01:05 Kiesewetter: Bundeswehr budget a disappointment for soldiers
In the debate about the height of defense expenditures, CDU defense expert Roderich Kiesewetter calls for a new definition of prosperity. "It is bitter and a disappointment for the soldiers that the federal government cannot prioritize the Bundeswehr in budget planning," Kiesewetter told Funke Media Group newspapers. This shows that "the Zeitgeist of the Chancellor" has not yet arrived and Olaf Scholz refuses to let the population down in the face of the threat situation. "It is also necessary to define prosperity anew - away from individual interpretation, towards social resilience and readiness to defend." Previously, the defense budget accounted for five or six percent of the economic power. "It is possible to prioritize if the political will is there," Kiesewetter said. A continuously increasing defense budget should aim for three percent of the Gross Domestic Product.
00:01 Green and FDP announce increase in Pistorius-EstateRegarding the budget negotiations in the German parliament, Green budget politician Sebastian Schäfer, who is also the deputy chief of the Bundestag committee for the Bundeswehr special fund, announced corrections to defense spending. "This is a solid basis for parliamentary budget negotiations," Schäfer told Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND). "There will, however, be numerous and significant changes. In security and defense policy, there are great needs that we will take into account in the parliamentary procedure," the Green added. The defense policy spokesperson of the FDP, Alexander Müller, is also open to further adjustments in favor of the defense budget.
22:16 Debris falls on clinic - seven deadA debris fragment from a rocket hit a hospital in Kiev, killing five doctors and two patients. According to "Ukrainska Pravda," this was the ADONIS Clinic in the Dniprowskyi district. A Russian rocket attack also shattered windows in a private maternity clinic in the same building.
22:10 Insider: Scholz plans clear statement at NATO summitThe NATO summit from Tuesday to Thursday, according to information from German government circles, will send a "very clear message" of support for Ukraine. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz will make it clear to the 32 NATO state and government heads that Germany is a reliable partner in the transatlantic alliance and will remain so, said the government representative.
21:56 Schmyhal: Looking for alternate location for hospitalThe Ukrainian government is looking for an alternate location for the attacked children's hospital. Premier Minister Denys Schmyhal made the announcement. The attack will be a topic at the next cabinet meeting. "We hope our international partners will draw their own conclusions," Schmyhal was quoted as saying by "Kyiv Independent." "We need effective responses to Russian terror."
21:18 Military court convicts Berkowitsch and PetrijtschukA Military court in Moscow convicts the theater director Evgenia Berkowitsch and the dramaturg Svetlana Petrijtschuk to six years in prison. The two artists were found guilty on Monday of justifying terrorism. Their lawyer announced they would appeal. The 39-year-old Berkowitsch and the 44-year-old Petrijtschuk were arrested in May 2023. The reason was a theater piece about Russian women who were recruited on the internet by Islamists in Syria to marry them. The piece received good reviews from critics and audiences and was awarded the "Golden Mask," the most important Russian theater prize, twice in 2022. Since the beginning of the military intervention in Ukraine, the Kremlin's crackdown on critics has been intensified.
20:48 Death toll rises furtherThe death toll from the heavy Russian rocket attack is higher than previously assumed. According to official reports, at least 36 people have died - five more than previously known. 137 were injured.
20:25 Putin receives Modi for teaPutin receives the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence in Novo-Ogarjewo near Moscow for tea. According to Tass news agency reports, they discussed various topics informally. Officially, they will speak on Tuesday. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov, they will also discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine during the official visit of Modi. It will be interesting for western observers, Peskov said in advance, as Modi snubbed the peace summit initiated by Ukraine in Switzerland in June.
19:49 Small groups of women protest in MoscowA small group of women protest in Moscow for the return of their fighting men and sons in Ukraine. The partially accompanied by small children demonstrators gathered with camping equipment in front of the Defense Ministry in the Russian capital, as can be seen in the images. They stated they intended to stay overnight. A policeman ordered the women to leave.
