Newsletter 25/06/2025
A daily news digest covering important war, political, economic, and cultural topics in Ukraine
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Nordic FMs call for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine
At the NATO summit in The Hague, the foreign ministers of Nordic countries called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, which would pave the way negotiating a just and lasting peace.
According to Ukrinform, the joint statement was published on Wednesday on the website of Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The statement emphasizes that two things are necessary to achieve this goal:
continued support for Ukraine – the five Nordic countries have already committed to over 15 billion USD of military support in 2025;
increased pressure on the Russian war economy – a major and transatlantically coordinated sanctions package accompanied by tariffs on Russia.
The statement was signed by the foreign ministers of five countries: Elina Valtonen (Finland), Lars Løkke Rasmussen (Denmark), Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir (Iceland), Espen Barth Eide (Norway), and Maria Malmer Stenergard (Sweden).
NATO countries will include aid to Ukraine in their total defense spending
“Allies reaffirm their enduring sovereign commitments to provide support to Ukraine, whose security contributes to ours, and, to this end, will include direct contributions towards Ukraine’s defence and its defence industry when calculating Allies’ defence spending,” stated in the final declaration of the NATO summit.
At the same time, it is noted that the allies agreed to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, including 3.5% for key defense capabilities and another 1.5% for defense and security-related spending, including infrastructure development, innovation, and sustainability.
Zelensky on meeting with Trump: We spoke about how to achieve ceasefire, real peace
"A long and meaningful meeting with President Trump. We covered all the really important issues. I thank Mr. President, thank the United States. We talked about how to achieve a ceasefire and real peace. We talked about how to protect our people. We appreciate the attention and willingness to help bring peace closer," Zelensky said.
Read also: Zelensky discusses with Trump possibility of drone co-producution
Zelensky shows Trump evidence of Russia handing Ukraine bodies of own dead
During a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, President Volodymyr Zelensky showed evidence that the Russians transferred the bodies of their own citizens claiming those were fallen Ukrainian soldiers. The president also showed his American counterpart maps of the actual battlefield developments.
Trump says wants to talk to Putin after meeting with Zelensky
U.S. President Donald Trump positively assessed his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier today, adding he wants to also talk to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin about the possibility of ending the war.
Trump considering Patriot supplies for Ukraine
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would look into supplying Patriot systems to Ukraine, which he said needs them more than anything else.
“We are going to see if we can make some of them available,” Trump said, commenting on the possibility of such supplies.
He noted that anti-missile missiles “are very hard to get” since the U.S. also needs these systems, they were supplied to Israel, and they are “100%” effective.
Ukraine is in a critical need for those missiles, Donald Trump admitted.
Russians deploying assault units to front-line positions in Zaporizhzhia region – military
In the Orikhiv and Huliaipole sectors, the Russians are regrouping their forces and deploying assault units to the front-line positions.
"Over the past few days, the Russians have been amassing forces and equipment in the Zaporizhzhia directions, namely Orikhiv and Huliaipole sectors of the front, where they are regrouping troops and deploying personnel from assault units to the front lines... They are conducting reconnaissance and engineering preparations for their future actions. In a few days, they will begin an escalation, initiating active assault operations, although with small infantry groups," said Vladyslav Voloshyn, Spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces.
At Ukraine-NATO Council, Sybiha urges swift adoption of strong sanctions against Russia
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called on allies at the Ukraine-NATO Council on both sides of the Atlantic to adopt strong sanctions as soon as possible and warned of the continuing threat from Russia to the entire Euro-Atlantic area.
War
Russians pressing forward, trying to reach Dnipropetrovsk region border – military
Fierce fighting continues in the area of responsibility of the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group of Troops, as Russian forces attempt to reach the administrative border of Dnipropetrovsk region.
“It’s a rather tense day, with high intensity across the entire front. This isn’t news — it’s simply a sign that Russia’s summer campaign is underway and its goals are quite clear: to reach the borders of Dnipropetrovsk region, to break through the center of Donetsk region, and to apply pressure everywhere they still can. These are just active combat operations with no surprises, but at very high intensity,” explained Major Viktor Trehubov, Spokesperson for the Khortytsia OSGT.
Kostiantynivka on brink of humanitarian disaster – RMA
"Kostiantynivka is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster. Due to shelling, almost half of the city is without electricity. 1,900 houses in Santurynivka [a microdistrict of the city] remain without gas, and it is currently impossible to restore its supply. Water is supplied once a day from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., which is only 20-25% of the demand," stated the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, Vadym Filashkin.
He noted that due to drone strikes, city bus service has been canceled, and the suburban route to Druzhkivka is operating on a limited basis.
Seven reservoirs and 11 water tanks have been installed in the city, and 12 wells are in operation, six of which are equipped with purification systems. Five resilience centers are operating, and two more are on standby, Filashkin said.
Russians attack civilian with drone in Kherson
Shelling damage to residential areas in Korabelny district shown in Kherson
Drone attack damages civilian infrastructure in Vilkovo
Zaporizhzhia officials show consequences of latest Russian attack
Politics
Merz calls on Trump to ramp up economic pressure on Moscow
Europe is using maximum opportunities to support Ukraine and put pressure on Russia, but to achieve a result, the United States needs to join the effort as it could provide a powerful impetus to the process.
NATO reaffirms Article 5 commitment: attack on one is attack on all
The heads of state and government of NATO countries, who met today in The Hague in the format of the North Atlantic Council, confirmed the validity of transatlantic ties and commitment to collective defense, as defined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.
Trump admits Putin's territorial ambitions could go beyond Ukraine
U.S. President Donald Trump suggests that Vladimir Putin's territorial ambitions could be greater than the occupation of Ukrainian territories, as the U.S. military leadership says. At the same time, Trump believes Russia would like to pull out of the war in Ukraine.