In a surprising twist, Donald Trump has shown no signs of action as the latest deadline he set for Vladimir Putin to negotiate with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy has come and gone. During an interview on Scott Jennings' radio show, Trump expressed his disappointment in Putin, stating he plans to "do something to help people live," but provided no details on what that might entail.

Meanwhile, President Zelenskyy reported increasing Russian military activity, claiming that Russia is amassing troops along the frontline and launching continuous strikes on Ukrainian positions. "We are witnessing another buildup of Russian forces in several sectors. Putin is not being pushed into peace, and we will respond to these ongoing attacks," he conveyed in a nightly address.

On the diplomatic front, European allies stand ready to offer post-war security guarantees to Ukraine, waiting for more concrete support from the United States. French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are set to co-chair a meeting of the "coalition of the willing" on Thursday. Notably, discussions between the French foreign minister and U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio took place recently, focusing on intelligence sharing, logistical support, and communication strategies.

In a stark reminder of the ongoing violence, Andriy Parubiy, a important Ukrainian politician, was laid to rest on Tuesday following his assassination last weekend—marking the second shocking murder in Lviv in just over a year. Police have detained the alleged shooter, who claimed his actions were driven by personal vendetta, although they are investigating potential Russian involvement.

Adding another layer to the conflict, intelligence from South Korea reveals that approximately 2,000 North Korean soldiers may have lost their lives while fighting for Russia in Ukraine. This update comes as a staggering increase from the initial estimates of 600 reported earlier this year, with suggestions that Pyongyang could send an additional 6,000 soldiers to boost Russia's military efforts.

Meanwhile, calls for the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remain firm, with Ukraine's foreign ministry declaring that any attempt to normalize Russia's illegal occupation will be vehemently rejected. Putin, conversely, claims Moscow is open to cooperation at the power plant, which was seized in the early days of the invasion in February 2022.

On a more positive note, Ukraine has seen a significant 60% increase in electricity exports from July to August, despite the ongoing threats of drone and missile attacks. Experts attribute this uptick largely to favorable weather conditions boosting solar energy production, with exports primarily directed towards Hungary and Moldova.