Ukraine War News Today - Top Stories and Breaking Updates from Kyiv Post

Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt was asked how long Trump could “operate in good faith” and wait for the Kremlin to agree to the talks. ‘You don’t have to come,’ Putin reportedly tells US President.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt fielded questions about the likelihood of US President Donald Trump’s much-touted Zelensky-Putin talks taking place any time soon in a press briefing on Tuesday.

Asked “whose idea” it was to change the proposed next stage of the peace talks from a trilateral meeting between Trump, President Volodymyr Zelensky and Kremlin strongman Vladimir Putin to a bilateral meeting between Putin and Zelensky alone, Leavitt said that the idea “evolved in the course of the President’s conversations with both President Putin, President Zelensky, and the European leaders yesterday.”

Following Trump’s summit with Zelensky and European leaders, NATO scrambles to plan the path forward, as Britain’s military chief travels to Washington.

NATO’s top brass from the Alliance’s 32 member countries will hold a video meeting on Wednesday to discuss developments concerning Ukraine, the head of the alliance’s military committee said.

The head of NATO’s military committee, Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, announced on Tuesday that the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich (USAF), would give the officers an update “on the current security environment” as “diplomatic efforts to secure peace in Ukraine progress”.

The Russian president is said to have told Trump that a future peace summit should be held in Moscow. Ukraine’s European allies disagree.

Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly offered to host peace talks between himself and President Zelensky in Moscow during a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Monday.

As per BFMTV, an anonymous source told AFP that Putin had “mentioned” Moscow during the call. President Zelensky, along with several other European leaders in the White House at the time, is said to have “replied no.”

A hot mic caught the US President’s quiet aside to Emmanuel Macron ahead of their multilateral meeting on Monday.

Shortly before a meeting between US President Donald Trump and European leaders at the White House on Monday, Aug. 18, a microphone picked up Trump telling French President Emmanuel Macron: “I think [Russian President Vladimir Putin] wants to make a deal for me.”

“You understand that?” continued Trump, as per footage shared by Associated Press. “As crazy as it sounds…”

Russia has received significant help from North Korea, China, and Iran. It is time for the global community and the Western allies to crack down on the support these states provide for Russia’s war.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Iran has emerged as a critical enabler of Moscow’s war machine, supplying weapons and technology that have fueled devastating attacks on Ukrainian cities, hospitals, schools, and civilian infrastructure.

Iran’s provision of Shahed drones and technological know-how has not only amplified Russia’s capacity to wage war but also entrenched a dangerous partnership within a broader “Axis of Evil” alliance alongside China and North Korea. This collaboration threatens global stability and demands urgent action. Harsh sanctions can cripple Iran’s malign reach and protect Ukrainian lives.

The US president said he “sort of” set up a direct call between the Ukrainian and Russian heads of state as he hinted at progress at a trilateral meeting on Monday.

US President Donald Trump said he “sort of” set up the call between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.

Trump confirmed he called Putin following Monday’s summit with Zelensky and European leaders, a meeting that stemmed from his talks with Putin in Alaska on Friday.

Kyiv said the bodies were returned following earlier negotiations, including five soldiers who died in captivity, accusing Moscow of failing to uphold earlier exchange agreements.

Kyiv said it had secured the return of 1,000 fallen troops on Tuesday.

However, Kyiv also said that five of the bodies belong to soldiers captured by Moscow as prisoners of war (POWs), accusing Moscow of failing to uphold earlier exchange agreements.

Norwegian aid is among the sources Naftogaz relies on to secure winter gas supplies after extensive Russian attacks damaged Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

The Norwegian government will provide nearly $100 million for Ukraine’s state-owned gas production company Naftogaz for importing natural gas to secure heating and electricity for households, businesses and industry.

As of April 2025, Russian strikes on Ukrainian gas infrastructure are estimated to have cut Ukraine’s domestic production by 50 percent, meaning the country will need to import more gas for the heating season from Europe. Since then, Ukraine has restored half of its production capacity, while Naftogaz is seeking alternative sources to secure winter supplies.

