According to a new Bloomberg analysis, Donald Trump outlined specific conditions for imposing “major sanctions” on Russia. At the same time, the European Commission reportedly backs using Moscow’s $330 billion in frozen assets against it.

The latest announcements continue a three-year cycle of sanctions rhetoric that has left Ukraine dependent on unfulfilled pledges while Moscow adapts to leaky restrictions.

Since February 2022, Ukrainian officials and ordinary citizens have oscillated between hope and frustration as Western allies announce measures that either never materialize or prove insufficient to change Russia’s strategic calculations.

Trump’s conditional sanctions blueprint

Bloomberg columnist Marc Champion reported on 16 September that Trump posted conditions on Truth Social requiring all NATO members to end Russian oil consumption and join sanctions on China and India before the US would “ramp up sanctions on Moscow.”

This follows Trump’s pattern of shifting responsibility to European allies. Three days earlier, Euromaidan Press reported Trump writing that “major sanctions” would come only if NATO countries acted in concert—the exact framework Bloomberg now highlights as potentially significant.

Sanctioning China and India—Russia’s largest oil customers—would require economic disruption that Western allies have consistently avoided.

European asset seizure remains hypothetical

Bloomberg’s analysis suggests the European Commission has finally backed a mechanism to use Russia’s frozen central bank reserves by converting them to loans “repayable to Russia just as soon as it pays the reparations that a United Nations-appointed commission will inevitably find due.”

As Euromaidan Press documented already in May, Europe proved capable of seizing Russian assets when Western financial interests were at stake, redistributing €3 billion to compensate European investors—but not for Ukraine’s defense needs.

The vulnerability window Russia exploits

Bloomberg correctly identifies Russia’s economic vulnerabilities: 42% to 54% of defense spending occurs off-budget, corporate debt has surged 71% since the war began, and interest rates have reached 21%. Ukraine’s drone campaign has damaged Russian oil infrastructure, creating potential leverage points.

Moscow continues escalating despite financial constraints because sanctions loopholes still allow access to critical technology (even if at inflated prices), the military remains functional even as civilian sectors suffer, and Russia has adapted to operating a war economy where normal financial logic doesn’t apply.

Most critically, Russia plays for long-term exhaustion—not just of Ukrainian forces, but of Western political, moral, and economic resilience.

Ukraine’s dependence on unfulfilled promises

Bloomberg gets one more thing right—Ukraine depends on Western pressure that never really materializes. Recent Euromaidan Press coverage shows sanctions preparation without implementation, asset freezing without seizure, and conditional promises that require unlikely cooperation.

This, in turn, creates the psychological tension that Bloomberg misses: Ukrainian officials and citizens experience hope and anxiety with each new Western announcement, knowing that implementation depends on inconsistent political will.

Until sanctions are implemented rather than announced, Moscow has little reason to change course.

Sky News reports that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin is trying to trick US President Donald Trump in order to escape sanctions, while NATO continues to face Russian provocations.

Putin “doing everything to avoid sanctions”

Speaking to Sky News at the Presidential Palace in Kyiv, Zelenskyy said the Russian leader is exploiting diplomacy with Trump to buy time in order to “be better prepared.” He argued that Putin’s aim is not peace, but to stop the United States from imposing further penalties. According to him,

“He’s doing everything he can to avoid sanctions, to prevent US and Trump from putting sanctions on him, and if you keep postponing applying sanctions any further, then the Russians will be better prepared.”

Zelenskyy warned that Putin seeks to escape isolation, describing the Alaska summit last month as a tool for the Kremlin to gain international visibility. He said,

“He should have received a setback in this war and stop, but instead, he received de-isolation. He got the photos with President Trump. He received public dialogue, and I think this opens the doors for Putin into some other summits and formats.”

“He understands only the language of force”

The Ukrainian president stressed that Moscow will not be persuaded by arguments or negotiations. Instead, he said Russia’s leader responds only to strength.

“He understands force. That’s his language. That is the language he understands,” Zelenskyy told Sky News, calling on Europe and the United States to act quicker.

He added that while sanctions are in place, they are not enough to stop Russia’s war.

Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of not giving Putin “space,” warning that every delay in sanctions strengthens Moscow’s position. He argued that Western hesitation risks leaving Russia better prepared for further aggression.

Ukraine’s new Ambassador to Sweden, Svitlana Zalishchuk, presented King Carl XVI Gustaf with a photograph showing residents of the now-occupied village of Zmiivka holding a Swedish flag that the monarch himself had gifted during his 2008 visit to Kherson Oblast.

