06:11 Ukraine: No surrender of territory for peace with Putin
Ukraine continues to categorically reject territorial concessions to Russia for ending the war, according to Ukrainian Presidential Chief of Staff Andrij Yermak. "We are not willing to make compromises on important things and values," Yermak told journalists, naming "independence, freedom, democracy, territorial integrity, sovereignty." Yermak's response comes during a visit to Washington following remarks from Republican US Presidential candidate Donald Trump, who claimed he could quickly end the conflict. The Ukrainian government, however, is open to advice to achieve a "just peace." Trump stated during a televised debate that he would not accept Putin's conditions. Putin had declared that Russia would end the war if Kiev was willing to surrender the territories claimed and occupied by Moscow in the east and south of the country. In response to a question about how Ukraine views Trump's handling of the war, Yermak replied: " frankly, I don't know. We'll see."
05:42: USA to provide urgent military aid for Ukraine
The Ukrainian military is in urgent need of supplies to counter the Russian offensive. The USA will make available to Ukraine, in the near future, additional military aid in the amount of approximately 2.3 billion US dollars (around 2.14 billion Euros). This was announced by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during a visit from his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umjerow in Washington. The aid package includes "additional air defense systems, anti-tank weapons, and other important ammunition from US stocks," Austin explained. The reallocation of some foreign military assistance will also enable the USA to provide Munition for Patriot and other air defense systems "on an accelerated timeline."
04:49: NATO to expand presence in Kyiv
The NATO is expanding its civilian presence in the attacked Ukraine. A spokesperson confirmed that the 32 alliance members have decided to send a liaison office to the capital Kyiv. The high-ranking official will oversee the political and practical support of the alliance on site. The background is that the NATO intends to give the starting signal for a new deployment at the upcoming summit in Washington for the coordination of weapon deliveries and training activities for the Ukrainian armed forces. The headquarters for this should be set up in Wiesbaden. Who will receive the new NATO position in Kyiv is still unknown.
03:42: UN call for Gershkovich's release
Experts from the United Nations are calling for the immediate release of US journalist Evan Gershkovich, who is in Russian custody on espionage charges. "The deprivation of Evan Gershkovich's freedom is arbitrary" and violates several articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the experts wrote in a statement. Considering the circumstances of the case, the "immediate" release of Gershkovich is appropriate.
02:40 Serbian President Vucic receives Russian deputy foreign ministerThe Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic received the Russian deputy foreign minister Alexander Gruschko in Belgrade. He spoke with Gruschko about the bilateral relations between Serbia and Russia and evaluated them as "very good", Vucic stated on Instagram. He also thanked Russia "for its support of Serbia's territorial integrity, as well as in relation to the UN Resolution on Srebrenica". Moscow still refuses to recognize Kosovo's independence. Serbia has been an EU membership candidate since 2012, but continues to maintain good relations with the Kreml despite the Russian annexation of Crimea.
01:29 Russian court sentences 19-year-old to twelve yearsA Russian court sentenced a 19-year-old man to twelve years in prison for "high treason," after he was accused of donating money to the Ukrainian army. "The Rostov Regional Court found him guilty and sentenced him to a twelve-year term in a penal colony," it says in a comment from the Russian domestic intelligence service FSB, which was taken up by the state-controlled Kremlin media. The teenager is said to have sent money to help the Ukrainian army buy food and drones. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, thousands of Russians have been arrested and many of them have been imprisoned. According to Amnesty International, at least 21,000 people were targeted by repressions against opponents of the war in 2023.
00:20 One quarter of US citizens find US aid to Ukraine insufficientAlmost a quarter of Americans believe that the United States is not providing enough military aid to Ukraine. This percentage has risen since November last year, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center. According to the survey, 24 percent of respondents believe that the United States is not providing enough aid, compared to 18 percent in November 2023, when the survey was last conducted. However, more Americans (31 percent) believe that the United States is providing too much aid, and 25 percent believe that the US aid is sufficient.
22:53 Lithuania reports airspace violation by Russian aircraftLithuania reports a violation of its airspace by a Russian aircraft. The unspecified aircraft of the Russian airline Pobeda entered the airspace of the Baltic EU and NATO member unlawfully in the evening of June 30 and stayed there for approximately one minute, according to the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry in Vilnius. The representative of the Russian embassy was summoned and the Russian authorities were asked to take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents in the future. The airspace violation took place over the Baltic Sea, as the aircraft was on its way from Moscow to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad bordering Lithuania. The EU has closed its airspace to Russian aircraft as a reaction to Russia's aggression in Ukraine.
22:12 Survey in Member States: High Trust in NATO, Low Trust in Zelenskyy
Coming week, NATO celebrates its 75-year anniversary. In member states, the transatlantic defense alliance is generally viewed favorably, according to a Pew Research survey. On average in 13 countries, 63% of the population holds a positive opinion, while 33% hold a negative one. Germany is slightly above average with 64% positive sentiment. The evaluation of NATO in Poland stands out: 91% have a positive image there. The trust in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy averages at 40% and has decreased in member states in the past year. Poland also stands out, where the head of state has lost 22 percentage points - from 70 to 48%. In Germany, trust has decreased by 7 percentage points to 54%.
21:27 Zelenskyy Rejects Orban's Peace Proposal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected a peace proposal from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for peace talks, according to the Presidential Press Office. During his first visit to Kiev since the war began, Orbán proposed a quick ceasefire, which could "accelerate peace negotiations with Moscow," he said. "The president listened, but in response, he clarified Ukraine's stance and rejected the proposal," a spokesperson for the Presidential Press Office said. Previously, Kiev had already rejected ceasefires, citing the possibility that Russian forces could reorganize during this time.
21:02 Ukraine: Moscow Recruits Minors
Russia is actively recruiting minors for the war in Ukraine, Ukraine claims. The recruitment contracts are reportedly signed with minors, taking effect upon reaching adulthood. "They hope to recruit thousands of teenagers with propaganda," says the Ukrainian National Resistance Center: "We warn that any enemy on our territory will be eliminated." On occupied Ukrainian territory, Russia also employs minors, for example, to manufacture drones.
You can read about previous developments here.
- The Ukrainian Presidential Chief of Staff, Andrij Yermak, has expressed Ukraine's refusal to make territorial concessions to Russia, stating that they are not willing to compromise on values such as independence, freedom, democracy, territorial integrity, and sovereignty.
- In response to the urgent need of supplies for the Ukrainian military to counter the Russian offensive, the USA has announced it will provide additional military aid of approximately 2.3 billion US dollars, including additional air defense systems, anti-tank weapons, and other important ammunition.
- As the NATO intends to give the starting signal for a new deployment at the upcoming Washington summit, a liaison office will be sent to Kyiv to oversee the political and practical support of the alliance on site.
- Experts from the United Nations have called for the immediate release of US journalist Evan Gershkovich, who is in Russian custody on espionage charges, stating that his deprivation of freedom is arbitrary and a violation of several articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that Russia would end the Ukraine conflict if Kiev was willing to surrender the territories claimed and occupied by Moscow in the east and south of the country, a proposal that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected, stating Ukraine's stance on its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
