War in Ukraine

July 24 (UPI) — A European Union-China summit in Beijing on Thursday saw Chinese President Xi Jinping‘s call for closer ties met with a reality check from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen over China’s $359 billion trade surplus with the EU.

Xi told the high-level gathering, marking 50 years of diplomatic relations between Brussels and Beijing, that rising current geopolitical frictions demanded the two sides strengthen their “mutually beneficial” relationship.

“The more severe and complex the international situation is, the more China and the EU should strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, and deepen cooperation,” Xi told the EU delegation headed by von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.

Telling them that the problems Europe was facing “do not come from China,” Xi urged the EU to deal with tensions and disagreements properly, keep its market open and refrain from resorting to measures targeting trade, including tariffs.

However, Von der Leyen pushed back, saying relations were at a critical point where the Chinese leadership needed to prioritize the huge trade imbalance between the EU and China.

“As our cooperation has deepened, so have the imbalances. We have reached an inflection point. Rebalancing our bilateral relations is essential. Because to be sustainable, relations need to be mutually beneficial. To achieve this, it is vital for China and Europe to acknowledge our respective concerns and come forward with real solutions,” she said.

Trade tensions have taken a toll on the relationship after Brussels, accusing China of unfair subsidies, hiked tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles while Beijing targeted imports of European brandy, pork, and dairy products with anti-dumping investigations.

China has also restricted government purchasing of EU-made medical devices in retaliation for Brussels making it much more difficult for Chinese suppliers to bid for EU medical equipment contracts.

This was against a backdrop of a trade relationship in which Chinese exports to the EU reached $609.4 billion in 2024, while EU exports to China were just $250.4 billion. Official Chinese data for the first half of this year show the goods-trade surplus up 21% on the same period in 2024, although the Chinese totals are somewhat lower than the EU’s figures.

A rapprochement hoped for by Beijing between the world’s second- and third-largest trading blocs, both at the forefront of U.S. President Donald Trump‘s blanket tariff hikes, has gradually evaporated amid the airing of grievances.

That saw the summit, which was originally planned to run through Friday, cut to one day.

In meetings with Xi in the morning and Chinese Premier Li Qiang after lunch, von der Leyen and Costa raised not only the trade issue but also China’s backing for Russia in the Ukraine war and end export controls on rare earth minerals, of which China has among the world’s largest reserves.

Von der Leyen has previously accused China of leveraging its “quasi-monopoly on rare earths not only as a bargaining chip, but also weaponizing it to undermine competitors in key industries.”

Costa told Xi he needed to use China’s sway to push Moscow to halt the war.

The two sides did, however, manage to see eye-to-eye on the climate, issuing a joint communique vowing to “demonstrate leadership together” and develop proposals to combat the emissions causing global warming in time for this year’s COP, the U.N. Climate Change Conference, in Brazil in November.

SEOUL, July 22 (UPI) — North Korea plans to build another 5,000-ton destroyer by October 2026, state-run media reported Tuesday, following the launch of two warships earlier this year.

Workers at the Nampo Shipyard held a rally on Monday and “pledged to build another new-type destroyer by October 10, 2026,” the official Korea Central News Agency reported.

The date marks the anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea.

Pyongyang launched its first 5,000-ton destroyer, the Choe Hyon, at the Nampo Shipyard in April. That vessel is armed with a wide range of weapons, including nuclear-capable cruise missiles, according to North Korean reports.

Photos released by the North showed that the Choe Hyon’s missile and radar systems resemble those found on Russian vessels, prompting speculation that Pyongyang received technical assistance from Moscow in its development.

North Korea has deployed troops, artillery and weapons to Russia to aid in Moscow’s war against Ukraine, and is believed to be receiving much-needed financial support and advanced military technology for its own weapons programs.

A second destroyer, named the Kang Kon, suffered an accident at its launch ceremony in May that left it listing on its side.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who was in attendance at the launch, called the mishap a “criminal act” and warned of serious consequences for those found responsible. At least four officials were arrested in the aftermath.

The Kang Kon was repaired and relaunched in June, although analysts have questioned whether it is fully operational. At that ceremony, Kim vowed to “commission two destroyers of the same class or higher into the navy every year.”

At Monday’s rally, the shipyard manager urged workers to uphold the ruling party’s “plan for building a powerful army” and to achieve “miraculous success … in the building of another new-type warship,” KCNA reported.

The workers began construction of the new destroyer immediately after the rally, KCNA said.

July 19 (UPI) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wants cease-fire negotiations with Russia next week and said he would be willing to meet directly and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian officials have proposed cease-fire negotiations next week, and Russian officials confirmed their receipt of the proposal for a high-level talk, CNN reported on Saturday.

“We need to do everything possible to achieve a cease-fire,” Zelensky told Ukrainians Saturday during his daily address.

“The Russian side must stop avoiding decisions regarding prisoner exchanges, the return of children and the cessation of killings,” Zelensky said.

