The situation surrounding Russia's war against Ukraine is one of the leading topics in the Western press, BTA reported.
Great Britain
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ridiculed Russia's military efforts, stating that Russian President Vladimir Putin repeatedly postpones deadlines for achieving his goals, writes the "Guardian" newspaper.
The British publication indicates that Zelensky said this during his traditional evening address last night.
The Ukrainian leader pointed out that Putin repeatedly gives and moves forward deadlines for the complete capture of Donbas.
Volodymyr Zelensky ridiculed Russia's goal of taking over Donbas, saying that Russian forces have tried to take over the entire region 15 times and failed, another British publication, the "Independent", wrote.
"Since the start of the full-scale war, the Russian army has been given 15 deadlines to take over Donbas. The Russian political leadership remains obsessed with Donbas. They are gripped by this delusion - that they will finally take over Donbas - they have already taken it 15 times," Zelensky pointed out in his address.
"Independent" draws attention to Zelensky's warning that Putin will have to end the war or see another deadline pushed forward.
In Russia, the fuel crisis is deepening, with authorities considering allowing companies to temporarily produce lower-quality gasoline and diesel and allowing lower-quality imports amid Ukraine's attacks on Russian oil refineries, notes "Independent".
"The Guardian" writes that Zelensky's statement was a reaction to Putin's rejection a day earlier of a Ukrainian proposal to end long-range strikes and reduce the intensity of the fighting. The British publication focuses on Zelensky's words that Putin's statements show that he has lost touch with the mood of Russians who are lining up at gas stations.
"Even an oil-producing country - a "gas station", as Russia is often called, is now facing a fuel shortage. This is a direct consequence of the war, one of many consequences. This is also an example of how Ukraine reacted - with precision, not through terrorism,", Volodymyr Zelensky also said.
Russia declared a state of emergency on the Crimean peninsula and restricted fuel sales. Elite Ukrainian drone operators say this is just the beginning, writes the British newspaper "Times".
Spain
Russia has bombed Ukraine almost every day since Russian forces invaded in February 2022, leading to the largest conflict in Europe since World War II, writes the newspaper "Mundo".
Ukraine, for its part, has intensified retaliatory attacks on Russian territory and Moscow-occupied lands in eastern Ukraine.
Negotiations to end the conflict between the two countries, led by the mediation of the United States, continue to stall, summarizes the Spanish publication.
USA
Ukraine is transferring the war to Russian territory, but Russian authorities are careful not to talk about the shelters and not to sound the alarm, trying to downplay the consequences of the conflict by euphemizing them, writes the "New York Times".
Whatever you do in Russia, don't talk about the war, the American publication headlines.
France
Vladimir Putin is unperturbedly continuing his belligerent rhetoric regarding Ukraine, not responding to the Russians' increasingly insistent demands for clarifications, provoked by the pressure exerted on them by the war, which includes the use of drones, writes the correspondent of the French newspaper "Figaro" in Moscow Alain Barluet.
Putin is facing growing discontent among Russian society, the correspondent notes.
Russia - one of the world's largest oil producers - has introduced a series of restrictions on fuel sales across the country, writes the newspaper "Monde".
The recent Ukrainian bombings have paralyzed a part of Russian refineries, warehouses and logistics, creating problems for national supply, the French publication notes.