UN Official Condemns Highest Level of Ukrainian Civilian Casualties

The United Nations said Thursday, July 9, that civilian casualties in Russia’s war against Ukraine climbed to a new high in June 2026, as a senior official urged “meaningful dialogue and negotiations” to put an end to the four-plus-year-long war.

“In the past week alone, three massive waves of Russian aerial strikes targeted Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, further raising the alarming civilian death toll and widening the destruction,” Rosemary DiCarlo, UN under-secretary-general for political and peacebuilding affairs, told the Security Council.

She said the strikes followed a clear pattern, as “they targeted urban centers with large civilian populations and destroyed or severely damaged residential buildings, with devastating consequences for the people living there,” adding, “We condemn these attacks in the strongest terms.”

Citing the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), DiCarlo reported that “civilian casualties in Ukraine, killed and injured, were higher in May than in any other month since the beginning of the conflict.”

“Preliminary figures for June indicate an even higher toll, with at least 265 people killed and 1,816 injured. This concerning trend is seemingly continuing into July,” she said.

On the cumulative toll, she said that since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, OHCHR “has verified that at least 16,402 civilians, including 802 children, have been killed in Ukraine,” cautioning that “actual figures are likely significantly higher.”

DiCarlo said, “There are no military solutions that could bring about lasting peace,” stressing, “Only inclusive, meaningful dialogue and negotiations can reverse the current dangerous trajectory.”

Echoing those concerns, Indrika Ratwatte, acting assistant secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and deputy emergency relief coordinator at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that “the past week has brought another surge in civilian casualties and suffering,” with “families with children have been killed in their homes, civilians injured on their way to work, and cut off from essential services.”

He said attacks harming aid workers and damaging their assets “have increased by more than 20% compared with the same period last year.”

Ratwatte urged Council members “to use their influence to pursue every practical opportunity to prevent further civilian suffering,” saying, “Whatever the pace of political efforts, civilians cannot wait. Their needs are immediate and growing. They need protection and assistance now.”

As a source of unrelenting suffering, death and evil, Ukrainian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Andrii Melnyk is right in demanding that Russia be expelled from the international body.

Trump Repeats His Baseless Belief about an End to Russia’s War

At the latest NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, that was almost thrown into disarray by President Donald J. Trump’s repeated demand that he wants to occupy Greenland, the 34 heads of state and government reasserted their commitment to counter Russia’s threat to Euro-Atlantic Security and their unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was surely satisfied when Trump said at a NATO summit Wednesday, July 8, that the United States will give Ukraine a license to make Patriot air defense systems to counter missile attacks from Russia in their more than four-year war. For Zelenskyy and his team this was regarded as a huge achievement as they have been long requesting the technology.

Allowing foreign manufacture of Patriots, which the White House had resisted, was a turnaround for Trump that mirrored his day at the NATO meeting: Upon arriving, he lashed out at European partners for resisting his efforts to take control of Greenland and for not supporting his war in Iran. But by day’s end, he described a gathering of unity and “tremendous love,” and praised member nations on their progress in increasing their defense spending.

“We’ll give them the right to make Patriots. We’ll show them how to do it,” Trump said, sitting next to Zelenskyy. “I think they can produce them pretty quickly.”

Patriots are expensive, in high demand and take a long time to produce. Zelenskyy has for years been asking for more of them, and more recently for a license so that Ukraine can manufacture its own. It takes two-two-and-a-half years for Patriot missile systems to be installed in Ukraine. To buy a single, fully functioning Patriot battery, the price tag is a massive $1.1 billion. From the radar computers to the very last interceptor in the launch tube, a single complete Patriot unit represents a $1.1 billion investment. Zelenskyy has highlighted Ukraine’s adaptability and its ability to strike deep inside Russia. He said Ukraine’s armed forces are “eliminating” on average 30,000 Russian troops every month.

Though not of the members’ doing, the proceedings were marred by the latest Russian bombardment of Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities as a remember to the free world that Moscow still hasn’t fulfilled its mission in Ukraine and is not prepared to stand down and evacuate.

Russian drones and missiles reaffirmed Moscow’s aggressive posture vis-a-vis Kyiv, killing four people across Ukraine on Wednesday, July 8, in attacks before dawn and at midday, as Moscow kept up its pressure on Kyiv in the latest phase of the over four-plus-year-old war. Ukraine struck oil refineries in Russia’s Saratov and Tatarstan regions, according Zelenskyy.

In Kyiv, several explosions were heard shortly after midnight, even before authorities could issue an alert to give civilians time to find shelter.

