WESTERN PERSPECTIVE
Trump offers to join potential Russia-Ukraine talks in Turkey
U.S. President Donald Trump offered on Monday to join prospective Ukraine-Russia talks in Turkey later this week as European countries pushed to get the Kremlin to accept their demand for a 30-day ceasefire in the war in Ukraine.
Trump spoke a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in a fresh twist to the stop-start peace talks process, said he would travel to Istanbul where, he said, he would be waiting to meet Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
Trump told reporters at the White House that talks in Istanbul could be helpful and he might join them on Thursday while in the region. His current schedule has him visiting Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar this week.
"I've got so many meetings, but I was thinking about actually flying over there. There's a possibility of it, I guess, if I think things can happen, but we've got to get it done," he said before departing for his second foreign trip since his second term in the White House began in January.
"Don't underestimate Thursday in Turkey," Trump said.
Later, in his nightly video address, the Ukrainian president noted that Russian attacks had continued on the front lines throughout the day, and Moscow still had not responded to his call for Putin to meet him for talks in Turkey later in the week.
"Russian shelling and assaults continue," Zelenskiy said. "Moscow has remained silent all day regarding the proposal for a direct meeting. A very strange silence."
Diplomatic contacts were renewed.
Zelenskiy and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed the proposed direct talks which Zelenskiy said "may help end the war". Erdogan described the proposed meeting as a new window of opportunity which was not to be squandered.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke by telephone with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan about Putin's proposed talks with Ukraine on Thursday. But a brief Russian foreign ministry account gave no indication whether Putin would accept Zelenskiy's proposal to meet him.
Earlier on Monday, the German government said Europe would start preparing new sanctions against Russia unless the Kremlin by the end of the day started abiding by a 30-day ceasefire in its war with Ukraine.
Ukraine's military said Russia had conducted dozens of attacks along the front in eastern Ukraine on Monday as well as an overnight assault using more than 100 drones, despite the ceasefire proposal by Europe and Kyiv.
"The clock is ticking," a German government spokesperson said at a news conference in Berlin.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the 30-day ceasefire had been put forward by European countries "in order to provide a breather for Kyiv to restore its military potential and continue its confrontation with Russia."
It is unclear, though, how much impact fresh European sanctions would have on Russia, especially if the United States does not join in as well.
The leaders of four major European powers travelled to Kyiv on Saturday and demanded an unconditional 30-day ceasefire from Monday. Putin, implicitly rejecting the offer, instead proposed direct Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul that he said could potentially lead to a ceasefire.
Putin and Zelenskiy have not met since December 2019 - over two years before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine - and make no secret of their contempt for each other.
Responding to the ceasefire proposal, Russia said at the weekend it is committed to ending the war but that European powers were using the language of confrontation.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia was "completely ignoring" the ceasefire initiative, citing what he said were continued attacks on Ukrainian forces.
He said he shared information about the continued fighting with European partners and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on a joint phone call. The allies had agreed sanctions would be needed to pressure Russia if it snubbed the truce move.
Russia and Ukraine are both trying to show Trump they are working towards his objective of reaching a rapid peace in Ukraine, while trying to make the other look like the spoiler to his efforts.
FIGHTING CONTINUES
The Ukrainian military's general staff said that as of 10 p.m. (1900 GMT) on Monday there had been 133 clashes with Russian forces along the front line since midnight, when the ceasefire was to have come into effect.
Ukraine's top commander, Oleksander Syrskyi, was quoted by Zelenskiy as saying the heaviest fighting still gripped the Donetsk region, the focus of the eastern front, and Russia's western Kursk region, nine months after Kyiv's forces staged a cross-border incursion.
The fighting was at the same intensity it would be if there were no ceasefire, said Viktor Trehubov, a spokesperson for the military on Ukraine's eastern front.
Kyiv is desperate to unlock more of the U.S. military backing it received from Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden. Moscow senses an opportunity to get relief from a barrage of economic sanctions and engage with the world's biggest economy.
RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE
Russian troops liberate Kotlyarovka community in Donetsk region over past day
Russian troops liberated the community of Kotlyarovka in the Donetsk region over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Monday.
"Battlegroup Center units liberated the settlement of Kotlyarovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic through decisive operations," the ministry said in a statement.
