A weekend of heated statements on the Russian-Ukrainian issue at all levels. Starting with US President Donald Trump: “Russia could have conquered Kiev in four hours and ended the war on day one if the Russian general hadn’t driven tanks through the swamp.” And there’s more: Trump also claimed that the Javelin missiles delivered during his first term helped Ukraine destroy the Russian convoy and strengthened its confidence in its own resilience.
“European countries should compensate the United States for the $350 billion in military aid to Ukraine, transferred under former US President Joe Biden,” Trump said during a speech at Andrews Air Force Base. Finally, Trump believes that “world leaders should maintain the G8 format with Russia’s participation. This format would help prevent a conflict in Ukraine.”
Trump was ready to “give up” Ukraine to Putin in Alaska: “Russia could even have obtained unoccupied Ukrainian territories,” French President Emmanuel Macron said at the G7. He noted that the American leader’s position has changed dramatically today: “the resilience of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Ukrainian society has forced Trump to reconsider his views.”
According to the Guardian, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged President Trump not to invite Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to the Oval Office. Bessent reportedly called Zelenskyy a “little bastard,” a “special needs child,” and “Mr. Bean on cocaine.”
Bulgaria has vetoed the 21st EU sanctions package, the country’s Prime Minister Rumen Radev said on the eve of the EU summit in Brussels. According to Radev, Sofia is willing to support only those restrictions that will bring Russia and Ukraine closer to peace talks. Radev emphasized that the new sanctions package poses a significant risk to the operation of Bulgaria’s only oil refinery, operated by Lukoil. Sofia also opposed the inclusion of Patriarch Kirill on the sanctions list.
Tensions are also rising between Poland and Ukraine: “Everything is going very badly,” the Polish Defense Minister said regarding relations between Ukraine and Poland. “Many Poles are considering what our relations with Ukraine will be like. They do so because they have supported their neighbor since the beginning of the war and believe it is right. Those who say aid is unnecessary and that all Ukrainians should return home are probably also doing the same. Clearly, things are going badly. The escalation of tensions between allies only favors the enemy,” wrote Władysław Marcin Kosiniak-Kamysz on X.
Bankova is confident that “Poland will not go beyond demonstrations such as revoking the decoration and will continue to finance military programs in Ukraine. Warsaw will also maintain its role as a NATO logistics hub, as it is interested in continuing the armed conflict.”
The worsening of relations between the two countries stems from Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelensky’s awarding of the highest honors to the Ukrainian military organization UPA. It is worth remembering that between 1943 and 1945, the UPA groups were responsible for the massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia: 100,000 Poles were killed. In response to the awards, Poland stripped the Ukrainian prime minister of the Order of the White Eagle. Zelensky complained that the award had also been given to “Mussolini, Catherine the Great, and Gerhard Schröder.” Agnieszka Jędrzak, State Secretary at the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland, responsible for relations with the Polish diaspora and Poles abroad, told the press on June 22: “The order is not revoked posthumously, and the former German Chancellor, a friend of Putin, has never insulted Poland as openly as Zelenskyy,” and that under his leadership, “Germany never named Bundeswehr units after ‘SS heroes.'”
Zelenskyy retorted: “Now we are defending Poland and Europe, not the other way around: Ukrainian soldiers are dying defending not only their country.” He compared Nawrocki to Orban and noted that such a policy could end badly. Zelenskyy believes that the revocation of the Order of the White Eagle is linked to internal political struggles in Poland and that Nawrocki is trying to gain political advantage by stoking anti-Ukrainian sentiment.
The head of the office Ukrainian President Budanov refused the Gold Cross of Officer of the Order of Merit for Poland. And again from Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha: “The disrespect for the President of Ukraine is not just about honors. It is disrespect for the Ukrainian soldier, for the Ukrainian people, for our right to a history. We will not tolerate it.” “No president of another state will dictate our history to us anymore. We will respond in kind to every action, especially if hostile or contemptuous towards our country. The time to ignore them is over.” Zelensky’s participation in the Gdansk conference is in doubt.