19:24 Reisner: Putin deliberately causes new refugee flowsDue to the strict measures against critical voices, demonstrations in Russia have become very rare. Groups of women or other relatives of soldiers demanding their return are the only ones still protesting in Moscow.
Markus Reisner, Austrian Army Colonel, sees in the Russian attack wave on critical infrastructure a calculated move. Alongside the sabotage of Ukrainian weapons production, it is also about causing new refugee movements and thus destabilizing Europe's politics.
18:59 Ukrainian forces shoot down five reconnaissance dronesThe Ukrainian Air Force shoots down five reconnaissance drones during the day. According to their own reports, the machines were intercepted from the sky in the south of the country, including three of the ZALA type, a Supercam, and an Orlan 10.
18:41 Heil: Dismantle bureaucratic barriers for Ukrainians in Germany
German Labor Minister Hubertus Heil is pushing for the dismantling of barriers to the integration of Ukrainian refugees into the German labor market. "We must dismantle bureaucratic barriers in Germany," Heil said during a summer trip. The minister visited a sawmill and woodworking plant in Buchenbach (Baden-Württemberg), which employs numerous Ukrainian women and men. Heil urged faster recognition of professions. Primarily responsible for this are the federal states. Tighter housing and expanding childcare are also necessary, according to the minister. Companies should also not wait for Ukrainian women and men to speak better German, Heil emphasized. He advocated for the use of currently offered job-training language courses.
18:17 Estimated cost of Russian rocket attack: up to 250 million US-Dollars
According to rough estimates, the rocket attack on Ukraine by Russia could have cost up to 250 million US-Dollars. This was reported by the US magazine Forbes, citing Ukrainian military sources. At least one ballistic missile of the type Kinschal was used, as well as four Iskander and Kalibr- and Zirkon-cruise missiles. Thirty of the thirty-eight missiles were shot down by Ukraine, according to the report. The value of these alone was estimated to be between 160 and 200 million US-Dollars.
17:58 UN Security Council meeting - Woodward: "Condemn Russia's cowardly and despicable attack"
The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet, according to diplomatic sources, regarding Russia's attack on Kiev, which also hit a children's hospital. "We will condemn Russia's cowardly and despicable attack on the hospital," British UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward stated at X. The application for a session was reportedly submitted by the USA, Great Britain, France, Ecuador, and Slovenia. Russia holds a veto power in the Security Council.
17:38 Lauterbach: Bringing sick Ukrainian children to Germany
The German government plans to treat sick children from Ukraine in Germany. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach wrote on X that he had promised Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Ljaschko that sick children in need could be taken in at any time. A rescue flight was scheduled to start on Wednesday, according to the SPD politician. It was reportedly planned before the attack on a children's hospital in Kiev. Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makeiev, thanked Lauterbach at X "for active solidarity and compassionate humanity." This could "save children's lives." Lauterbach condemned the attack on the children's hospital. Putin once again showed through the "targeted attack on a children's hospital that he is a war criminal."
17:25 Eder: Utilize NATO's deterrence window "without fail"
Russia has been deliberately preparing its economy for war for some time. Philipp Eder, Military Commander of the Austrian Armed Forces, warns of a closing window of opportunity for NATO.
16:56 Monday 31 More deaths after rocket attack
The number of casualties from the large-scale Russian rocket attack on Ukraine continues to rise. "In Ukraine, 31 people have been killed and 125 have been injured," the Interior Ministry in Kiev reports. In the capital Kiev alone, 20 people were killed and 61 were injured. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that the Russian military fired 38 rockets of various types at targets in Ukrainian cities. 30 of them were intercepted by the air defense. President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously spoken of over 40 rockets that had been fired at the cities of Kiev, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
16:39 Brandenburg refinery without Russian oil at 80% capacity
One and a half years after the abandonment of Russian crude oil, the important refinery PCK in Brandenburg, Schwedt, manages an output of around 80% with the help of new supply routes. That's what's possible with the current supply sources, said PCK CEO Rolf Schairer on the sidelines of a visit by the Federal Commissioner for Eastern European Policy Carsten Schneider. The utilization rate is significantly above the utilization rate at the beginning of 2023, but below the earlier years. From the perspective of the Federal Government, the location is secure. The refinery had long processed only Russian crude oil from the Druzhba pipeline.