The company’s representative said the missile is more advanced than the US’s battle-tested Tomahawk cruise missiles – which appears to be true on paper, based on the specifications.

Fire Point, the maker of Ukraine’s new Flamingo cruise missile, said it is better than the US-made Tomahawk missile – and claimed it had already struck targets inside Russia.

Initial reports suggest the missile is similar to the FP-5 system made by UK-based Milanion Group, with a 1,000-kilogram (2,204-pound) payload warhead and 3,000-kilometer (1,864 miles) range that enables it to hit deep into Russia, beyond the Ural Mountains and into the Asian parts of Russia.

Tuesday’s drone targets and scenes of major fires were a big refinery and a fuel train. Gasoline shortages and even spot outages have been reported as far away as Vladivostok.

Deep in the open steppe of the Russia-occupied Zaporizhzhia region, on Tuesday, Aug. 19, Ukrainian drones blew up a train hauling at least 30 fuel cars, torching nine of them immediately and igniting a blaze visible from space.

Also on Tuesday, deep inside Russia, near the major city of Volgograd, Ukrainian long-range kamikaze strike aircraft struck a major oil refinery, smashing production equipment and setting multiple fuel reservoirs on fire. It was the second time explosives-toting robot planes had hit that particular facility in five days.    

Ukrainian drones hit Volgograd’s Lukoil refinery, sparking fires; Russian air defenses shot down dozens of UAVs. Meanwhile, Poltava region targeted in massive Russian strike.

Drones reportedly attacked a Lukoil petroleum refinery in Volgograd, Russia, causing a fire, as Moscow attacked the energy infrastructure of the Poltava region on Tuesday, Aug. 19.

According to the Russian Telegram channel Astra, Volgograd residents initially reported explosions and a subsequent fire in the city.

After the Alaska summit, Zelensky, EU, NATO and European leaders met Trump at the White House. Trump says a Putin–Zelensky meeting is in the works, drawing mixed press reactions.

In the wake of the Alaska summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of five European states, the EU and Nato convened with Donald Trump at the White House on Monday to seek a solution to the war in Ukraine. According to Trump, following a phone call with Putin preparations for a meeting between the Russian leader and Zelensky are under way. The press response is mixed.

Breakthrough on security guarantees

Ukraine has reason to hope that the meeting in the White House will produce positive results, says The Daily Telegraph (Great Britain):

Preview: President Zelensky gave Donald Trump a golf club from Ukrainian soldier Kartavtsev, who lost his leg saving comrades in the first months of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the DC Summit handed Donald Trump a symbolic gift – a golf club. It was a gift passed to Zelensky to give to the US president by a Ukrainian servicemember, Junior Sergeant (US equivalent: PFC, A1C, E-3) Kostiantyn Kartavtsev.

As reported by the Presidential Office press service, the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) soldier lost his leg in the first months of the Russian full-scale invasion while saving his comrades. Golf became part of Konstantin Kartavtsev’s rehabilitation and helped him regain his balance, both physical and emotional.

Aside from being a superb wartime leader

I am not necessarily a huge fan of Andrew Neil, but I think he summed up the results of the Zelensky, and European leaders trip to D.C. this week rather well.

It does kind of suggest that whoever has Trump’s ear last has the influence, but fleetingly. It’s like a global game of The Apprentice. At least Zelensky and European leaders did not suffer the ignominy of hearing the words, “You’re fired,” but neither did Putin.

How to call the war that Russia has launched against Ukraine.

No doubt because I am a veteran editor, I am often asked which term is correct with regard to this war.  So here is my advice:

• Russo-Ukraine war/War
• Russo-Ukrainian war/War
• Russia-Ukraine war/War
• Russian-Ukrainian war/War

None of the above options are grammatically incorrect, however, the reasoning behind their structure varies from term to term

Much remains unsettled, but it could have been a lot worse

Coming out of the Trump-Putin meeting on Friday, the outcome was not the worst many had feared. In fact, the atmosphere was markedly friendlier, with fewer of the overt confrontations that often characterize these encounters.

What stood out most was the degree of unity among European leaders. Without stating it explicitly, they delivered a simple message to Trump: choose us or choose Putin – you cannot have both.