Zalishchuk shared the story on Facebook following her credentials presentation ceremony with the Swedish king. She reminded him of his 2008 visit to Kherson Oblast, when he traveled to the village then known as Staroshvedske, now called Zmiivka.

The village has unique historical significance. In the late 18th century, Russian Empress Catherine II relocated Swedes from present-day Estonia to the Kherson Oblast. “They essentially became internally displaced persons of imperial times. But despite several centuries spent away from their homeland, they preserved their identity: traditions, language, church rituals,” Zalishchuk explained. “I knew that the King cares deeply about this village.”

To gather current information about Zmiivka, one of the embassy’s diplomats contacted Oleksandr Alchiev, head of the Beryslav Civil-Military Administration. Alchiev reported that despite Russian shelling and damage to the school, church, and other buildings, residents managed to save the Swedish flag that the king had personally brought to the village community in 2008.

According to Zalishchuk’s account, the flag had hung in the village council building from the time of the royal visit until Russia’s full-scale invasion. When Russians occupied the village in 2022, they attempted to confiscate the flag “because Sweden is an ‘unfriendly’ country.”

“But then village head Mykola Kuryvchak, by hook or by crook, saved the flag and hid it for 8.5 months. The flag survived. Although it was damaged because it was stored in a house that was hit. And after the village’s liberation, it was taken to a safe place,” the ambassador recounted.

Zalishchuk showed the Swedish monarch a special photograph taken by Zmiivka residents featuring the preserved flag.

“To show that Russians may succeed in destroying our buildings. But they cannot reach some important things,” she said, adding: “You can imagine how touched he was.”

The residents of Zmiivka, who are now internally displaced due to ongoing shelling, quickly organized to create the commemorative photograph for the king. The ambassador noted the historical parallel, describing current villagers as displaced persons from “the same empire” that originally relocated their Swedish ancestors centuries earlier.

The Donald Trump-Vladimir Putin’s summit has strengthened the Russian dictator. The meeting between the US and Russian presidents in Alaska only bolstered the Kremlin’s position and prolonged the war in Ukraine, Foreign Affairs reports. 

Since Russia’s first invasion of Ukraine in 2014, which altered the world order by forcibly changing the borders of a sovereign country, Putin has played the long game. The Alaska summit gave him even more time and strengthened his position to achieve a military victory in a war of attrition against Ukraine.

The summit was never about peace in Ukraine

Its real purpose was to bend the international system to Moscow’s will and maintain a monopoly on power domestically.

Putin emerged victorious in Alaska

Putin has faced little opposition to the Alaska visit. A Russian Levada Center survey showed that 79% of Russians considered the summit a success for Putin, and 51% were more optimistic about improved relations with the US.

“After the summit, Russian media did not have to put out false pronouncements to highlight Putin’s diplomatic triumph,” the report says. 

Legitimizing aggression against Ukraine

The summit allowed Putin to legitimize Moscow’s claims. Russians who doubted the war’s purpose now had grounds to consider the invasion “just.”

During the Anchorage meeting, the dictator emphasized Russia’s “legitimate concerns,” its pursuit of a “fair security balance in Europe and the world,” and the need to “remove all root causes” of the war in Ukraine.

Trump did not refute any claims, effectively agreeing with Putin’s position on Moscow’s right to influence Ukraine’s territorial integrity and Western security guarantees.

“Putin flew home having demonstrated to his subjects that he was right all along, that they must not waver, and that he will win for them,” the report concludes. 

US President Donald Trump’s misreading of Russia has cost Ukraine dearly. Russian forces exploited the first half-year of the new US presidency to advance on the front lines and kill civilians, taking advantage of a flawed understanding of Moscow’s mindset.

Sanctions will not alter the Kremlin’s goal

Trump has expressed willingness to impose sanctions on Russia, yet economic pressure alone will not deter Putin from his primary objective: defeating Ukraine.

The American leader’s challenge is immense: inflict enough damage on Moscow to change its behavior while keeping diplomatic channels open.

In practice, this is impossible, as Putin does not seek peace, and confusion in Trump’s thinking only exacerbates the problem.

Putin exploits time and allies

The past eight months of American governance have been wasted from the perspective of strategic defense for Ukraine and Europe, allowing Moscow to strengthen its position.

After attacks on the offices of the EU, the British Council, and Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers, it became clear that Putin acts with impunity.

A meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping reinforced his sense of support from international allies, and Moscow continues to receive money, weapons, hydrocarbons, and even special forces from North Korea.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials fear new attacks on Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast and advances north toward Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast. The Kremlin’s time gain gives Putin a strategic advantage that Washington has yet to offset. Clearly, this approach requires urgent change.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is not rushing to end the war in Ukraine, not only because of imperialist plans to restore the Soviet Union 2.0. Reuters reports, citing three sources close to the Kremlin, that the Russian leader is carefully controlling the demobilization process to avoid destabilizing society and the political system.

