Russia and Ukraine exchange 400 prisoners. Ukrainian border guards stop fleeing men. All information in the news blog.
The most important things at a glance
The largest prisoner exchange since the beginning of the war
9:24 pm: According to consistent information, Russia and Ukraine once again exchanged prisoners of war. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that 248 of its soldiers were released after mediation from the United Arab Emirates. For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke about the presence of more than 200 Ukrainian prisoners.
Neither country has announced a prisoner exchange for nearly five months. Kiev accused Moscow of obstructing such agreements for political reasons. „There was a long pause in exchanges, but there was no pause in negotiations,” Zelensky stressed. The fact that these steps have now worked is “good news.”
According to Moscow, the exchange was “the result of a difficult negotiation process” that took place with the assistance of the United Arab Emirates. The UAE said that the agreement reflects its “strong friendly relations” with both Russia and Ukraine.
Ukrainian border guards stop the fleeing men by firing warning shots
4:10 PM: Ukrainian border guards prevented twelve conscripts from fleeing the war-torn country by firing warning shots. Authorities in Kiev said the incident occurred on the border with Hungary. All twelve come from the Zakarpattia region bordering Hungary. The refugees had previously paid a local expert the equivalent of 285 euros per person for the trip to the border. The driver was also arrested a short time later. The men face fines for trying to cross the border. The escape assistant faces up to nine years in prison.
Meanwhile, other refugees subject to military service were stopped at the border with Moldova. They were discovered using a reconnaissance drone.
Men between the ages of 18 and 60 are not allowed to leave the country. However, more than 700,000 Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 64 are now registered as refugees in the EU.
Gazprom supplies China with record amounts of gas
3:59 PM: Energy giant Gazprom said it set a new daily record for gas shipments to China. The state-controlled company announced that the previous day, more gas was transported to the neighboring country in a single day via the Power of Siberia pipeline than ever before.
In addition, Gazprom will deliver 22.7 billion cubic meters of gas via the pipeline in 2023, almost 1.5 times more than in the previous year. The West imposed strict restrictions on its gas imports from Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine.
The federal government refuses to provide Taurus cruise missiles
3:45 PM: The German government condemns recent Russian air strikes on Ukraine as a “war crime,” but continues to refuse to supply it with Taurus cruise missiles. Government spokesman Stephen Hebstreit in Berlin says: “There is no new situation” in this regard.
At the same time, he stressed that Russia's actions would be „strongly” condemned by Germany. “Large-scale attacks on civilian infrastructure are a war crime and absolutely despicable,” Hebstreit says.
The European Union places the Russian diamond production company Alrosa on the sanctions list
10:49 AM: The European Union has included the Russian diamond manufacturer Alrosa and its CEO Pavel Marinichev on the sanctions list. This is in line with the diamond ban imposed by the EU with its 12th sanctions package, EU Foreign Affairs Representative Josep Borrell wrote in SMS X.
8:56 AM: In light of the recent increased Russian air strikes on Ukraine, Poland is urging the West to provide the leadership in Kiev with long-range missiles. “We have to respond to the latest attack on Ukraine in a language that Putin understands,” Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski wrote in SMS X.
With more long-range missiles, Ukraine could eliminate Russian missile and drone launch sites as well as command centers behind the front. Sikorsky is also calling for tougher sanctions so that Russia cannot produce new weapons with smuggled components.
During a meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump verbally attacked his political rival Kamala Harris. „She’s really destructive,” Trump said at his Florida home, with Netanyahu in attendance. „I think her comments were disrespectful. She wasn’t very nice about Israel.”
Earlier, after meeting with Netanyahu, Vice President Harris said: “We cannot turn a blind eye to these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to be callous in the face of suffering, and I will not remain silent.”
Trump’s first meeting with Netanyahu in more than three years
trump card He said, referring to Harris, that he did not know “how a Jewish person could vote for her, but that is up to each individual.” He found their behavior “definitely disrespectful to Israel.”
The Republican also assured the Israeli prime minister of his full solidarity, the campaign team said. “If we don’t win, there will be major wars in the Middle East and maybe World War III,” Trump said. It was the first time Netanyahu and Trump had met in person since he left the White House more than three years ago.
Netanyahu praises Trump’s policy toward Israel
Netanyahu praised Trump’s qualities in the meeting Israel She added that during his term from 2017 to 2021, Netanyahu praised Trump’s mediation in the so-called Abraham Accords, the transfer of the US embassy to Jerusalem, the recognition of sovereignty over the Golan Heights, the killing of Iranian General Soleimani, and the termination of the nuclear agreement with Israel. Iran and Trump’s war against anti-Semitism.
Netanyahu is currently on a multi-day visit to the United States. On Wednesday, he defended Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip in a speech to the US Congress. He also reportedly discussed artificial intelligence and its impact on the economy with tech billionaire Elon Musk on the sidelines of the speech. He was welcomed on Thursday by US President Biden and Kamala Harris They were welcomed to the White House for separate talks.
hoping to reach a hostage deal
Asked by a reporter whether his visit to the United States showed progress toward a hostage deal, Netanyahu replied: „I hope so. But I think time will tell. We are certainly keen to reach (an agreement). We are working on it.”
Netanyahu added that Israel would send a team of negotiators to Rome, likely early next week. Regarding the status of negotiations over the release of the hostages still held by Hamas, he said that, in his view, there had been some movement in the talks “because of the military pressure we have applied.” “I hope there will be enough movement to complete the deal,” Netanyahu said.
In Israel, the prime minister is increasingly accused of delaying the conflict in order to avoid the collapse of his far-right government coalition, which is expected if the war ends.
