Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour

In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) is greeted by Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev (R) upon his arrival in Baku on August 18, 2024

 Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, on Sunday for a two-day state visit, TASS news agency reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has emphasized that the primary objective of the Ministry of Defense is to drive enemy forces out of Russian territories and ensure robust border security.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed the entry of Ukrainian forces into Russia's southern Kursk region, marking his first public comment on the offensive that began five days ago. In his evening video address, Zelensky mentioned that Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, informed him about the progress of the conflict on Russian soil.

In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state owned Sputnik agency, Russia's President, Vladimir Putin (L) attends a remote meeting with Kursk Region Governov, Alexei Smirnov via video call in Moscow, on August 8, 2024.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the goal is to prepare a "real basis for a just end to the war already this year." He expressed confidence in the possibility of achieving this during an address posted on his social media accounts.

PARIS - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with European and international officials at an Elysee Palace reception in Paris on Friday.

"We all share the same desire - that our national teams achieve the best possible results. I believe in Serbia," Vucic wrote in a post on his buducnostsrbijeav Instagram account.

An air alert was issued in several regions of eastern Ukraine last night as tensions remained high. In the Pokrovsk region and the Donetsk region, where 33 clashes occurred within 24 hours, the front-line situation continues to be volatile.

LONDON - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday in London he had had many good and important meetings at the European Political Community (EPC) summit and noted that he had addressed with Emmanuel Macron the French president's visit to Serbia that would most likely take place in late August or early September.

Amidst a political crisis, France continues to swirl with Macron’s efforts to forge alliances, as the early parliamentary elections have caused strong reactions in the country’s political landscape, weakening the power of the French president, according to Bloomberg.

On the second day of the pivotal NATO summit in Washington, the Alliance's member countries announced an increase in military aid to Ukraine. The summit's agenda includes discussions on the organization's future and the defense capabilities of its allies, particularly in light of the upcoming US elections in November, which could see the return of Donald Trump to the White House.