Russian troops continue special military operation in Ukraine
Russian troops continue accomplishing combat objectives in the special military operation in Ukraine, the ministry reported.
"The Russian Armed Forces continue their special military operation," the ministry said.
Russian forces strike Ukrainian army, mercenaries in 129 areas over past day
Russian forces struck deployment sites of Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries in 129 areas over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Operational/tactical aircraft, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck infrastructure facilities of military airfields, a shell-producing workshop, warehouses of ammunition and unmanned aerial vehicles, and also temporary deployment sites of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 129 areas," the ministry.
Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicts over 190 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted more than 190 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed a US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and three enemy ammunition depots in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup North units inflicted losses on massed manpower and equipment of a mechanized brigade, two assault regiments of the Ukrainian army and a territorial defense brigade in areas near the settlements of Ryzhevka, Iskriskovshchina, Volfino, Pavlovka and Katerinovka in the Sumy Region," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost more than 190 personnel, a tank, three armored combat vehicles, 12 motor vehicles, a US-made HIMARS multiple rocket launcher and five field artillery guns in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.
In addition, Russian forces destroyed an electronic warfare station and three ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.
Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicts over 230 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted more than 230 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed an enemy tank and three artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup West units improved their tactical position and inflicted losses on formations of four mechanized brigades, an airmobile brigade, two assault brigades of the Ukrainian army and two territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Sadovod, Kutkovka, Kupyansk and Gorokhovatka in the Kharkov Region, Redkodub and Yampol in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost more than 230 personnel, a tank, seven motor vehicles, three artillery guns, including two Western-made weapons and two electronic warfare stations in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.
In addition, Russian forces destroyed two ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.
Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicts over 200 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted more than 200 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed three enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup South units gained better lines and positions and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of three mechanized brigades and an airmobile brigade of the Ukrainian army in areas near the settlements of Seversk, Zvanovka, Konstantinovka, Kleban-Byk and Pleshcheyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost more than 200 personnel, three armored combat vehicles, nine motor vehicles and six field artillery guns in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.
In addition, Russian forces destroyed two electronic warfare stations, an ammunition depot and three materiel depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.
Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts over 440 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted more than 440 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed three enemy armored fighting vehicles and two artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
During the last 24-hour period, Battlegroup Center units "inflicted losses on formations of five mechanized brigades, a jaeger brigade and two assault brigades of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade and two National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Rusin Yar, Novaya Poltavka, Ulyanovka, Razino, Mirolyubovka, Dimitrov, Krasnoarmeysk, Zverevo, Novosergeyevka and Alekseyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost more than 440 personnel, three armored fighting vehicles, 14 motor vehicles and two artillery guns in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.
Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicts over 170 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicted more than 170 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed eight enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup East units kept advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses and inflicted losses among manpower and equipment of two mechanized brigades, an air assault brigade of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade, two territorial defense brigades and a National Guard brigade in areas near the settlements of Bogatyr, Volnoye Pole and Komar in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Temirovka in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian army lost more than 170 personnel, two armored combat vehicles, nine motor vehicles and eight field artillery guns in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.
Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr destroys 55 Ukrainian troops in past day
Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr destroyed roughly 55 Ukrainian troops and two enemy jamming stations in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted losses on formations of two mechanized brigades, a mountain assault brigade, three coastal defense brigades of the Ukrainian army and two territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Novodanilovka, Pavlovka and Kamenskoye in the Zaporozhye Region, Tokarevka, Sadovoye and Dneprovskoye in the Kherson Region," the ministry said.
"As many as 55 [Ukrainian] military personnel, six motor vehicles, an artillery gun and two electronic warfare stations were destroyed," it said.
Russian air defenses destroy 135 Ukrainian UAVs, nine JDAM smart bombs in past day
Russian air defense forces shot down 135 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and nine American-made JDAM smart bombs over the past day, the ministry reported.
"Air defense capabilities shot down nine JDAM guided aerial bombs and two rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system of US manufacture and 135 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.
Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 662 Ukrainian warplanes, 283 helicopters, 56,870 unmanned aerial vehicles, 605 surface-to-air missile systems, 23,289 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,562 multiple rocket launchers, 24,724 field artillery guns and mortars and 35,329 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.
Reuters/Tass