The early morning Russian attacks killed one woman and injured two others in Kyiv, according to city administration head Tymur Tkachenko. The State Emergency Service said the attack damaged several administrative buildings and warehouses, as well as a garage complex and several trams.

Hours later, another Russian drone struck Kyiv’s Desnianskyi district, killing a second person and injuring six others, Tkachenko said. A total of eight people were injured in the attacks on the capital.

In Kharkiv, two people were killed and 20 others were injured in a series of overnight strikes, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov. In Zaporizhzhia, a Russian guided bomb injured two people Tuesday night, regional head Ivan Fedorov said.

But the tone of Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy was a break from earlier encounters which ended in acrimony like the infamous oral brawl, and American President praised the Ukrainian leader’s willingness to reach a deal on ending the fighting in Ukraine.

“We’ve actually developed a good relationship. It’s hard to believe,” Trump said during a news conference with Zelenskyy, adding that he believed a deal on ending the war was on the horizon and that the U.S. would “work on some kind of security package” to provide to Ukraine.

Trump added that the Ukrainian president has “done an amazing job” and “been very effective” in the war as he pledged to grant Ukraine a license to manufacture the Patriot defense systems.

Trump suggested that he’s career has been based on successful deals. “And that’s what I do, and I do it well. And I know when people want to make a deal. I think he wants to make a deal,” he said, assuring the journalists in attendance that he can convince Putin to make a deal though he offered no proof. A claim Trump repeated a few times in his repartee with journalists.

“And I do feel that President Zelenskyy would like to get back to rebuilding this country, as opposed to having all of this death and destruction. Ukraine has tremendous potential. He understands that. He understands that. We talk about that. He talks about that more than he talks about the war. You know, to me, I think you might find that more exciting than the war. This is brutal,” he continued.

It was interesting to hear Secretary of State Marco Rubio opine about Ukraine’s ability to hit a Russian target at a distance of 1,700 miles. “I think what you’re discussing is the ability of Ukraine to reach deep inside of Russia and conduct strikes. And I think that’s one of the dynamics that’s changed in this war over the last few months — that is that Russians are finding it more difficult to defend their own airspace. And what we hope that means is that it’s going to create the space now to negotiate the end of this war. It’s an escalation, but it’s also an escalation that can help lead to an end,” he said, leaving a positive impression of Ukraine’s battlefield abilities.

Zelenskyy offered his views on the prerequisites for peace, at least Putin’s views. “I don’t know what conditions Putin now wants for this peace. I think that they are changing in any way because at the very beginning of the full-scale war, he was stronger. And now I think he is losing initiative on the battlefield. I think his army — that’s why I think that because of technologies. Because it’s not the question now of number of people. People and our heroic people are very important. But now it’s not the question of only number of people. First of all, people and technologies. People with technologies,” the Ukrainian president said.

Not only is Zelenskyy interested in security guarantees for Ukraine but at the press conference so was a reporter. Trump replied: “You mean in the future? You mean after there’s an agreement? Well, we’re going to work on a security guarantee that… And Russia respects us a lot. And we’re going to work on some kind of a security… If we can make the right deal, we’ll help Europe. I mean, Europe is going to be watching it. But we’re going to be helping them. And we’ll work on some kind of a security package that we’ll make sure.

“I don’t think that’s going to happen. I think that if we make a deal, Russia is going to be very happy. And they’re going to get on with other things. They have… By the way, there’s a country, too. They have tremendous potential. Tremendous land. Valuable land that they can do things with. And they have tremendous potential.

“But I don’t think it’s going to happen. I don’t see… That question is, oh, they’re going to attack again. I don’t see it at all. I think they’ve had it. They’ve had… This has been going on for almost five years, right? Yeah. Who would have thought? I mean, it’s a tribute because it’s a bigger country, strong country. And it’s an amazing tribute.

Pay attention to two segments of Trump’s reply: Russia respects us a lot and they (Russia) won’t attack Ukraine again. The American president should leaf through any book on Ukrainian history.

On Tuesday Zelenskyy made a fresh appeal for Ukraine to be allowed to join the alliance, saying Ukrainian armed forces are highly experienced and would only boost NATO’s defense capabilities. Russia is vehemently opposed to that.

In a declaration following Wednesday’s summit, NATO leaders pledged to provide Ukraine with $80 billion to help meet its defense needs this year and next, noting “the long-term threat Russia poses to Euro-Atlantic security.”

