Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a seven-day ultimatum to Belarus to dismantle relay stations on its territory that Kyiv says are guiding Russian drones into Ukraine, warning that Kyiv will act unilaterally if Minsk fails to comply. The warning, delivered on Friday, follows repeated Ukrainian accusations that Belarusian infrastructure is enabling Moscow’s strikes, including a claim by Ukraine’s Air Defence Forces that 92 of 99 Russian drones were shot down overnight .

Zelenskyy’s demand, echoed in French-language media and confirmed by Politico , marks a sharp escalation in Kyiv’s pressure on Minsk. Belarusian state media have not yet responded publicly, but pro-government figures have reacted with alarm, with chief propagandist Dzmitry Azaronak criticising the ultimatum on Friday .

The ultimatum comes as European Union leaders remain divided over whether to engage directly with Moscow. António Costa, President of the European Council, defended his decision to open a channel to the Kremlin, arguing that the EU cannot rely on third parties to convey messages to Russia . Meanwhile, EU heads of state reaffirmed their “firm and unwavering support” for Ukraine and demanded a full, unconditional ceasefire from Moscow, insisting that any peace process must include Kyiv and respect existing borders .

Russia, for its part, has dismissed the idea of a ceasefire, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov describing a proposed two-stage truce as a “British bluff” in an article published on Thursday . The Kremlin’s stance was echoed in Greek media, which quoted unnamed officials rejecting the EU’s ceasefire call .

Analysts warn that the dispute over Belarusian relay stations could trigger further military action. Ukraine’s deep-strike campaigns against Russian logistics in Crimea and energy infrastructure near Moscow are expected to continue through mid-August, with Kyiv scaling drone production by 300% year-on-year . Meanwhile, the Baltic Times cautions that Europe’s security architecture is entering a phase where the line between active warfare and potential conflict zones is increasingly blurred .

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