Washington and its partners are considering additional sanctions if the parties do not observe a ceasefire, with political and technical negotiations between Europe and the U.S. intensifying since last week, Reuters' source said.
The Kyiv Independent’s contributor Ignatius Ivlev-Yorke spent a day with a mobile team from the State Emergency Service in Nikopol in the south of Ukraine as they responded to relentless drone, artillery, and mortar strikes from Russian forces just across the Dnipro River. Nikopol is located across from the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in the city of Enerhodar.
Peter Szijjarto's announcement came after Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) allegedly dismantled a Hungarian military intelligence network operating in Zakarpattia Oblast.
Moscow and Washington discuss the potential resumption of Russian gas supplies to Europe, among other issues related to the peaceful settlement of Russia's war in Ukraine, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov confirmed to the Russian state-run Interfax news agency.
"This is a historic decision, as weapons for Ukraine will be purchased at the expense of the proceeds from frozen Russian assets through the European Peace Fund," Denys Shmyhal said.
The flag of the Republic of Mali seen in the gallery of flags of the participating countries at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 9, 2024. (Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The transitional government of Mali is severing diplomatic relations with Ukraine over its alleged support of Tuareg-led rebels, government spokesperson Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga announced on Aug. 4.
The announcement follows reports that Malian soldiers and Wagner Group mercenaries suffered significant battle losses in recent clashes with anti-government groups in the north of Mali.
Andrii Yusov, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) spokesperson, alluded to possible cooperation between Ukrainian intelligence services and the Mali rebels during a television broadcast on July 29.
The rebels "received useful information, and not just that, which allowed them to carry out a successful military operation against Russian war criminals," Yusov said.
In a statement posted to X, Maiga said Yusov's statement was an admission of "Ukraine's involvement in a cowardly, treacherous, and barbaric attack by armed terrorist groups."
Mali will cut diplomatic ties to Ukraine "with immediate effect," Maiga said.
The West African nation of Mali has been the subject of a significant Russian influence campaign since the Malian army overthrew the government in a coup in 2021.
The Wagner mercenary group, founded by the late Yevgeny Prigozhin, has been particularly active in Mali and has been accused of perpetrating war crimes and widespread looting.
Heavy fighting broke out on the outskirts of the village of Tinzawaten in late July, with anti-government coalition fighters reporting that they destroyed "the entire column of the Malian army and Russian mercenaries."
The French news outlet Le Monde reported on Aug. 1 that Ukrainian special services had cooperated with the Tuareg-led fighters, including providing training on drone operation.
"We have links with the Ukrainians, but just as we have with everyone else, the French, Americans, and others," said Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesperson for the pro-independence coalition.
Mali's decision to sever ties with Kyiv comes as Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba launches his fourth regional tour of African nations. Kuleba will visit Malawi, Zambia, and Mauritius from Aug. 4 to Aug. 8.
Elsa Court
