NATO member countries are set to allocate over $1 billion monthly for the purchase of American weaponry for Ukraine, as announced by the alliance’s top official. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte disclosed plans to commence financing American arms and armaments, including offensive systems, for Ukraine starting in 2026. The objective is to provide vital equipment to Ukraine, such as interceptor missiles for air defense systems, through the Purl initiative initiated this year. This move aligns with the request of US President Donald Trump, who has emphasized the need for other allies to contribute to further US military assistance to Ukraine.
During a meeting in Brussels today, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen expressed concerns, stating, “So far we haven’t seen any concessions from the side of the aggressor, which is Russia, and I think the best confidence-building measure would be to start with a full ceasefire.” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna echoed this sentiment, emphasizing, “What we see is that Putin has not changed any course. He’s pushing more aggressively on the battlefield, and it’s pretty obvious that he doesn’t want to have any kind of peace.”
European Union lawmakers and member states reached an agreement today to implement a long-awaited ban on all imports of Russian gas by autumn 2027. Meanwhile, Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, engaged in discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday. Prior to the meeting, Putin cautioned Europe against engaging in a conflict with Russia, deeming European counter-proposals on Ukraine as entirely unacceptable.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov affirmed Russia’s commitment to collaborating with the US on a peace agreement for Ukraine “for as long as it takes.” Peskov clarified that while Putin did not outright dismiss any proposals, there were aspects deemed unacceptable, highlighting the standard negotiation process of seeking a middle ground. He expressed gratitude to Trump for facilitating the talks and criticized EU leaders for being fixated on the notion of strategically defeating Russia.
Sign up to receive daily updates on the most significant news stories.