“A meeting at the leadership level is essential to genuinely secure peace,” he added. “Ukraine is ready for such a meeting.”

That meeting could be between Putin and Zelensky, the BBC reported.

Ukraine’s call for cease-fire negotiations comes after Russia attacked 10 Ukrainian cities and other locales during the overnight hours from Friday into Saturday.

Russia launched more than 340 explosive drones and decoys and 35 ballistic missiles at targets in Ukraine, many of which the Ukrainian military said it intercepted.

President Donald Trump on Sunday announced the United States will sell Patriot missile-defense systems to NATO, which will provide them to Ukraine.

Trump also threatened to impose 100% tariffs on Russia if Putin does not end its war against Ukraine within 50 days.

Russian and Ukrainian officials last met in Istanbul in early June, but that meeting ended quickly with no cease-fire agreement.

July 18 (UPI) — The European Union on Friday reached an agreement to impose its 18th round of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine after Slovakia ended its protest.

The package targets Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of ships as well as the energy and banking sectors. It also lowers the oil cap from $60 to $45 a barrel and prohibiting the EU from accessing Russian Nord Stream pipelines.

The EU is also, for the first time, sanctioning a flag registry and Russian oil company Rosneft’s largest refinery in India.

“We are standing firm,” the EU’s top diplomat, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, said in a statement.

“We will keep raising the costs, so stopping the aggression becomes the only path forward for Moscow.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen celebrated its adoption online, saying with the new package, “We are striking at the heart of Russia’s war machine.”

“The pressure is on,” she said. “It will stay on until Putin ends this war.”

The EU has been hitting Russia with sanctions since it illegally annexed Crimea in 2014, but they have significantly ramped up since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It has since blacklisted more than 2,400 people and entities with its 17 adopted packages, along with other punitive measures.

The 18th package was blocked for days by Slovakia, which was protesting a separate EU proposal to phase out all Russian fuel supplies by 2028. Slovakian President Robert Fico had requested an exemption to allow it to fulfill its contract with Russia’s Gazprom until it expires in 2034.

But he relinquished his request late Thursday in a video published to Facebook.

All 27 members of the bloc need to vote unanimously for the sanctions to be adopted.

“We welcome the European Union’s latest sanctions package and are grateful to all who have made it possible,” Yulia Svyrydenko, Ukraine’s new prime minister, said in a statement.

“By targeting the ships, the banks and the networks that sustain Russia’s war, this package strengthens the pressures where it counts. There is more to be done. But each measure taken with clarity and resolve helps bring Russia’ war closer to its end.”

Nearly 22,000 entities and individuals have been hit with sanctions over Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to sanctions analysis platform Castellum, making it by far the most sanctioned country in the world.

The EU has imposed the fourth-most sanctions against Russia, following the United States, Canada and Switzerland.

SEOUL, July 15 (UPI) — North Korea and Russia will begin operating direct flight service linking their capital cities of Pyongyang and Moscow later this month, Russia’s Transport Ministry announced.

Nordwind Airlines, a Russian budget carrier, will begin direct flights between the two cities on July 27, the ministry said Monday night on its Telegram channel. Travel time will be about eight hours.

“For the first time, the capitals of Russia and the DPRK will be connected by direct flights,” the ministry said, using the official acronym for North Korea.

“Further flights will be operated once a month — to create sustainable demand and load flights,” the ministry added.

Currently, the only direct flights between the two countries are operated by North Korea’s Air Koryo, connecting Pyongyang with Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East.

The announcement comes amid growing military and economic ties between Russia and North Korea, highlighted by Pyongyang supplying troops and weapons to Moscow for its war against Ukraine.

North Korea has gradually begun opening up to international tourism after sealing its borders at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2020. So far, foreign visitors have come almost exclusively from Russia.

Russian travelers were the first to return to North Korea post-COVID on the Pyongyang-Vladivostok Air Koryo route early last year. Direct rail service between Pyongyang and Moscow also resumed in June after a five-year suspension.

Last week, the North welcomed around 10 Russian guests — including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov — to its sprawling new beach resort on the east coast, Russia’s Kommersant newspaper reported on Monday.

The Wonsan Kalma coastal tourist area runs along 2.5 miles of beachfront and has a capacity for up to 20,000 guests. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony last month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called the completion of the resort one of the country’s “greatest successes this year” and said it would “play a leading role in establishing the tourist culture of the DPRK.”

Launched in 2014, the Wonsan project was initially slated to open in April 2019 but faced numerous setbacks, including international sanctions on materials and COVID-19 pandemic closures.

During his visit to Wonsan last week, Lavrov said that Russia also plans to restore maritime passenger routes between the two countries.

“Our Korean friends have expressed interest in having more Russians at the wonderful resort of Wonsan and other resorts in the DPRK,” Lavrov said at a press conference. “I have no doubt that this will happen.”

July 14 (UPI) — President Donald Trump warned Russia Monday that it may face “severe tariffs” if a peace deal with Ukraine isn’t negotiated.

