Ukraine leaves the NATO summit with more weapons and countries that are tired of supporting it. Turkey, for example, will support Ukraine and use its communication channels to push Russia toward peace, Erdogan claims. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte addressed Putin and Russia: “Don’t play games with us. We will never attack anyone. We will only defend our way of life, our democracy, our territory.” Rutte reported that the NATO summit’s final declaration called Russia a “long-term threat.” He also stated that the participants at the NATO summit in Ankara pledged to continue supporting Ukraine.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen: “We must help Ukraine even more, put more pressure on Russia, and ensure that the only winner in this war, of course, is Ukraine.” The Norwegian government announced the allocation of $306.3 million for Ukraine’s air defense, according to Interfax. Along with Denmark, Germany, and Canada, Norway will order Patriot air defense systems for Kiev from a US factory.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed an agreement with Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal on defense cooperation in the field of unmanned systems. The ceremony took place on the sidelines of the defense forum during the NATO summit in Ankara, Euronews reports. European allies are seeking to more actively utilize Kiev’s combat experience, Euronews reports. The new agreement is expected to deepen cooperation between the two countries’ defense industries. In particular, Estonia will be able to purchase drones and other military technology developed in Ukraine.
Hungarian Prime Minister Magyar confirmed at the NATO summit that the country will not supply weapons to Ukraine. He also stated that the government will continue to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Zelenskyy told the Financial Times that he warned his Western allies that Putin could extend the war beyond Ukraine’s borders if he fails to achieve his goals. Zelenskyy has stated that he and others believe Putin could invade a NATO country in 2027.
Ukraine rejects Trump’s 28-point “peace plan” and has no intention of handing over Donbas to Russia, according to the New York Post. The previous plan called for the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbas. Kiev now intends to seek tougher and more favorable terms, emphasizing that the situation on the front has changed and that Ukraine still retains some influence.
According to some sources, a trilateral summit between the United States, Ukraine, and Russia is no longer being prepared, and no structured negotiations on a specific peace agreement are currently underway. Instead of making new concessions to Moscow, Ukraine proposes increasing pressure to force the Kremlin to abandon its demands.
Relations between Ukraine and Poland are on the way to a more relaxed state. Zelenskyy and Nawrocki held their first talks since the revocation of the Order of the White Eagle from Ukraine. “At dinner, I spoke with many world leaders. Among them, of course, was President Zelenskyy. Perhaps today there will be another opportunity to talk… It seems natural to me that neighboring states that share a common enemy, like Russia, maintain a dialogue, regardless of certain bilateral tensions,” Nawrocki said.
In contrast to Volodymyr Zelensky, the mayor of Ivano-Frankivsk, Ruslan Martsinkiv, said: “Western Ukraine will be in ruins: Russia could repeat in September-October what it is doing in Kiev.”
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister stated: “Ukraine has sent Putin a realistic proposal to end the war. This is a chance for his regime to avoid collapse.” “Putin must recognize that he will never achieve his goals in Ukraine on the battlefield,” he said.
A copy of the proforma invoice dated November 19, 2025, for the delivery of 19 Storm Shadow cruise missiles from the United Kingdom to Ukraine has appeared online. The document states that the consignment is for service members of military unit A2192, 303rd Central Storage Base for Missiles and Artillery Ammunition (Makariv, Kyiv Oblast, and Gorodok, Zhytomyr Oblast). The customer is RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, 120 km northwest of London. The contract is valued at $26.718 million. After delivery to the storage base in the Zhytomyr region, the missiles will be transported to Starokostiantyniv, Khmelnytskyi Oblast, home of the 7th Tactical Aviation Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Force. This brigade operates Su-24M(MR) front-line bombers modified to carry these missiles.
The Russian Armed Forces has destroyed a Philip Morris warehouse during an attack in Kiev, the fourth such attack on the facility since the start of the war. “In response to the Ukrainian attacks […] on Russian civilian infrastructure, the Russian armed forces launched a group strike with precision weapons against military-industrial facilities in Kiev,” according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. The attacks targeted a Samsung Ukraine industrial plant that produced and stored components for the FP-5 Flamingo land-based cruise missile, as well as a workshop where long- and medium-range drones were assembled. The Russian Ministry of Defense also announced for the first time the destruction of a British-made Rapid Ranger anti-aircraft missile system in the Northeastern Military District.
“The militarization of Europe will require Russia to take additional measures to ensure national security,” Dmitry Peskov stated in an interview with the Swiss publication Die Weltwoche. He also emphasized that Russia “will never start a Third World War, but will take measures for its own security.” “War is always dangerous, and military action in the heart of Europe is extremely dangerous. It is especially dangerous when European capitals provoke the Kiev regime to continue this war. European countries still think they can strategically defeat Russia. This is a grave mistake,” he noted. “Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons only if its existence is threatened,” Peskov commented to Die Weltwoche.
