As part of preparations for a humanitarian operation in the Oleshky area of the Kherson region, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation stopped firing in the Kherson sector starting at 4 am Moscow time, the Russian Defense Ministry announced on Telegram. Finnish President Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Store had talks with Putin and then with Zelensky.
The humanitarian truce has come into force in the city of Oleshky, Kherson. Pope Leo XIV and Melania Trump also moved to the city besieged by the Russians and reduced to starvation.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store had a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin. During the conversation, Putin assessed the current situation in the conflict zone in Ukraine, recalling its root causes, the Kremlin press service reported. Putin noted that a just and lasting peace in Ukraine is possible only if Russia's interests are taken into account, and also discussed with counterparts security guarantees in the Baltic Sea and Northern Europe. Immediately afterwards, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also spoke on the phone with the two.
Meanwhile, raids continue on the rest of the country. A Russian attack hit an important bridge over the Dnipro river in the capital, killing a woman and wounding several people.
The conversation between Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store with Russian President Vladimir Putin is an initiative led by two leaders with whom Prime Minister Meloni has a highly esteemed relationship, leading two nations that border Russia and which have always supported Ukraine. But above all, and clearly, this phone call says one thing: Europe has not yet reached an agreement on who should represent the interests of the European continent in the peace process. It is precisely this void that pushes individual nations to move on a national basis, explain sources at Palazzo Chigi.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha arrived in Helsinki to meet high-level officials. A trilateral meeting with ministers from Finland and Norway is also scheduled today to discuss peace efforts and coordinate the decisions our leaders took in Oslo.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized the choice of Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store to act on their own behalf by calling Vladimir Putin. I am very skeptical about this Norwegian and Finnish initiative. It was not agreed with any of us, he told journalists.
One civilian died and another was injured in Ukrainian drone strikes in Belgorod Oblast, the regional emergency task force said.
I spoke with Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store following their phone call with the Russian leader today, Zelensky said on Telegram. According to Zelensky, the leaders of Finland and Norway have clearly told Putin that real de-escalation steps are needed.
Residents of the city of Oleshky will be evacuated along a route through Crimea. The news was reported on the official page of the Oleshky community. Buses and ambulances will be used to transport people.
The Iranian President, Masoud Pezeshkian, had a meeting with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in Moscow on the sidelines of the Forum of Gas Exporting Countries.
Russia attacked Ukraine last night with 16 ballistic missiles and 280 drones. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated this on social media. Artificial and prolonged delays in the delivery of packages of interceptor missiles for the Patriot and Nasams systems are directly helping Russia to achieve the objectives of its terrorist campaign, Zelensky denounced.
