Russia Criticizes Malta Gathering of National Security Advisors Co-chaired by Ukraine
In the talks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with representatives of more than sixty countries to promote his ten-point peace plan (Reuters)
Meanwhile, Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko urged peace talks, saying that Russia and Ukraine had reached a stalemate with no chance of either side making substantial gains (Reuters)
Slovakia PM Will Not Support Further Aid to Ukraine or Sanctions on Russia
Newly-appointed Prime Minister Robert Fico campaigned heavily on ending the country’s military support for Ukraine (Reuters)
Meanwhile, Ukraine said Russia likely targeted a nuclear power plant in the Khmelnytsky region, though the plant’s operations were not interrupted (BBC)
Russia Focuses New Assault on Eastern Ukrainian City of Avdiivka
Ukraine claims Russia has shifted to a strategy of intense aerial bombardment after suffering heavy losses on the ground in an attempt to encircle the city (Reuters)
Mitch McConnell Backs Biden’s Aid Request for Israel and Ukraine
The Republican Senate minority leader said he supports linking aid for both conflicts; the request includes $14 billion in assistance for Israel and $60 billion for Ukraine (Guardian)
Meanwhile, Russia said it foiled several Ukrainian attempts to cross the Dnipro River in the southern Kherson region (Reuters)
New UN Report Cites Evidence of Russian War Crimes in Ukraine
The report released last week found evidence that detention centers in Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine have used torture methods and documented accounts of Russian forces committing rape in the southern region of Kherson (NYT)
It also recorded the forcible transfer of thirty-one Ukrainian children to Russia, noting that this constituted a war crime (Guardian)
Biden Cites ‘Inflection Point in History’ in Call for Continued Support of Ukraine, Israel
U.S. President Joe Biden said the current wars in the Middle East and Ukraine represent an “inflection point in history” in a speech from the Oval Office yesterday; both the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Russian President Vladimir Putin aim to “completely annihilate a neighboring democracy,” he said (NYT)
To stop them, he urged Congress to support new military aid for Israel and Ukraine; the full request package is expected to total some $100 billion and will go to a still-leaderless U.S. House of Representatives as the House struggles to choose a new speaker (Bloomberg)
Ukraine Uses U.S.-Supplied Long-Range Missiles for First Time
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the missiles had “proven themselves” after launching a strike against two Russian airfields; Washington was initially reluctant to send the weapons to Kyiv over concerns of escalating the conflict, though Ukraine said it would not use the weapons inside Russia, the Wall Street Journal reported (WSJ)
NATO Members Pledge More Than $2 Billion in New Military Aid to Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) meeting in Brussels yesterday, where leaders bolstered support for Kyiv; Germany announced the largest new aid package, totaling about $1.1 billion in missiles, air defense systems, and tanks (NYT)
Zelenskyy Joins NATO Meeting on Ukraine, Mideast
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended a meeting in Brussels today of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) defense ministers to appeal for continued military aid to Ukraine as support lags in some donor countries (AP)
Meanwhile, Russia launched an offensive assault near Adiivka on the eastern frontlines (NYT)
Russia Strikes Cafe in Ukraine’s Kherson Region, Killing Fifty-One
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while at a summit of about fifty European leaders to ask for more support, said the attack on the village of Hroza was a “demonstrably brutal Russian crime” and an act of terrorism (AP)
Also, President Vladimir Putin said that Russia has successfully tested a nuclear-capable cruise missile and that Russia’s legislature might revoke its ratification of a ban on nuclear testing; Russia has not carried out nuclear testing in more than three decades (The Guardian)
Meanwhile, a Reuters/Ipsos poll indicates waning support from Americans across the political spectrum for supplying Ukraine with weapons (Reuters)
U.S. Announces Transfer of Weapons and Ammunition Seized From Iran to Ukraine
The U.S. military’s Central Command announced that it sent more than one million rounds of ammunition seized from Iran to Ukrainian forces, while an unnamed Defense Department official said the United States also plans to send Ukraine seized Iranian weapons (NYT)
Removal of U.S. House Speaker Casts Doubt on Aid to Ukraine
Several potential candidates for Kevin McCarthy’s successor as speaker are not supportive of continuing to send aid to Ukraine at current levels (CNN)
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom and NATO warned that they are running out of ammunition to supply Ukraine (BBC)
Biden, EU Leaders Voice Support for Ukraine After War Aid Dropped From U.S. Spending Bill
U.S. President Joe Biden said Washington “will not walk away” from supporting Kyiv and expected lawmakers to approve a separate $6 billion aid package for Ukraine after it was dropped from a deal negotiated over the weekend to keep the U.S. government open (FT)
European Union (EU) foreign ministers are in Kyiv today to voice support for Ukraine’s war effort, and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc would keep increasing its financial support (Reuters)
Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Robert Fico and his Smer party won elections in Slovakia; Fico has opposed aid to Ukraine and pledged “not to send a single cartridge” of support (AP;NYT)
NYT: Under 500 Square Miles Has Changed Hands on Ukraine Frontline Since January 1
The small amount of territory that has been captured along the war’s frontline this year underscores the staunch impasse between both countries’ efforts to gain ground; neither Russia’s goal of capturing Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region nor Ukraine’s goal of splitting Russian forces with a southern counteroffensive has gone as planned (NYT)
Republican Presidential Hopefuls Debate Relations With Ukraine
