Situation at a glance: Zelenskyj calls for a show of strength for peace

Kyiv (dpa) – The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky After his return from the USA, he called on his compatriots to mobilize all forces to achieve what Kiev sees as a just peace. “Everything that can be done this autumn, everything that we can achieve, we must achieve,” he said in his evening video speech. It is important to increase the pressure on Russia as much as possible in order to force an end to the war.

To this end, military and diplomatic efforts should be combined. It’s about those in the USA to implement the agreements reached. “Now it is necessary to work as hard as possible before Ramstein,” said Zelensky. A large meeting of the Ukraine support group is planned for October 12th in Ramstein, Rhineland-Palatinate. Among others, US President Joe Biden is expected there.

No permission for the use of long-range weapons

Kyiv hopes for further support from its partners, even if Zelensky did not secure approval during his US trip to one of Ukraine’s main demands, the release of long-range weapons to strike against military objects deep in Russian territory. The Ukrainian head of state said that he expected “concrete things” from his partners to realize the concept he called the Victory Plan.

The former US special representative for the UkraineKurt Walker, therefore classified Zelenskyj’s US trip as not particularly successful. The Ukrainian came right into the middle of the election campaign, he said in an interview with Deutsche Welle’s Russian-language service. However, Walker did not rule out that the ban on Kiev’s use of the weapons could come before the US election.

Situation at the front extremely difficult

Zelensky also reported a conversation with the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian troops, Alexander Syrsky, and the chief of the general staff, Anatoly Barhylevych. The head of state admitted that the situation was “very difficult”. He did not give any details. But it is known that Kiev’s troops have been under pressure in the east for months. Moscow is advancing on the three cities of Pokrovsk, Kurakhove and Vuhledar in the Donetsk region.

According to the General Staff in Kiev, there were around 160 battles along the front during the day. Almost 70 of them took place in the area in front of the three cities mentioned. While the military reports high losses on the Russian side in the official situation report, according to Ukrainian military experts, Russian units have already entered the city of Vuhledar from the south and west. For a long time, the city was considered a difficult bastion to take. Ultimately, however, the Russians were able to bypass the defensive positions.

Ukraine angered by Swiss position on peace plan

Ukraine has expressed dissatisfaction with Swiss support for a peace plan put forward by China and Brazil to end the Russo-Ukrainian war. “Any initiatives that do not contain a clear reference to the UN Charter and do not guarantee the full restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity are unacceptable,” the Foreign Ministry in Kiev wrote in a comment. Such “peace initiatives” only exist to create an illusion of dialogue. Kiev was equally annoyed that people were talking about Ukraine without Ukraine.

Last week, Switzerland took part as an observer in a meeting organized by Brazil and China on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. According to media reports, a six-point plan for an end to the war that has been going on since 2022 was presented. According to reports, the core should be a ceasefire along the current front line based on the model of the Korean War.

Swiss Foreign Ministry spokesman Nicolas Bideau said any peace plans are worth considering if they are based on international law, the UN Charter and the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty. This is also provided for in the final declaration of the Ukraine Peace Conference, which Switzerland hosted in mid-June on the Bürgenstock on Lake Lucerne.

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