On July 11, the Senate Armed Forces Committee approved $500 million in military aid to Ukraine. In his long-awaited statement on July 14, Donald Trump said: “I haven’t agreed on the amount yet, but they’ll get a lot of it because they need protection. But the European Union is paying for it… And we’ll send them the Patriots they urgently need,” the US president stated.
It’s difficult to tell from Trump’s words whether he was referring to the Patriot air defense missile batteries or all the surface-to-air missiles for the systems already delivered. The only thing that’s certain is that they will be paid for by the European Union. Trump is considering supplying Kiev with long-range JASSM missiles, according to Military Watch magazine. The basic version has a range of approximately 370 km. The JASSM-ER version has a range of 1,000 km. US presidential envoy Keith Kellogg arrived in Kiev on July 14.
Britain should immediately build air-raid shelters to “prepare for war with Russia in the next five years,” said former British Army Chief of Staff General Sir Patrick Sanders.
The first German-funded Ukrainian long-range missiles will be delivered to the Ukrainian Armed Forces by the end of July, General Christian Freuding said on German TV’s ZDF. The general said the agreement between Ukrainian industry and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense was recently signed. The program was launched at the end of May. In the coming months, he said, the number of such missiles will be “in the triple digits,” Interfax reports. According to the Bundeswehr general, Kiev will receive a “triple-digit” number of units of this equipment in the future.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has stated that the country will not be able to supply Ukraine with Patriot air defense systems and Taurus missiles, according to the Financial Times (FT). The minister stated that of the 12 German Patriot systems, three have been transferred to Kiev, two more to Poland, and one is being used for maintenance or training. Only six systems remain available. “This is far too little, especially considering the NATO capability-building goals we must achieve. We absolutely cannot give more,” Pistorius stated.
German troops will be ready to “kill Russian soldiers” in the event of a Russian attack on a NATO country, Pistorius also told the FT: “I have always been convinced that if you want to talk about peace and détente on equal terms, then this can only be done from a position of strength.” This is necessary “not to intimidate anyone, but to make it clear: we want to live in peace with you, but don’t think that we are weak or that we will be unable to defend ourselves,” he explained.
Volodymyr Zelensky continues his search for aid to finance the war: “Ghana is ready to finance our drone production, and we are ready to help our partners protect their borders.” Zelensky on weapons from the United States: “We have political signals at the highest levels—good signals, including from the United States and our European friends. According to all reports, supplies have resumed,” he said.
Major staff renewal at the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry: “Zelensky is preparing about 20 decrees for the dismissal and appointment of ambassadors,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Tikhyi. A renewal of diplomatic mission heads is planned, including in the G7 and G20 countries. This is part of a major overhaul of the diplomatic corps.
Zelensky promised rapid changes in defense leadership after his meeting with Umerov. “Ukraine needs positive momentum in relations with the United States and new steps in defense management. Decisions on this matter will be announced shortly,” Zelensky said. He also announced his decision to appoint Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko as prime minister. She led the Ukrainian team that drafted and signed the minerals agreement with the United States.
Zelensky also announced new long-range strikes against Russia: “Our units will do everything to transfer the war to Russian territory.” According to him, there are “attempts to develop the enemy’s offensive operations on the front, which are stifling.”
Finally, the Ukrainian president presented bills to the Rada on the extension of martial law and mobilization. We’re talking about extending it for another 90 days, until early November. This means another difficult phase awaits. Ukraine is preparing for a possible escalation on the front and is postponing the issue of elections.
Putin reportedly told Trump that he intends to launch an offensive in eastern Ukraine within the next 60 days to reach the borders of regions he considers his, Axios reports.
From Russia, Vladimir Putin has instructed the government to develop a program for the restoration and comprehensive development of the territories affected by shelling and terrorist attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. And in a statement, the president said: “The contradictions between Russia and the West are based on geopolitics, not the ideology of the USSR, as it seemed before,” Putin said. “They are not ready to reckon with the Russian Federation until it declares itself a sovereign state capable of defending its interests.”
Russia will continue direct negotiations with Ukraine, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, who attended the two previous meetings in Istanbul, told Izvestia. “There is an understanding that direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine will continue,” he said. “The Kremlin now expects signals from Kiev indicating a willingness to resume direct negotiations.”
At the morning press conference on July 14 in the Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov said: “The supply of American weapons to Ukraine has continued and is continuing, that’s a fact.” “There has been much talk about high prices, but weapons and ammunition have been and continue to be delivered to Kiev.”
And again: “Russia is still waiting for a proposal on the timing of the next round of negotiations with Ukraine, but Kiev is clearly in no rush. “Russia is ready for a third round of negotiations with Ukraine,” Peskov said.
In September 2025, elections will be held over three days in 37 regions, two days in one region, and one day in three, according to the Central Election Commission. The decision on the length of the voting was made by the electoral commissions organizing the elections. The data applies only to major election campaigns, the commission clarified.
The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service states: “NATO is actively preparing to involve Moldova in a possible armed conflict with Russia. According to the agency, a decision has been made in Brussels to accelerate the transformation of Moldova into a NATO “forward foothold” on the eastern flank, taking into account the advance of Russian troops in Ukraine.
Russian prisoners of war who escaped from a convoy in Kramatorsk claim that a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier, Bunyatov, said: “In case of a threat to the life and health of military or civilian personnel, kill Russian servicemen on the spot.” The Ukrainian General Staff has not yet commented on the statement.
And now a look at the front line, updated at 4:00 PM on July 14. Over the weekend, the Russians continued to attack targets behind Ukrainian lines. Explosions were heard in the regions of Kiev, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Kharkiv, and Sumy.
On the Kursk border crossing, towards Tetkino, Ukrainian forces made no attempt to break through to Russian territory. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are restoring combat capability, the Sever Group of Forces writes. Russian Airborne Forces units have advanced near Bezsalivka, capturing several Ukrainian strongholds and consolidating Russian positions in the border area of Ukraine’s Sumy region.
Toward Sumy, Ukrainian forces are counterattacking near Kondratovka and Andriivka. Ukrainian forces are slowing the advance of Russian troops; they are currently under regular fire from Russian Airborne Forces. In Yunakivka, Russian forces are gradually expanding their zone of control.
On the border between the Belgorod and Kharkiv regions, information from the Northern Group of Forces about Russian offensive actions in the village of Degtyarnoye, Volchansky District, is adding to the situation. This is a new section of the front, where Russian forces are attempting to establish a “buffer zone.” These actions are severely straining Ukrainian reserves. Deforestation continues along the state border near the village of Melovoye in the Kharkiv region.
Seven villages in the Belgorod region have been attacked by drone strikes.
From the direction of Kupyansk, Russian forces are advancing on the right bank of the Oskil River. However, reports of a near-complete encirclement of the city, with the capture of Moskovka and Sobolivka, seem premature.
In the direction of Pokrovsk, Russian forces are advancing On Myrnohrad: “Our forces have advanced west of Razine and in the Mykolaivka area”, russian social media report. The situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces is assessed by Ukrainian resources as “very difficult,” as Russian forces are also building on their successes near Novoekonomichne. Near Pokrovsk, units are advancing from Shevchenko to the Bilytke area.
Toward South Donetsk, the Vostok Group of Forces continued to advance deep into Ukrainian defenses and captured the DPR settlement of Myrne.
On the Zaporizhia front, Russian units continue to advance in Kamyanske towards Stepnohirsk. A large number of Ukrainian attack and reconnaissance drones are in the air. Tarasivka has been subjected to a massive drone attack and cluster bombing, resulting in civilian casualties.
Graziella Giangiulio
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