Julia Shramko
European Council President António Costa discussed further steps for peace with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. European countries will work on specific security guarantees for Ukraine.
78 combat engagements took place on the front line during the day, most of them on the Pokrovsk and Lyman directions. Ukrainian forces are holding back the occupiers' offensive, repelling numerous attacks.
NATO military leaders plan to discuss Ukraine on Wednesday, according to The Guardian. The meeting will take place after the Washington summit dedicated to peace efforts.
The President of the European Council, António Costa, stated the need to accelerate work on security guarantees for Ukraine, similar to NATO's Article 5. He emphasized that the Ukrainian military should be the "first line of defense," and the main security guarantee should be Ukraine's armed forces capable of defending its sovereignty.
Representatives of the "coalition of the willing" countries will meet with their American counterparts to strengthen plans for security guarantees for Ukraine. Further sanctions against Russia will also be discussed.
US President Donald Trump believes that Volodymyr Zelenskyy should be flexible in negotiations. Trump also hopes for good behavior from Putin.
Switzerland offers Putin immunity to participate in a peace conference to avoid arrest under an ICC warrant. France supports a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin in Geneva.
European leaders held a video conference to discuss negotiations on Ukraine. Security guarantees, sanctions, and the return of abducted children were discussed.
Today, a meeting of the "coalition of the willing" took place, co-chaired by Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer. Security guarantees for Ukraine and next steps were discussed.
Ukraine has returned 1,000 bodies of fallen soldiers as a result of repatriation efforts. Among them are 5 bodies of servicemen who died in captivity, and Defenders from various directions.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares denied that the country's failure to meet NATO targets was the reason for its absence from the Ukraine talks. Albares emphasized Spain's commitment as an ally and its provision of military aid to Ukraine.
The European Council is holding a video conference to discuss the latest high-level meetings on Ukraine. The EU, together with the US, seeks to achieve a lasting peace that will protect the security interests of Ukraine and Europe.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that China supports dialogue and negotiations as the only ways to resolve the crisis in Ukraine. This was in response to statements by Zelenskyy and Trump regarding meetings with Putin.
As a result of Russian artillery shelling of Chornobaivka, an 11-year-old boy suffered a concussion, shrapnel wound to the shoulder, and other injuries. The child was hospitalized.
US summer housing sales showed the slowest growth rate in 10 years. The average home was on the market for 43 days, and the number of terminated deals reached its highest level since 2017.
Russian troops carried out a drone attack on Nizhyn in Chernihiv Oblast. A local resident born in 1980, who was 45 years old, was killed.
Chinese refineries increased purchases of Russian Urals oil, taking advantage of India's refusal of preferential batches due to Washington's increased trade tariffs. Urals exports to China almost doubled in August, while they significantly decreased to India.
President Zelenskyy summarized the results of negotiations in Washington with US and European leaders. Ukraine is working on the specific content of security guarantees.
French President Emmanuel Macron proposes Geneva as a neutral country for a Ukraine-Russia summit. He emphasizes the importance of security guarantees for Ukraine and warns against a hasty peace.
Russian troops launched a massive attack on the energy infrastructure of Poltava region on August 19, 2025, causing large-scale fires. Simultaneously, a production facility of Ukraine's gas transmission system was attacked, and ground infrastructure was damaged.
The US and Europe are beginning work on providing Ukraine with robust security guarantees. This should pave the way for a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin, and also avoid limitations on the size of the Ukrainian armed forces.
Oil prices fell amid discussions of possible trilateral talks involving Moscow, Kyiv, and Washington on ending the war in Ukraine. This could lead to the lifting of sanctions on Russian oil.
A high-ranking US official stated that a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy could take place in Hungary. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that they would meet within two weeks.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the NSDC Center for Countering Disinformation, stated that Russia is avoiding a trilateral meeting. This comes after a Ukraine-Russia meeting was discussed, followed by a trilateral meeting involving the US.
On August 18-19, Kharkiv region suffered aviation and drone strikes. Seven people were injured, including two children, and residential buildings and agricultural facilities were damaged.
Tesla officially unveiled the new 6-seater Model YL in China. Its price starts from 339,000 Chinese yuan, and deliveries will begin in September.
On the night of August 19, Ukraine suffered a massive attack of 280 aerial assets, including Shaheds, Iskander-M missiles, and Kh-101s. Air defense forces shot down 236 targets, with hits and debris falling in 19 locations.
In the morning, drones attacked the Chernihiv region, damaging infrastructure. Some settlements were left without electricity, and energy workers are working to restore it.
Over the past day, 186 combat engagements took place at the front, more than a third of them in the Pokrovsk direction. The occupiers launched 2 missile and 78 air strikes, using 5,489 kamikaze drones.
In the Sumy community, a UAV hit a residential building, a 62-year-old woman suffered an acute stress reaction. Over 60 shellings were recorded in 16 communities of Sumy region during the day.