Trump said the United States would impose 100% secondary tariffs on nations that engage in trade with Moscow.

“We’re very, very unhappy with them,” Trump said. “And we’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have a deal in 50 days.”

Trump shared this during a meeting and press conference in the Oval Office Monday with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in which he also explained how American weapons will now head to Ukraine.

“We’ve made a deal today where we are going to be sending them weapons and they’re going to be paying for them,” Trump said, reiterating what he had said Sunday to the press at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on the same subject.

“The United States will not be having any payment made,” Trump added. “We’re not buying it but we will manufacture it and they’re going to be paying for it.”

Trump also explained some weaponry, including Patriot missile systems, will be in Ukraine “very soon, within days,” and that the arms would first arrive in NATO countries before being transferred to Ukraine.

Rutte added that the process will run through NATO’s system, and that Ukraine will receive what it requires. “It will mean that Ukraine can get its hands on really massive numbers of military equipment,” he explained. “For air defense, missiles, ammunition, etc.”

“So if I were Vladimir Putin today,” Rutte continued, “I would reconsider if I should take negotiations with Ukraine more seriously.”

July 14 (UPI) — Russia fired 136 drones at Ukraine, Kyiv’s air force said Monday, ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump‘s meeting with NATO head Mark Rutte, where the two are expected to announce a new weapons deal for their besieged European ally.

The overnight attack began at 6:39 p.m. Sunday, and consisted of four surface-to-air missiles launched from Russia’s Kursk region and the drones from several areas of Russia.

The drones were reportedly Iran-made and -supplied Shahed unmanned aerial vehicle systems.

Sixty-one of the drones were shot down and another 47 were either lost from radar or suppressed by electronic warfare, Ukraine’s air force said, adding that 28 hit targets in 10 locations.

“The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile forces, electronic warfare units and drone systems, and mobile fire groups of the Ukrainian Defense Forces,” it said in a statement on Telegram.

The attack came as Trump is set to meet with Rutte, the NATO secretary general, on Monday. Rutte is in Washington, D.C., for a two-day trip ending Tuesday.

Trump told a press gaggle at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Sunday that he will send Ukraine Patriot air defense system munitions, with the bill to be covered by the European Union.

He also mentioned his upcoming meeting with Rutte, stating they will be sending “various pieces of very sophisticated” military equipment to Ukraine “and they’re going to pay us 100% for them.”

Trump’s announcement comes as he has grown publicly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump campaigned on ending the war in 24 hours, but since returning to the White House in January has failed to bring about a cease-fire.

He has pursued a cease-fire plan, but has been unable to get a commitment from the Russian leader. Earlier this month, Trump and Putin spoke over the phone, after which the American president told reporters that he “didn’t make any progress” toward securing a cease-fire.

To reporters on Sunday, he said, “Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then he bombs everyone in the evening. There’s a bit of a problem there. I don’t like it.”

July 14 (UPI) — President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States will send Ukraine Patriot air defense system munitions that the European Union will pay for.

Trump made the announcement to reporters during a press gaggle at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland after attending the Club World Cup final at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.

He told reporters the number of Patriot munitions hasn’t been agreed on yet, but was adamant Europe was to pay for them.

“They’re going to have some because they do need protection, but the European Union is paying for,” he said. “We’re not paying anything for it, but we will send it.”

Trump incorrectly stated that the United States has given hundreds of billions more to Ukraine than the European Union, despite the U.S. government and the EU, along with its members states, having allocated comparable amounts.

According to the U.S. government, the United States has allocated $182.8 billion of which $83.4 billion has been disbursed. The EU states it and its members have given Ukraine $192.5 billion, and have allocated tens of billions more.

The United States is, however, still the largest single backer in Ukraine’s defense, though it has given very little aid to the war-torn country during the second Trump administration.

Trump has sought to have the EU pay more for Ukraine’s defense, and he told reporters Sunday that he has a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday, and that they will be sending “various pieces of very sophisticated” military equipment to Ukraine “and they’re going to pay us 100% for them.”

A pause on some U.S. military aid transfers to Ukraine put in place early this month was lifted by Trump as he has grown more frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump, who campaigned on ending the war within 24 hours of returning to the White House, has been seeking a cease-fire in the war since his inauguration, which has seemed to have hit a stalemate. Early this month, he had a phone call with Putin, after which he told reporters that he “didn’t make any progress” toward securing a cease-fire.

Since then, he has voiced frustration with the Russian leader, whom he once frequently praised.

“Putin really surprised a lot of people,” Trump said Sunday. “He talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening. There’s a bit of a problem there. I don’t like it.”

July 12 (UPI) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov traveled to North Korea on Friday to meet with his North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and others during a three-day visit.

He said Moscow respects North Korea’s efforts to develop nuclear arms by using its own scientists amid recent military exercises involving the U.S., South Korean and Japanese forces, according to CNN.

