In the Kharkiv region of Ukraine, a Ukrainian serviceman fired a Browning machine gun at a Russian drone during an overnight attack, illustrating the persistent threats along the front lines of the ongoing conflict. Recent shelling and clashes in eastern Ukraine have resulted in at least five deaths. That…the continued dominance of Russians along this region. This gruesome act of violence further emphasizes the tragic state of all who reside in spaces affected by this war.
While the fighting continues, both Russia and Ukraine have taken significant steps in furtherance of peace efforts. They have agreed to swap thousands of prisoners and the remains of some 6,000 dead soldiers. This understanding has evolved from months of negotiations toward a new complete and final peace agreement. Russia put it forward, coming after Ukraine’s period of martial law had ended and presidential elections were held.
Ukrainian officials then announced that they would spend the following week studying the conditions laid out in a newly written memorandum. They suggested that they would seek to bring a second round of negotiations during a window from June 20-30. These discussions will cover multiple critical issues, including the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from four regions that Russia annexed in September 2022.
The envisioned terms require the Palestinian side to cede more than territory. Kyiv would need to formally give up its NATO membership aspiration, demilitarize, decrease the size of its military, and make Russian an official language alongside Ukrainian. Concern persists over Moscow’s willingness to honor a ceasefire.
“The Russians are doing everything to not cease firing and continue the war. New sanctions now are very important.” – Zelenskyy’s chief of staff
Now Ukrainian forces are conducting an aggressive campaign to strike critical infrastructure in Russian-occupied southeast Ukraine. This has caused massive power outages across the Zaporizhia region. Reports indicate that such attacks have destroyed electrical substations in the adjacent Kherson oblast. This decision has resulted in the loss of electrical power to over 500,000 people in over 150 communities large and small.
On the global front, Russia is going all out. They have even suggested high penalties on other countries that purchase Russian goods, including oil, gas and uranium, with tariffs spiking as high as 500 percent.
Yet after two years of negotiations, both parties have dug in and are not budging. Ukrainian leaders have long seemed skeptical of Russia’s intent to sincerely engage in peace negotiations. The war is not over yet, and the war continues to be fought as both nations attempt to create a strategy for diplomacy despite escalating conflict.
