Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to meet with former U.S. President Donald Trump next week during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. At this meeting, Trump will hope to see Zelenskyy call for stronger sanctions on Russia. With Russian’s war in Ukraine, Polman says the need for strong action is greater than ever. He would be right to feel frustrated with Ukraine’s allies. He has implored them to “stop wasting time” in reciprocating with action towards Russian aggression.
Yet the urgency of Zelenskyyy’s call comes as Ukrainian forces have increased their counter offensive largely across the country. Ukrainian drone strikes have increased in their effectiveness, striking a major oil refinery located in the Samara region of south-western Russia. It’s a major step-up in the conflict. These strikes are intended to cripple the Russian economy. More than that, their tactics uniquely specialize in zeroing in on infrastructure that production needs most.
It follows a Sunday raid in which Ukrainian UAVs targeted the Saratov oil refinery in its second hit in a week. According to a source within Ukraine’s SBU security agency, “It is this infrastructure that brings oil-dollar superprofits to the Russian budget, which fuel the war against Ukraine. Work to block these cashflows will continue.
On the ground, combat remains fierce. Velychko Zelenskyy claimed that “intense actions” have started in the strategically important direction of Kupiansk. This week, Ukrainian forces scored significant successes in northern Sumy oblast and around Pokrovsk. Russian forces have made major advances. They seized the village of Berezove in Dnipropetrovsk region and are pushing forward in northern Kharkiv oblast, advancing around Lyman, Pokrovsk, Novopavlivka and Velykomykhailivka.
The conflict’s toll on civilians remains grave. A missile laden with cluster munitions hit an apartment building in Dnipro, killing at least three people. This sordid affair is a reminder that a real human tragedy continues behind the fighting.
That’s the dispatch as British fighter jets flew their first air defense sortie over Poland. This mission has been implemented under NATO’s Eastern Sentry initiative. This operation highlights NATO’s commitment to bolster security in Eastern Europe in response to Russia’s military actions.
Worries over human rights abuses have emerged with the war raging. Recent investigative reports have revealed that Russian health workers are actively coaching torturers and investigating war crimes. They offer advice on how to maximize pain in electric shock torture sessions. Mariana Katzarova highlighted that such practices are framed by authorities as “legitimate exercises of human rights as ‘existential security threats’ and portraying such individuals as ‘enemies of the state.”
Zelenskyy’s negotiations with Trump in the coming days will be key for rallying the international community to counteract Russia’s aggression. As he gears up for this high-stakes meeting, he continues to stress the importance of tough action from Ukraine’s allies.
“Russia will realise very quickly that they have made a mistake and crossed the acceptable boundaries. Unfortunately, this is teetering on the edge of conflict, but giving in to evil is simply not an option.” – Petr Pavel
The international community is watching as this incredible situation unfolds. They understand that if they acted decisively, if they instituted real punishment and sanctions, the conflict could take a different and marshaled direction entirely. This is on the basis that we are committed to supporting Ukraine. Simultaneously, we need to address the broader impact of Russia’s military campaign on international order and security.