At a televised debate between Republican presidential candidates in California yesterday, candidates were split over whether to keep supporting Ukraine’s counteroffensive (WaPo)
Poll frontrunner and former President Donald Trump, who did not participate in the debate, has said he would cut a deal with the leaders of Russia and Ukraine to end the war in twenty-four hours (CNN)
First U.S.-Made Abrams Tanks Arrive in Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and unnamed U.S. officials confirmed the arrival, which came months ahead of initial estimates. The officials said two platoons were delivered, which generally means between eight and ten tanks, the New York Times reported (NYT)
Ukrainian Forces Reportedly Advance Along Southern Front
Ukrainian forces have advanced against Russian defenses near the village of Verbove, Ukraine’s military said; the Institute for the Study of War said this move enabled Ukraine to make a “tactical breakthrough” in the region (Bloomberg)
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he plans to maintain Ukraine’s counteroffensive through the fall and winter (NYT)
Zelenskyy Visits Canada for First Time Since Start of War
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address Canada’s legislature today in his first visit to the country since Russia invaded Ukraine last year; Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to reiterate Canada’s continued economic and military support of Ukraine as Zelenskyy seeks to shore up more aid for Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russia (AP)
Ottawa has provided around $3.7 billion in financial assistance and $1.8 billion in military aid to Kyiv, and has taken in more than 175,000 Ukrainians since the start of the invasion (NYT)
The trip comes after Zelenskyy visited Washington yesterday, where U.S. President Joe Biden announced $325 million in new aid to Ukraine and said that the first U.S. Abrams tanks would be delivered to the country next week (Axios)
Zelenskyy’s reception by U.S. lawmakers was more subdued than on previous visits, with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy declining to host a forum for Zelenskyy to appeal to the full House of Representatives, reflecting some Republicans’ questioning of the continuation of U.S. war aid (NYT)
Zelenskyy to Meet With Biden as Russia Launches Strikes Across Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit today comes as Biden seeks to rally Congressional support behind a new $24 billion military and humanitarian aid package for Ukraine (NYT)
The White House said its timing is critical as Ukraine struggles in its counteroffensive; hours before the meeting, Russian missiles targeted sites across Ukraine (CNN)
After Poland’s prime minister said the country has stopped shipping weapons to Ukraine amid a dispute over grain trade, Polish officials walked the comments back, saying that Warsaw is carrying out shipments of ammunition and arms they previously agreed to send (Bloomberg)
Zelenskyy, Biden Urge Global Support for Ukraine’s War Effort at UN
At the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia’s aggression in Ukraine had dangerous spillover effects for the entire world, including the weaponization of global energy and food supplies and violation of the UN charter (WaPo)
U.S. President Joe Biden said that if world leaders allowed Ukraine “to be carved up,” no other nations’ independence would be secure (FT)
Ukraine Dismisses All Six Deputy Defense Ministers
While Kyiv authorities did not give official reasons for the shake-up in the country’s defense team, it comes amid a Ukrainian crackdown on corruption; Ukraine replaced its defense minister two weeks ago (NYT)
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in New York and is expected to address the UN forum to shore up more support for Kyiv’s counteroffensive against Moscow (NYT)
ICC Opens Field Office in Ukraine to Track Potential Russian War Crimes
The International Criminal Court (ICC) said its new field office in Kyiv is its largest outside of the Hague; it cited reports that more than 104,000 war crimes have been committed during Russia’s war in Ukraine (RFE/RL)
Meanwhile, new U.S. sanctions on companies accused of helping Russia avoid sanctions over its aggression in Ukraine hit five firms and one individual in Turkey, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally; the sanctions target shipping and trade companies accused of servicing sanctioned Russian vessels (Reuters)
Ukrainian Strikes on Russian Navy Shipyards in Crimea Damage Warships
The strikes overnight caused a fire that damaged two Russian warships, Russian officials said; it is the latest in a series of Ukrainian attacks on infrastructure targets in Russia-controlled territory (WSJ)
Putin Discusses Ukraine War, Russian Economy at Economic Forum
At the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, today, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Ukraine’s military counteroffensive has not made progress and that up to 1,500 Russians were voluntarily joining the military each day; when asked, Putin did not confirm whether he would run for reelection in 2024. (The Guardian)
He also said that “there were no insurmountable challenges” that limited the ruble’s volatility as the currency hit its strongest level against the U.S. dollar in six weeks (Reuters)
The forum comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits Russia, where he is expected to discuss an arms deal with Putin (AP)
Meanwhile, Ukrainian military intelligence reported that Ukrainian troops have recaptured several offshore drilling platforms near Russia-occupied Crimea that have been held by Russia since 2015 and used for military purposes; Russia did not immediately comment on the matter (The Guardian)
Germany’s Foreign Minister Makes Surprise Visit to Ukraine
Annalena Baerbock arrived in Kyiv today on an unannounced trip, where she is expected to discuss Germany’s ongoing economic and military support, as well as Ukraine’s bid for European Union (EU) membership; she said that Germany supports EU accession for Ukraine, but noted the country first needs more reform on corruption to join the bloc (DW)
Ukrainian troops have recaptured several offshore drilling platforms near the coast of Russia-occupied Crimea that have been held by Russia since 2015, Ukrainian military intelligence said (France 24, AFP, AP, Reuters)