Russia claims more land in Ukraine as US pushes its plan; EU, UK regroup

The United States is exerting intense diplomatic pressure on Kyiv and its European allies to accede to its proposed 28-point plan, which has a strong lean toward the Kremlin’s demands, by Thursday, while Russian forces continue to report advancements in eastern Ukraine.

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, its soldiers “liberated” the settlement of Zvanivka in Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, allegedly causing Ukrainian forces “significant losses.”

Additionally, it released video of Russian forces using glide bombs and tactical ground incursions to close Ukrainian positions in the Zaporizhia region.

The Defense Ministry claimed that a “major enemy defense node” covering more than 14 square kilometers (5 square miles) was established in the Novoe Zaporozhye region, which included a “major enemy defense node” under Russian control.

As Russian troops have been attempting to retake control of the Ukrainian military and threaten energy infrastructure as another brutal winter of war approaches, there are now more than 100 villages in the southeast of Ukraine.

As the Russian military command redeploys its forces to strengthen its offensive, Ukrainian soldiers are also facing fierce attacks in the Pokrovsk region, where fighting is said to be fierce.

In response to Russian air attacks, regional Ukrainian authorities have reported at least one fatality and 13 injuries over the past day. Governor Vadym Filashkin reported that the fatal strike occurred in Donetsk.

Russian forces reported that 89 drones were downed overnight from annexed Crimea and 104 rockets fired from various areas towards various Ukrainian regions, including a ballistic missile launch from Iskander-M ballistic missile, according to Ukraine’s air force. The majority of the drones, according to the report, were Iranian-made.

The Yany Kapu electric substation in northern Crimea was targeted overnight, according to Ukrainian media, with video and images of explosions and strikes appearing on social media. Six fixed-wing Ukrainian drones were shot down by the Russian Defense Ministry early on Saturday, but no confirmed ground hits had occurred.

EU protests US strategy

Despite Washington’s ominous Thursday deadline approaching, Ukraine’s allies have not been supportive of the plan put forth by the administration of US President Donald Trump without consulting them.

Western leaders gathered for the G20 summit on Saturday in&nbsp, South Africa&nbsp, to discuss the US’s unilateral plan to end the conflict in Ukraine, according to a statement released on Saturday.

The leaders of important European nations, as well as Canada and Japan, made a joint statement, saying, “We are clear on the principle that borders must not be changed by force.

The proposed restrictions on Ukraine’s armed forces, which would make it vulnerable to future attacks, “we are also concerned,” they said, adding that any member state approval would be required for any implementing measures of the plan.

Russian President Vladimir Putin could only end its conflict with Ukraine’s “unconditional consent,” according to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

On the summit’s sidelines, he said, “Wars cannot be put on by major powers over the heads of the affected nations.”

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said on Saturday that real peace is based on guaranteed security and justice that guarantees sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that its allies continue to emphasize the need for a “just and lasting peace.”

However, Zelenskyy approved of a Ukrainian delegation’s appointment to lead negotiations with US counterparts in Switzerland on ending the war and appointed his top adviser Andriy Yermak to do so.

Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine’s Security Council, confirmed in a post on Telegram that discussions will begin regarding “possible parameters” of a possible future agreement.

He thanked the Trump administration for its mediation and said, “Ukraine approaches this process with a clear understanding of its interests.”

Sergey Ryabkov, the deputy foreign minister of Russia, stated in an interview with the state-run International Affairs magazine on Saturday that he would not rule out the possibility of another meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has supported the US proposal.

Despite the indefinite suspension of another planned round in Budapest and the lack of a consensus at a Trump-Putin meeting in August, he said, adding that Moscow and Washington continue to pursue dialogue.

Source: Aljazeera