Andriy Yermak, the most senior aide to Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, seemingly enjoys the silence from Russia following Donald Trump’s decision to move two nuclear submarines in response to provocative comments from the country’s former president, Dmitry Medvedev.
“The moment American nuclear submarines appeared, … [he] suddenly went silent. Russia understands only one thing: strength,” he said.
Expect Kyiv to keep making similar representations this week, before US special envoy Steve Witkoff visits Russia “Wednesday or Thursday” for further talks ahead of Trump’s 8 August deadline for a ceasefire in Ukraine.
On Friday, there were no signs that Vladimir Putin was willing to change his mind, as he repeated that the Russian “conditions certainly remain the same,” even as he claimed that he nominally supported “a lasting and stable peace.”
With things getting quiet elsewhere as we hit peak holiday season, this could be the main focus this week.
I will bring you all key updates from across Europe here.
It’s Monday, 4 August 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