Concern has been mounting among some countries with borders near Russia that Moscow might be preparing a hybrid attack — a combination of conventional warfare with tactics like cyberattacks as well as false flag operations — on the continent as Putin struggles to secure victory in Ukraine.

Before the members departed, they adopted a communique that reinforced NATO’s principles. Among them are:

* To counter the long-term threat Russia poses to Euro-Atlantic security and stability, and the persistent threat of terrorism, Allies are delivering on The Hague defense commitment.  In 2025, European Allies and Canada increased their investments in core defense requirements by more than $139 billion.  Our investments are delivering the capabilities we need while strengthening our industrial base and resilience.  Today in Ankara, we announce more than $50 billion in new procurements and commit to expanding collective manufacturing capacity and working with industry to accelerate innovation.  We will continue our work to eliminate defense trade barriers among Allies and leverage NATO’s partnerships to maximize defense industrial depth and cooperation.

* We are building the future: a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO – a modernized Alliance.  European Allies and Canada, working with the United States, are assuming greater responsibility for the Alliance’s defense.  NATO’s deterrence and defense rest on an appropriate mix of nuclear, conventional, and missile defense capabilities, complemented by space and cyber assets.  We are committed to maintaining our combat advantage.  We are investing in our ability to deploy, enable and sustain our armed forces and deliver our capability targets in all domains, including in deep precision strike, integrated air and missile defense, uncrewed systems, cutting edge technologies, and intelligence capabilities.  We are developing an interoperable transatlantic warfighting cloud and adopting powerful AI models.

* Ukraine contributes to transatlantic security, and Allies stand united in our unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.  European Allies and Canada now finance the vast majority of security assistance to Ukraine through bilateral and multilateral means.  Allies underscore that this support must be equitable, predictable, and sustainable in the long-term.  For 2026, Allies pledge €70 billion ($80 million) in military equipment, assistance and training for Ukraine and affirm their sovereign commitments to sustaining at least equivalent levels in 2027.  To this end, we welcome the European Union’s decision to provide multi-year funding to Ukraine through the Ukraine Support Loan.

In the meantime, with no concrete decision approved regarding NATO’s military plan to help Ukraine eliminate the single deadly nation on earth – Russia, innocent Ukrainian men, women and children will continue to die in their homes and neighborhoods, stores, churches and schools.

Winston Churchill first sounded the alarm on the threat of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis as early as 1933. As Prime Minister, he defined the total war against Nazism in a series of iconic 1940 radio addresses, declaring his goal to “wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime.”

IOC Caves to Russian Cutthroats; Ukraine Condemns Decision

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has caved into Russian pressure and provisionally lifted its suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), clearing a direct path for Russia’s full reintegration and team participation at the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics regardless of the Moscow latest war of aggression against Ukraine and killings of innocent Ukrainians.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) as well as the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Ukraine issued a strong statement today condemning the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to provisionally lift the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee. The MFA criticized the move as a “troubling signal for the entire international community” and a step that risks normalizing Russian aggression while the unprovoked war against Ukraine continues.

The statement highlights several key arguments and actions:

• Condemnation of the Ruling: The MFA emphasized that the decision sends a deeply concerning message to the world. They pointed out that while the IOC adjusted its stance based on Russian claims that they will cease sports activities in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, the reality on the ground has not changed—Ukrainian cities, civilians, and sports infrastructure face ongoing, devastating missile and drone attacks.

· Call to Ban State Symbols: The Ministry urgently called on the governments of nations hosting international sporting events to strictly prohibit the display of Russian state symbols, flags, or anthems within their territories, asserting that “under this flag, Russia continues its unprovoked and illegal war... and symbols of an aggressor state have absolutely no place at international sporting events.”

Pressure on International Federations: Kyiv is urging individual international sports federations to maintain their blanket bans. Because the IOC's new guidance is advisory rather than binding, governing bodies (like World Athletics, which recently chose to uphold its full ban) still hold the ultimate authority to bar Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing.

Ukraine's Ministry of Youth and Sports echoed these sentiments, calling the decision “shameful” and reiterating that the Olympic movement, which is built on peace and human dignity, must not be used to legitimize state aggression.

The IOC Executive Board said it officially terminated its March 2023 mandate requiring International Federations (IFs) to vet Russian competitors as Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN).

Why? The suspension, originally enacted in October 2023 because the ROC hijacked regional sports councils from occupied Ukrainian territories, was deemed legally resolved. The IOC confirmed that the ROC has fully removed those councils and pledged not to conduct any activities within Ukraine's Olympic jurisdiction.