The U.S. and its South Korean and Japanese allies conducted a joint aerial training operation on the Korean Peninsula on Friday.

Lavrov warned the United States and its regional allies against targeting North Korea and Russia, Newsweek reported on Saturday.

“No one is considering using force against North Korea despite the military buildup around the country by the United States, South Korea and Japan,” Lavrov said of the joint military exercise.

“We respect North Korea’s aspirations and understand the reasons why it is pursuing a nuclear development,” Lavrov said.

He said Moscow is aware that President Donald Trump recently expressed support for resuming talks with North Korea at the highest level.

“We exchanged views on the situation surrounding the Ukrainian crisis,” Lavrov told Russian state media outlet TASS.

“Our Korean friends confirmed their firm support of all the objectives of the special military operation,” he said of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

North Korea’s Foreign Ministry earlier this week invitedLavrov to visit Pyongyang, which is preparing to deploy between 25,000 and 30,000 soldiers for Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine.

North Korea last year deployed 11,000 soldiers to Russia to help repel a Ukrainian incursion in the Kursk region of Russia.

July 12 (UPI) — Poland on Saturday scrambled fighter jets in response to Russian military aircraft near its border with Ukraine.

“Attention. Due to the activity of long-range aviation of the Russian Federation, conducting strikes on targets located, among others, in western Ukraine, Polish and allied aviation have begun operations in Polish airspace,” the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said on X.

“Duty fighter pairs have been scrambled, and ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems have reached the highest state of readiness.”

Russian drone and missile strikes killed at least two people and injured more than 20 others overnight, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on X.

The attacks targeted Ukraine’s Kharkiv, Sumy, Lviv and Bukovyna regions and involved 26 cruise missiles and 597 attack drones, Zelensky said in the post.

Ukrainian officials separately reported at least 13 civilian deaths and 46 injuries over the previous 24 hours due to Russian missile strikes.

Poland later canceled its military alert.

“The operation of Polish and allied aviation in our airspace has been concluded due to the cessation of long-range aviation strikes by the Russian Federation on Ukraine,” the country’s armed forces said in a different statement.

“Activated ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems have returned to standard operational activities. We thank you for the allied support NATO.”

Zelensky on Friday met with U.S. lawmakers in Rome at the Ukraine Recovery Conference. The Ukrainian president said during the conference he was prioritizing strengthening the country’s air defenses.

July 11 (UPI) — Employees of the U.S. State Department could receive a layoff notice via email very soon as part of the Trump administration’s plan to downsize the government, according to an in ternal memo.

The Washington Post reported late Thursday night it had obtained a memo from Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Michael Rigas that informed State Department employees to be on the lookout for an email “in the coming days” in regard to layoffs. CNN reported Thursday that the email would come from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that will say “Soon, the Department will be communicating to individuals affected by the reduction in force,” and that firings could begin as soon as Friday. A draft reduction-in-force notice acquired by CBS News said the objective is “streamlining domestic operations to focus on diplomatic priorities,” and that the terminations “have been carefully tailored to affect non-core functions.”

The State Department had told Congress in May it planned to fire more than 1,870 people within its domestic workforce of 18,730, and over 1,570 have said they would voluntarily exit.

More than 300 offices and bureaus would be impacted and will include members of the foreign and civil service whose offices are being either retooled or outright eliminated.

Uncertainty over the status of the plan has negatively impacted morale at the department, as workers wait to see if they are to receive the axe, some of which have worked there for years or even decades, The Washington Post reported.

CBS also reported that the department told reporters it intends to conduct the reductions-in-force over a single day.

One State Department employee, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Washington Post last month that the move showed the department’s leadership “either doesn’t appreciate or just doesn’t care” about its workforce.

“We will continue to move forward with our historic reorganization plan at the State Department, as announced earlier this year,” Rubio said in a X post Tuesday.

“When you reorganize the State Department, there were certain bureaus we wanted to empower, the regional bureaus, and there were certain bureaus, these functional bureaus, that were closed,” he told reporters Thursday.

The State Department officially told Congress in May that it planned to eliminate around 3,400 U.S.-based jobs and will either close or merge nearly half of its domestic offices.

However, those working at overseas posts are reportedly safe from termination.

American Foreign Service Association President Thomas Yazdgerdi told CNN Wednesday that the expected layoffs are coming at “a particularly bad time.”

“There are horrible things that are happening in the world that require a tried-and-true diplomatic workforce that’s able to address that,” he continued. “The ability to maintain a presence in the areas of the world that are incredibly important, dealing with issues like Ukraine, like Gaza, like Iran right now that require great diplomatic attention.”

The plan will also integrate the functions of the U.S. Agency for International Development into the State Department.

The State Department had told Congress it planned to complete its reorganization by July 1, but those plans were temporarily paused by rulings from a lower court until earlier this week, when the Supreme Court cleared a path for the Trump administration to begin mass firings and changes at 19 departments and agencies.

The lower court had blocked the layoffs, as the administration did not first consult with Congress.

