Ukraine will mark the 34th anniversary of its independence on August 24.
Throughout August, fierce fighting continued to rage all along the front lines. Russia continued to pound Ukrainian cities and towns deep in the rear with missiles and drones. Earlier this month, Russian forces penetrated the Ukrainian defensive lines near Dobropillya, aiming to encircle Pokrovsk, in Donetsk region. Ukrainian troops later defeated the infiltration. The battlefield situation remains difficult.
August has been a month of intense diplomacy. In late July, U.S. President Donald Trump set a deadline for Russia to make progress toward ending the war in Ukraine by August 8 or face consequences. Later, instead of imposing sanctions on Russia, Trump invited Russian leader Vladimir Putin to meet in Alaska. Three days after the Anchorage summit, Trump met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyi in Washington. Zelenskyi was joined by a group of European leaders, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
While Trump believes that preparations for a bilateral meeting between Zelenskyi and Putin are underway, the Kremlin keeps silent on it. The Russian leader is likely buying time, and the meeting may not happen anytime soon.
——-
Check out our materials released in August and join us for an upcoming event.
Ukraine Crisis Media Center will host a press briefing of the international parliamentary network United for Ukraine (U4U) on August 24 at 17.00 (Kyiv time). The event will be also livestreamed at the link.
Participants:
- Žygimantas Pavilionis, Deputy Chair of Foreign Affairs Committee; Head of United for Ukraine (Lithuania)
- Marko Mihkelson, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee (Estonia)
- Rihards Kols, MEP, Member of Foreign Affairs Committee, U4U Steering Committee (European Parliament)
- Thomas Erndl, Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Spokesperson for International Politics and Security of the CSU Party in the Bundestag (Germany)
- Johannes Koskinen, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee (Finland)
- Liliana Tanguy, Member of Foreign Affairs Committee, Vice-president of French delegation to PACE (France)
- Mott, Baron Mott OBE, Member of the House of Lords (UK)
- Pablo Hispán, Chair of EPP at the Council of Europe (Spain)
Learn more details here.
Washington Summit: A Hangover for Russian Propaganda
In the latest episode of the Hybrid Warfare Analysis Group Podcast, Volodymyr Solovian and Mykyta Kuzmenko break down how Russian propaganda shifted after the Anchorage and Washington summits.
This episode covers:
- Ru-Propaganda Disappointment with the Putin–Trump meeting in Alaska
- Russian media renew attacks on the U.S. president
- Unrealistic demands – Moscow sabotaging bilateral talks with Ukraine
Check out the podcast here:
Complex Іssues: Behind the Scenes of Summits in the US
“Geopolitical Dialogues with Valeriy Chaly”
Speakers:
- Andriy MAGERA, constitutional law expert at the Centre of Policy and Legal Reform (CPLR), Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Commission (2007–2018)
- Valeriy CHALY, Chairman of the Board of the Ukraine Crisis Media Center, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
The conversation is available to watch here:
Why imposing neutrality on Ukraine is a Russian trap
Ukrainian experts in international law discussed at a public briefing at the UCMC Press Center what lies behind the Russian idea of “Ukraine’s neutrality” and the risks its implementation could pose. The discussion covered historical examples, international legal frameworks, myths, and potential traps.
Speakers:
- Olga Butkevich, Doctor of Law, President of the Ukrainian Association of International Law
- Ihor Zeman, Candidate of Law, Associate Professor, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of International Relations, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv
- Zakhar Tropin, Candidate of Law, Associate Professor, Department of International Law, Educational and Scientific Institute of International Relations, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
Moderator: Valeriy Chaly, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Chairman of the Board of the Ukraine Crisis Media Center, Member of the Supervisory Board of the Ukrainian Association of International Law
The discussion is available to watch here:
