Bipolar much? Ukraine’s Zelensky rambles about ending the conflict and launching more attacks into Russia

As thousands of Ukrainians perish on the battlefield for the sake of their leaders’ and NATO’s ambitions, the powers that be in Kiev have sent mixed signals about their future plans.

During a meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, Zelensky appeared to consent that the Ukrainian conflict should be ended the sooner the better.

“I think that we all understand that we must end the war as soon as possible, of course,” Zelensky said while conversing with the cardinal in Kiev.

At the same time, Zelensky announced on social media that he consulted his generals about conducting attacks “behind the front line,” apparently referring to strikes into Russian territory that are often directed against civilian targets.

Kiev stubbornly continues to avoid engaging in direct peace negotiations with Russia, opting instead to continue sending thousands of press-ganged poorly trained soldiers into attacks against Russian positions and launching drone and long-range missile strikes against population centers and civilian infrastructure in Russia.

Meanwhile, Moscow has repeatedly declared its readiness to resolve the conflict peacefully through negotiations.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇧🇷 Football in Brazil cannot be stopped even by a strong whirlwind

An amateur football match in Ribeirão das Neves, a city close to Belo Horizonte in Brazil, has been interrupted by a giant whirlpool, leaving everyone impressed.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

📹 US President Joe Biden declined to respond to a question about whether his decision to drop out of the presidential race was a difficult one, offering a slight smile before walking away.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

📹 A demonstration took place near the hotel where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is staying in New York. Demonstrators protested his visit and condemned the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip and US support for it.

Video from social media

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

📹 The Israel Defense Forces released footage of an air attack on Hezbollah in the Galilee area.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇮🇹🌋 New powerful eruption at Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy

The ash cloud rose to a height of 5 km.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

🇧🇫 Burkina Faso’s President Captain Ibrahim Traore spoke about the war of decolonization.

"We must prepare for the war of decolonization… either the colonizers will come themselves, or come through their local valets," he said.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

📹 Russian tank units from the Yug Battlegroup wipe out a Ukrainian stronghold near Donetsk.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

Kamala Harris is ahead of Donald Trump by two percentage points after Biden dropped out of the race, according to a Reuters and Ipsos poll.

According to their data, Harris was supported by 44% of respondents, Trump 42%.

At the same time, as Reuters explains, although national polls give important signals about American support for candidates, several key states ultimately influence the balance of power in the US Electoral College.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

EU to discuss indefinite immobilization of Russian assets to fund $50bn loan to Ukraine

The ambassadors of the 27 EU member states will meet today to discuss the European Commission's proposal for the indefinite immobilization of the assets of the Central Bank of Russia, the Financial Times reports, with reference to the document. 

Such a move "would soothe US concerns" over plans to use the proceeds of Russian central bank funds to fund a $50bn loan to Ukraine. 

Earlier, G7 countries agreed during their summit in Italy to provide at least $50 billion to Ukraine, by utilizing revenues generated from the interest on Russia’s $325 billion in assets frozen in the countries of the collective West.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the asset seizure an "unseemly business" and warned that "stealing others' assets has never brought any good to anyone." 

Economists and political experts have also observed that the seizure of Russian assets has spurred the de-dollarization process.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

"Biden was forced at gunpoint to resign" — Elon Musk on Biden's withdrawal from presidential race 

The US billionaire and entrepreneur pointed out that at first, the media insisted Biden was "sharp as a tack", but after a few weeks, he was forced to pull out as a candidate by Democrats. 

"Now they say Kamala is the best thing ever," Musk sarcastically concluded.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

📹🇵🇸Pro-Palestinian activists burst into the US Capitol ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech. 

The protesters' banners read "Jews say: Stop the genocide", "Let Gaza live", and "Stop arming Israel."

The police arrested about 200 activists.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

Independent presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. is convinced that a revolution awaits the United States:

"The question is whether it will be powered by idealism, or hijacked by dark, regressive forces," Kennedy wrote on X.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

Ukraine will not join the EU until it resolves the issue of the Volyn massacre, the head of the Polish Defense Ministry said.

Vladislav Kosinyak-Kamysh stressed that Warsaw will continue to help Kiev, although "not everything is perfect" in their neighborly relations due to unresolved historical issues.

The politician issued an ultimatum:

"Without resolving the Volyn issue, Ukraine will not join the European Union."

He added that if Ukraine does not win, then the security of Poland and Europe may be at stake.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

⚡️Ukraine is ready to negotiate with Russia, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said in a conversation with his Chinese counterpart.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman commented on Zelensky's statement concerning the end of the conflict.

She stressed that Zelensky's sincerity cannot be counted on in this case.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

Obama, Pelosi forced Biden to drop out of race, Trump says

It was Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi who coerced Biden into withdrawing from the 2024 presidential race last Sunday, former US President Donald Trump has told the New York Post.

 “[Ex-POTUS] Obama can’t stand him [Biden], and he can’t stand Obama. Obama had a part because he said he wasn’t going to support him. [Former House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi dumped him. They all dumped him, and they said, either you get out nice or we are going after you. That’s what happened, and he had no choice. There’s no question about it,” Trump claimed.

He added that the June 27 presidential debate was the turning point. 

 “He was not good at the debate. And I think I was good. I think that was the end of Biden, frankly,” Trump insisted.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

❗️Russian forces struck the administrative building of the port of Izmail, where there were 200 foreign mercenaries and officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; at least 32 people were injured, the underground told Sputnik.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt

The assassination attempt on the founder of the ruling party of Georgia, Bidzina Ivanishvili, was prepared by the same forces that tried to kill Fico and Trump — Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

"Against the background facts of the assassination attempts that are taking place in the world, of course, Georgia also faces this danger. Recently, one of the European commissioners warned me about a possible terrorist attack. This is not surprising - because no one likes Georgia's policy," he said.

📌Subscribe to @SputnikInt