July 11 (UPI) — Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome on Friday.

The meeting, called the Coalition of the Willing, also was attended by U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg.

Zelenskyy said that strengthening Ukraine’s air defense is a top priority.

Ukrainian intelligence says Russia plans to launch attacks with up to 1,000 drones at a time. Ukraine’s defense against these attacks are interceptor drones, but there must be more investment in their production, according to a statement from Zelensky. He also said Ukraine is ready to purchase a large defense package from the United States.

To prevent Russia’s ongoing attacks, Zelensky said there needs to be more sanctions against Russia. Graham and Blumenthal discussed a bill they are sponsoring that addresses that.

“We also touched on the bill introduced by Senators Graham and Blumenthal regarding additional restrictive measures against Russia and those supporting its war effort,” Zelensky said on X. “Without a doubt, this is exactly the kind of leverage that can bring peace closer and make sure diplomacy is not empty.”

Blumenthal added that other nations at the conference were supportive of the bill.

“Deeply inspired & energized by strong solidarity among European heads of state — hearing from Sen. Graham & me about our Russia Sanctions bill at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome,” he said on X. “Powerful commitment to Ukraine’s cause & our legislation.”

He hinted that the sanctions would hurt Russia-supporting nations.

“Momentum building for our Russia Sanctions bill, shown by repeated statements of support from heads of state in Rome at the Ukraine Recovery Conference,” he tweeted. “Bone crushing sanctions should help halt China, India & Brazil from fueling Russia’s war machine by buying its oil & gas.”

In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its attacks, launching record numbers of drones at Kyiv and other civilian targets. The United States has begun sending arms to Ukraine after a pause.

The Ukraine Recovery Conference is a two-day event focused on building political and private-sector support for the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.

July 11 (UPI) — A retired lieutenant colonel of the U.S. Army has pleaded guilty to transmitting classified national defense information concerning Russia’s war in Ukraine via a foreign dating app to a person claiming to be a woman living in the war-torn country.

The Justice Department said David Slater, 64, of Nebraska pleaded guilty Thursday and faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 on Oct. 8 when he is scheduled for sentencing.

“David Slater failed in his duty to protect this information by willingly sharing national defense information with an unknown online personality despite having years of military experience that should have caused him to be suspicious of that person’s motives,” U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods of the District of Nebraska said in a statement.

According to federal prosecutors, after retiring from the Army, Slater was hired as a civilian employee of the U.S. Air Force assigned to the U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base and held a Top Secret security clearance from August 2021 to April 2022.

Court documents state that in his position, Slater attended top-secret classified briefings on the Russia-Ukraine war and conspired to transmit information he learned over an unnamed foreign dating app to a person who claimed to be a woman living in Ukraine.

The purported woman called Slater her “secret informant lover” and her “secret agent” and asked him to send her sensitive classified information.

The quantity and the frequency with which information was exchanged was not revealed, but the Justice Department did confirm that “Slater did, in fact, transmit classified national defense information to her, including regarding military targets and Russian military capabilities relating to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

July 10 (UPI) — The European Commission on Wednesday announced a $2.7 billion package of agreements with financial institutions to support Ukraine‘s recovery and reconstruction efforts.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the European Flagship Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome.

“Today, the EU reaffirms its role as Ukraine’s strongest partner. Not just its top donor, but a key investor in its future,” President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said. “With $2.7 billion in agreements signed, we aim to unlock up to $11.7 billion in investments to rebuild homes, reopen hospitals, revive businesses, and secure energy. This is solidarity in action. Ukraine is moving closer to the EU every day — in energy, education, roaming, and culture. Europe stands with Ukraine — today and tomorrow.”

The package includes $2.1 billion in loan guarantees and $677 million in grants. It is expected to mobilize up to $11.7 billion in investments in Ukraine.

“(It will be) the largest equity fund globally to support reconstruction,” she said. “It will, together with the private sector, kickstart investment in energy, transport, critical raw materials, dual-use industries. We are taking a stake in Ukraine’s future by leveraging public money to bring large-scale private sector investments and help the rebuilding of the country.”

Von der Leyen named as contributors Italy, Germany, France, Poland and the European Investment Bank. She said, “I trust others will be eager to join. The people of Ukraine are ready to drive their country’s economy into the future. The time to invest is now.”

Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko said on Wednesday that the country will need at least $40 billion in external financing in 2026 because it now allocates most of its budget to defense.

With an initial capital of $257 million, the fund plans to mobilize $584 million by 2026 – with further fundraising planned as security conditions improve, a press release said. The Flagship Fund will foster the developmzent of a private equity ecosystem in Ukraine to attract new capital and “maximize synergies with existing market players.”

July 10 (UPI) — A second consecutive night of Russian drone and missile strikes on Kyiv killed at least two people and injured 24, authorities said.

