Putin needs to ‘wriggle out’ of assembly, Zelenskyy claims, and says Russia doesn’t need to finish conflict – Europe stay

Elsewhere, Hungary and Slovakia urged the European Fee to ensure safety of provides after they mentioned that oil deliveries by way of the Druzbha pipeline may very well be suspended for at the very least 5 days following a Ukrainian assault on a linked facility in Russia, Reuters reported.

“The physical and geographical reality is that without this pipeline, the safe supply of our countries is simply not possible,” overseas ministers Péter Szijjártó and Juraj Blanár mentioned in a joint letter.

Slovak pipeline operator Transpetrol mentioned on Friday that the circulate of oil was interrupted final night time, outdoors the territory of the Slovakia.

Earlier this week, Szijjártó publicly clashed on this situation with Ukraine’s overseas minister Andrii Sybiha, who instructed him to “send your complaints – and threats – to your friends in Moscow” (Europe stay on Tuesday).

EU overseas coverage chief Kaja Kallas appeared on BBC Radio 4’s At the moment programme earlier at this time.

She asserted that “Russia does not want peace,” as she accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of not preserving any guarantees and “just laughing – not stopping the killing, but increase the killing, … the bombings on Ukraine.”

“You see Europeans, Ukrainians, Americans wanting peace, and doing all the diplomatic efforts to achieve that, whereas Russia is just dragging feet, it’s clear that Russia does not want peace.”

She additionally referred to as for extra EU and US sanctions and tariffs in opposition to Russia, saying:

“It is rather clear that any guarantees that Putin has been given to this point, he hasn’t saved, and we now have to deal with it as such, however [we] additionally [have to] make all of the efforts in actually pressuring him to return to the negotiation desk.

And there we now have totally different instruments. The Individuals have leverage with the sanctions or tariffs to strain Russia into negotiations. We’re engaged on our nineteenth package deal of sanctions on the European aspect to actually put the strain on Russia, the one who’s, who’s doing the aggression right here.”

Kallas additionally argued that Putin acquired “what he wanted” from the Alaska summit with Trump, getting not simply the image with the US president, however “so much more, such a welcome in America, and … then he also wanted the sanctions not to be put in place, which he also achieved.”

“So, I think right now his interest is down, because he has achieved what he wanted from this meeting,” she mentioned.

She additionally rejected speculations about Ukraine giving up elements of its territory, saying “this is exactly the trap that Russia wants us to walk into.”

“[They want] the dialogue [to be] all about what Ukraine ought to quit, what’s the concessions that Ukraine is prepared to do, whereas we’re forgetting that Russia hasn’t made one single concession. And they’re those who’re the aggressor right here.

They’re those who’re brutally attacking one other nation and killing folks there … So let’s preserve the main focus there, the place we now have to maintain it, to put the strain on Russia in order that they might come to the negotiation desk. And in addition, what sort of negotiation concessions are the Russians making proper now? They’ve simply elevated their objectives and desires.”

Morning opening: Russia needs to ‘wriggle out’ of assembly, Zelenskyy says

Jakub Krupa

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia’s Vladimir Putin of “trying to wriggle out of holding a meeting” to debate peace preparations, saying: “They don’t want to end this war.”

Zelenskyy pointed to persevering with Russian strikes on Ukraine, together with on an American firm’s services in Mukachevo, and a rising variety of alleged provocations in opposition to Nato international locations, together with Lithuania and Poland. “[These are] not accidents – Russian impudence,” he mentioned.

“We expect our partners to respond in a principled manner. This war must be brought to an end. Pressure must be exerted on Russia to end the war. Putin understands nothing but force and pressure.”

He was additionally fast to select up on US president Donald Trump’s suggestion of extra offensive actions.

Trump on Thursday appeared to vent his frustration at Russia’s obstruction. In a publish on Fact Social, the US president blamed his predecessor, Joe Biden, for not permitting Ukraine to “fight back” in opposition to Russia.

He mentioned:

“It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders country. It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia. Crooked and grossly incompetent Joe Biden would not let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND. How did that work out? … Interesting times ahead!!!”

Zelenskyy responded:

In fact, we are going to proceed doing every part to guard our nation and folks. President Trump is completely proper—this have to be finished not solely in protection. In the meantime, we don’t decelerate in diplomacy, in order that negotiations to convey peace nearer can lastly happen.

Let’s see what at this time brings.

Elsewhere, I might be additionally maintaining a tally of the EU’s reactions to the EU-US joint assertion on commerce, and on wildfires affecting Spain and Portugal.

I’ll convey you all the important thing updates right here.

It’s Friday, 22 August 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa right here, and that is Europe Dwell.

Good morning.