Zelenskyy Criticises Trump’s Public Demands During Peace Talks
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Donald Trump is putting too much pressure on Kyiv while talks are still going on. He said this during an Axios interview while talks were still going on in Geneva. Zelenskyy said that Trump’s demands for concessions from Ukraine were unfair and out of place.
The Ukrainian president made it clear that any plan that called for giving up land that Russia did not occupy would not be acceptable. He said that a national referendum would show that Ukrainians would not support such a plan. His comments show that he is firmly against settlement terms that are forced on him by others.
Source: The Guardian/Website
Trump Urges Ukraine To ‘Come To The Table’ Quickly
Trump has said twice recently that Ukraine needs to do things to make sure negotiations move forward. He said more on Air Force One that stressed the need for quick action. Zelenskyy said he hoped these comments were about tactics and not final decisions.
People who don’t like Trump say that what he says in public takes the blame off of Russia. Some people say that this kind of pressure could hurt Ukraine’s ability to negotiate. Talks bring up sensitive political and territorial issues that have a big impact on national security.
First Day Of Geneva Talks Marked By Intense Exchanges
Rustem Umerov, the main negotiator, said that the first talks were mostly about practical issues. He wouldn’t give details, but he did say that things were moving forward on procedural issues. Sessions are planned to go on until Wednesday for last-minute talks.
Russian news agencies said the talks were tense and lasted six hours. There were meetings with two and three sides, with all sides taking part. After a tough first round, both sides agreed to keep talking.
Recommended Article: Zelenskyy Slams Putin as War Escalates, Power Grid Hit Hard
Ukraine Expands Drone Campaign On Russian Infrastructure
Ukrainian security services said that new drone strikes were aimed at Russian energy assets. Attacks damaged a chemicals factory in Perm and the Taman oil terminal in Krasnodar. Officials said that the Perm facility was a major place for making methanol.
Robert Brovdi, the drone commander, said that nine Russian refineries have been hit this year. Ukrainian troops said they had hit more than 240 buildings in total. The goal of the campaign is to mess up the fuel logistics that help Moscow’s military operations.
Lithuania’s Vilnius Airport Closes Briefly Over Belarus Balloons
Tuesday night, Vilnius airport had to stop operations for a short time because of balloons in the air. Belarus sent weather balloons into the air that drifted into Lithuania’s airspace. For more than an hour, officials closed the airport to keep air travel safe.
Since late 2025, this is at least the tenth time something like this has happened. Authorities are still keeping an eye on Belarus’s repeated airspace problems. The events make people worried about security in the area because tensions are high.
France Releases Tanker Suspected In Russian Sanctions Evasion
French officials said that a tanker connected to Russia’s secret oil fleet had been freed. Last month, the ship was stopped between Spain and Morocco for inspections. To get it back, its owner had to pay a fine of millions of euros.
Western governments are still enforcing limits on Russian oil shipments. The case shows that people are still trying to get around sanctions. Maritime enforcement is still a key part of strategies for putting economic pressure on others.
Starlink Shutdown Creates Divergent Claims From Both Sides
Russian officials said that the recent problems with Starlink did not affect the drones’ abilities. They said that internal evaluations showed that unmanned operations were still effective. During separate briefings, Ukraine strongly disagreed with this story.
Ukrainian officials said that the power outage had a big effect on how well Russian troops did on the battlefield. The Institute for the Study of War’s data showed that territory had been recaptured. Analysts say that some of the ground that was regained was due to the fact that Russia’s communication infrastructure has gotten worse.
Sweden Warns Of Rising Russian Hybrid Threats In Region
Sweden’s Military Intelligence Service said that Russia is taking more risks near its borders. Chief Thomas Nilsson said that Russia seems ready to step up its hybrid activities. These include cyber attacks, spreading false information, and interfering with elections.
Officials said that these kinds of actions could keep happening no matter what happens in the war in Ukraine. Sweden’s yearly threat review shows that many parts of Europe are weak. Moscow’s changing strategy still heavily relies on hybrid warfare.