During a meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump verbally attacked his political rival Kamala Harris. „She’s really destructive,” Trump said at his Florida home, with Netanyahu in attendance. „I think her comments were disrespectful. She wasn’t very nice about Israel.”
Earlier, after meeting with Netanyahu, Vice President Harris said: “We cannot turn a blind eye to these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to be callous in the face of suffering, and I will not remain silent.”
In an interview, Reinhold Messner, 79, settled scores with his sons. Now the son of the mountaineering star is coming forward – and revealing new details.
Updated as of July 25, 2024 at 2:45 PM: Reinhold Messner caused a stir in an interview last weekend. The mountaineering legend described, among other things, the early inheritance of his sons as “one of my biggest mistakes”. The 79-year-old revealed that “the question of who got more was the main focus”. But now son Simon responds: “It’s unfortunate and sad.” Bavaria Radio His father’s accusations.
He himself greatly values the inheritance he received from his father: two mountain farms in Vinschgau in South Tyrol, and he always passed this on to his father. „That’s why I fundamentally don’t understand this accusation,” says Simon Messner. He sees no similarity between the inheritance and the break in the family, which happened gradually and had other causes, says Simon Messner. Father Reinhold did not want to comment further on this topic.
After inheritance dispute: Mountaineering legend Reinhold Messner 'on the brink’
First report dated July 21, 2024: Bolzano – Mountaineering legend Reinhold Messner turns 80 in September. But things don’t always go well for Messner, especially in his old age – he recently drew attention to himself with a thoughtful Instagram post in which he wrote: “I’m coming to the end.” Now the 79-year-old is talking about the circumstances in his family. In an interview with Pharmacy Journal Miser gives insight into his relationship with his children, which was strained by his decision to leave the majority of his assets to them in his will before his death.
Reinhold Messner talks about the biggest mistake of his life – the 79-year-old was 'on the edge of the abyss’
“One of my biggest mistakes was leaving them the majority of my assets in my will before I died,” Meisner says of his children. “They don’t understand that everything was a gift and don’t appreciate my generosity.” This is very disappointing to him, especially compared to his childhood, when there was nothing to bequeath but respect and gratitude.
Meisner explains to Pharmacy Journal “We were a big family, with many brothers and sisters, and we took care of our parents when they were old. For me, it was the opposite. The moment I distributed my material inheritance to my children and my wife, the family collapsed. The question of who got more was at the forefront and I was on the edge of the abyss when I was 75 years old.
Reinhold Messner
September 17, 1944
Brixen (South Tyrol)
Member of the European Parliament (1999-2004)
Climbing Mount Everest Without Oxygen
Asked if he would like to improve the relationship again, Meisner replies, “What parent wouldn’t want to?” He stresses that each person should find their own path rather than following in the footsteps of others: “Everyone should do it. Follow their own path, go their own way.”
’I’m Coming to the End’: Reinhold Messner’s Fans Worried
Recently, Messner caused concern among fans with his Instagram post: “I’ve reached the end, this is reality,” the mountaineering legend used the words to say. Messner’s post caused great concern among some fans.
“I leave with a clear conscience and the knowledge that I was a good person, did my best, was a loving father, a good friend, and a good brother,” Meisner continued in his post. “Now it’s time to live my last dreams and love the people who mean the most to me, but most importantly, gratitude.”
Many years after his climbing career ended, Messner remains one of the world’s most famous mountaineers. He was the first person ever to climb all eight-thousanders. However, in his native South Tyrol, a different Messner has been in the spotlight in recent months: his younger brother Hubert Messner, 71, a former pediatrician who also took part in numerous expeditions, recently became health minister for the northern Italian region.
Recently, there was also a fuss about the Guinness World Records being stripped of Reinhold Messner’s record. The mountaineer spoke of „conspiracy theories”.
’Symbolic’ Consequences – EU Moves Ministerial Meeting From Budapest to Brussels
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Hungary, led by Viktor Orban, has held the presidency of the Council of the European Union since July 1.
Source: German Press Agency/Alexander Zemlianichenko
There is still a lot of anger in Brussels about Viktor Orbán’s “peace mission”: EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell wants to ban Budapest from the next meeting of foreign and defence ministers. But the shot could backfire.
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DrThe European Commission is drawing further conclusions from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s unilateral actions: EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday that upcoming meetings of foreign and defence ministers will be held in Brussels – not in the Hungarian capital Budapest.
Borrell said after a ministerial meeting in Brussels that he had taken the decision after a majority of ministers spoke out against Hungary and wanted to impose „symbolic” consequences on the country. According to Borrell, 25 foreign ministers condemned Orban’s behaviour. The Hungarian received support only from Slovakia.
But Borrell has also been heavily criticised for his uncoordinated move to cancel the Budapest meeting. “Spain does not support a boycott in the EU,” Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said. Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel called the idea of a boycott “nonsense”. Bettel said he would rather go to Budapest and express his opinion to the Hungarians. Germany, France and the Netherlands have also voiced opposition to Borrell’s proposal.
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In Brussels, it cannot be ruled out that Borrell’s boycott campaign will ultimately backfire: several ministers are now said to be staying away from the Brussels meeting on 28-30 August in protest.
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Hungary has held the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union since the beginning of July. Immediately after that visit began, Orbán made a surprise visit to Ukraine, Russia and China on a self-proclaimed “peace mission.” He also met with US presidential candidate Donald Trump. His meetings have drawn criticism from EU member states.
The European Commission had already reached its first conclusions a week ago. A Council spokesman had said that no commissioners would be sent to informal meetings of the Hungarian Council Presidency, but only senior officials. The decision was taken by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. There will also be no customary inaugural visit by the Commission to the new Council Presidency.
