Overview

• At events in Chisinau marking Moldova’s 34th independence anniversary, the leaders of France, Germany and Poland pledged “determined support” for the country’s EU accession, with Friedrich Merz saying “the door of the European Union is open.”
• President Maia Sandu accused Russia of a complex, unprecedented interference campaign ahead of late‑September legislative elections, citing alleged large‑scale funding, vote buying and crypto financing, with Transnistria highlighted as part of the pressure context.
• Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said any Putin–Zelensky meeting must be “well prepared,” signaling no imminent summit, and called discussions of potential European troop deployments to Ukraine unfavorable from Moscow’s perspective.
• Overnight strikes on Kyiv killed at least eight people and injured dozens, with Ukrainian officials reporting drones and multiple types of missiles hitting more than 20 locations, damaging residential buildings and energy infrastructure.
• Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia is sending negative signals on talks and urged stronger pressure and concrete security guarantees, as U.S.-led efforts to arrange a leaders’ meeting show little progress and Washington weighs tougher economic measures.