16:22 Ukrainian security service: Russian cruise missile hits children's hospital
The lethal attack on a children's hospital in Kiev, according to findings by the domestic security service SBU, was carried out by a Russian cruise missile. At the scene, "relevant evidence, in particular fragments from the rear part of a Ch-101 rocket, including a serial number" were found, the SBU statement says. At least two nurses were killed and seven other people were injured, including children. Moscow had previously denied responsibility and claimed that the hospital was hit by debris from Ukrainian air defense rockets. No evidence was presented.
15:55 Federal Government hopes for more air defense for Ukraine at NATO summit
The Federal Government hopes for commitments at the NATO summit for the delivery of air defense systems to Ukraine. The talks on the additional Patriot air defense systems requested by Kiev are still ongoing and "may even be continued during the summit," says a high-ranking government representative in Berlin. "We understand the priority." Decisions on Ukraine's desired NATO membership are not planned.
15:40 Governor: One dead in attack on Russian oblast Belgorod
According to the governor's statements, a civilian was killed in a Ukrainian attack on the Russian oblast Belgorod. The man was injured in the village of Nikolskoje and later died. Three other people were injured. The number of injured could still increase. Belgorod borders Ukraine and has long been a target of Ukrainian attacks.
15:24 Zelensky: "What cynicism the cretins in the Kremlin are spreading"
President Zelensky reacts angrily to Russian claims that a missile defense error caused damages to a children's hospital in Kyiv. "What cynicism the cretins in the Kremlin are spreading, that it was allegedly the Ukrainian air defense and not a targeted missile strike that caused it," says the Ukrainian president at a press conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw. Zelensky thanks all those who have posted videos online, "on which it is clearly visible that it is not just a part of one or another missile, but a direct missile strike that killed and injured many people." Previously, the Russian Defense Ministry had stated in a statement that a surface-to-air missile launched from the outskirts caused the damage.
15:07 German government directly addresses Putin
The German government condemns the heavy Russian missile attacks on Ukraine sharply - among other things, on a children's hospital in the capital Kyiv. A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office in Berlin demands that Putin "immediately end this war of aggression against so many innocent people." "The situation of civilians and children in Ukraine is in large parts dramatic."
14:55 Insider: NATO summit to clearly show support for Ukraine
The NATO summit from Tuesday to Thursday will send a "very clear message" of support for Ukraine, according to a German government representative. The 32 NATO countries could promise Ukraine annually around 40 billion Euros, this is to be expected at the meeting. NATO itself will not take an active role in the Ukraine.
14:47 Tusk: Decision on peace not without Ukraine
President Zelensky announces retaliation for the massive Russian missile attack, in which, according to Ukrainian reports, 29 people were killed. Ukraine will also apply for a meeting of the UN Security Council, says Zelensky during his visit to Warsaw. In addition, Ukraine expects concrete steps from its allies at the NATO summit this week regarding strengthening its air defense.
14:38 Tusk: Decision on peace not without Ukraine
Peace in Ukraine can only be achieved with Ukraine, according to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. No one can make such a decision without the involvement of Ukraine, Tusk said in Warsaw on the occasion of Zelensky's visit. Both leaders sign a security agreement between their countries. Ukraine can count on Poland's support in its efforts to become a NATO member.
14:24 After Putin's speech: Orbán rules out Russian attack on NATO
Putin intends no attack on NATO, Hungary's Prime Minister Orbán is convinced: "No serious person can speak of Russia's intention to attack NATO", Orbán told the "Bild" newspaper. It is completely impossible for Russia, not just for itself but for anyone in the world, to attack NATO, which is the strongest military alliance, Orbán added. However, the condition is that the unity of NATO be maintained and Article Five of the NATO Treaty be respected by all. This article regulates the mutual defense commitment in the Alliance and states that an armed attack against one or more Allies shall be considered an attack against all. Orbán also referred to the many problems that Russia already has at the front with Ukraine.
