Despite recent losses on the ground, how Avdiivka and some slices of territory in the region of Zaporizhzhiain an interview with Fox News the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, appears more optimistic than usual. After weeks spent asking for greater collaboration from allies in the form of ammunition e new armamentsthe leader of Kiev announces one new counteroffensive to push Russian troops back: “The defense of Ukraine is task number one. We will continue with the successes in Black Sea. I won’t go into details, but we are preparing some surprises for Russia. The south is important. The defense of the east, where the Russians have more than 200 thousand soldiers, is very important. Naturally we will prepare a new counteroffensive, new operations. We will not stand still. It depends on many things.”
Von der Leyen in Kiev
An optimism probably linked to the news coming from Bruxelles e Washington in the last hours. Both the European Union and the United States have announced new sanctions towards Russia, while the impasse in the American Congress on the new appropriations in favor of Ukraine, opposed by pro-Trump Republicans who intend to put a stop to the unconditional support provided to date, seems to be being resolved. This new wave of support, also fueled by the outrage over the sudden (and controversial) death of the Russian dissident Alexei Navalnyis demonstrated by the decision of the president of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyenfresh from re-nomination at the helm of Palazzo Berlaymontto go to Kiev on the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Zelensky’s great fear, however, remains the idea that in the United States the position of Donald Trump become a majority also at Congress. Also for this reason, in his interview with him, he invited the tycoon to visit Ukraine, something also done with Biden, so that the two presidential candidates can see “this tragedy” with their own eyes. Trump, added the Ukrainian president, “cannot solve this tragedy. I will host the former US president on the front line, he could say what his thoughts are on him, maybe he has some ideas. I do not know. Will see what’s going on here and then I guess I will change my mindthere are not two sides in this war but only one enemy, Putin.”
Russian passports in Avdiivka
Meanwhile, Russian forces are trying to fuel the momentum of recent weeks in which they managed to conquer some outposts held by the Ukrainians. And they push further south, again on the Avdiivka front. In the newly conquered town, reports the pro-Russian leader of the Yasinovatsky district, Dimitri ShevchenkoMoscow’s forces have already begun to issue passports Russians to the inhabitants. Furthermore, drones and missiles Russians struck Odessa e Dniproresulting in three deaths and several injuries.
New sanctions on Russia
The United States and the European Union are instead ready to issue new sanctions against Moscow. Washington will impose restrictions on Friday on further 500 objectives in response to the death of the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. This will be the most important tranche since the beginning of the Russian invasion, according to a source from the US Treasury Department which will issue the measures together with the State Department. Many of the objectives, according to the source, are linked to supporting Putin’s war machine. Added to these are the managers of the prison where the Russian dissident died and three Russian government officials. And also the Russian payment system Mir and the country’s drone supply network have been affected.
Per Joe Biden, these two years demonstrate that “Putin miscalculated. It is clear to Americans and people around the world that the stakes in this conflict go beyond Ukraine. NATO is stronger, with more countries, and more united than ever and the unprecedented US-led global coalition of 50 countries in support of Ukraine remains committed to providing critical assistance to Ukraine and calling on Russia to answer for his assault.” Likewise, the president continues, it is necessary to guarantee support for Kiev to prevent it from being overwhelmed by the Russian advance: “The Ukrainians are running out of ammunition. Ukraine needs more supplies from the United States to maintain their positions in the face of Russia’s relentless attacks which are made possible by ammunition and weapons from Iran e North Korea“.
Also the EU Council adopted new sanctions measures against Moscow. This is the 13th package since the start of the war and aims to target “those who are responsible for perpetuating his (Putin’s, ndr) war of unlawful, unprovoked and unjustified aggression and those who significantly support it,” it said in a statement. “The Council – they continue – has decided to impose restrictive measures against another 106 persons and 88 entities responsible for actions that threaten or compromise the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. The new lists agreed today mainly cover the military and defense sectors and associated persons, including those involved in North Korea’s arms supplies to Russia, as well as members of the judiciary, local politicians and persons responsible for illegal deportation and re-education of Ukrainian children: Overall, the EU’s restrictive measures against actions that threaten or undermine the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine now apply to more than 2000 persons and entities.”