On the field, the conflict intensifies between raids, drones and new diplomatic tensions with Europe.
The war in Ukraine has entered a phase of extreme tension. More than two years after the Russian invasion, the front lines have shifted eastward, with Ukrainian forces engaged in heavy fighting to retake Pokrovskstrategic center of Donetsk. While the Kremlin claims the shooting down of dozens of drones and new attacks against Ukrainian infrastructure, international diplomacy is looking for an opening that at the moment seems non-existent. From Washington, Donald Trump has intensified initiatives to promote a ceasefire, but every attempt is shattered by the rigidity of the Russian president Vladimir Putindetermined not to take a step back.
According to American diplomatic sources, the White House he proposed several times to Fly informal discussion tables to evaluate a suspension of military operations. The response of Kremlin was firm: no negotiations without the recognition of the annexed territories and without guarantees on the exclusion of Ukraine from BORN. A line that Putin defends obstinately, transforming every diplomatic initiative into an insurmountable wall. For the Russian president, the war is not just a territorial issue, but a strategic confrontation with theWest. And also the informal channels attempted by Trumpin an attempt to reopen a pragmatic dialogue, clashed with the “all or nothing” logic imposed by the Kremlin. On the European side, the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen communicated to Volodymyr Zelensky That Brussels «will adopt the new enlargement package, praising Ukraine’s notable commitment to the European path». The political message is clear: the Union supports the approach of Kieveven if the process remains blocked by the veto of Viktor Orbán. The same Zelenskylinked from Pokrovskreiterated that «l‘Ukraine is ready to move forward” and called for tougher sanctions against Moscow, including in the gas and nuclear sectors.
During a visit to the command of the first army corps “Azov” of the National Guard, Zelensky met the soldiers engaged in the defense of Dobropilliaa hotly contested area. “This is our country, this is our East and we will do everything to ensure it remains Ukrainian,” declared the president, confirming his desire not to give ground. In the same hours, Ukrainian drones hit a petrochemical plant in the Russian city of Sterlitamakin the Republic of Bashkortostanover 1,500 kilometers from the border. According to local authorities, a water treatment facility partially collapsed, with no casualties. Kievinstead, speaks of “targeted actions against logistical objectives” and claims new attacks on refineries in the Lukoil and of Sibur in the region of Nizhny Novgorod.
The Kremlin responded with a wave of raids on Odessaaffecting energy and port infrastructures. “Some drones were intercepted, others reached their objectives,” the governor reported Oleg Kiperconfirming damage and fires in multiple places in the region. The Russian defense also declared that it had shot down 85 Ukrainian drones in a single night, confirming the intensity of the clashes. The Main Directorate of Ukrainian Intelligence (GUR) explained that «special forces continue to repel Russian attempts to expand firepower on Pokrovsk». They fight neighborhood by neighborhood, in a war of attrition that no one seems able to stop. In this scenario, the diplomatic efforts of Trump they struggled with the idea of Putin of a permanent confrontation, in which force prevails over dialogue. The Russian leader appears determined to ignore any invitation to negotiation, convinced that only military pressure will prevail Kiev and redefine global balances.
Tension is also growing on the Western front. The Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned the deputy head of mission of the Russian embassy to the Farnesina, to protest against the words of the spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharovawho had commented in offensive tones on the collapse of the Tower of the Contin Rome. “The spokesperson’s statements are unacceptable – reiterated the Farnesina – and strengthen Italy’s belief in supporting those under attack in an illegal and unjustified war.” The episode, apparently secondary, reflects the depth of the diplomatic rift between Moscow and the West. Every gesture, every word, contributes to consolidating a climate of hostility that makes dialogue impossible. And while Trump attempts to reopen a direct channel with Putinthe only message that comes from Fly it is that of a leader determined not to give in on anything. An attitude which, more than any failure of others, testifies to the real reason why peace in Ukraine still remains a mirage.
