Live:Ukraine
🇺🇸 Trump congratulated Ukrainians on Independence Day.
“The people of Ukraine have an unbreakable spirit, and your nation’s courage inspires many. As you mark this important day, know that the United States respects your struggle, honors your sacrifices, and believes in your future as an independent nation,” the U.S. president wrote in a letter to Zelenskyy.
He added that the U.S. supports the negotiation process aimed at achieving a strong and lasting peace that will end the bloodshed and “preserve Ukraine’s sovereignty and dignity.”
🇳🇴 Norway is allocating around 7 billion kroner (about $695.7 million) for Ukraine’s air defense.
The systems will be supplied from Germany to Ukraine.
⚡️ U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Keith Kellogg has arrived in Kyiv.
He is taking part in the Independence Day celebrations on Sofiia Square.
🤡 Self-proclaimed president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has congratulated the people of Ukraine on Independence Day.
“From the bottom of my heart, I wish the citizens of Ukraine to find their own answer to today’s challenges, and for your multinational country — peaceful skies, solidarity, and truly independent development.”
🇺🇸 Since late spring, the Pentagon has been blocking Ukraine from carrying out long-range strikes on Russian territory, reports the Wall Street Journal, citing government sources.
The veto was imposed as the White House sought to nudge the Kremlin toward peace talks. Two sources said that at least once Ukraine attempted to use ATACMS against a target inside Russia but was denied permission.
Elbridge Colby, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy, developed a review mechanism for Ukraine’s requests to use American-made long-range weapons, as well as systems provided by European partners that rely on U.S. intelligence and components.
Under this mechanism, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has the final say on whether Ukraine can use ATACMS, which have a range of up to 300 km, to strike Russian territory.
In mid-August, the White House approved the sale of 3,350 ERAM extended-range missiles, expected to arrive in Ukraine in about six weeks. The $850 million arms package is largely financed by European countries.
Several U.S. officials confirmed that Ukraine will also need Pentagon approval to use the ERAM system, which has a range of 250–450 km.
⚡️⚡️ Ukraine has carried out a prisoner exchange with Russia.
According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian soldiers from the Armed Forces, National Guard, State Border Guard Service, as well as civilians, have returned home. Most of them had been held in captivity since 2022.
Zelensky also confirmed the release of UNIAN journalist Dmytro Khilyuk, who was abducted in Kyiv region in March 2022.
❗️Ukrainian Defense Forces have liberated Novomykhailivka in Donetsk region.
The successful offensive operation was carried out by the Active Operations Department of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, including the “Artan” unit, together with the 2nd Assault Battalion of the 3rd Assault Brigade. Ukrainian forces drove out the occupiers and regained control over the settlement.
Russian troops lost roughly a company of personnel and were forced to redeploy reserves from other parts of the frontline.
🇬🇧🇺🇦 The UK will extend its training program for Ukrainian troops until the end of 2026.
This refers to Operation Interflex, launched by Britain in June 2022. More than 50,000 Ukrainian recruits have already completed the program.
🇺🇦🇨🇦 Ukraine and Canada have signed several defense agreements.
Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Mark Carney signed an Action Plan to implement the Security Cooperation Agreement. The plan covers military training, strengthening defense capabilities, intelligence sharing, cybersecurity, and combating terrorism and hybrid threats.
Defense Ministers Denys Shmyhal and David McGuinty also signed a Letter of Intent confirming Canada’s plans to finance joint production of Ukraine-origin defense equipment in both Canada and Ukraine.
🇭🇺 The Hungarian foreign minister urged Zelensky to “stop threatening Hungary” after the Ukrainian president said the existence of the “Druzhba” oil pipeline depends on Hungary’s stance.
At a press conference marking Ukraine’s Independence Day, a journalist asked Zelensky whether Ukraine had gained more leverage over Viktor Orbán following strikes on the Druzhba pipeline.
“We have always supported friendship between Ukraine and Hungary, and now the existence of ‘Druzhba’ depends on Hungary’s position,” the president replied.
Szijjártó, however, did not take it as a joke: he claimed Zelensky had “used Ukraine’s national holiday to threaten Hungary” and accused Kyiv of carrying out serious attacks on Hungary’s energy supply.
Ukraine’s foreign minister quickly hit back:
“You don’t need to tell the president of Ukraine what to do or say. He is the president of Ukraine, not of Hungary. Hungary’s energy security is in your own hands. Diversify and free yourselves from Russia, like the rest of Europe.”
🇳🇴🇩🇪 Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil arrived in Kyiv.
“Putin must have no illusions that Germany’s support for Ukraine could disappear. On the contrary: we remain the world’s second-largest supporter of Ukraine and the biggest in Europe,” Klingbeil said.
🇨🇳 China will not send its peacekeepers to Ukraine.
This was stated by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun.
▪️ The comment came in response to a report in the German newspaper Welt. On August 23, citing European diplomats, the outlet wrote that China had expressed willingness to join peacekeeping forces in Ukraine — but only under a UN mandate.
🔹 American director Woody Allen took part in the Moscow Film Festival via video link — Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry called it a disgrace.
The 89-year-old filmmaker said during his address that he had “always loved Russian cinema.” The “discussion” was moderated by actor and United Russia party member Fyodor Bondarchuk.
Allen’s participation sparked a wave of criticism. Social media users asked: “Why the hell does he need this?” and “Does he really want to be remembered as the star guest of the aggressor?”
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry stated that Allen’s appearance is an insult to the memory of Ukrainian actors and filmmakers who were killed or injured by Russian war crimes.
🇳🇴🇺🇦 Norway plans to allocate $8.5 billion in aid to Ukraine in 2026.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced this during his visit to Kyiv.
“Today I declared that support for Ukraine in 2025 will also be extended into 2026. This includes $8.45 billion. I will propose to parliament that this amount be allocated,” he said.
🔸 U.S. Vice President Vance called Zaluzhny after the clash with Zelensky in the White House to explore an alternative to the Ukrainian president, but Zaluzhny refused to take the call, — The Guardian.
“Many of his supporters didn’t understand why he did it. But it was his principled stance: Ukraine had been humiliated, and we must remain united,” a source told the outlet.
🇵🇱 Polish President Karol Nawrocki has vetoed a law concerning aid to Ukrainians fleeing the war.
Polish Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski criticized Nawrocki’s decision:
“With this veto, Karol Nawrocki is cutting off Ukraine from the internet, as de facto this means blocking the law on assistance to Ukrainian citizens. This is the end of Starlink internet that Poland provides to war-torn Ukraine. It also marks the end of support for storing Ukrainian government data in a safe location,” he emphasized.
🔹 Russian forces carried out five airstrikes on Kostyantynivka in Donetsk region.
The enemy attacked the city’s civilian infrastructure with FAB-250 guided bombs. Four civilians were injured in the strikes.
An educational institution, a bank, a service center, apartment buildings, and two power lines were damaged in the attack.