13:58 Ambassador Jäger: "This is how Russia's negotiation readiness and peace will look"
Diplomatic representatives of several western countries in Ukraine condemn the latest Russian air raids on Ukrainian cities. At least 30 people have been killed and approximately 90 have been injured. A children's clinic in the Ukrainian capital was also hit. "Many victims in Kyiv, dead, injured. This is a war against civilians. This is how Russia's negotiation readiness and peace look", German Ambassador Martin Jäger wrote on X.
13:46 "Defensive capabilities are still insufficient" - Ukraine calls for more air defense systems
The Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is urging his country's allies to make quick decisions on the delivery of additional air defense systems. "Our defensive capabilities are still insufficient", Umerov wrote on Telegram after the massive wave of Russian rocket attacks. "We need more air defense systems." In the rocket attacks on several cities in Ukraine, more than 20 people were killed and dozens were injured in the morning.
13:30 Russia: Airbase targets hit
The Russian military, according to the Defense Ministry in Moscow, has targeted Ukrainian airbase facilities. Infrastructure of the defense industry was also in the crosshairs. "The targets of the attack were hit. The designated objects were struck", the ministry reported. Russia has repeatedly stated that its troops are not targeting civilian targets.
13:05 Kiev: 1200 Russian soldiers "eliminated" in one day
The official losses on the Russian side, according to statements from Kiev, remain high: 1200 Russian soldiers are said to have been killed or incapacitated within one day. According to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, a total of 552,190 Russian soldiers have been "eliminated" since the beginning of the war in February 2022. The Defense Ministry in its daily reports on Russian losses in Ukraine has announced that the enemy has lost 16 more tanks (8171). Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Ukraine counts around 15,700 armored vehicles and around 11,900 drones that are no longer in the possession of the Russian military or have been destroyed. The figures cannot be independently verified. Moscow itself keeps information on its own losses in Ukraine to itself.
12:39 Habeck on Orban's "Peace Mission": Hungary's Prime Minister "does not speak for Europe" in Beijing
Although Hungary's Prime Minister may be making every effort with his self-proclaimed "Peace Mission" and visits to Kiev, Moscow, and now Beijing to give that impression: Despite Hungary taking over the EU Council Presidency on July 1st, Orban cannot speak for the European Union in this capacity. German Economy Minister Robert Habeck of the Greens distanced himself from the visit of the Hungarian Prime Minister to Beijing. Orban "went to China as the Hungarian Prime Minister and not as a representative of Europe," Habeck clarified to the TV station Welt. "He can certainly do that. But he is not speaking for Europe at this point." European politicians could and should travel to China, the Green politician added. "I was there myself just recently. That's not a problem in itself. The question is: What is being discussed there? And Hungarian politics often behaves in a way that is not how it should be," the Vice-Chancellor stated. "Instead, it often represents ideas that are, in my opinion, not in line with the core thoughts of the European Union, namely liberty within and European self-awareness without, but rather seeks an overly close proximity to what I consider to be the wrong political leaders."
12:25 Governor: Three Dead in Russian Attack on Pokrovsk in Eastern Ukraine
At daybreak, the Russian military attacked several Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kiev and Kryvyj Rih, the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelensky. In the east of Ukraine, there were missile attacks: At least three people have been killed in a Russian attack on the city of Pokrovsk. A rocket hit a building that was not further identified by the regional governor on Telegram.
12:10 Russian Air Strike on Kiev: Death Toll Rises to Nine
The death toll from the Russian air strike on the Ukrainian capital Kiev has risen to nine. Thirty-three people were injured, according to the prosecutor's office. A children's hospital was destroyed in the heavy air strike. The search for victims under the rubble is ongoing.
11:46 Klitschko: One of the heaviest attacks on Kiev - Death Toll Rises to Seven
The Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital Kiev is one of the heaviest in the conflict that has been raging for more than two years, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko. "You can see: It's a children's hospital," he told the news agency Reuters, standing next to a heavily damaged building. The death toll from the massive rocket attack on Kiev has risen to seven, according to local authorities.
