Ukraine will not get the Crimean Peninsula back and will not join NATO; there are some things that do not change.”
From the Russian Rada, Yehor Chernev, head of Ukraine’s permanent delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, said: “The Ukrainian side is ready to compromise where possible. We are also interested in a quick end to the war.” “Of course, not ending the war at all costs. We have our red lines, things we will not accept: for example, the loss of sovereignty. We see different statements from the Russian Federation about what they want and can do, but we have the Europeans behind us: we have a common position with them.
Finally, Ukraine is accused by Hungary of attacking an oil pipeline leading to Hungary; “supplies have been interrupted,” said Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto.
Russia is also not inclined to a “trade exchange.” The Russian Foreign Ministry, regarding the possibility of discussing a “territorial swap” with Ukraine, stated: “Russia’s territorial structure is enshrined in the country’s Constitution.”
According to Moscow, Kiev has not yet provided a formal response to the proposal to create working groups, announced after the Istanbul talks, the. The Russian Foreign Ministry said. Moscow is counting on the formation of these groups, the department added.
The French NGO Reporters Without Borders has been added to the list of undesirables in Russia, according to data on the Russian Ministry of Justice website.
An explosion at a plant in the Ryazan region injured 134 people and killed 20, the regional operational headquarters reported. According to Russian media, 31 victims are in hospitals in Ryazan and Moscow. Another 103 patients are undergoing outpatient treatment. The explosion occurred on August 15 in the gunpowder depot of the Elastik plant.
On August 14, Russia repatriated 84 servicemen from Ukrainian territory, in exchange for which 84 prisoners of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were transferred, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported. The Russian servicemen are currently on Belarusian territory and are receiving the necessary psychological and medical care. The military department noted that mediation efforts and humanitarian aid were provided by the United Arab Emirates. This news was also confirmed by Ukrainian social media channels.
And now a look at the front line, updated at 3:00 PM on August 18. In the Odessa region: Azerbaijani media are providing details of the attack on the SOCAR Azerbaijan oil depot. It was a series of direct hits, which led to a fire. All tanks, the pumping station building, the operating and weighing rooms, and the technical rooms were damaged, and the fence was destroyed.
At night, Russian Geraniums struck targets in the Kyiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, and Kharkiv regions; explosions were heard in the Dobropillya area, on the front line. In Odessa, a power substation, a logistics terminal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and an oil depot belonging to Azerbaijan’s SOCAR were hit.
A drone strike in the northern Rostov region, in the districts of Millerovsky and Chertkovsky, was repelled, the acting governor reported. During the day, the Russian FSB reported that on August 17, electronic warfare forces suppressed an aircraft-type drone (the Spis attack drone) over the territory of the Smolensk nuclear power plant.
In the Kursk region, a Ukrainian drone attacked a car on the Rylsk highway, killing a civilian.
In the direction of Sumy, the Russian Sever Group of Forces reports that the command of the Sumy Joint Task Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has received instructions from Syrsky to restore lost positions in the Sumy region as quickly as possible. Despite losses, the Ukrainians have committed all available resources to the battle to penetrate the Severyan group’s flanks in Yunakivka. The Ukrainians are counterattacking simultaneously in several areas: in the Stepove, Varachyne, and Oleksiivka areas.
Civilians in the Belgorod region are the most affected by Ukrainian drones. Twenty attacks were recorded in 20 different locations, resulting in approximately 10 injuries.
In the direction of Seversk, the 7th Guards Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Guards Joint Army of the Russian Armed Forces filmed Russian flags in Serebryanka.
In the direction of Kostyantynivka, fighting continues. Russian forces are advancing near Shcherbinovka and Stepanovka.
On the Zaporizhia front, fighting is ongoing in the area of Nesteryanka and Plavni. Our forces are putting pressure on the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Stepnohirsk. “The situation is difficult,” they write from the ground, “the Ukrainians are trying to infiltrate and break through our defenses in various ways.” Two Iskanders struck a commercial building in the city of Zaporizhia, rather than the Motor Sich plant.
In the direction of Kherson, Russian forces struck the Ukrainian coast with FABs, artillery, and drones.
Ukrainian and European media reported with satisfaction that Kiev had launched a ballistic missile with a range of 3,000 km. In reality, the missile in Ukraine is manufactured by Milanion Group Ltd, a private company registered in the United Kingdom (previously also known as Milanion Limited). The company produces the FP-5 missile.
Graziella Giangiulio
Follow our updates on Geopolitical Gleanings - Spigolature geopolitiche: https://t.me/agc_NW and on our blog The Gleanings of AGCNEWS - Le Spigolature di AGCNEWS: https://spigolatureagcnews.blogspot.com/
