On September 5, commentator Valeriy Kloсhok outlined the day's key events. Donald Trump announced his willingness to negotiate with Vladimir Putin and shared a mysterious photo of the two. Trump also criticized some European countries for funding Russia and purchasing Russian oil.
Overnight, Russian drones struck the village of Khotymyllya in Kharkiv region, killing three civilians and injuring two others. An attack on Dnipro involved 18 Shahed drones, causing fires. Preliminary reports indicate road workers were among the victims.
In response, Ukrainian drones targeted an oil depot in occupied Luhansk and the Ryazan region. The Ryazan oil refinery, owned by Rosneft, is one of Russia’s largest.
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy, confirmed his readiness for talks with Zelensky and Putin. Media report the preparation of multilateral negotiations involving world leaders such as Macron and possibly China.
The EU is developing plans for troop deployment in Ukraine to support the military and deter further Russian aggression. However, countries like Italy, Poland, and Romania say they will not send troops.
NATO Secretary General Mark Krute stressed that only Ukraine decides on Western troop presence, and Russia has no right to interfere. Russia, in turn, opposes foreign troop deployments in Ukraine.
European leaders are skeptical about Trump enforcing new sanctions against Moscow, though joint actions are under discussion.
Trump also intends to rename the US Department of Defense back to its historical name – the Department of War, which may require congressional action.
