Kyrgyz Citizen Released in Recent Prisoner Swap between Kyiv and Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has firmly rejected any talks of striking a deal with Russia without the approval of Kyiv, as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met with Russian President Vladimir Putin amidst Ukraine’s ongoing struggle against Russian aggression in the east.
Zelenskiy made his statement while attending the European Political Community (EPC) summit at Blenheim Palace in central England on July 18. The summit was held to discuss the current situation in Europe, and Zelenskiy emphasized the importance of maintaining unity among European nations to make strong decisions.
The Hungarian Prime Minister’s diplomatic efforts, which he referred to as a “peace mission,” included visits to Moscow, Kyiv, Beijing, and former U.S. President Donald Trump’s residence in Florida. However, Orban’s actions have been met with criticism from other European leaders, who have distanced themselves from his approach.
Zelenskiy expressed his concerns over Orban’s unilateral actions and emphasized the need for the EU and NATO to address issues collectively, without the involvement of individual member states acting independently. The Ukrainian President also called for Western allies to provide support to Ukraine in the form of lifting restrictions on long-range strikes into Russia and enhancing air defenses to protect the country.
Despite Zelenskiy’s appeals, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz rejected the requests for increased military support, stating that they were “out of the question.” Zelenskiy also announced plans for Ukraine to sign an intergovernmental agreement on defense support and expand its defense capabilities through future cooperation.
The summit took place against the backdrop of ongoing challenges faced by Ukrainian troops in the eastern and southeastern regions, particularly near the Dnieper River. Despite reports of setbacks, Ukrainian officials have maintained that their forces continue to carry out combat missions in the affected areas.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed to have repelled a combined attack of Ukrainian air and naval drones targeting occupied Crimea. The ministry reported shooting down numerous drones over Crimea and the Bryansk region, while the Russian Navy destroyed additional drones heading towards the Crimean Peninsula.
Ukraine’s Air Force countered by stating that they downed all drones and intercepting most of the cruise missiles launched by Russia at various targets within Ukraine.
As the situation continues to escalate, Zelenskiy and other European leaders remain focused on finding a resolution to the conflict that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while preventing further escalation of the crisis.