Afghan lesson: fear of social chaos

The Kremlin seeks to avoid repeating the social upheavals that followed the Soviet war in Afghanistan. At that time, returning veterans fueled a wave of organized crime that overshadowed the 1990s.

A similar dynamic could recur: many demobilized soldiers will not receive the generous salaries they had on the front lines, sparking discontent and protests. For example, a new recruit from Moscow earns at least $65,000 for the first year of service in Ukraine, including bonuses.

Returning to civilian life without such income could become a source of social tension.

PTSD and risk of domestic violence

Another Kremlin concern is the psychological state of soldiers. A high number of veterans with PTSD are returning home, posing dangers to their families.

Among the demobilized are individuals who have already served prison terms, including thieves, murderers, and rapists. Since 2022, Russia has recruited from 120,000 to 180,000 convicts for military service in Ukraine. 

Last year, about 500 civilians fell victim to the veterans, with at least 242 killed and 227 seriously injured, according to organizations analyzing Russian court records and media reports.

Kremlin control and political risks

Mass return of veterans could undermine Russia’s tightly controlled political system. The Kremlin already felt the effects of chaos in June 2023, when Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner PMC’s head, led a revolt against the military high command.

The Putin’s government is trying to mitigate the impact of returning veterans through policies, programs, and participation in regional and federal elections.

The return of demobilized soldiers, many of whom are hardened criminals or severely wounded, could replicate the Afghan scenario and threaten the country’s stability, especially considering that nearly 700,000 Russian troops remain on the front lines. 

The US is ready to create a buffer zone in Ukraine to contain Russia, but it is unclear whether Putin will stop the war. If a peace agreement is reached, the US plans to take a leading role in monitoring a large demilitarized buffer zone on Ukrainian territory, NBC News reports. 

It would separate the Russian and Ukrainian areas after the fighting ends. The US drones, satellites, and other intelligence tools would help ensure security compliance, while American troops would not be deployed within the zone.

International oversight and security

Troops from one or more non-NATO countries, such as Saudi Arabia or Bangladesh, could secure the buffer zone.

Meanwhile, Turkiye would be responsible for the safe movement of goods and services in the Black Sea, controlling the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits. Previously, Turkiye attempted to ensure the safety of the maritime corridor for exporting Ukrainian grain. However, Russia continued its strikes on Ukraine’s Odesa port anyway. 

Security guarantees and economic protection

Some security guarantees from allies are planned to be based on the plan, which avoids the use of NATO forces and Article V to avoid crossing Russia’s “red line.”

Additionally, bilateral agreements between Ukraine and its allies would provide security and economic support. The US is discussing with Ukraine a deal worth around $100 billion, which would include weapons supplies and the exchange of intellectual property rights for Ukrainian developments as part of security guarantees. 

Still, it is not clear how Kyiv will get back Ukrainian children stolen by Russia and how the issue of war reparations will be solved. 

If Western forces appear on Ukrainian territory, they would become legitimate targets for Russia, declared Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, according to UNIAN.

Putin threatens the West

“If any troops appear in Ukraine, especially now during ongoing hostilities, we proceed from the assumption that they will be legitimate targets for strikes,” said the Russian president.

This means the potential mission should be significantly protected from Russian strikes. 

Coalition of the willing and European guarantees

On 4 September, a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” took place in Paris. It was agreed that out of 21 countries willing to work on security guarantees for Ukraine, ten would agree to send their soldiers to Ukrainian territory after the fighting ends.

Countries prepared to take this step include the United Kingdom, France, the Nordic countries, the Baltic states, the Netherlands, and Australia. Preliminary estimates suggest that the European mission in Ukraine could number 25–30 thousand troops. These security guarantees are meant to take effect once peace is established in Ukraine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports. 

Meanwhile, Donald Trump, the leader of the US, traditionally considered the major protector of the Western world, has stated that he does not plan to send troops to Ukraine, has not imposed the promised sanctions on Moscow, and is not providing Ukraine with new aid packages. As a result, the situation in Ukraine is at a deadlock.

A deadlock for Ukraine

According to Putin, security guarantees should apply not only to Ukraine but also to Russia.

At the same time, the dictator claimed that Russia “will fully comply with peace agreements regarding Ukraine once they are reached.”

According to Putin, no one has yet discussed such agreements with Russia “at a serious level.”

Putin also stated that he is allegedly willing to engage with Ukraine, but sees “little point” in such talks, claiming it is impossible to reach an agreement.

