The Putin-Zelenskyi meeting is in a stalemate, according to Bloomberg News. Russia fails to exploit the penetration toward Dobropillya as Ukraine counterattacks, ISW says. Zelenskyi, Klingbeil discuss the supply of more Patriot, IRIS-T air defense systems to Ukraine.
Putin-Zelenskyi meeting in stalemate, according to Bloomberg News
US President Donald Trump said he spoke to Vladimir Putin in recent days and that he believed the Russian president’s dislike of Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy is holding up a meeting between the two leaders.
The stalemate over a Putin-Zelenskiy meeting is the latest blow to Trump’s effort to bring Russia’s invasion to Ukraine, now in its fourth year, to an end, Bloomberg News said on Monday. The paragraphs below are quoted from the article.
Trump’s shuttle diplomacy with two leaders this month raised the possibility of the first in-person talks since the conflict started, but those hopes have been dashed as Putin has dragged his feet on a sit-down with Zelenskiy.
On Monday, Trump conceded he didn’t “know that they will meet.” “Maybe they will, maybe they won’t. They’d like me to be at the meeting. (…),” Trump said.
He added that there could be “very big consequences” if Russia didn’t come to the negotiating table, threatening to “step in” if nothing happened in the coming two weeks. Trump has previously threatened to impose fresh sanctions and tariffs on Russia if it did not end its invasion, but has yet to follow through.
Russia fails to exploit penetration toward Dobropillya as Ukraine counterattacks, ISW says
Russia has likely given up efforts to exploit the penetration toward Dobropillya, north of Pokrovsk, in Donetsk region, after its infiltration tactics appear to have been unsuccessful in establishing enduring positions within the penetration, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in an update on Monday. The paragraphs below are quoted from the report.
Ukrainian forces continue to pressure the Russian penetration east and northeast of Dobropillya. Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets reported on August 25 that Ukrainian forces seized Nove Shakhove (east of Dobropillya) and Zapovidne (southeast of Dobropillya and the western bound of the base of the Russian penetration). Mashovets stated that Ukrainian forces pushed out Russian forces from positions near the T-0514 Dobropillya-Kramatorsk highway and south of Vesele (northeast of Dobropillya). Mashovets added that Ukrainian forces have almost completely cleared Kucheriv Yar (east of Dobropillya).
Mashovets’ August 25 report follows reports from Ukrainian military officials since August 15 that Ukrainian forces continue to clear settlements at both the northern extent of the Russian penetration and along the base of the penetration. Mashovets reported on August 25 that these Ukrainian counterattacks threatened to encircle elements of the Russian 51st Combined Arms Army ([CAA], formerly 1st Donetsk People’s Republic Army Corps [DNR AC], Southern Military District [SMD]) operating within the penetration north of the Zapovidne-Mayak-Volodymyrivka line.
These various recent reports of Ukrainian advances in the area, coupled with the lack of reporting about Russian advances or successful reinforcement missions within the penetration, indicate that the efforts of both the 51st CAA and 8th CAA to defend the base of the penetration may have failed at this time.
The Russian military command has reportedly given up efforts to exploit the penetration toward Dobropillya, after Russia’s infiltration tactics appear to have been unsuccessful in establishing enduring positions within this penetration. Mashovets stated on August 25 that the command of the 51st CAA is now preparing for assaults directly against Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad (east of Pokrovsk), indicating that the 51st CAA has reverted back to its original plan following a brief shift in focus on exploiting the penetration northeast of Dobropillya.
Mashovets’ report and the recent Ukrainian advances within the penetration indicate that Russian forces likely have not established enduring positions within the salient. Russian milbloggers’ reporting about the penetration near Dobropillya has also significantly decreased in recent days and shifted back to focusing on activity north, east, and southwest of Pokrovsk instead — further suggesting that Russian forces have been unsuccessful in consolidating and exploiting the penetration and are shifting their focus back on Pokrovsk directly.
Zelenskyi, Klingbeil discuss supply of more Patriot, IRIS-T air defense systems to Ukraine
German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi met in Kyiv on Monday. They discussed the progress being made to purchase two Patriot air defense systems and to provide additional German-made IRIS-T air defenses to Ukraine, Zelenskyi said, according to his office.
Klingbeil, making his first visit to Ukraine since taking office, honored fallen Ukrainian soldiers at the Wall of Memory on Mykhaylivska Square in Kyiv.
“For us, this is an important signal. Thank you very much for that. We are grateful to Germany — to the government and the people of Germany — for their very strong support since the beginning of this war. This is the second largest amount of aid in the world and the largest in Europe. The total aid amounts to around 50 billion during the war. This is an extremely strong support for our people, both military and civilian,” Zelenskyi said.
“We discussed strengthening our air defense, financing Ukraine’s domestic drone production, and the opportunities provided by the PURL program [Priority Ukraine Requirements List] for the procurement of U.S. weapons for our country. Work is ongoing on the purchase of two additional Patriot systems, as well as the delivery of additional German-made IRIS-T air defense systems,” Zelenskyi said on X.
Germany was one of the first European countries to join the new mechanism that will focus on getting U.S. weapons to Ukraine, known under the acronym PURL. It has disbursed USD 500 million in financing for that purpose, the Office of the President of Ukraine said.
Zelenskyi said he and Klingbeil, who also serves as Germany’s finance minister, gave special attention to “diplomatic efforts for peace, strengthening sanctions against Russia, and security guarantees.” “The relevant diplomatic work is underway, particularly at the level of national security advisors. We count on Germany to be among the leaders in developing and implementing security guarantees,” the Ukrainian president said in a post to X.
Zelenskyi and Klingbeil also discussed extension and expansion of training that Germany is providing to Ukrainian service members. A strong Ukrainian army is one of the pillars of the future security architecture. Financial support, enhanced military production and training will help sustain it, Zelenskyi said, according to his office.