As Russian troops push deeper into eastern Ukraine ahead of a high-stakes summit between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, questions are being asked about the future of Ukraine’s sovereignty, international alliances, and the broader security landscape of Eastern Europe.
Violence continues to escalate in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region. On Wednesday, August 13, Russian strikes on the town of Bilozerske killed two civilians and wounded seven more, including a teenage boy, according to Ukrainian prosecutors. Earlier in the day, a separate attack on Shakhove left one person dead and another injured.
Civilians have begun evacuating Bilozerske, fearing further advances. In nearby areas, Ukrainian military observers report that Russian forces are making gains in Nikanorivka, Shcherbynivka, and near Petrivka.
The frontline is shifting rapidly, as Moscow appears to be pushing harder to secure territory ahead of critical diplomatic talks scheduled for Friday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Russia is demanding Kyiv withdraw from the entire Donetsk region as a condition for a potential ceasefire — a proposal he flatly rejected. “We will not trade away our land,” Zelensky said. “Giving in to this now only guarantees more aggression in the future.”
Ukrainian military leaders say their forces are locked in intense battles near Pokrovsk and Dobropillia, where Russian troops are probing for weaknesses using smaller mobile units. Additional Ukrainian reinforcements have been sent to the area.
Military analysts describe the situation as one of the most serious offensives in recent months. According to the Black Bird Group, a Finland-based conflict research outfit, Russian troops have advanced more than 17 kilometers (10 miles) past Ukrainian lines over the past three days. Their goal, experts believe, is to isolate the strategic city of Pokrovsk — one of the last major urban centers in Donetsk still under Ukrainian control.
“It’s chaotic, but coordinated,” wrote Ukraine’s DeepState blog, which is closely aligned with the Ukrainian military. “The Russians are digging in, reinforcing, and preparing for further advances.”
Still, analysts at the Institute for the Study of War caution that Russia’s gains, while significant, don’t yet constitute a strategic breakthrough.
Ukraine’s fightback has reached deeper into Russian territory as well. On Monday, Kyiv’s intelligence agency SBU claimed responsibility for a drone strike on a Russian warehouse in Tatarstan housing long-range Shahed drones. It’s the second such strike in recent days, and videos shared online suggest the attack was successful.
Meanwhile, Russian authorities reported that a man injured in a separate Ukrainian drone strike on Arzamas, in the Nizhny Novgorod region, later died — underscoring the increasing reach of Ukrainian drone warfare.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed its air defences shot down six guided bombs and over 170 drones in a single day — figures that reflect the intensity of ongoing drone combat from both sides.
At the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which remains under Russian control, the International Atomic Energy Agency said its monitors had seen smoke coming from an administrative building, but reported no radiation leakage or casualties.
As battles rage, international attention is turning to Anchorage, Alaska, where US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Vladimir Putin this Friday. The summit, which Trump’s spokesperson described as a “listening session,” is widely seen as a turning point — or tipping point — in the war.
Zelensky was blunt in his assessment: “This is a personal win for Putin — he’s managed to delay sanctions and will now sit at the table on American soil.” Yet, the Ukrainian president also acknowledged receiving a tentative message through US envoy Steve Witkoff suggesting that Russia might be open to a ceasefire. No further details were given.
Washington and Moscow continue to fine-tune the agenda. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russia’s top diplomat Sergey Lavrov held a phone call Tuesday, confirming their intent to ensure “a productive summit.”
Meanwhile, European leaders are on edge. President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Berlin on Wednesday to participate in a high-level virtual summit hosted by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The meeting brought together key European leaders and US President Donald Trump ahead of Trump’s anticipated August 15 meeting in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Al Jazeera reports.
The video conference aimed to coordinate a unified Western stance before the Trump-Putin summit. Participants included Chancellor Merz, President Trump, US Vice President JD Vance, President Zelensky, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, among others.
Following the summit, Chancellor Merz and President Zelensky held a joint press briefing, while Trump delivered separate remarks from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Merz emphasized the importance of Ukraine’s direct involvement in any peace negotiations:
“Security interests of both Ukraine and Europe must be upheld at the upcoming summit in Alaska. A ceasefire must be the first step, and we’ve made it clear that Ukraine will be part of any follow-up talks. President Trump has expressed that achieving a ceasefire is a top priority.”
Speaking from France, President Emmanuel Macron reinforced this message: “Any discussion about territorial issues in Ukraine must involve Ukraine itself. President Trump was very clear—his administration seeks a ceasefire in Alaska. Support for Ukraine must remain firm, and that responsibility is shared by both Europe and the United States.”
A spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer echoed this position, stating that Ukraine requires “credible security guarantees” as a condition for peace. He reaffirmed Britain’s unwavering support for Kyiv.