Earlier, he suggested meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Moscow, despite seven countries offering their cities for such a meeting and the risks it would pose for Zelenskyy.

Zelensky urges the West to implement guarantees without waiting for peace

Amid discussions over security guarantees, the question arises: What is preventing the West from implementing security guarantees now?

According to Rai, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that security guarantees for Ukraine must take effect immediately without waiting for a cessation of hostilities.

“It is important that the security guarantees promised by the countries forming the ‘coalition of the determined’ begin to operate immediately, without waiting for the end of the fighting,” the Ukrainian president said.

Zelenskyy added that this refers not only to military support for Ukraine but also to economic guarantees. According to him, 26 countries have expressed readiness to support Ukraine’s security, and this is “an important step forward.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin told the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok that he was ready for contact with Ukraine but questioned whether Kyiv has the political will to reach agreements on key issues, according to Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation.

Putin claimed Ukraine had previously excluded direct contacts with Russia but now “asks for them.” He dismissed peace negotiations in a third country as an “excessive request from Kyiv” and suggested Moscow as the preferred meeting location.

“Ukraine wants a meeting, I’m ready, come, we will provide working conditions and security,” Putin said at the forum.

The Russian leader declared that Russia would consider any foreign troops on Ukrainian territory “legitimate targets for destruction.” He added that security guarantees for both Ukraine and Russia had not been seriously discussed with Moscow at a high level.

Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation said Putin’s statements confirmed he rejects peace proposals while using rhetoric about readiness to negotiate as a stalling tactic.

“Putin continues to stall, putting forward deliberately unacceptable demands for negotiations, but almost no longer hides that he does not intend to agree on anything. Sanctions and pressure on Russia must be strengthened,” the Center concluded.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded that Putin pretends he does not need peace or agreements, but global pressure can shape Russia’s interest in ending the war.

Zelenskyy reacted to Putin’s Moscow invitation, saying: “If you want there to be no meeting, invite me to Moscow.”

Recent diplomatic developments include Donald Trump’s 25 August statement that he would observe for two weeks before intervening “very decisively” in potential Zelenskyy-Putin talks. On 4 September, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that 26 countries would provide peacekeepers or assistance as part of security guarantees for Ukraine.

Trump said he plans to speak with Putin soon after his conversation with Zelenskyy, calling Russia’s war against Ukraine “the most difficult of everything” for him.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the concept of territorial concessions to Russia, arguing that such exchanges would not guarantee lasting peace.

According to Zelenskyy during a joint press conference with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Russian President Vladimir Putin would require years and millions of soldiers to fully occupy Donetsk Oblast. Despite Russia currently controlling approximately 75-79% of the oblast, Ukrainian forces continue inflicting heavy casualties on advancing troops while defending remaining territory.

The Ukrainian leader pointed to Putin’s limited territorial gains over four years of the full-scale war, noting that Russia has failed to capture the remaining approximate 30% of the region despite losing over 100,000 military personnel there.

“For four years he has not been able to occupy even 30% of one region. If he goes further, he will need years, but the question is not only about time, but also that he will have to sacrifice millions of soldiers,” Zelenskyy stated.

Donetsk has become Ukraine’s defensive stronghold. Russian forces throw waves of soldiers against fortified Ukrainian positions, suffering massive casualties for minimal territorial gains. The region’s strategic value extends beyond military considerations—it represents Ukrainian identity and constitutional integrity, Zelenskyy argued.

The president emphasized what territorial concessions would mean for ordinary Ukrainians. Displaced residents want to return to their homes despite current circumstances making this unrealistic.

“For someone this is just territory, but for us it is our life, our history, our Constitution,” he said.

Zelenskyy dismissed territorial exchange proposals as lacking substance, citing trust issues with Putin. “If someone supports this crazy idea, then who can guarantee that Putin will not continue [the war]? No one can give guarantees,” he said.

On 2 September, Ukrainian forces have liberated the village of Udachne in Donetsk Oblast after two weeks of house-to-house fighting. The village sits 10 km west of the strategic town of Pokrovsk, where Ukrainian troops repelled 46 Russian assault attempts across multiple settlements in the area.

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Ukrainian soldier first fought against Russia and then against Ukraine – his story reveals forced conscription in occupation

Chinese companies directly supplied at least €55 million worth of parts and materials to sanctioned Russian firms in 2023–2024. During this period, Moscow was actively building a large-scale logistics infrastructure for its drone program, The Telegraph reports.

Almost a quarter of the supplies, worth €12.5 million, went to companies involved in producing Iranian Shahed kamikaze drones in a Russian special economic zone in the city of Alabuga.

