Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenskyy paid a surprise visit to Denmark and the Netherlands on Sunday to thank them for the decision to deliver about 40 U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. Slovakia’s political turmoil ahead of September elections increased after police charged current and former intelligence service chiefs.
Upcoming on Visegrad Insight:
- Alexandra Klitina explores the recent developments on the grain deal in Ukraine.
- Adam Jasser analyses the significance of the Polish and Slovak elections for the region.
EU/REGIONAL
- The EU said it had filled its gas storage capacity to 90 per cent, two months ahead of the November deadline, to make the bloc more resilient ahead of the winter heating season.
- Armenia has accused Azeri forces in Nagorno-Karabakh of opening fire on an EU monitoring mission in the region, escalating tensions over the enclave. The EU is trying to mediate the dispute, and the UN Security Council is due to convene on the alleged refusal of Azerbaijan to allow humanitarian aid to reach Armenians living there.
- Greece hosts an informal Western Balkans summit in Athens on Monday to discuss EU enlargement. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is attending, while Albanian Prime Minister Ed Rama did not receive an invite.
- Former French President Nicholas Sarkozy is investigated over Russian “influence peddling”, according to Le Monde.
- BRICS summit takes place in South Africa on 24 August, with Russian President Vladimir Putin attending via a video link due to his fear of arrest for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. Chinese President Xi is set to play the central role as he seeks to turn China into the “Global South” leader.
- Russia’s attempt to revive its space programme experienced a setback when the unmanned Luna-25 spacecraft crashed on the surface of the Moon on Sunday.
Half a million casualties in the war to date
UKRAINE
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