Putin holds assembly with high officers to organize for Trump, praising ‘honest efforts’ from US to finish Ukraine conflict
We’re additionally getting a bit extra on the Russian preparations for the summit in Alaska, with Tass reporting that president Vladimir Putin held a gathering with among the nation’s high officers to organize for the assembly with Trump.
Reuters reported that following the assembly, Putin mentioned the US administration was making “honest efforts” to resolve the Ukraine battle.
The Russian president additionally reportedly urged Moscow and Washington may attain a deal on nuclear arms management that might strengthen peace.
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Key occasions
14m in the past
Spain prompts EU civil safety mechanism to get EU assist with wildfires
32m in the past
What to anticipate from Alaska summit? — snap evaluation
53m in the past
Alaska assembly presents ‘viable probability to make progress’ if Putin is severe, UK says after Starmer-Zelenskyy talks
1h in the past
Safety ensures a part of discussions with UK, Zelenskyy says after assembly Starmer
1h in the past
EU sees no justificiation for Chinese language sanctions on Lithuanian banks
1h in the past
EU will get new proposals from US on commerce, continues to work to progress textual content
1h in the past
Putin holds assembly with high officers to organize for Trump, praising ‘honest efforts’ from US to finish Ukraine conflict
2h in the past
EU ‘welcomes’ suggestion US may take part offering safety ensures for Ukraine
2h in the past
Trump will debrief Ukraine, EU after his assembly with Putin, EU says
2h in the past
Finland’s Stubb praised for ‘sudden bond’ with Trump that helps Europe get its factors throughout
2h in the past
Germany’s Merz will get measured reward for Ukraine diplomacy, however Nato’s Rutte will get most credit score
2h in the past
Kremlin appears to transcend ‘peace deal,’ hopes for reset in US-Russia relations — snap evaluation
3h in the past
Zelenskyy visits Starmer in London — in footage
3h in the past
Extra particulars on Trump-Putin talks emerge, with plans for joint press convention
4h in the past
Massive hug from Starmer for Zelenskyy in one other present of solidarity, however Kyiv has no illusions about Trump – snap evaluation
4h in the past
Zelenskyy arrives at Downing Road for talks with Starmer
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Spain wildfires are ‘clear warning’ of local weather emergency, minister says
4h in the past
Why are Spanish politicians in denial about lethal heatwaves — remark
5h in the past
Third individual dies in wildfires in Spain
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Morning opening: And now we wait
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Spain prompts EU civil safety mechanism to get EU assist with wildfires
Lisa O’Carroll
In the meantime, Spain has activated an EU civil safety mechanism for the primary time searching for exterior assist to cope with extreme wildfires fuelled by the present heatwave, the European Fee has mentioned.
A firefighting helicopter drops water over a wildfire close to the village of Larouco, within the province of Ourense, in northwestern Spain. {Photograph}: AFP/Getty Photographs
The forest fires engulfing components of Spain have killed three folks over latest days (9:51, 10:38).
Brussels mentioned it has immediately despatched two planes stationed in France from its “rescEU” programme designed to guard residents with groups from the Netherlands and Estonia deployed to help nationwide efforts.
The civil safety mechanism permits firefighting personnel and automobiles and plane from different international locations to be deployed in international locations of want with the invoice picked up in Brussels.
“The mechanism has been activated 16 instances this yr, already equal to the overall variety of activations of the entire summer season season final yr,” mentioned an EU spokesperson.
The EU mentioned:
“In the course of the previous week, Greece, Spain, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Albania activated the mechanism to assist cope with forest fires – a lot of that are occurring concurrently throughout Europe.
Greece activated the Mechanism on 12 August. In response, the 2 Swedish rescEU helicopters at present in Bulgaria are anticipated to be deployed. Prepositioned firefighters from Czechia, Moldova and Romania additionally took half within the efforts to place out the fires.
In Bulgaria six international locations – Czechia, Slovakia, France, Hungary, Romania, Sweden – mobilised plane through the Mechanism together with the rescEU helicopters stationed in Sweden.
In Albania, the Fee mobilised rescEU aerial property from Croatia, Bulgaria, Italy and Czechia and Slovakia.