Among the goods exported from China were: aircraft engines, microchips, metal alloys, fiberglass, optics, and carbon fibers – all critical components for drone production.

Chinese neutrality only in words

Beijing publicly claims neutrality in the war, but the supply of drone parts reveals deep military cooperation with Moscow. On the battlefield, this is confirmed by the fact that Ukrainian troops regularly find Chinese components in downed Russian equipment.

“One has a very important interest in the survival of the other; this is not going to change. It’s a simple, geographic fact,” said Andrea Ghiselli, an expert on China’s foreign policy.

At the same time, unlike North Korea, China avoids direct participation in the war. Instead, it allows its companies to export dual-use goods. This has led to record trade volumes between the two countries – €246 billion in 2024.

Russia increases drone production

In just three months of 2023, the Chinese company Ningbo Peak Cloud Import and Export supplied Russia with aircraft engines worth €3.5 million for the Ural Civil Aviation Plant, which is under sanctions.

In total, The Telegraph identified 97 Chinese suppliers. At least five Russian firms, including the Ural Civil Aviation Plant, PT Electronic, and Radioline, directly use Chinese components in drone production.

As a result, in just the first half of 2024, Russia produced more than 2,000 “Harpy” drones, almost matching the total output of the entire previous year.

The company Mile Hao Xiang Technology also supplied engines for the “Gerbera” drone worth more than €1.5 million in 2022–2023, including through intermediaries. The main importers were Russian companies Sequoia JSC and Unikom LLC.

The real volume of supplies may be much higher than official statistics show.

The world has changed forever. Maria Berlinska, a Ukrainian military volunteer, says that the joint parade in China, attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, marks a “starting point for a new world order.”

Soldiers, sanctions, and the Western response

“If before they did this anyway but at least they were afraid to say it so openly, the main lesson now is—they are no longer afraid,” she says.

The axis of authoritarian dictators now tells the world, especially the West: the previous order is over, “now we are in charge.”

These leaders show that their soldiers can die “by the hundreds of thousands,” still swearing oaths to their rulers.

“Meanwhile, Western voters will only scream and protest when the first coffins arrive,” adds Berlinska.

Sanctions against world leaders also cannot stop these countries, because they have enough combined domestic economic power.

“So prepare your ‘pampered democratic asses to be removed from the seat’ of global governance. ‘We are already here, and we are coming for you,’ they are showing,” she emphasizes.

The world is now divided into “before and after,” Berlinska says.

Ukraine on the frontier of a new war

“The only pain I feel is that my country, my people, are on the frontier of the sleepy-bureaucratic Western civilization. And the battles in this war are only beginning,” the Ukrainian volunteer adds.

Earlier, the head of Ukrainian intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, also spoke about the new world order. He said that it was “not perfect, not as powerful as many believed, but it existed until 2014.” According to him, it changed after Russia forcibly altered Ukraine’s borders, annexing Crimea.

“All the problems started from there. When everyone silently watched the violation of the world order and did nothing,” he said.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered a blunt assessment this week: Vladimir Putin sees no benefit in ending his war against Ukraine.

Speaking during :newstime interview, Merz argued the Russian president will only negotiate when it serves his personal agenda.

“He will only be ready for negotiations when it benefits him personally,” Merz explained. Putin continues the war because “he is conquering territories” and closely watches how world leaders respond to his actions, including discussions in Europe and America.

To change Russia’s position, Merz proposed creating conditions that would compel Moscow to seek an exit from the war through economic pressure rather than military means.

“We must create the grounds for this,” he said, proposing tariffs against countries that continue trading actively with Russia. The goal: make it impossible for Moscow to sustain its military production.

Merz also emphasized that Germany has no plans to deploy soldiers to Ukraine, expressing serious doubts about Bundeswehr participation even after a possible ceasefire.

“Until a ceasefire, sending troops to Ukraine definitely won’t happen. And even after that, I have significant doubts about Germany’s participation.”

Meanwhile, Britain and France lead the “Coalition of the Willing” initiative, which plans peacekeeping forces for post-conflict Ukraine with operational headquarters in Paris and coordination centers in Kyiv.

Merz outlined Germany’s constraints clearly. Any troop deployment would need Bundestag approval and Russian agreement.

“This cannot be done against Russia, only together with it,” he told Sat.1.

Russian demands for ending the war in Ukraine include:

• Ukrainian military withdrawal from four occupied regions: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
• written guarantees from Western leaders to halt “NATO’s eastward expansion”, effectively excluding Ukraine, Georgia, and other former Soviet states from membership
• Ukraine adopting a neutral status and limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces
• lifting of Western sanctions
• resolution of frozen Russian assets abroad
• protections for Russian speakers in Ukraine
• holding of Ukrainian elections under terms favorable to Moscow. 

