Zelenskyy gives Belarus ultimatum: remove Russian relay stations within a week or we will

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has one week to remove Russian signal relay stations located in two Belarusian regions bordering Ukraine, which are used by Russian forces to attack Ukrainian civilians. Zelenskyy warned that if Lukashenko does not do it, Ukraine will do it itself. This comes after recent exchanges of threats between Kyiv and Minsk, with Lukashenko apologizing for past remarks and stating Belarus does not want to be part of the war. Zelenskyy also mentioned Belarus's oil refining industry, saying it has become a major supplier for the Russian army and that Lukashenko has the power to stop it.

EU chief António Costa defended diplomatic outreach to Moscow, saying the bloc needs a direct channel with Russia to support Ukraine diplomatically, but acknowledged no credible signs of Russian willingness to engage. Russia said it is open to dialogue but will not accept ultimatums. French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Europeans will be at the table in any peace talks on Ukraine, emphasizing they are not mediators but firmly on Ukraine's side.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki said he will strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland's highest honor after Ukraine renamed an army unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), which massacred Poles during World War II. Ukraine's foreign minister called this a strategic error benefiting Moscow. Russian shelling in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, killed three civilians and injured six on Friday. French authorities detained and charged a Belarus-born man with spying for Russia at a French drone manufacturer.