Russo-Ukrainian War

NATO leaders on Thursday looked to bolster ties with Asian partners after slamming China as a "decisive enabler" of Russia's war, before holding talks with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky at the end of a summit in Washington.

The 32-nation alliance has used the pomp-filled set piece in the U.S. capital to showcase its resolve against Moscow and backing for Kiev.

Switzerland is expanding its sanctions against Russia to align with those adopted by the EU on June 24, as announced by the Swiss government. This measure is in response to Moscow's ongoing aggressive actions in Ukraine.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told President Vladimir Putin that "war cannot solve problems" and urged peace on a trip to Moscow over two years into the Ukraine offensive.

NATO will need between 35 and 50 additional brigades to fully implement its new defense plans to counter a potential Russian attack, according to a military source who spoke to Reuters. Each brigade comprises between 3,000 and 7,000 soldiers. Creating these additional combat units represents a significant challenge.

Vladimir Putin conveyed to Viktor Orban that he would not accept any terms for peace in Ukraine other than his own. After three hours of talks in the Kremlin, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban highlighted the significant gap between Ukraine's and Russia's visions for ending the war.

Last night, the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk was attacked by surface drones, according to local authorities. Car traffic on the Crimean bridge, connecting the Russian-annexed Ukrainian peninsula with the Krasnodar region, was temporarily halted for about an hour. Local residents reported powerful explosions and a fire in a mountainous area above the city, as noted by UNIAN.

Mark Rutte, selected as the new NATO Secretary General, is a staunch critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a dedicated supporter of Ukraine. His nearly 14 years as the Dutch Prime Minister have honed his ability to broker concessions.

The defense ministers of Russia and the United States engaged in a telephone conversation for the first time in over a year, reported Reuters. The two sides presented starkly different accounts of the discussion.

Two key advisers to Donald Trump have presented him with a plan aimed at ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, as reported by Reuters. Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, one of Trump's national security advisers, outlined that the proposal entails offering Ukraine more American weapons contingent upon initiating negotiations with Russia.

The European Union yesterday slapped new sanctions on Russia over its war on Ukraine, targeting Moscow's shadow fleet of tankers moving liquefied natural gas through Europe as well as several companies.