French President said the peace summit could be hosted by a neutral country, possibly Switzerland, adding he is pushing for Geneva.

French President Emmanuel Macron suggested Geneva could play host to a peace summit between Russian and Ukrainian leaders Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky, who look set to meet after separate talks with US President Donald Trump.

Speaking after he and other European leaders joined the Ukrainian president for high-stakes meetings at the White House on Monday, Macron said the announced Zelensky-Putin summit would be held in Europe.

A central question is now whether European countries will invest in developing their domestic defence industry or continue to rely heavily on US-made equipment.

As Europe prepares for a decade-long arms shopping spree to rebuild neglected militaries and narrow the gap with US firepower, its spending choices will shape the continent’s industrial base for years to come.

In June, NATO countries agreed to spend 3.5% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on defence in order to meet the military capability requirements outlined in the alliance’s defence plans.

Zelensky says Ukraine is ready to meet with Putin and Trump, if without preconditions, and outlines upcoming security guarantees: AFU funding, $90B US aid, and domestic drone production.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the issue of territories will be discussed directly between him and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin.

US President Donald Trump, Zelensky, and European leaders met overnight at the White House.

Grim humanitarian worker casualties figure revealed on World Humanitarian Day.

Russian strikes on energy infrastructure have caused massive outages, leaving over 30,000 without power in the Chernihiv region, while Poltava also suffered widespread blackouts.

Kremenchuk in the Poltava region suffered a massive Russian attack early Tuesday morning, Aug. 19. After the bombardment, the city was covered in thick black smoke.

Russian forces first struck the Poltava region with attack drones, targeting the districts of Lubny and Kremenchuk. At least 30 explosions were reported in Lubny.

The top US diplomat says the US is “no longer giving Ukraine weapons” - but is now selling them with European nations paying through NATO, a marked change from the previous administration’s approach

WASHINGTON DC - The top US diplomat said on Monday that a new peace initiative championed by President Donald Trump marks the first real “movement” toward ending the war in Ukraine in over three years.

Speaking on Fox News following a historic high-level summit at the White House - attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and an array of European and NATO leaders - Rubio said the talks broke the “deadlock” that had defined the conflict for years, characterizing the previous administration’s policy as a simple commitment to “continue to fund Ukraine for however much they need for however long it takes.”

Ukraine’s leader successfully navigates Washington summit, secures a promise of new security guarantees and a two-stage plan for direct talks with Russia, signaling a new phase of diplomatic effort.

WASHINGTON DC – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the wartime leader who has long commanded the global stage with his defiance and resilience, appeared to have navigated a treacherous diplomatic minefield on Monday, as he was joined by a powerful delegation of European leaders at the White House.

The show of force was orchestrated to provide a unified wall of allied support for Zelensky in his critical meeting with US President Donald Trump, who recently held a high-stakes summit with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. Trump has since been pressing for a peace deal that would demand territorial concessions from Kyiv.

Putin and Zelensky look set for a summit, after Trump said he had spoken by phone with Russian counterpart Putin following a “very good” meeting with the Europeans and the Ukrainian president.

AFP noted it would be the first meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders since Moscow’s invasion nearly three and a half years ago.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that White House talks involving Zelensky did not raise Kyiv surrendering territory, despite Trump’s public calls for compromise.

Asked by reporters if Trump had said that concessions were necessary before any US security guarantees to Ukraine, Macron said, “No, that wasn’t discussed at all. We’re well away from that.”

A right-wing journalist who attacked him sartorially in the White House during his last visit echoed the thoughts. “You’re wearing the same suit,” was Zelensky’s deadpan reply to the reporter.

The fates of nations have rarely, if ever, been decided by sartorial choices.

But President Volodymyr Zelensky was certainly hoping that a spot of fashion diplomacy Monday could get US counterpart Donald Trump to help his country reach a peace deal with Russia.

Trump interrupted a meeting with his European guests at the White House to call Putin, a source close to the talks told AFP.

Moments later, the US president started arranging a two-way peace meeting between Zelensky and Putin, to be followed by three-way talks involving himself.