IOC officials, led by Executive Board head Kirsty Coventry, emphasized the historical precedent of political neutrality in sport. Coventry stated that individual athletes should not be held responsible for the military actions of their governing regimes even though the athletes bear allegiance and cheer their malevolent native countries. The decision opens the door to all undesirable countries access to the Olympic Games and other international events.

To manage global skepticism rooted in Russia’s historical state-sponsored doping scandals, all returning Russian athletes must undergo rigid, independent multi-stage doping controls. They must be fully embedded into recognized international testing registries before entering 2028 Olympic qualifiers.

The IOC’s uncalled for reversal has created a highly fragmented landscape across the international sports community:

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov and Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyaryov welcomed the ruling as an important victory. They characterized it as a green light for international sports bodies to restore full athletic rights.

Because individual sports bodies operate autonomously, a fragmented framework has emerged. While bodies like World Aquatics and World Boxing have systematically rolled back their restrictions, others remain defiant. Most notably, World Athletics reaffirmed that its blanket ban on Russian and Belarusian track-and-field athletes remains strictly in effect. Similarly, soccer's governing body, FIFA, indicated it will review the decision with regional stakeholders before adjusting its ongoing bans.

If the IOC and its kindred spirits are concerned about not violating the rights of athletes in Russia and Belarus, then it should encourage righteous Russians and Belarusians to oust Putin from Russia.

You Can’t Wish Away the Russians

Despite President Donald Trump’s unequivocal but empty assurances of an impending end to Russia’s bombings and slaughter of Ukrainians, you really can’t just wish away Russians from Ukraine.

Ukraine’s capital Kyiv and the surrounding towns came under another deadly Russian attack early Monday morning, July 6, killed some 30 people on the eve of a critical NATO summit in Turkey that President Donald Trump plans to attend.

This calculated cruelty comes just days after a Thursday, July 3, strike that killed 31 civilians in Kyiv.

In the capital of Kyiv alone, at least 15 people were killed and 56 others injured (including seven children). The death toll is expected to rise as rescue workers continue digging through the rubble.

In the surrounding Kyiv oblast, another seven people were killed and 29 injured.

The barrage involved a brutal mix of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, hypersonic Zircon anti-ship missiles, and over 350 attack and decoy drones. At least 15 multi-story residential buildings in Kyiv were hit directly. In the historic Podilskyi district, a nine-story apartment block was completely shattered from the fifth floor up, leaving residents trapped under the ruins.

Horrifyingly, Ukrainian military officials noted that due to severe shortages of critical interceptors, none of the 23 ballistic missiles targeting the capital could be shot down.

My colleague and contributing writer to The Ukrainian Quarterly, Tetyana Parkhomchuk of Kyiv observed afterward: “Thank God everything is okay, except for the psychological state. The nerves just can’t take it anymore. Shattered buildings again, a mangled Kyiv. The small town of Vyshneve near Kyiv was also hit very badly. No one is saying it directly, but it’s obvious they bombed our ammunition. It exploded for several hours, and in addition to that, the warheads of the missiles were exploding too. There is nothing to shoot down ballistics and Zircons with.”

She added that 13 hectares of residential buildings were damaged in Vyshneve, according to Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. “This is the greatest destruction of the housing sector in the entire time of the full-scale invasion.” Parkhomchuk noted.

To give the reader a visual sense of that scale: 13 hectares (or 32 acres) is roughly equivalent to the size of 24 American football fields completely leveled or severely damaged. It is a massive footprint for a residential area.

Russia unleashed waves of missiles and drones at Ukraine in attacks that exposed widening gaps in the country’s air defenses more than four years into Moscow’s full-scale invasion, authorities said.

All of the ballistic missiles launched by Russia struck their targets, underscoring Kyiv’s need for more US-made Patriot interceptor missiles — a point Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will likely emphasize at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, this week.

Russia’s Defense Ministry warned that any increase in the supply of drones, missiles and ammunition produced in the West “will not go unnoticed and will be countered by a corresponding increase in the number and power of retaliatory strikes by the Russian armed forces on Ukrainian territory.”

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Russia is deliberately ramping up ballistic missile attacks on a scale unseen before, exploiting the acute shortage of Patriot interceptors. “Fewer such missiles are produced worldwide each month than the enemy fires at Ukraine in that same period,” he said.