Residential, healthcare, education, commercial and transport infrastructure was damaged across eight districts of the capital, including Podilskyi, where a 22-year-old woman police officer and a 68-year-old woman were killed, Kyiv Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said in a social media update.

“House-to-house inspections of the affected building are underway with the police checking whether anyone was left without help. About 400 rescuers and 90 units of fire and rescue, engineering and robotic equipment of the State Emergency Service are involved in clearing the rubble and dealing with the consequences of the shelling,” he said.

Tkachenko said apartment blocks, vehicles, warehouses, offices and other non-residential buildings were burning.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram that apartment buildings in Shevchenkivskyi and Darnytskyi were set ablaze, gas stations and garages damaged, and a primary healthcare center “almost completely destroyed” in Podilskyi district.

The attack started shortly after 1 a.m. local time when explosions were heard and a swarm of Shahed-type attack drones was detected over the Pechersk district in old Kyiv, kicking off a three-hour-long intense bombardment in which the city was also targeted with ballistic missiles.

The Ukraine Air Force said 18 ballistic, cruise and S-300 guided missiles, mostly targeting Kyiv, were part of a much larger attack targeting the Chernihiv, Sumy, Poltava, Kirovohrad and Kharkiv regions that involved almost 400 real and decoy drones in an effort to throw off Ukrainian air defenses by swamping them.

However, air defenses succeeded in downing 14 of the missiles and while more than 350 drones were shot down, jammed or went the wrong way, at least two people, a man and a woman, were injured in the southern province of Kherson.

“This is a clear escalation of terror by Russia — hundreds of ‘shaheds’ every night, constant strikes, and massive attacks on Ukrainian cities,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on X.

“This demands that we speed things up. Sanctions must be imposed faster, and pressure on Russia must be strong enough that they truly feel the consequences of their terror. There’s a need for quicker action from our partners in investing in weapons production and advancing technology,” Zelensky wrote.

The latest attacks came as the United Nations released figures for June showing 232 people were killed and 1,343 injured in Ukraine due to enemy action, the highest number of civilian casualties in any month since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

July 4 (UPI) — One person died and 26 were injured in record Russian airstrikes throughout Ukraine‘s capital Kyiv on Friday, one day after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was “disappointed” that Russian President Vladimir Putin wasn’t ready to end the three-year war.

Several thousand residents spent the night in shelters, including subway stations or underground parking lots during eight hours of drone and missiles strikes, CNN reported.

“Absolutely horrible and sleepless night in Kyiv,” Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha said about the nonstop strikes.

After the two presidents spoke on the phone, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the “Special Military Operation,” which started in February 2022, will continue until they’ve met their objective.

Trump said that “no progress” had been made to end fighting, which began after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Trump said he planned to speak with Zelensky on Friday.

Ukraine’s air force said the the 550 drones, 72 of which penetrated air defenses, surpassed the previous record of 537 launched last Saturday night.

Air raid alerts sounded overnight in Kyiv, the “main target of the strikes,” the Ukrainian Air Force said on Telegram.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was a “brutal, sleepless night” as he condemned one of the most “demonstratively significant and cynical” attacks of the war.

“Notably, the first air raid alerts in our cities and regions yesterday began to blare almost simultaneously with media reports discussing a phone call between President Trump and Putin,” Zelensky posted on X. “Yet again, Russia is showing it has no intention of ending the war and terror.”

Again, he urged international allies, including the United States, to put more pressure on Russia to end the war and to impose harsher sanctions.

“All of this is clear evidence that without truly large-scale pressure, Russia will not change its dumb, destructive behavior,” Zelensky said. “For every such strike against people and human life, they must feel appropriate sanctions and other blows to their economy, their revenues, and their infrastructure. This is the only thing that can be achieved quickly to change the situation for the better. And it depends on our partners, primarily the United States.”

Some shipments of critical weapons to Ukraine have been halted by the United States.

Trump blamed former President Joe Biden for “emptying out our whole country giving them weapons, and we have to make sure that we have enough for ourselves.”

A German government spokesperson said his nation is in talks with the U.S. to buy Patriot air defense systems to give to Ukraine.

The commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces warned the number of long-range drones used by Russia could reach 1,000 or more daily.

The airstrikes damaged railway infrastructure, as well as schools, businesses and vehicles in the capital, including five ambulances that were summoned.

The Polish consulate also was damaged, said Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, who called on the U.S. to “restore supplies of anti-aircraft ammunition to Ukraine and impose tough new sanctions on the aggressor.”

With air pollution levels in the city “high,” according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, residents were warned to stay indoors, not to ventilate rooms and use air purifiers at maximum if possible.

“This attack happened immediately after Putin’s conversation with Trump, and it confirms that Trump is a scoundrel, just like the fact that the U.S. wants to stop aid deliveries and he is not helping in any way during his presidency,” one Kyiv resident, Yuriy, told CNN.

One body was found in the rubble in the Svyatoshynsky district, the leader of the Kyiv city military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, said.

Also hit were the Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Chernihiv regions.

Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov said the “massive” strikes were in response to the “terrorist acts of the Kyiv regime.”

A woman was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on a village not far from the border on Friday night, the acting governor of Russia’s southern Rostov region said.

July 3 (UPI) — President Donald Trump, who campaigned on ending the Ukraine war within 24 hours of returning to the White House, said Thursday that he “didn’t make any progress” toward securing a potential cease-fire in the conflict when he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the day.

“We had a call. It was a pretty long call and we talked about a lot of things, including Iran and we also talked about, you know, the war with Ukraine,” he told reporters from the tarmac of Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

Asked if he made any advancement toward achieving the cease-fire he’s been trying to secure, he replied: “No, I didn’t make any progress.”

Trump earlier Thursday announced on his Truth Social platform that he was scheduled to speak with the Russian leader at 10 a.m.

A readout of the call from Putin aide Yuri Ushakov stated the conversation lasted almost an hour, and began with Trump announcing Congress had passed his mammoth tax and spending cut bill, followed by Putin wishing him success on implementing it.

On Ukraine, Putin told Trump that he is “willing to pursue negotiations” but that Russia would also “strive to achieve its goals, namely the elimination of the well-known root causes that led to the current state of affairs.”

Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, with Putin claiming it was to de-Nazify its neighbor. The conflict that Putin said would be over in a matter of days continues.

Trump campaigned heavily and repeatedly stated that if he were re-elected he would have the war ended within 24 hours. Now, 164 days after returning to the White House, Trump, known for praising the Russian leader, is still trying to secure an end to the war.

The last publicly known conversation between the two was on June 14 — Trump’s birthday.

In a post to his Truth Social account, Trump said Putin wished him happy birthday. They also discussed Iran. “Much less time was spent talking about Russia/Ukraine,” he said, adding “that will be for next week.”

The call was made days after the Pentagon halted shipments of some missiles and ammunition to Ukraine citing concerns about U.S. weapons stockpiles.

Asked about the suspension of weapons in Maryland, Trump said the U.S is still shipping weapons to Ukraine.

“We’re giving weapons but we’ve given so many weapons, but we are giving weapons and we’re working with them and trying to help them — but, you know, Biden emptied out our whole country, giving them weapons, and we have to make sure we have enough for ourselves,” he said.

July 1 (UPI) — Russian authorities said at least three people were killed as Ukraine claimed an attack on a military plant in the city of Izhevsk.

Head of Russia’s Udmurt Republic Aleksandr Brechalov posted to Telegram Tuesday that “at the moment 35 people have been hospitalized, 10 of them are in serious condition.”

“Unfortunately, we have [three] dead,” he also explained.

Brechalov also confirmed that “One of the enterprises in Izhevsk was attacked by drones” from Ukraine.

The Security Service of Ukraine, or SBU, announced Tuesday that two Ukrainian drones struck the Kupol Electromechanical Plant in Izhevsk, more than 800 miles from the warfront in Ukraine. The plant is purportedly a producer of drones, as well as radar stations and surface-to-air missile systems.

Russia’s Defense Ministry also purported Tuesday that 60 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight across several Russian regions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky further announced Sunday that Russia sent 477 drones and 60 missiles in a wide-ranging blitz that he alleged were “targeting everything that sustains life.” A residential building in the city Smila in Ukraine’s Cherkasy province was reportedly among the structures attacked, which left a child injured.

Zelensky, who alleged that most of the Russian drones and missiles were shot down, also noted that a Ukrainian F-16 pilot, Maksym Ustymenko, was killed in action after reportedly have destroyed seven “aerial targets.” Ustymenko was granted the Hero of Ukraine award posthumously Monday.

Zelensky also announced Monday that the Ukrainian domestic production of drones will be “ramped up,” and as for weaponry to be used in battle, “The priority is drones, interceptor drones and long-range strike drones.”

“Russia is investing in its unmanned capabilities,” he added. “Russia is planning to increase the number of drones used in strikes against our state. We are preparing our countermeasures.”

June 30 (UPI) — Two U.S. House members — Democrat Dwight Evans and Republican Don Bacon — announced Monday they will not seek a third term in 2026 after both have served since their 2016 elections.

Evans, 71, has represented Philadelphia and Bacon, 61, in Nebraska, including Omaha.

Evans, who suffered a stroke last year and has missed several months of votes, had intended to run again in Pennsylvania’s heavy Democratic Third Congressional District.

Bacon is moderate in Nebraska’s Second Congressional District, which was won by Vice President Kamala Harris in her bid to become president last year and President Joe Biden in 2020. That gave each of them an electronic vote in the state, which is not winner-take-all.

The U.S. House currently has a breakdown of 220 Republicans and 212 Democrats with three vacancies after the deaths of three Democrats.

Longtime Rep. Jan Schakowsky, an 81-year-old Democrat from Illinois, said earlier this year she wouldn’t run again.

Republican Mark Green, 60, of Tennessee, said he will retire after the budget policy bill goes through Congress.