11:24 Authorities report ten dead and over 30 injured in attack on Kryvyj Rih
In the city of Kryvyj Rih in central Ukraine, ten people were killed and over 30 were injured in a heavy Russian rocket attack, according to local authorities. Multiple impacts were reported. Damage was also reported at the administrative building of an industrial company.
11:10 Orban on War Developments: "Next Months Will Be Much Bloodier Than We Think"
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban expects a significant escalation of war intensity in the coming months following his talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "Believe me: The next two, three months will be much bloodier than we think," Orban said in an interview for "Bild" and other Axel Springer Media in his office in Budapest. Orban referred to the influx of high-quality weapons to Ukraine and the Russians' determination. "The energy of the confrontation, the number of deaths, the number of casualties will therefore be bloodier than in the past seven months," Orban added.
10:47 Five Dead in Russian Air Strikes on Kiev - Children's Hospital Hit
The Russian army has attacked Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, in several waves with rockets. According to the Ukrainian military administration, five people were killed in Kiev during the attacks; nine more were injured. In the city center, there were approximately twenty explosions, presumably from surface-to-air missiles, as reported by a reporter from the news agency dpa. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported falling debris in four districts and numerous emergency calls. According to Klitschko and the head of the Presidential Administration, Andriy Yermak, there was also a strike on a children's hospital.
More about this here.
10:40 Selenskyy Meets Polish Leadership Before NATO Summit
Before the NATO summit in Washington, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyy will meet with Poland's leadership in Warsaw. A lunchtime meeting with Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki is scheduled, as the Polish government announced. Morawiecki had recently announced that he would likely sign a bilateral security agreement with Selenskyy. Selenskyy then meets his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda in the early afternoon. Poland, an EU and NATO member, is one of the most active political and military supporters of the Russia-attacked Ukraine. It also plays a crucial role as a hub for Western military aid to Kiev.
10:18 Creative Air Defense: Ukrainians Shoot Down Russian Drone with Small Aircraft
Weapons deliveries from the West are delayed. The creativity of the Ukrainians in dealing with the lack of air defense systems is illustrated in drone hunt footage. Ukrainian soldiers shoot down Russian drones from the sky - with a small aircraft and a rifle.
09:54 Xi Calls for Ceasefire and Negotiations in Ukraine
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a ceasefire and negotiations in Ukraine. This would serve the interests of all parties involved, Xi said at a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Beijing, according to state media. The situation in Ukraine must be de-escalated as much as possible. The international community must create the conditions for Russia and Ukraine to engage in direct dialogue. This requires a "positive energy." Xi did not specify how this should be achieved or who would play a significant role. Orban unexpectedly arrived in Beijing today.
Ukrainian Air Force destroys three missiles over Cherkassy and SchytomyrAccording to their own statements, the Ukrainian air defense has shot down three Russian missiles. In total, Russia had attacked with six missiles of the Kh-101 type, reported the Ukrainian Air Force. The three hit missiles were destroyed over the Cherkassy and Schytomyr regions. There is currently no information on possible damages.
09:10 Pistorius upsets NATO Summit over insufficient defense budgetIn his first public statement since the coalition government's budget compromise of the traffic light coalition, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius of the SPD expressed his displeasure over the consequences of the agreement. "Yes, I have received significantly less than I registered. That's frustrating for me because I can't get things going as quickly as Zeitgeist and the threat situation require," said Pistorius, who is currently visiting Fairbanks in Alaska for the NATO exercise Arctic Defender 2024. Pistorius said: "We'll see what happens in the next weeks and months. I have to adapt and make the best of it."
08:41 Institutes: Sanctions barely affect Russia's war capabilitiesSanctions have had only minor effects on Russia's war-fighting capabilities. This is the conclusion reached by a research project of four institutes, including the Munich Ifo and the IfW in Kiel, for the Federal Ministry of Economics. "The Russian economy is growing robustly due to the arms boom at the moment, but the sanctions are working like a slowly acting poison in the long term," says Vasily Astrov, Russia expert at the Vienna Institute for International Economic Comparisons.
