The gas reduction target, which will be applied in August and until spring, should be 15%, the European Commission proposes to the Member States, as a way of preventing the consequences of a possible gas supply cut. Lithuania approved the ratification of Sweden and Finland as members of NATO. And Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Russia’s goal in Ukraine goes beyond the Donbass region.

The 147th day of the war was also marked by several attacks in the Kharkiv region, where a 13-year-old boy was killed at a bus stop. In his daily speech, Zelensky called for more weapons to support Ukraine in the war, on the same day that the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrel, announced a new package of 500 million euros.

What happened during the afternoon and evening?

• The United States has warned Iran that it would be “a bad idea” to help Russia militarily in Ukraine, following information about Tehran’s possible deployment of drones in Moscow.
• The Ukrainian president described the first lady’s speech to the US Congress as an honor for Ukraine.
• More than 5,000 dolphins have been killed in the Black Sea since March as a result of missile launches from Russian ships into Ukraine.
• Lithuania will offer additional military support to Ukraine, the country’s Defense Ministry announced.
• A Russian strike killed three people in Kharkiv, including a 13-year-old boy, the head of Kharkiv’s military administration, Oleh Syniehubov, said on Telegram.
• The Ukrainian president held a “significant meeting” with the foreign ministers of Austria, Alexander Schallenberg, and the Czech Republic, Jan Lipavsky.
• During a press conference at the Pentagon, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley assured that the Donbass region has not yet been lost to Russia.
• The Russian president accused Canada of delaying the return of a turbine needed for the Nord Stream pipeline.
• In a speech to the US Congress, Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska called for the deployment of air defense systems in Ukraine.

What happened during the afternoon?

• The Turkish president has threatened for the second time in 24 hours to veto the entry of Finland and Sweden into NATO, if the countries do not fulfill the commitments agreed at the Alliance summit.
• Syria announced the severing of ties with Ukraine, in response to a similar decision made by kyiv.
• The Polish Senate unanimously approved the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO, a decision that confirms the approval already reached on July 7 in parliament.
• The Ukrainian president criticized Brazil’s position of neutrality, stating that he does not believe that it is possible for anyone to remain neutral when there is a war in the world.
• The president of Russia affirmed that the West has no model of the future to offer the world and that a new “fairer” world order is being created.
• Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, more than 9.5 million movements have been recorded on Ukraine’s borders, according to the UN refugee agency.
• The German government expressed confidence that Gazprom “will fulfill its contractual obligations” and resume gas supplies to Europe through Nord Stream, once the “maintenance” difficulties have been overcome.

What happened during the morning?

• The Russian objectives of the invasion of Ukraine “changed” and now go beyond Donbasstargeting new territories outside this region, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned in an interview with the Russian agency RIA.
• portugal already sent 315 tons of military equipment to Ukraineannounced today that Portugal has already sent 315 tons of military material to Ukraine.
• THE Lithuania today approved by a large majority the ratification of Sweden and Finland as candidates for NATO membership, completing the process of the Baltic States.
• Three Russian occupation forces killed civilians and one was injuredthis morning, in a shelling in the Saltiv district of the eastern city of Kharkiv.

The price of electricity will rise again in Europe in winter

• EITHER The price of electricity will rise again in Europe in winter, especially in the UK, Germany and France.
• A video with Vladimir Putin awaiting the arrival of his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, whom he met on Tuesday, is circulating on social networks: in front of the cameras, the Russian president was left on hold for almost a minute, showing signs of a certain impatience. It is speculated that the episode may be the “revenge” of the Turkish president.

This time, it was Erdogan who made Putin wait. Video shows Russian president’s reaction

• Ukraine created a parliamentary commission to monitor Western-supplied weapons to prevent what it called Russian disinformation.
• The British Defense Ministry report said Russia continues to make minimal gains in the Donbass, with Ukraine able to hold the front line. It also indicates that a Ukrainian attack on the Antonovskiy Bridge on the Dnieper River in the occupied Kherson region could make Russia especially “vulnerable”.

Defense Intelligence latest update on the situation in Ukraine – July 20, 2022

Find out more about the UK government’s response: https://t.co/nx8fNH0vaD

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– Ministry of Defence ???????? (@DefenseHQ) July 20, 2022

• Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei expressed strong support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, arguing that if Moscow had not invaded Ukraine, NATO would have attacked Russia later.
• EITHER Mykolaiv Governor Vitaliy Kim offers a $100 reward97 euros, to those who help identify Russian collaborators.
• The White House said the US Secret Service has information that Russia plans to annex more parts of Ukraine.
• Brussels indicates that Member States must have national preventive action plans in case the Commission declares a state of emergency in case of a sudden gas outage in Russia.