Dwight Evans

“Serving the people of Philadelphia has been the honor of my life,” Evans said in a statement. “And I remain in good health and fully capable of continuing to serve. After some discussions this weekend and thoughtful reflection, I have decided that the time is right to announce that I will not be seeking re-election in 2026. I will serve out the full term that ends Jan. 3, 2027.”

He succeeded Chaka Fattah, who resigned after being indicted on federal corruption charges.

“I am deeply proud of what I have been able to accomplish over my 45 years in elected office — from revitalizing neighborhoods block by block to fighting for justice, economic opportunity, investments in infrastructure and education,” he said. “I cannot express the gratitude that I have for the trust that voters put in me as their voice in both state and federal office. It has been a privilege of a lifetime to serve as their advocate in government.”

Evans was elected as the Democratic chairman of the House Appropriations Committee in 1990, serving 20 years.

Evans said he has remained “rooted in his neighborhood” throughout his career, and lived just blocks from where he grew up in the city.

He was a public school teacher and community organizer with the Urban League until he began working in government at 26 in 1980. He was elected to the state’s House of Representatives.

Politico reported there could be a fierce battle between establishment Democrats and progressives, including socialists.

State Sen. Sharif Street on Monday posted on X his intention to run for Evans’ seat, writing “I’m in.” Street, who has worked with Republicans on some issues, is chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party.

Two state representatives, Chris Raab and Morgan Cephas, told WCAU-TV they are considering seeking the seat. They are both progressives.

Don Bacon

“After three decades in the Air Force and now going on one decade in Congress, I look forward to coming home in the evenings and being with my wife and seeing more of our adult children and eight grandchildren, who all live near my home,” Bacon said in a statement.

“I’ve been married for 41 years, and I’d like to dedicate more time to my family, my church, and the Omaha community,” he added. “I also want to continue advocating for a strong national security strategy and a strong alliance system with countries that share our love of democracy, free markets and the rule of law,” he added.

At times, he has not gone with what other Republicans, including President Donald Trump, want.

He told The New York Times in an interview removing deportation protection for Afghans in the U.S. was wrong and has criticized Trump’s position on Russa’s war with Ukraine. He was the only Republican to vote against changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

“It’s one thing when you have the opposing party fighting you, but when you have divisions in your own party, you know — it makes it harder,” he said in May at an Omaha roundtable with business leaders to discuss Congress’ tax bill.

Bacon approved the spending bill, which went to the House by a 215-214 margin. If the Senate approves the bill and with changes, it goes back to the House.

“I think the Senate has done some new provisions in there that are concerning … But there’s a lot of amendments being voted out today. So I’m going to keep my powder dry, see how it turns out,” Bacon told reporters.

Bacon, who was born in Chicago, served 29 years in the U.S. Air Force.

He served as an aide to U.S. Rep. Jeff Fortenberry in Nebraska’s First District, and a professor at Bellevue University in Nebraska before running for office.

Bacond is a member of House Armed Services Committee, and chairman of the conservative-centrist Republican Main Street Caucus in the House.

No one has announced plans to run in either primary.

SEOUL. June 30 (UPI) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met with visiting Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova in Pyongyang as the two countries continue to strengthen bilateral ties, the North’s state-run media reported Monday.

The meeting took place on Sunday at the headquarters of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea’s Central Committee and was also attended by Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexandr Matsegora, the official Korean Central News Agency reported.

Lyubimova led a ministry delegation to mark the first anniversary of the countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership treaty, under which North Korea has sent troops and weapons to Moscow to aid in its war against Ukraine.

Kim said that “extensive and profound exchanges and cooperation in all fields are further expanding and developing day by day” in the wake of the partnership, according to KCNA.

“It is important for the cultural sector to guide the relations between the two countries,” he said. “It is necessary to further expand the exchange and cooperation in the field of culture and art to know well about each other’s excellent cultural traditions and learn more.”

Lyubimova said her visit came at a time when the “solidity and invincibility of the DPRK-Russia friendship and solidarity are being more clearly proved,” KCNA reported.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is the official name of North Korea.

“Cooperation between the two countries in the cultural field has reached the highest level in history,” she added.

The two discussed future plans for cultural exchanges and attended a concert by North Korean musicians and a visiting troupe of Russian performers, the KCNA report said.

Photos released by KCNA showed images of North Korean troops deployed to Russia used as a stage backdrop.

North Korea has sent some 14,000 troops to help Russia recapture lost territory in Kursk Province from Ukrainian forces, according to a recent report from the 11-country Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team. Pyongyang acknowledged sending the troops for the first time in April.

The cultural meeting came on the heels of a pair of visits by Russia’s Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu this month.

On June 18, Shoigu announced that North Korea would send 6,000 military workers and combat engineers to help rebuild the Kursk region.

North Korea is likely to send additional troops to support Russia’s war against Ukraine in July or August, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service told lawmakers in a closed-door meeting on Thursday.