Russia is turning the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant into a nuclear weapon. Any attempt by Moscow to impose new forms of control over the facility constitutes a direct escalation of nuclear security threats for both Ukraine and Europe, the Ministry of Energy of Ukraine has warned.

Putin floats “cooperation” on ZNPP

On 2 September in Beijing, during a meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that “under favorable circumstances, Russia, the US, and Ukraine could cooperate at the Zaporizhzhia NPP.”

Ministry of Energy: plant occupied and in peril

Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy stresses that Russia seized the civilian nuclear facility by force and continues to block legitimate Ukrainian control.

“Russia attacked with heavy military equipment and occupied Ukraine’s civilian nuclear facility, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant,” it claims. 

The ministry emphasizes that the plant is operating under an extraordinary threat scenario, unanticipated by design standards or international safety frameworks.

Dangerous shutdowns and risk of disaster

Since the occupation began, Russia has caused “systemic, critically dangerous deformations” at the site.

This includes the destruction of the Kakhovka dam, which eliminated the primary water source for cooling reactors, and nine full disconnections from Ukraine’s power grid.

“These are direct preconditions for a nuclear accident,” the ministry warns. 

Call for international action

Kyiv views Putin’s remarks on new maintenance models at ZNPP as an attempt to turn the plant into a military tool.

“Ukraine calls on the international community to provide a clear assessment of these statements and actions, given their potential impact on the security of the entire European continent,” the ministry stressed.

Ukraine will raise the issue at the September session of the International Atomic Energy Agency General Conference (IAEA) and urge global condemnation of Russia’s actions.

IAEA denied access to a new dam

On 31 August, IAEA Director Rafael Grossi said that Russia did not allow the organization’s inspectors to access the new dam that the occupiers built near the plant, according to Sky News. 

“Our access to this dam is essential to assess the cooling water situation which is crucial given the fragile nuclear safety situation at the ZNPP,” he said.

He added that the problem is further complicated by the fact that the ZNPP currently relies on a single external power line to supply electricity to the plant’s safety systems, while the plant itself is not producing power.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz escalated his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him “perhaps the most serious war criminal of our time” in an interview with Sat.1 television, according to ntv.

“He is a war criminal. He is perhaps the most serious war criminal of our time that we are currently seeing on a large scale,” Merz said in the interview. “And we must simply be clear about how to deal with war criminals. There is no place for leniency here.”

The CDU leader’s characterization represents a new level of personal condemnation of the Russian president. While Merz has previously accused Russia as a state of “serious war crimes” and “terrorism against the civilian population” during his tenure as chancellor, his direct personal labeling of Putin as potentially the era’s worst war criminal marks an unprecedented escalation in his rhetoric.

The comments come as international legal proceedings against Putin continue. In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the Russian president in connection with the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine.

The arrest warrant has complicated diplomatic efforts. Austria’s Foreign Ministry recently stated the country would be willing to host negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian leaders to end the war. Vienna indicated it could conduct consultations with the International Criminal Court to coordinate issues regarding Putin’s arrest warrant and avoid his detention during any potential visit.

Merz’s remarks reflect the ongoing international debate over how to engage with Russian leadership while war crimes proceedings remain active. His insistence that “leniency” has no place in dealing with war criminals signals Germany’s hardening stance toward diplomatic accommodation with Moscow.

The interview represents one of the strongest personal condemnations of Putin by a major European leader since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says the EU has no reason to worry about potential Moscow aggression. He denies that the Kremlin is preparing for an attack and says that under US President Donald Trump, America began to “listen to Russia,” reports the pro-Kremlin outlet RIA Novosti.

Putin made these statements during a meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China. 

On 31 August, he arrived in China, Russia’s main economic partner, which provides the Kremlin with unprecendent support during its war against Ukraine, on a four-day visit. It came just as US President Donald Trump’s deadline for a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop the war has expired.

Trump’s deadline and Russia’s new attacks

Putin claims that any talk about Moscow planning to attack the EU is “Western fiction.”

“They are specialists in fairy tales and horror movies. Any rational person perfectly understands that Russia is not going to attack anyone,” he said.

Before the beginning of Russia’s all-out war on Ukraine in 2022, Putin also repeatedly denied any plans for an attack or invasion in his official statements. Russian officials consistently rejected accusations of preparing military actions against Ukraine, calling the buildup of troops near the border “unfounded tension-mongering.”

