A humanitarian truce entered into force in the besieged city of Oleshky within the Kherson region, bringing a temporary halt to hostilities in an area reduced to severe scarcity.
Diplomatic Push and Humanitarian Truce in Oleshky
The humanitarian truce in Oleshky carries a deadline ending at 23:00 on Sunday, with residents slated for evacuation through Crimea and an ad hoc mission sent by Moscow. According to reports, the measure followed efforts by Pope Leo XIV and Melania Trump. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump stated that a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be organized molto presto
(very soon
), adding that Verrà organizzato un incontro molto presto e credo che si possano fare notevoli progressi
.
The diplomatic talks also involved a trilateral telephone call between Vladimir Putin, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and Jonas Gahr Støre. The hour-and-a-half conversation addressed the conflict in the Kherson region and Ukraine broadly, security guarantees in the Baltic Sea, and international maritime law. The call drew criticism from other European partners, including Mette Frederiksen, who questioned the unilateral approach, while Palazzo Chigi sources stressed that Europe cannot continue moving in disjointed formats.
The 90-minute discussion followed talks in Oslo and Saint Petersburg involving US presidential special envoy Steven Witkoff. During the call, Vladimir Putin stated that a fair and lasting peace requires considering Russia’s interests, while Sergei Lavrov noted that the Nordic leaders brought nothing new. Following the conversation, Alexander Stubb and Jonas Gahr Støre contacted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to update him, and Zelensky subsequently thanked them for their support. The Kremlin stated that the three leaders agreed to maintain direct telephone contacts.
Zelensky Warns of Interceptor Shortages as Civilians Are Injured
On the ground, four civilians sustained injuries in Ukrainian attacks within the Belgorod region, according to the regional operational headquarters, including three people hurt by Fpv drone strikes in the village of Voznesenovka within the Shebekino district.
In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted ongoing defense needs as winter approaches, stressing a critical shortage of Patriot interceptors to shoot down Russian ballistic missiles. Speaking alongside Rob Jetten, Zelensky urged the United States not to delay deliveries under the Purl initiative, warning that every day of delay causes further losses and destruction as Russian ballistic missile and drone campaigns continue unabated.
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