On Tuesday, the world is eagerly awaiting the call between Trump and Putin. A conversation that could agree on the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine after three years of war. The US president has stated that the negotiations are focusing on clarifying possible territorial concessions and power plants.
Putin has demanded that Ukrainian forces in the Russian region of Kursk surrender, in addition to other concessions regarding the future of Ukraine after the war. Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who met with Putin last week in Moscow, said that the talks with the Kremlin have been positive and they have accepted "the philosophy" of Washington's peace plan for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the bombings continue between the two contenders. This morning, Russian air defenses destroyed 46 Ukrainian drones, most of them over the region of Belgorod, bordering Ukraine. On the other hand, Ukrainian air defenses destroyed 63 out of 137 drones launched by Russia against Ukraine.
Albares states that "we have to help Ukraine win peace"
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, stated on Tuesday that "we have to help Ukraine win peace." This is how José Manuel Albares considered it in an interview on Onda Cero, collected by Servimedia, in response to the question of whether Ukraine can still achieve a military victory over the Russian invader, as reported by Servimedia.
Albares affirmed that "we certainly have to help Ukraine win peace," and pointed out that "this is the war of one man," Vladimir Putin, and it is "a war of aggression that Ukraine does not want and never wanted, just like us Europeans."
Regarding the expected conversation that Donald Trump will have with the Russian leader today, the minister said, "What I hope for from this call is that Putin accepts the hand extended by President Zelensky, accepts a ceasefire without conditions, because the first news that has been coming in includes too many conditions and too many 'buts'."
Ukrainian Foreign Minister: "We are ready to end this conflict"
"The more sweat in times of peace, the less blood in times of war." This is how the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, summarized his country's approach to the negotiations to end the war during his intervention on Tuesday at the 10th edition of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, as reported by Charlotte Davies. "We are ready to end this conflict, but we are not the obstacle to achieving peace," he said, before stating that Ukraine "already supported the US proposal for a temporary 30-day ceasefire."
Sybiha took advantage of his participation in the roundtable on how to achieve peace in Europe to emphasize the need for more "confidence-building measures," but he assured that "the meetings held in Jeddah last week accelerated this process." "We are ready to implement the conclusions of these meetings and hope that this situation will be clarified today," he added, referring to the planned phone call between Trump and Putin this afternoon.
Before an audience of diplomats, analysts, journalists, and academics, the Ukrainian minister stated that Ukraine "will never recognize the territory occupied by Russia," which amounts to "20%", and that the Kremlin "has not achieved any of its strategic objectives" in three years of war. "Now, our priority is to have strong diplomacy. We believe that with Trump's leadership and the support of the international community, we can achieve a just and lasting peace," he concluded.
Russian Ruble Rises 2.5% Ahead of Trump-Putin Talks
The Russian ruble appreciated by 2.5% on Tuesday ahead of the talks between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, as reported by Reuters.
Trump is expected to pressure Putin to accept a ceasefire in the war between Russia and Ukraine and move towards a more definitive solution to the three-year conflict.
At 07:50 GMT, the ruble was trading at 81.40 against the dollar in the over-the-counter market, its highest level since June 27, 2024. The ruble has risen more than 28% so far this year.
Russian Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Transferring Money to Ukrainian Army
A Russian citizen was sentenced to 15 years in prison by a military court for treason and financing terrorism by transferring money to the Ukrainian Army, as reported today by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) on its website, according to Efe.
According to the FSB, the individual, only identified as a resident of the Russian region of Oryol born in 1976, "as a subscriber to Telegram channels of Ukrainian terrorist organizations, made several money transfers in support of these organizations during 2023 and 2024."
The transferred money, the statement adds, was intended for the "purchase of drones, weapons, ammunition, and tactical equipment for the Ukrainian Army to combat Russian military personnel."
Ukraine Claims to Have Destroyed 63 of the 137 Drones Launched by Russia Overnight
Russia launched 137 drones over Ukraine in a nighttime attack, reported the Ukrainian Air Force on Tuesday, as informed by Reuters.
Ukrainian air defenses destroyed 63 of them, and another 64 were lost without causing damage, added the Air Force, referring to drones diverted by electronic interference.
UK and EU to Increase Pressure on Russia and Boost Defense Initiatives
The UK and the European Union will increase pressure on Russia and boost defense initiatives during the meeting between EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and Defense Secretary John Healey in London on Tuesday, as reported by Reuters.
The talks will coordinate cooperation on Ukraine and discuss efforts to increase economic pressure on Russia, as announced by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office in a statement on Monday.
The discussions will also include intensifying measures against hybrid threats such as cyberattacks, electoral interference, and widespread Russian disinformation, according to the statement. Kallas and Lammy will also review efforts to boost European defense spending through innovative initiatives and military readiness in support of NATO.
Ukraine Claims Successful Testing of Drones Capable of Attacking Targets 3,000 Kilometers Away
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared in his address to the nation last night that a domestically produced drone capable of reaching targets 3,000 kilometers away has been successfully tested. Zelensky also reported the successful use of the Ukrainian Neptune missile. "And we can say that we are satisfied with the results of the attack," he stated without providing further details, as reported by Efe.
Ukraine is ramping up the production capacity of its military industry with special attention to drones and long-range missiles. Kiev seeks to reduce its dependence on other countries when arming itself to defend against Russia. Ukrainian drones already strike targets within the Russian Federation at around a thousand kilometers away from Ukrainian territory.