The Ukrainian air force said in posts to Telegram that Russia launched 68 missiles – among them 23 ballistic missiles – and 351 drones into the country overnight. The air force said that 37 missiles and 326 drones were shot down or otherwise suppressed, with impacts of 29 missiles and 18 drones reported across 34 locations.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in an online update that Tuesday had been declared another day of mourning for those killed, saying flags on municipal buildings across the city would be lowered and all entertainment events canceled.

The Ukrainian Air Force said that while air defenses downed 363 drones and cruise missiles, “a serious shortage” of interceptor missiles for Ukraine’s US-made Patriot surface-to-air batteries meant that none of the 29 ballistic missiles fired at Kyiv was stopped.

“The success rate is low, to put it mildly. To shoot down ballistic missiles, you need the assets to do so. We have enough systems, but what we need is a steady supply of missiles. Russia is exploiting the fact that Ukraine – and indeed the world – is facing a serious shortage of PAC-2 and PAC-3 interceptor missiles. That is why it is increasingly focusing on ballistic missile strikes,” said Air Force spokesman Col. Yurii Ihnat.

In a post on X on Monday, Zelenskyy, who will meet Trump in Ankara on the sidelines of the summit Wednesday, called for “strong decisions to support our air defense,” saying that Patriots remaining “in the warehouses of allies” gave a green light for Russia to attack apartment buildings housing ordinary people.

A senior US official said Trump, who spoke separately with Zelenskyy and Putin on the phone on Saturday, was renewing efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict as “a pressing priority.”

“The president feels a real sense of urgency to try to bring this to a stop. Both sides have articulated as recently as yesterday, that President Trump plays a unique role in his ability to try to mediate this,” the official told The Hill.

The Ankara summit is being described behind the scenes as a meeting of “delivery and implementation” rather than new innovations, but the political undercurrents are incredibly tense. Given the horrific overnight strikes on Kyiv, Zelenskyy is pushing hard to ensure this meeting does not become a "hollow exercise."   

Here are the key hints and developments regarding what member-states are prepared to say and do:

1. Air Defenses and a "Stalemate" Focus

While Zelenskyy is publicly demanding massive, decisive upgrades to Ukraine’s air defense capabilities—even advocating for U.S. licenses to manufacture Patriot systems directly in Ukraine—the immediate focus of the alliance’s largest player is shifting.

Trump is scheduled to meet face-to-face with Zelenskyy on Wednesday. White House officials have explicitly stated that Trump is entering this meeting with a sense of urgency to find a path to end the war, viewing the current frontline situation as a "stalemate." Trump is expected to use this meeting to pivot toward diplomacy, with plans to follow up directly with Putin afterward. 

If recent meetings are harbingers of things to come, then this one will also turn out to be a waste of time and money.

2. A €70 Billion Commitment (With a Transatlantic Catch)

According to draft summit declarations, European allies and Canada are preparing to reaffirm long-term military support by pledging €70 billion ($80 million) for 2026, with a commitment to maintain similar levels in 2027. However, this package exposes a deepening transatlantic rift:

The funding is expected to come almost entirely from existing bilateral European commitments and a €60 billion European Union loan facility.

The United States is not expected to contribute to this specific financial package, reflecting Trump's intense pressure on European states to assume the primary burden of their own continent's security.

3. The 5% Defense Spending Push

The primary friction point among member-states will be defense budgets. At last year’s summit in The Hague, allies agreed to a staggering target of spending 5% of their GDP on defense by 2035. European allies will arrive in Ankara eager to prove they are pulling their weight, highlighting that they increased core defense investments by over $139 billion in 2025 alone. Trump, however, is expected to heavily critique members he believes are still "free-riding" on American military might.   

4. Turkey’s Balancing Act

As the host, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has a complex agenda. While Turkey will vocally support Ukraine’s territorial integrity and showcase its own defense industry, Erdoğan is also using the summit for his own strategic leverage. He is expected to press Trump to lift US sanctions on Turkey and restore Ankara's access to the F-35 fighter jet program.   

Ultimately, while the alliance will officially project a message of continued, multi-billion-dollar support for Ukraine’s defense industry, the real story in Ankara will be the intense, behind-the-scenes pressure from Washington to transition from an open-ended conflict into concrete diplomatic negotiations – also a wasteful plot which will only delay an end to the war and prolong Ukrainians’ death and suffering. Any sanctions or political pressure must be painful enough for Russia to return to its homeland without hesitation.