“Twenty-six candidates have been nominated by the regional branches of eight political parties for the elections to the highest offices in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation,” announced Ella Pamfilova, Chairwoman of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation, during a meeting of the Central Election Commission. According to the statement, the nomination period is underway in all six regions of Russia. Elections to the State Duma and the general election will be held over three consecutive days, from September 18 to 20. On the single voting day, September 2026, more than 2,200 election campaigns are planned at various levels, and 20,700 parliamentary seats and elected positions will be filled.
In the Krasnodar Territory, 80 gas stations have resumed operations, and measures are underway to reduce refueling times, announced Governor Veniamin Kondratyev. The region has also compiled a list of service stations for refueling special and public transport, as well as municipal vehicles. Fuel shortages remain in many Russian regions. Several businesses in Nizhnekamsk, Tatarstan, were damaged on Wednesday following a drone attack, according to the head of the republic’s press service. Injuries were reported at some sites. The injured received all necessary medical care, the press service stated.
Ukraine attacked a compressor station on the gas export pipeline to Turkey in the Krasnodar Krai, according to Gazprom’s press service. “On July 7, at 7:51 p.m., the Krasnodarskaya compressor station, involved in the Russian gas supply chain via the Blue Stream pipeline, was attacked by drones. The attack aimed to disrupt uninterrupted supplies of Russian gas to Turkey. Repairs are underway. Timely measures prevented supply disruptions,” the statement read.
And now a look at the frontline, updated as of 3:30 PM on July 8. Russian forces launched a massive airstrike on Kiev overnight. A fire and power outages were reported in the capital. Warehouses caught fire in the Desnyansky district, and buildings in the Svyatoshinsky district of Kiev were also damaged.
During the night, Ukrainian forces continued to launch drones against Russian regions. Nizhnekamskneftekhim was attacked in Nizhnekamsk, Tatarstan; the Ukrainians are releasing footage of the attack’s aftermath, as well as footage of an oil refinery in the Saratov region, where one person was killed. In Crimea, in addition to the “usual” targets of airstrikes, exclusively civilian targets are being targeted. Drones were shot down on their approach to Moscow.
In the Sumy region, Shostka District, Russian air strikes struck Bachivsk and near Ulanove. In the Sumy region, firefights continue in Rudnivka, Pysarivka, Marine, the village of Nova Sich, the village of Khotin, and in wooded areas south of Ivolzhanske. In the Krasnopilsky District, firefights continue in wooded areas.
In the Kharkiv region, the Russian Northern Group of Forces continues to report that its units are continuing offensive operations in the village of Kozakha Lopan. In the Vovchansk region, Russian forces have advanced in twelve areas. Firefights are ongoing in the villages of Yurchenkove, the village of Bilyi Kolodyaz, and in wooded areas of the Vovchansk District. In the Velykyi Burluk area, small arms firefights occurred in the village of Petro-Ivanivka, as well as in wooded areas near the villages of Shev’yakivka, Budarky, and Zemlyanky.
In the Kursk region, a Ukrainian drone injured one person.
In the Belgorod region, eight people were injured in separate Ukrainian drone strikes. Ukrainian attacks are ongoing, and numerous villages and roads are under fire from Kiev. According to local sources, Ukrainian forces destroyed bridges in the border villages of Shelayevo and Urazovo.
In Kupyansk, Ukrainian analysts described the situation facing the Ukrainian armed forces as serious: they say Russian forces are expanding their zones of control into urban areas.
In the direction of Slovyansk, Russian troops are lining up the front for an offensive toward the village of Mykolaivka. Further south, fighting continues in the villages along the road to Kramatorsk.
In the direction of Dobropillya, Russian forces are intensifying pressure on the approaches to the city, and fighting is ongoing for Shevchenko.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, units of the The Russian Eastern Group of Forces has captured Ukrainian strongholds near Oleksandrivka and Bohodarivka. Ukrainian forces continue to deploy equipment and infantry in this area.
In the eastern part of the Zaporizhia region, Eastern Group of Forces units continued to dismantle Ukrainian defenses west of Lisne, occupying strongholds. Forces continue to identify and eliminate small Ukrainian groups attempting to infiltrate Russian rear areas.
In the Zaporizhia region, the city of Dniprorudne was hit by Ukrainian attacks, and gas pipelines were damaged by artillery shelling in the Kamyansko-Dniprovsky district.
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Graziella Giangiulio