During the Berlin press conference, Zelensky criticized Putin’s peace overtures as disingenuous: “Putin is bluffing. Russia wants to dominate all of Ukraine and is only pretending to pursue peace. Any negotiations that exclude Ukraine are doomed to fail. All matters concerning Ukraine must be decided with Ukraine at the table. A ceasefire is essential, as are strong and enforceable security guarantees. Russia cannot be allowed to derail our path to EU or NATO membership.”
Zelensky also emphasized the need for continued pressure on Moscow: “If Russia refuses to agree to a ceasefire during the Alaska summit, sanctions must be increased. That’s the only language Putin understands.”
President Trump, in his address, offered a characteristically upbeat assessment of the summit: “It was a great call—very friendly. I’d give it a 10 out of 10. There’s a strong chance of a second, even more productive meeting. The first is really about understanding the situation. I’ll be reaching out to Zelenskyy and European leaders again after my meeting with Putin on Friday.”
Trump issued a strong warning to the Kremlin, vowing serious consequences if Putin does not agree to end the war: “I want to end this war—it’s Biden’s war, but I’ll be the one to finish it. I’ll be proud to end this conflict, just like I ended five others.”
EU leaders issued a joint statement emphasizing that “the path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without Ukraine” and that “international borders must not be changed by force.”
Tensions are high in Kyiv. Reporting from the capital, Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford described growing unease over the upcoming summit: “European officials fear the closer we get to Friday, the greater the risk Ukraine’s interests will be pushed aside.”
Zelensky has warned that Russia is not preparing for peace — but for a renewed offensive. “All signs suggest they are gearing up, not winding down,” he posted on X.
An escalating humanitarian crisis is brewing at the Russia-Georgia border, where dozens of Ukrainians deported by Russia remain stranded in a so-called neutral zone. Georgian Dream Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, speaking at an August 9 briefing, called on Ukrainian authorities to “immediately take measures” to return the deportees, while reiterating Georgia’s refusal to admit them.
Darakhvelidze said approximately 87 deportees remain at the Dariali crossing point. “All of them have serious criminal records and have been convicted multiple times for serious or particularly serious crimes,” he claimed. He warned Ukraine against using delay tactics to pressure Georgia into accepting them: “We categorically declare that we will not endanger the security and public order of our country’s population!”
The deportees reportedly include:
- Former prisoners transferred from occupied Ukrainian territories to Russia;
- Ukrainians who served sentences in Russia;
- Civilians deported after refusing Russian citizenship.
Efforts to repatriate them via Moldova initially saw some success, but later stalled. Moldovan authorities raised concerns when some deportees remained in Moldova illegally. A hunger strike was declared by over a dozen individuals, and one self-harm incident was captured on video, sparking international concern.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it is working to “unblock the transit route” and organize the return of its citizens. A Ukrainian representative visited the stranded deportees recently, and medical assistance was provided to three individuals.
“The humanitarian situation at the Georgian checkpoint Dariali on the border with the Russian Federation is under constant control,” a statement from Ukraine’s MFA said, adding that they continue to coordinate with Georgia, Moldova, and international organizations. Kyiv reiterated its calls on Moscow to return the deportees directly to Ukrainian territory and previously accused Russia of “weaponizing deportations.”
Adding another layer to the unfolding geopolitical drama, Azerbaijan has begun to reconsider its previously neutral stance on arms shipments to Ukraine following what it describes as deliberate Russian attacks on Azerbaijani-owned energy infrastructure inside Ukraine.
According to Baku-based outlet Caliber, Russia has “systematically targeted” facilities owned by Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR. The most recent strike hit a gas compressor station in Odesa Oblast — part of a supply route linking Greek LNG terminals to Ukrainian gas storage.
President Ilham Aliyev has so far maintained a delicate balance, offering humanitarian aid to Ukraine while declining to provide weapons. But tensions have escalated since a deadly crash of an Azerbaijani Airlines flight in late 2024 — which Baku has unofficially blamed on Russian actions — and the deaths of two ethnic Azerbaijanis during a Russian police raid in June 2025.
On Monday, Aliyev signed a decree allocating $2 million to Ukraine’s energy sector and signaled a possible shift in defense policy. During a recent speech in Stepanakert (Khankendi), he told Ukrainians: “Never accept occupation.”
In response, Russian state media figures launched personal attacks. TV host Vladimir Solovyov suggested that another “special military operation” might be needed to block NATO from reaching the Caspian Sea. Others, like MP Andrei Gurulyov, called for trade bans and hinted that Azerbaijan could become a target of future military actions.
Azerbaijani media didn’t hold back. A scathing Caliber editorial mocked Solovyov and Gurulyov as Kremlin mouthpieces and warned Moscow against escalating: “An attack on Azerbaijan means an attack on Turkey.”
By Team GT