It was only on 22 February 2022, that Putin announced the start of the so-called “special military operation” on Ukrainian territory, effectively acknowledging the military actions that had already begun.

The war in Ukraine – “protection of its own interests”

The Russian ruler also justified aggression in Ukraine, claiming that Moscow is allegedly “forced to protect people who tie their fate to Russia.”

“Russia’s only goal in Ukraine is the protection of its own interests,” Putin added.

He also shifted responsibility for attacks on Ukraine on its authorities: “Moscow endured Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy for a long time and then began to respond seriously.”

Lies about EU integration and the Zaporizhzhia NPP

Putin assured that Russia has “never opposed Ukraine’s EU membership” but called Ukraine’s accession to NATO unacceptable. He also allowed for the possibility of a tripartite cooperation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant involving the US and Ukraine.

Experts emphasize that such statements are part of a Kremlin information operation aimed at the West and the Global South, intended to justify three years of aggression and attacks on civilians.

In addition, Putin praised the administration of US President Donald Trump, which refused to provide free aid to Ukraine and introduced no new sanctions against Russia. According to him, under Trump, America began to “listen to Russia,” a claim he said was confirmed by the Alaska summit.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is once again lying about strikes on Ukraine. During a meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico at the summit in China, he claimed that Russia’s massive attacks were in response to Ukrainian assaults on Russian energy facilities, according to the pro-Kremlin outlet RIA Novosti.

Putin justifies attacks on energy infrastructure

“Moscow endured Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy for a long time, and then began to respond seriously,” Putin said.

Meanwhile, Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, calls his statements a blatant lie, as since 2022, Russia has systematically attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, especially during the preparation for winter and in winter itself.

Attacks on civilians continue

Once again, he tried to shift the responsibility for Russian aggression onto Ukraine, explained Kovalenko. 

“Putin is preparing an informational alibi for strikes on Ukrainian energy. In Beijing, he claimed that Russia ‘never hit energy’ and only responds to Ukrainian attacks on the oil sector. This is false,” he stressed.

Kovalenko added that the Russians strike during the lead-up to winter and directly in winter. This year, they also did not stop attacks on energy in regions bordering Russia.

Kremlin information operation

According to Kovalenko, Putin’s speech in Beijing is part of another Russian information operation aimed at the West and the Global South.

“It is an attempt to shift responsibility for terrorizing Ukrainians onto us,” he claimed.

The Russians were the ones who started the war and attacks on energy, and they have never stopped.

According to the UN, Russia’s war has killed more than 13,800 civilians in Ukraine. Attacks on Ukraine intensified, particularly in 2025, following the launch of peace initiatives by US President Donald Trump.

Russia was not punished with sanctions or any other measures. On the contrary, President Putin was invited to a meeting with Trump in Alaska.

Putin urges Europe to weaponize energy against Ukraine, praises Trump’s inaction

Also, during the meeting with Fico, Putin called “on his friends in Europe” to cut Ukraine’s fuel and electricity supplies, the Kremlin press service reports. The Russian ruler emphasized that Ukraine receives a significant amount of energy resources through its Eastern European neighbors.

“Shut off their gas supplies, shut off their electricity supplies, and they will immediately understand that there are limits to violating others’ interests,” Putin said in a conversation with Robert Fico.

He also praised the administration of US President Donald Trump, which refused to provide free aid to Ukraine and introduced no new sanctions against Russia. According to Putin, under Trump, America began to “listen to Russia,” a claim he said was confirmed by the Alaska summit.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of deliberately choosing war over peace negotiations as Vladimir Putin traveled to China for a regional security summit. The Ukrainian leader criticized Moscow for ignoring widespread international calls for a ceasefire that have emerged from leaders across multiple continents.

Zelenskyy said in his evening adress that peace talks at the leadership level were proposed in Washington two weeks ago, adding Ukraine remains prepared for such discussions. However, he said Russia has chosen a different path by continuing to invest in military operations rather than diplomacy.

“All signals from Russia indicate only the continuation of aggression,” Zelenskyy said, according to his statement. “During his visit to China, Putin will again seek ways to avoid responsibility – this is his usual tactic.”

The Ukrainian president emphasized the breadth of international opposition to the war, citing calls for peace from major global powers and religious leaders.

“The world unanimously demands a ceasefire: China says this, and India’s Prime Minister, and the leaders of Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan. Today an important statement was made by the Pope. The only one who wants war is Russia,” Zelenskyy said.

Putin’s visit to China comes amid what sources describe as a “crunch moment” in peace talks over the Ukraine war, with the Russian leader attending a regional security summit alongside other leaders.

