Have you missed the latest events on the war in Ukraine? 20 Minutes Get the point for you every night. Here is the essentials of this Friday, July 4, 1.228th day of the conflict.
The fact of the day
António Guterres, UN secretary general, said “firmly condemn the last series of large-scale attacks of drones and missiles carried out by Russia”, in a statement referring to the attack on Friday, calling for a total, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
“The secretary general is alarmed by this dangerous escalation and the growing number of civilian victims. The attacks on civilians and the civil infrastructure are prohibited by international laws and must stop immediately, “said the statement made public by UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
Ukraine was the target on the night of Thursday to Friday of the most massive Russian drones attack on the war.
The Declaration of the Day
« It is a very difficult situation. I told you that I was very unhappy with my conversation with President Putin. He wants to go to the end, just keep killing people, it’s not good »
“This is a very difficult situation. I told you that I was very unhappy with my conversation with President Putin. He wants to go to the end, just continue to kill people, it is not good, “said Donald Trump to the press on Air Force One on Friday, the day after the two men who did not allow progress.
The American president hinted that he could be ready to tighten the sanctions against Moscow, after having avoided resorting to it since his return to the White House in January, hoping to persuade his Russian counterpart to end the war.
“We are talking a lot about sanctions,” said Trump about his conversations with Vladimir Putin. “He understands that it could happen.”
Donald Trump added that he had also had a “very strategic call” with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, when concerns grow in kyiv concerning the deliveries of American military aid.
Zelensky spoke of an “in -depth” discussion during which the two leaders agreed to work to “strengthen” Ukraine air defenses, after the largest drone and missile attack suffered by Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion on Friday.
Donald Trump said that he also discussed the sending of Patriot air defense systems in Ukraine during a separate call with the German Chancellor Friedrich on Friday, even if he had not yet decided to provide this key equipment. Mr. Merz “believes that they must be protected,” Trump said in reference to Ukraine.
The trend
This series of exchanges between the American president, Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky intervenes at a time when the cities of Ukraine continue to undergo Russian strikes in the face of the lack of anti -aircraft defense systems to effectively cover the whole territory.
Proof of the impasse in which the peace talks are found despite their recovery in May, Donald Trump had already admitted Thursday that he had made “no progress” during his interview with Vladimir Putin.
The third cycle of direct talks between Russians and Ukrainians has still not been announced, a month after a last not very successful meeting in Türkiye.
Our file on the war in Ukraine
Vladimir Putin still requires Ukraine to give up four regions, in addition to the Crimea annexed in 2014, and that it renounces to join NATO. Unacceptable conditions for Ukraine, which requests the withdrawal of Russian troops.
