European leaders are voicing concern that Moscow is preparing a fresh offensive in east of Ukraine, even as they meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to hammer out long-term security guarantees for Kyiv, Bloomberg reported September 4.
At a recent security council session in Toulon, German and French officials discussed reports of Russian troop buildups outside Pokrovsk, a Ukrainian-held city in Donetsk that has withstood siege attempts for over a year, according to officials familiar with the talks.
Zelenskyy warned last week that Moscow has shifted 100,000 troops to the Pokrovsk front in a renewed bid to encircle the city.
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Russia Pulls Elite Forces From Ukraine’s Northern Border to Reinforce Pokrovsk Offensive
Aug 31, 2025 15:43
If captured, Pokrovsk would pave the way for Russian forces to strike deeper into Donetsk, threatening the larger cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
The upcoming gathering in Paris of what’s been dubbed the Coalition of the Willing will focus on finalizing Europe’s role in security guarantees for Ukraine after the war. European leaders are also expected to raise the issue with Donald Trump, pressing Washington to clarify its contributions to the framework and to step up sanctions against Moscow, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
French President Emmanuel Macron, standing alongside Zelenskyy in Paris last week, insisted that “Europe is ready to provide security guarantees to Kyiv,” underscoring France’s push to present Europe as a reliable guarantor while keeping pressure on the United States.
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Ukraine Recaptures Strategic Village Near Kupiansk, Cutting Off Russian Access Route
Aug 31, 2025 11:59
The Netherlands and Poland are sending their prime ministers to the Paris meeting, while Britain, Italy, Germany, and the US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will participate via video link.
For now, Europe has taken the lead in drafting possible security arrangements for Ukraine. Options on the table include postwar troop deployments, a proposal that divides allies and has already drawn warnings from Moscow. Trump has ruled out sending US soldiers but has signaled possible American support in the form of air power and intelligence.
“Ukraine is going to have to agree with whatever the security architecture is,” US Ambassador to NATO Matthew G. Whitaker told reporters in Slovenia this week. But he added that Russia, too, would “have to be comfortable” with the eventual arrangement.
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Russia Intensifies Lyman Assaults With Fresh Troops, Chemical Weapons, Ukrainian Officer Warns
Aug 20, 2025 14:42
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said a clear agreement on security guarantees is “extremely important” before any meeting involving Putin and Zelenskyy. But momentum has slowed in recent weeks, with talks stalling as Russia gears up for further attacks.
Despite months of grinding assaults, Russia’s summer campaign has netted only marginal gains—about 2,033 square kilometers between May and August, or just 0.3% of Ukraine’s total territory, according to estimates.
At the same time, Moscow has intensified its bombardments: July was Ukraine’s deadliest month for civilians since May 2022, with 589 killed and 1,152 wounded, UN figures show. The August 28 strike on Kyiv killed at least 25.
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Ukrainian Counteroffensive Hits Back in Donetsk, Retakes Ground From Russian Forces
Aug 25, 2025 10:29
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stressed that strengthening Ukraine’s armed forces remains the most credible security guarantee for now.
“Ukraine must be able to defend itself in the long term, and we want to help it do so, both now and in the future,” Merz said, adding that military support must continue even through eventual peace talks with Russia.
Earlier, the Kremlin launched a coordinated information campaign aimed at overstating Russia’s battlefield achievements and shaping Western perceptions of its victory in Ukraine as inevitable.
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