“In Montenegro, the Fee mobilised rescEU property stationed in Czechia, Croatia and Italy. Serbia, Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina additionally deployed plane means as a part of bilateral gives, and Austria supplied floor firefighting groups.”
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What to anticipate from Alaska summit? — snap evaluation
Dan Sabbagh
Defence and safety editor
Chatting with BBC Information, from Kyiv
I don’t assume Putin goes to be in a temper to compromise very a lot in Alaska.
I believe Donald Trump will probably be doing very nicely to get any additional concessions out of Putin, as a result of it’s the little tactical successes on the frontline that simply make Russia maintain considering, ‘we will grind our solution to a victory there’.
A map of Russian advances in Ukraine
There’s little or no expectation in Ukraine of any form of form of goodwill from Vladimir Putin, or any form of compromise, or something that results in compromise. The 2 sides are miles aside.
Russia continues to make these maximalist calls for of territory. The newest demand seems to be all of Donetsk province, about 9000 sq. kilometres, in return for a ceasefire, … together with the numerous cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. Zelensky already mentioned he can’t comply with that.
A view of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) in Anchorage, Alaska, United States, the place US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin are anticipated to carry their summit. {Photograph}: Anadolu/Getty Photographs
The concept Trump can pressure Vladimir Putin right into a dramatically totally different mind-set, I don’t assume there’s plenty of optimism round that.
What we’re prone to see is plenty of theatre and maybe Putin will attempt to be clean as potential to minimise the variations, however the actuality is that I might be very stunned to see any important or significant progress.
We would see dedication to additional conferences, however I’m actually not assured we’re going to see rather more than that.
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Up to date at 07.57 EDT
Alaska assembly presents ‘viable probability to make progress’ if Putin is severe, UK says after Starmer-Zelenskyy talks
The Trump-Putin summit in Alaska presents “a viable probability to make progress so long as Putin takes motion to show he’s severe about peace,” Downing Road mentioned in an announcement after Starmer’s assembly with Zelenskyy in London.
Prime minister Keir Starmer meets Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, for a bilateral assembly in 10 Downing Road. {Photograph}: Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Road
The UK prime minister and the Ukrainian president mentioned yesterday’s consultations with Trump, saying “there had been a robust sense of unity and a robust resolve to realize a simply and lasting peace in Ukraine,” the readout mentioned.
Extra on our UK dwell weblog:
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Up to date at 07.36 EDT
Safety ensures a part of discussions with UK, Zelenskyy says after assembly Starmer
In a brief assertion after his assembly with UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned they mentioned “in appreciable element the safety ensures that may make peace really sturdy if the US succeeds in urgent Russia to cease the killings and interact in real, substantive diplomacy.”
The pair additionally mentioned “mechanisms for weapons provides,” with Zelenskyy urging Starmer to affix the rising checklist of nations funding new weapons for Ukraine by means of Nato’s new Prioritised Ukraine Necessities Record scheme.
In addition they mentioned Ukraine’s plans to “improve manufacturing volumes” of drones, with the nation “urgently needing financing for this.”
“Drones play a decisive position on the frontline, and Ukraine’s capabilities to provide them are distinctive. Due to this fact, funding in such manufacturing can really affect the state of affairs on the strategic degree. We’re working with the UK and all our companions on this.”
The leaders additionally talked about their bilateral partnership agreed earlier this yr, Zelenskyy mentioned.
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EU sees no justificiation for Chinese language sanctions on Lithuanian banks
Lisa O’Carroll
Individually, the EU has mentioned it sees no justification for China to sanction two Lithuanian banks in retaliation in opposition to the bloc’s sanctions on two Chinese language banks as a part of the 18th package deal of sanctions on Russia.
“We don’t imagine these countermeasures have any justification and due to this fact we name on China to take away them now,” mentioned EU spokesperson Olof Gill.
He mentioned the EU was persevering with discussions with China concerning the sanctions on the banks which got here into pressure on 9 August.
China took countermeasures in opposition to two banks within the European Union, in response to the bloc inserting two Chinese language monetary establishments on a Russia-related sanctions checklist, its commerce ministry mentioned on Wednesday.
Efficient instantly, Lithuanian banks UAB Urbo Bankas and AB Mano Bankas have been banned from finishing up transactions and cooperation with organisations and people inside China, the ministry’s assertion mentioned.