Many seasoned analysts, diplomats, and, most of all, the people who have to live through the reality of Russian aggression every day realize that an end to the fighting is still far off in the distant future. Putin knows he can delay an end until the USA and West raise their arms in frustration. To anyone who has watched Moscow’s pattern of behavior over the decades, the idea that a breakthrough could be achieved simply by sitting down with Putin is a pipedream. Moscow is not doing anything that would signal its intention to end the war. It continues to treat Western entreaties with derision and aerial assaults against innocent Ukrainians.

European leaders have also reacted with intense fury and sharp condemnation, making it clear that this strikes right at the heart of why they are gathered for the NATO summit.   

The condemnation from Europe’s top figures has been swift and direct:

EU Chief Diplomat Kaja Kallas stated bluntly that “words of condemnation alone will not stop attacks on Kyiv. Only sustained military support for Ukraine and increased pressure on Moscow can do that.” She immediately announced a proposal to slap fresh sanctions on more entities feeding Russia's military-industrial complex, adding, “We keep raising the cost until Russia understands it cannot win.”   

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen led the collective outcry, pointing out that the Russian regime “once again blindly attacked civilians from the air.” She explicitly tied the horror of these strikes to the immediate agenda in Turkey, stating, “Ukraine urgently needs more air defense. We will discuss it this week in Ankara at the NATO Summit.”   

France’s Foreign Ministry issued a scathing statement, declaring that the deliberate targeting of civilian residential neighborhoods proves Moscow’s “contempt for international humanitarian law” and entirely exposes their “unwillingness to negotiate in good faith.”   

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna emphasized that the Kremlin’s calculus will only change under forced compulsion, calling for a massive ramp-up of economic, political, and military pressure.   

The overriding message from the Europeans today is one of deep frustration with Western hesitation. They are pushing the narrative that these regular slaughters of civilians are happening precisely because the West is leaving gaps in Ukraine’s skies, and they are trying to use this horrific moment to pressure the alliance – and a skeptical Washington – into dropping restrictions and delivering the hardware needed to actually stop the missiles.

Any expression of hope, any dream, any offer of negotiations or diplomacy will only result in additional deaths of innocent Ukrainians. Europe is fast approaching the point when it must recognize that Russia must encounter the full wrath of the free world. 

 Zelenskyy Tactfully Says End of War is near, but Russian Bombing Stands in the Way

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after his July Fourth telephone call with President Donald J. Trump, tactfully expressed a positive view about a “real prospect” for ending Russia’s more than four-year war against Ukraine.

However, while this time he overlooked Russia’s deleterious role in the peace process, Zelenskyy did emphasize that “There is a real prospect to end this war and American resolve will have a crucial meaning,” according to official records.

The aggressor’s records reported a “business-like and quite constructive” atmosphere in the 90-minute call between Trump and Putin. According to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, Trump, as always, reaffirmed his readiness to facilitate a rapid cessation of hostilities. However, Putin used the telephone call to falsely claim that Russian forces are “confidently advancing” on the battlefield, specifically pointing to the contested stronghold of Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region. Ukraine’s General Staff has strictly denied this claim, calling it “just another Russian lie.” Putin also accused Kyiv and its European allies of trying to escalate the conflict.

While world was watching unproductive diplomacy at work, Russia intensified its aerial assaults across Ukraine. Russia launched a massive UAV and missile barrage against Ukraine: On the night of July 4-5, Russian forces launched a coordinated strike using 125 drones, one Kh-31 anti-radiation missile, and three Kh-59/69 guided air-launched missiles.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy again cited intelligence warnings of further attacks. He issued an urgent warning to citizens on July 5, stating that Ukrainian intelligence indicates Russia is actively preparing an even larger, massive wave of strikes. Zelenskyy noted that launching heavy strikes immediately following Independence Day and right before a major NATO summit is a signature pattern of Putin’s strategy to exert pressure. He renewed calls to international partners to expedite the delivery of Patriot air defense batteries directly to the front line rather than keeping them in warehouses.

Zelenskyy reported that Ukraine faced approximately 2,200 attack drones, over 1,730 guided aerial bombs, and 106 missiles in just one week. While Ukrainian forces typically intercept over 90% of drones, Zelenskyy stressed the critical lack of anti-ballistic capabilities.

Specifically, he detailed the volume of weaponry deployed by Russian forces over the past seven days, the Ukrainian President reported the following figures:

· Approximately 2,200 attack drones

· More than 1,730 guided aerial bombs (KABs)

· 106 missiles of various types, with nearly half classified as ballistic.