Zelenskyy argued that international pressure on Moscow must intensify, warning that the war’s continuation destabilizes the global situation. Ukraine expects firm positions from the United States, European Union, and G20 nations, he said.

The Ukrainian president also thanked partners who joined the PURL special program, which enables weapons purchases in the United States for Ukrainian defense forces. He announced that the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Canada, Belgium, and Latvia joined the initiative in August.

“The total amount in the program has already exceeded $2 billion. Our goal is to add at least one billion monthly. These are funds for purchasing modern weapons – Patriot missiles, HIMARS and other systems that protect our cities,” Zelenskyy said.

The president previously reported that Ukrainian Defense Forces are containing Russian advances in Donetsk Oblast and toward Pokrovsk.

A forest fire that burned for four days near Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reported Black Sea residence has been extinguished, according to Krasnodar Oblast Governor Veniamin Kondratyev. The blaze, which spread to 41.5 hectares, started after drone debris fell in the area during Ukrainian strikes on 28 August.

The fire occurred near the village of Krynitsa, located approximately 10 kilometers from Putin’s palace on Cape Idokopas, Medusa and Astra reported, citing local authorities. One fire center burned less than one kilometer from Putin’s Krynitsa winery, according to The Insider.

“Through the fall of debris, one of the oil refinery installations caught fire, and forest fires also occurred in the area of Krynitsa village,” the Krasnodar Oblast operational headquarters said.

The Ukrainian General Staff confirmed that Ukrainian forces attacked Russian oil refineries overnight on 28 August, including the Afipsky refinery in Krasnodar Oblast. The forest fire began on the morning of 28 August, expanding from its initial size to 41.5 hectares by 29 August.

NASA FIRMS mapping data shows the blaze located just 850 meters from the winery facility, The Insider reported. The winery gained attention in a 2021 Anti-Corruption Foundation investigation, where it appeared under the name Old Provence. The FBK documentary detailed luxury purchases for the facility, including “gilded Italian toilet brushes.”

Governor Kondratyev announced on August 31 that the forest fires in Gelendzhik had been extinguished. More than 500 people, more than 100 units of equipment, including BE-200 aircraft, IL-76 and 2 Mi-8 helicopters were involved in extinguishing, he said.

Russian media outlet Important Stories reported that the fire center may have been 3-4 kilometers from the presidential residence. The palace complex became widely known in January 2021 following the FBK investigation, though journalists noted that Putin has largely stopped flying to Sochi, where he previously spent much of spring and autumn.

The drone attack was part of broader Ukrainian strikes on 28 August, with Russian authorities reporting drone attacks across multiple oblasts and local residents documenting fires at two oil refineries and a railway junction

President Trump doesn’t think Putin and Zelenskyy will sit down together anytime soon. The two leaders aren’t ready, he told the Daily Caller in a 29 August interview.

When asked whether trilateral negotiations involving himself, Zelensky, and Putin would proceed, Trump indicated that timing remains uncertain.

“Sometimes people are not ready for this,” the president stated, according to the Daily Caller report.

Trump employed his previous analogy comparing the two leaders to children in conflict, describing them as figures who “hate each other” on a playground, swinging and fighting until exhaustion forces them to stop.

“Sometimes they have to fight a little before you can make them stop. But this has been going on for a long time. A lot of people are dead,” Trump said.

This marks a shift from Trump’s earlier confidence. After meeting Putin in Alaska on 15 August, he “really thought” the war could end quickly. Not anymore. Ukraine and Russia may need to “fight a little more” first.

Earlier, Trump rated his three-hour meeting with Putin in Alaska a perfect 10 out of 10, despite no deal being reached to end the Russo-Ukrainian war. He emphasized that the meeting went well personally, saying, “We got along great,” but acknowledged that not all issues were settled and there was no agreement on reaching peace anytime soon. 

No American troops for Ukraine as security guarantee

The president also ruled out American boots on Ukrainian soil as part of any peace deal. But he outlined a different kind of commitment—possible air support to help end the fighting.

He noted that European forces would handle most operations, with American assistance. 

European officials are actively working on plans to deploy British and French troops to Ukraine as part of security guarantees following any ceasefire, known as the “Coalition of the willing,” with about ten countries ready to participate.

The European plan involves two stages: initially, European troops would be stationed away from frontlines to train Ukrainian forces and provide reinforcements, acting as military advisors rather than a symbolic presence.

Next, the US would contribute intelligence sharing, border monitoring, additional weapons, and possibly air defense systems, continuing to supply military aid through European partners even without direct American troop deployment.

Zelenskyy previously rejected Trump’s playground metaphor with sharp words:

Putin is “a killer who came to this park to kill children.”