07:58 Media: Russia thwarts capture of strategic bomber by UkraineThe Russian domestic security service FSB has, according to reports from Russian news agencies, prevented Ukrainian troops from capturing a strategic bomber of the Tu-22M3 type and flying it into Ukraine. The state news agency TASS reports that Russia received tips and then attacked the Oserne airfield west of Kyiv.
07:19 Orban: China is an important force in efforts to end the warHungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban considers China an important force in efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Hungary values China's peace initiative highly, reports the Hungarian news agency MTI. Orban is currently in Beijing and plans to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
06:53 Four people killed in mine explosion in CharkiwFour people, including a child, have been killed in a mine explosion in the Charkiw region. The regional state administration head, Oleh Syniehubov, reported this to the news agency Ukrinform via Telegram.
06:26 Several injured in Russian attack on NikopolSeveral people, including a child, have been injured in Russian attacks in the Dnipropetrowsk region. A ten-year-old boy and four women were injured in attacks on the city of Nikopol in the Dnipropetrowsk region, according to the Ukrainian newspaper "Kyiv Independent," citing regional governor Serhiy Lysak.
05:42 Indian Prime Minister Modi travels to Moscow
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Russia for the first time since the war began. During the official visit, according to Kremlin sources, discussions about Russia's invasion in Ukraine will be held. Western observers find it interesting, says Kreml spokesman Dmitri Peskov in advance, considering that Modi snubbed the peace summit initiated by Ukraine in Switzerland in June. India's trade with resource giant Russia has intensified recently.
04:21 Rockets heading towards Kiev - danger averted
Four strategic bombers took off from the Russian military airfield Olenja, and Ukraine declared an air alarm for the entire country. Missiles were reportedly heading towards Kiev and the western city of Schytomyr. The Air Force reports that the danger has been partially neutralized, and people in the east and south are advised to remain in shelters.
02:18 Self-proclaimed "Peace Mission": Orban lands in China
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has arrived in Beijing as part of his self-proclaimed "Peace Mission." There, he plans to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. It is already the third unexpected foreign trip Orban has taken since Hungary took over the rotating EU presidency in early July. Before that, he visited Ukraine and Russia, which drew fierce criticism from EU members. The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that Orban would meet with President Xi Jinping for talks on "matters of common interest."
01:43 General Inspector Breuer: Russia could turn against NATO countries by 2029
German Armed Forces Inspector General Carsten Breuer is calling for a strengthening of defense spending. Russia could turn against NATO countries around 2029, Breuer warned in the "Süddeutsche Zeitung": "Russia is currently building up potential that far exceeds what it needed for the attack on Ukraine. The Russian armed forces are planning an increase to 1.5 million soldiers, which is more soldiers and soldiers than in the entire EU. They also produce between 1000 and 1500 tanks every year. If they take the five largest NATO armies in Europe, they have only half of what Russia now spends annually on tanks. We need to be prepared."
00:57 Zelensky meets with Republican Mike Johnson
At the NATO summit in Washington, Ukrainian President Zelensky will meet with Republican Mike Johnson, the chairman of the US House of Representatives, on Wednesday. According to Johnson's official schedule, this meeting is scheduled. Support for Ukraine is expected to be one of the main topics of the summit in this week. There is concern about future US support for the Kiev government if Donald Trump wins the presidential elections on November 3.
22:50 Family dies in mining explosion in the Charkiw regionAt least four people, including a child, have been killed by an exploding mine in the Charkiw region, according to Oleh Synyehubov, the governor of the oblast, on Telegram. The family was in a car on an unpaved road and hit a Russian mine. The identification of the bodies is ongoing. Relatives indicate that a total of six people were in the vehicle.