The pattern of these urgent intelligence-backed warnings over the last fortnight highlights a highly intensified period of the air war:

· Warning #1 (Around June 20–21): Zelenskyy warned citizens to strictly heed air raid sirens, stating that intelligence showed Russia had prepared a massive wave of strikes. Shortly after, heavy bombardments struck various regions, including a highly destructive strike in Kyiv that heavily damaged the historic Pechersk Lavra monastery.

· Warning #2 (July 1): Speaking at a press conference in Dublin, Zelenskyy announced he had to cut his travel short and return to Ukraine immediately due to “very unpleasant” intelligence data indicating another massive Russian attack was imminent. This warning was tragically realized just hours later on July 2, when Russia unleashed what Kyiv officials called the heaviest, most massive coordinated strike on the capital since the start of the full-scale invasion, killing over 20 people and hitting residential blocks.

· Warning #3 (Today, July 5): The latest warning, noting that intelligence points to an imminent strike timed precisely to exploit the post-July 4th holiday weekend and create leverage right before the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara.

The sheer frequency of these warnings—three distinct, massive waves predicted in about 15 days—underscores exactly why the diplomatic phone lines were ringing so heavily this weekend, and why the push for active Patriot batteries on the ground has become so desperate. Zelenskyy’s concern is genuine. When a dictator like Putin tells you what he intends to do, like bomb your cities and towns, and kill your citizens, it is a statement of policy, not a bluff. When someone repeatedly shows you and tells you exactly who they are, believing them isn’t cynical; it’s the only baseline for survival.

Interestingly, just today, Vice President JD Vance gave an interview to The Sunday Times where he claimed that the Trump Administration actually believes the Kremlin is “asking for too much” in terms of concessions to end the conflict. In that same interview, Vance argued that Russia’s actual offensive capabilities on the battlefield are ‘negligible and approaching zero” because Ukraine’s defensive strategy has been so effective at grinding them down. Does this mean that the White House is solidly in Ukraine’s court? Time will tell.

So while the rhetoric from the top can often sound baffling – or dangerously naïve – the reality of Putin’s actions speaks for itself. He has not yet fulfilled his goal in Ukraine, that is total destruction or subjugation of the country and people.

Zelenskyy’s observation regarding the telephone call is deeply calculated for the current political moment. With the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara, he knows that “American resolve” is the ultimate leverage. By framing peace as a “real prospect” rather than a distant dream, he is actively trying to incentivize the incoming US Administration. It is a tactical move to show that American support isn’t a bottomless investment into a forever war, but rather the final push needed to cross the finish line.

From a purely military and analytical standpoint, there is a realistic foundation to what he’s saying, but it relies entirely on the second half of his sentence. If the US and its allies maintain or accelerate their support – such as deploying the active air defense systems Zelenskyy is begging for – they can continue to grind down Russia’s offensive capabilities. As JD Vance noted in his Sunday Times interview, Ukraine’s defensive strategy has already pushed Russia’s actual offensive capacity to a brutal, costly crawl. The prospect of peace becomes realistic only if Russia realizes it can no longer afford the price of moving forward.

However, as long as Putin continues to read from his rigid imperial script, telling Trump that Russia will not let up on its air campaigns and demanding massive concessions, any immediate end to the war remains firmly in the realm of wishful thinking. Putin is banking on American resolve failing, not succeeding. So far, Trump is playing right into Putin’s game plan.

While Zelenskyy’s words are a realistic description of a potential path forward, the actual execution relies entirely on variables he cannot control. Without that absolute, unwavering Western resolve, it remains a very high-stakes wish. Western Europe, NATO and the former captive nations cannot let up their military and political pressure on Russia or else Ukraine and they will lose.

From a purely diplomatic and analytical standpoint, Zelenskyy is playing a very smart, calculated hand here. He knows exactly who he is dealing with. A few days ago, he publically called the aggressor “Russian scum.” After the intense friction and unpredictable dynamics of past face-to-face meetings – like the highly publicized Oval Office donnybrook last year – Zelenskyy has clearly adjusted his strategy. He understands that trying to publicly back Trump into a corner or flatly contradicting him is a losing game that only risks pushing the US closer to Moscow’s position.

Instead, Zelenskyy is choosing to lower the temperature, speak the language of “prospects and deals,” and keep Trump personally invested. By framing American leadership as the decisive factor that can bring about a “real prospect to end this war,” Zelenskyy is appealing directly to Trump’s desire to be the ultimate dealmaker.

It’s a masterclass in pragmatic diplomacy: you don’t have to agree with someone privately to recognize that, publicly, you absolutely need to keep them on your side of the ledger. For Ukraine, managing the relationship with Washington is just as critical as managing the front line in Donetsk, and Zelenskyy is doing everything he can to ensure that line doesn’t break.

