- Édouard Balladur, former French prime minister, died at age 97 on Monday, August 31.
- During a meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi urged Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine for the sake of humanity.
- Modi emphasized that every day the war continues, humanity is set back, and called for a cessation of hostilities.
- Kyiv and its region have faced drone attacks for the sixth consecutive day, resulting in at least nine fatalities.
Édouard Balladur, a significant figure in French politics, died on August 31 at the age of 97. His career was marked by a belief in the power of ideas, yet he acknowledged the complexities of political life, stating, "The whole art of politics consists in pleasing in order to be chosen, and then kept in place."1
In a separate development, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kyrgyzstan, emphasizing the urgent need to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. Modi described the conflict as detrimental to humanity, stating, "Every day that the war continues, humanity is, in effect, set back a step... We need to move from endless war to an end to the war, to a cessation of hostilities."23
As the war rages on, Kyiv has faced relentless drone attacks, with reports indicating that at least nine people have been killed in the latest strikes, marking the sixth consecutive day of assaults on the region. The situation remains dire as the conflict continues to escalate, impacting countless lives.45
Balladur's legacy is one of complexity; he once reflected on the nature of politics, admitting, "I believed I could succeed without compromising myself... but I overlooked the power of my personal interests, the violence of my passions."
“Balladur, who died Monday, once wrote that 'the whole art of politics consists in pleasing in order to be chosen, and then kept in place.' Meanwhile, Kyiv and its region faced a sixth consecutive day of drone strikes, killing at least nine people, as Modi pressed Putin to move from 'endless war' to a cessation of hostilities.”
Le Monde.fr
