Defense Minister Fedorov said Ukrainian Defense Forces used ground robotic systems for 16,600+ logistics and evacuation missions in June, 18.6% more than in May. He said each robot mission in place of a soldier can mean a life saved.
❗️ NATO countries pledged at least €140 billion in military aid for Ukraine over two years, according to the summit declaration published July 8. Allies committed €70 billion in 2026 and at least the same level in 2027, while also announcing $50 billion in new arms purchases and plans to expand collective defense production capacity.
❗️ Putin is not preparing to wind down the war and is instead readying a new escalation, Reuters reported, citing Kremlin sources. The report said he has not abandoned the goal of fully capturing Donbas and rejected freezing the war along the current frontline. Russia expects to keep attacking despite heavy losses and slow advances, and a new mobilization wave may be needed.
Putin’s yacht Graceful relocated from the Baltic Sea to Severomorsk, where Russia’s Northern Fleet is based, DR reported after reviewing satellite imagery and MarineTraffic data. The yacht passed through Danish waters escorted by a Voevoda-class vessel and the destroyer Severomorsk.
President Zelensky said SBU personnel successfully struck two oil depots in Stavropol and Tver, around 500 km from the frontline. He added that Ukrainian Defense Forces also hit a fuel storage site about 800 km from the frontline, an oil pumping station in Ufa nearly 1,500 km from Ukraine’s border, and an oil terminal in Russia’s Rostov region.
❗️ Trump has reportedly decided to increase military support for Ukraine to help Kyiv seek a battlefield breakthrough, the Financial Times reported. The outlet said Ukraine’s recent successes impressed Trump and shifted his tone at the NATO summit in Ankara. One NATO diplomat told FT: “Trump likes winners. And Ukraine has started winning recently.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Putin is always ready to speak with Trump, but that U.S. support for Ukrainian deep strikes is a mistake. He also said any move to “close” Ukraine’s airspace would imply NATO military activity and warned more Ukrainian strikes would mean a wider buffer zone.
Zelenskyy met Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson to discuss strengthening Ukraine’s combat aviation and pilot training as Kyiv awaits Gripen fighters. They also discussed preparations for the Drone Deal, air defense and antiballistic needs.
❗️ Russia imposed a diesel export ban, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said, as Moscow faces a difficult fuel situation. He said Russia will begin importing petroleum products in July and has postponed refinery repairs.
Trump said the U.S. will give Ukraine a license to produce Patriot missiles, while Zelensky said Kyiv is starting work on a drone deal with Washington. Rubio said Ukrainian deep strikes are making it harder for Russia to defend its airspace and could create room for negotiations. Trump called the strikes on Russian oil refineries an escalation that could help bring the war to an end.
Trump said his relationship with Zelensky has improved significantly since their Oval Office meeting. Zelensky replied, “This is not the end,” and Trump called it “only the beginning.”
President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump met on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara. Zelensky said strengthening Ukraine’s air defense, including Patriot interceptor missiles capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, would be the main focus.
Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine is working through several channels to strengthen its antiballistic defense, including with countries that hold interceptor missile stocks. He said Kyiv also has partner states lobbying third countries.
❗️ Ukraine and Germany launched a joint drone production project under the Build with Ukraine initiative. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the agreement covers joint production of BARS drones, with Germany financing the first stage and all systems delivered to Ukraine’s Defense Forces.
Ukraine has rejected a reported 28-point peace plan from U.S. President Donald Trump that included the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbas, The New York Times reported. According to the report, Kyiv is seeking stronger terms, arguing the battlefield situation has changed, and is pushing for increased pressure on Russia rather than additional concessions.