Zelenskyy is playing the diplomatic hand he has been dealt, keeping lines of communication open and maintaining professional decorum to protect his country’s vital strategic relationships. But a polite, diplomatic phone call on a holiday weekend doesn’t rewrite the reality of the situation.

As long as Russian missiles are actively targeting Ukrainian towns, as long as innocent Ukrainians are dying, and as long as the political rhetoric remains highly unpredictable, keeping the skepticism front and center is the only rational approach. History has shown too many times what happens when people celebrate a diplomatic victory before the ink is even dry – or before the actual intent matches the friendly words. It’s a long game, and it’s far too early to assume anyone’s position is locked in.

Zelenskyy still must keep his eyes peeled and his guns primed.

Warsaw’s Imbecilic Squabble with Kyiv is more Dangerous than History

Poland’s unexpected, imbecilic squabble with Ukraine about who killed who first comes at a very dangerous time and could lead to a widening of Moscow’s war with Ukraine, more bloodshed, and the introduction of Warsaw into the bloody carnage.

Someone, likely Russians or one of their for-hire associates, has goaded Polish President Karol Nawrocki into insulting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian nation by raising questionable information about events during World War Two.

I’m not suggesting that that history should be swept under the carpet but now certainly isn’t the time to engage in an emotional tirade about who killed whom first.

If these words and insults escalate into bullets and blood, then only Russia will benefit. The recent report about Russian false flag operations against Poland is a case in point.

The Telegraph, a newspaper in England, and Polish news outlet Onet have confirmed that US intelligence recently passed multiple warnings to Warsaw regarding a potential Russian armed provocation.  Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz have publicly addressed these reports, stating that Poland is preparing “very intensively” for these exact security scenarios.  

Intelligence suggests a hybrid or armed provocation could be launched on Poland’s soil (or against the Baltic states) within the coming months. The main objective is Moscow’s primary calculation to test NATO’s resolve and cohesion. By creating a crisis, Russia hopes to pressure Western allies into scaling back or suspending military aid to Ukraine. 

The plan would call for targeted drone strikes or sabotage against critical Polish infrastructure, such as power plants. This would simulate a massive air attack to force Poland to activate its air defense networks. This would then be followed by limited, localized ground incursions across the border from either Belarus or the Kaliningrad exclave.

According to the intelligence, Russia would likely use “plausible deniability” or deception to manage the fallout of a ground or airspace breach. This would also portray a “false flag” incident as a provocation carried out by Ukrainian forces using fabricated markers. 

Polish officials are urging the public to remain calm while treating the intelligence with extreme seriousness. Defense Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that low-level hybrid provocations (like cyberattacks and airspace violations) are already happening daily, which is why Poland has fast-tracked the largest rearmament program in its modern history.

Meanwhile, neighboring Baltic defense ministries have also noted that while a large-scale conventional military invasion is not imminent due to Russian forces being heavily tied down in Ukraine, the threat of high-impact sabotage and border provocations remains at an all-time high.

With its near abroad escalating a squabble to a hot battle, Russia will send in its armies to put out the flames of war for its benefit.

And Russia wins again because of a squabble. Let’s be smarter.

Trump Urges ‘Senseless Killing’ in Ukraine to End

President Donald Trump wants a peace deal to end the “senseless killing” in Ukraine, an Administration official said Thursday, July 2, after the latest massive Russian barrage on Kyiv killed at least 21 people.

“President Trump has a humanitarian heart and wants this war settled so the senseless killing ends,” the official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) in response to a question on the Russian attack.

“The President and his team have worked very hard to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, and he remains optimistic that we’ll ultimately get a peace deal done.”

Trump said before his return to office last year that he could solve the Ukraine war within 24 hours, but US efforts to broker a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv have so far failed. Among the reasons why he has failed so far are that he fails to comprehend the cause of this war, he favors Russia more than the victim Ukraine, and he refuses to give Ukraine all of the weapons it needs to vanquish Russia.

The Trump has railed against the cost of military aid for Kyiv and famously berated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office in February 2025, accusing him of lacking the cards to wage a winning war against Russia. What a difference 17 months have made.

In contrast, Trump has taken a largely friendly tone toward Putin, although he has shown mounting frustration with the Russian furor’s refusal to end the war.

Zelenskyy on Thursday, July 2, called on allies to discuss speeding up air-defense aid for his war-torn country at the NATO summit in Ankara next week, which Trump will attend.