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EU will get new proposals from US on commerce, continues to work to progress textual content
For days, we now have been ready for progress to be made on the EU-US commerce deal agreed politically by Trump and EU’s von der Leyen in Scotland, and been anticipating a “joint assertion” taking it additional in the direction of a legally binding textual content.
EU commerce spokesperson Olof Gill has simply confirmed there’s a little bit of progress on that as he mentioned:
“I’m now completely happy to substantiate that we now have acquired a textual content from the US with their options for, let’s say, getting nearer to that closing finalisation of the doc.
So we’re going to have a look at that now. We’ll have some engagement at each technical and political degree with our American counterparts.”
He added
“We are actually going to speculate our substantial high-level expertise from this home into transmitting our closing views to the US, after which it is going to be over to them once more to get it over the road.
I do know it’s tedious for you all that I’m saying repeatedly we’re shut, [but] that’s the factual evaluation of the matter. We’re shut, we simply have to get these closing tweaks over the road.”
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Up to date at 07.21 EDT
Putin holds assembly with high officers to organize for Trump, praising ‘honest efforts’ from US to finish Ukraine conflict
We’re additionally getting a bit extra on the Russian preparations for the summit in Alaska, with Tass reporting that president Vladimir Putin held a gathering with among the nation’s high officers to organize for the assembly with Trump.
Reuters reported that following the assembly, Putin mentioned the US administration was making “honest efforts” to resolve the Ukraine battle.
The Russian president additionally reportedly urged Moscow and Washington may attain a deal on nuclear arms management that might strengthen peace.
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EU ‘welcomes’ suggestion US may take part offering safety ensures for Ukraine
The fee’s spokesperson additionally mentioned the EU “welcomed” the indication from the US president, Donald Trump, on yesterday’s name that the US may take part in offering safety ensures for Ukraine.
Requested if it was all the way down to the bloc’s lobbying, she mentioned:
It doesn’t matter precisely how he arrived so far.
The vital side is that the US has mentioned that they’re prepared to take action. And naturally, we very a lot welcome all efforts that may assure the likelihood for Ukraine to be in a stable place to defend itself.
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Trump will debrief Ukraine, EU after his assembly with Putin, EU says
In the previous couple of minutes, the European Fee mentioned that the EU’s understanding was that “President Trump will debrief president Zelensky and European leaders following his bilateral assembly” with Putin on Alaska.
The fee’s deputy chief spokesperson Arianna Podestà mentioned:
“We don’t have a selected time-frame [that] I can share with you on this. It additionally is dependent upon the timing of the assembly, size, et cetera, time variations, however our understanding is certainly that there will probably be a debrief.”
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Finland’s Stubb praised for ‘sudden bond’ with Trump that helps Europe get its factors throughout
Individually, the Wall Road Journal highlighted the significance of one other chief enjoying a important position in getting US president Trump to know the European place a bit higher.
Finnish president Alexander Stubb has “shaped an sudden bond” with Trump, WSJ mentioned, after assembly with the US president for golf, with the pair repeatedly chatting on the cellphone ever since.
President Donald Trump, third from proper, flanked by first woman Melania Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, entrance row left, and Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, second left, attend the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Sq. on the Vatican. {Photograph}: Gregorio Borgia/AP
Enjoying golf with Trump “vaulted the little-known Stubb right into a back-channel position with the US president,” WSJ mentioned, making him “a key conduit for European officers searching for to affect” the US place forward of this Friday’s high-stakes summit with Putin.
“Folks know that we Finns don’t have a hidden agenda, and we’re additionally fairly blunt. I can talk what Europeans or Zelensky assume to Trump, after which I can talk what Trump thinks to my European colleagues,” he advised WSJ.
Influential Republican senator Lindsey Graham is claimed to talk with Stubb even twice a day, confirming to the paper that they’d repeatedly textual content one another, “getting perception about what’s occurring, giving recommendation.”
In a revealing paragraph, the WSJ mentioned:
“Their contacts have turn into so frequent that Finnish diplomats in Washington joke that as a substitute of reporting developments in Washington to Helsinki they have been listening to about it from the president.”
You’ll be able to learn the WSJ’s profile in full right here.
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