21:53 Estonian President Karis warns against enforced peaceThe Estonian President Alar Karis hopes that the upcoming NATO summit will provide comprehensive support for Ukraine both during and after the war. "The alliance must send a clear message that NATO will support Ukraine as long as it is necessary. NATO membership for Ukraine is not negotiable, and the accession process is irreversible," Karis said to the Estonian news platform ERR. History has shown that aggressors must be held accountable and not appeased, so Karis. A forced peace is always temporary. "If the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine are not respected, it will lead to new and larger wars in the future. Russia and other aggressors will be encouraged to attack again," the Estonian president added.
21:00 New British government preparing weapons package for UkraineThe new British Defense Minister John Healey tells Ukraine during his inaugural visit that new weapons deliveries are on the way. The package, presented in Odessa, includes artillery guns, mine hunters, and anti-tank missile launchers, as well as large quantities of ammunition. President Volodymyr Zelensky thanks Healey for the strong support of Great Britain. During their meeting, they also discussed the security agreement between Ukraine and Great Britain, signed in January. The then British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak signed the treaty "for 100 years or longer" in Kiev. According to Zelensky on the platform X, they also spoke about further cooperation within the framework of this agreement.
20:34 Netherlands confirm pledge of Patriot missile defense systemUkraine is receiving a Patriot missile defense system from the Netherlands for the expansion of its protective shield. This was confirmed by the Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp and Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans during a meeting with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, according to the Ukrainian news agency UNIAN. It was announced in June by the previous Dutch government in The Hague that such a system would be provided. No specific delivery date was mentioned. Previously, Veldkamp also promised "immediate" delivery of F-16 fighter jets in Kiev (see entry 19:08).
20:11 Orban: Putin doesn't believe in ceasefire without peace talks
Hungary's Prime Minister Orban stated that Russian President Putin told him he doesn't believe in a ceasefire agreement without serious peace talks. "He said he had no positive expectations [for such a ceasefire], Selenskyj also said he had no positive expectations because the Russians would use it against Ukraine, and Putin that the Ukrainians would use this pause against Russia," Orban told the Swiss "Weltwoche." Orban visited Putin in Moscow on Friday, just a few days after meeting Ukrainian President Selenskyj in Kiev.
19:33 Report: EU has no evidence of misused foreign funds by Ukrainian agency
The European Union has no evidence that the Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry misused foreign funds, EU representatives in Ukraine told "Kyiv Independent." The Ukrainian Finance Ministry accused the state agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure in the Ukrainian online newspaper "Ekonomichna Pravda" on Friday of misusing the 150 million euros provided by the European Commission. The ministry claimed the EU delegation in Ukraine was dissatisfied that the agency had not used the EU-commissioned funds.
You can read about previous developments here.
- Amidst the debate about defense expenditures, Roderich Kiesewetter, a CDU defense expert, advocates for prioritizing the Bundeswehr in budget planning and defines prosperity as social resilience and readiness to defend, as Russia's cyberwar against Ukraine continues to pose a threat.
- In the aftermath of a Russian rocket attack on a hospital in Kiev, killing five doctors and two patients, a military court in Moscow convicts two Russian artists, Evgenia Berkowitsch and Svetlana Petrijtschuk, to six years in prison for justifying terrorism, amidst intensified Kremlin's crackdown on critics since the beginning of the military intervention in Ukraine.
- Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz is expected to deliver a "very clear message" of support for Ukraine at the upcoming NATO summit, as it becomes increasingly necessary for NATO countries to strengthen Ukraine's air defense in response to continuous Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities.
- In the wake of Russia's attack on a children's hospital in Kiev, Volodymyr Selensky, the president of Ukraine, calls for international partners to draw conclusions and take effective responses to Russian terror, and the German government pledges to treat sick children from Ukraine in German hospitals, denouncing Putin's actions as those of a war criminal.
- Amidst the Ukraine conflict and military operations, Green budget politician Sebastian Schäfer and FDP defense policy spokesperson Alexander Müller advocate for further adjustments in favor of the defense budget in Germany, as Russia's cyberwar against Ukraine continues to pose a significant threat to European politics.