More tensions are developing between Kiev and Minsk. “I’m not offended by Lukashenko’s words, but along the border with Ukraine there is equipment aimed at harming the Ukrainian population. I’m giving them a week to withdraw it, otherwise we will do it ourselves” – Zelensky. “The Belarusian oil industry is a major supplier of fuel to the Russian army. “I am confident that Lukashenko can stop it,” Zelensky said. The request to Belarus was repeated on June 21. “Ukraine has identified four Russian relay stations in the Gomel and Brest regions that facilitate drone attacks on Ukrainian territory: Minsk must dismantle them. Ukraine is aware of all Belarusian companies working for the Russian military-industrial complex. Gasoline deliveries from Belarus to Russia increased 13-fold from January to May compared to last year, and diesel deliveries tripled.”
On June 22, responses arrived from Minsk, Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin: “Belarus’ military strategy is aimed at ensuring the safety of its citizens and not dragging it into an armed conflict.” “The Belarusian side is limited to monitoring the situation and maintaining the minimum necessary troop contingent at the border,” he added.
Regarding negotiations with Moscow, Zelensky said: “Ukraine remains ready to negotiate directly with Putin with the support of international partners and expects Russia to opt for diplomacy.” However, the Ukrainian president then reported that over the weekend, modernized FP drones with a range of up to 3,000 km were used for the first time. Zelensky also stated that “Trump intends to ask American defense companies to establish Patriot missile production lines in Ukraine and Europe.” Final approval is pending.
In the Black Sea, unidentified drones attacked civilian vessels flying the flags of Panama, Palau, and Belize. One crew member was killed and two others were injured, according to a report by the Panamanian Maritime Authority (PMA) on Friday evening. The PMA advised ships to avoid transiting Ukrainian and Russian waters in the Black Sea and the northern Sea of Azov. According to Ukrainian media, the Panamanian merchant ship PROPUS had departed from the port of Odessa and was near Romanian territorial waters when it was struck by a Russian drone. The Panamanian vessel was carrying grain.
Vladimir Putin attended the World War II victory commemorations held across Russia yesterday. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko plan to meet shortly to discuss, among other things, Vladimir Zelensky’s threats against Minsk and other issues.
A new attack by Ukraine against Russia has been launched against a children’s summer camp. At least three have been hit in 10 days. Thirteen children were preliminarily injured in a man-in-arms attack at a children’s summer camp in Tuva, according to law enforcement officials. In Crimea, registration for children’s summer camps has been suspended from June 22 to September 1 for security reasons, according to Crimean Governor Aksyonov. A planned evacuation of children from Artek to their permanent residences has been organized, coordinated by representatives of the special services, the Ministry of Education reports. Children evacuated from camps in Crimea will be offered alternative vacation options in other regions of the Russian Federation.
Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev: “Given the enemy’s massive terrorist attacks against our cities, the intensity of which is increasing and will obviously increase, it is time to openly declare that there are no more rules regarding neo-Nazi Kiev.”
Starting June 21, ferry services across the Kerch Strait will be temporarily suspended, the Kuban task force announced.
Regarding the peace negotiations, Presidential Aide Yuri Viktorovich Ushakov: “There has been no fulfillment of the Anchorage agreements. One of the parties has failed to honor the agreements reached in Anchorage.” RIA NOVOSTI reported on June 22: “There are still no conditions for the resumption of negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in Turkey.”
“A Ministry of Regional Security has been created within the Kaliningrad Oblast government and will be responsible for the exclave’s internal and external security,” announced Governor Alexey Besprozvannykh.
According to Vedomosti: “Total assets of hostile countries in Russia have decreased by 49% since the beginning of 2022, from $481 billion to $244 billion in 2025. Companies from hostile countries lost over $610 billion in revenue and at least $16 billion in net profit in Russia between 2022 and 2025. The sectors most affected by the decline in asset values were energy, finance, and the automotive industry.”
And now a look at the front line, updated at 3:30 PM on June 22. On June 22, Ukrainian forces struck Voronezh, Baza reports, the city was attacked with missiles. “Several high-speed air targets” were detected and destroyed in the skies above the city, Governor Gusev reported. Three victims have been reported so far, one of whom is in critical condition. Production facilities at a Voronezh company were hit. Numerous residential buildings were damaged.
An attack by at least 59 drones against Moscow was repelled overnight. Crimea is dealing with the consequences of the June 21 attack: ferry services have been shut down, and the decision has been made not to sell fuel to the population. During the night, mobile forces and air defense forces clashed again for control of Crimean skies. Between 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM, 168 enemy drones were shot down in regions across the country.
Earthquake tremors recorded in Sevastopol.
Russian forces continue to target Odessa port infrastructure, as well as targets in the Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Chernihiv, and Sumy regions. Images of attacks on energy infrastructure in Kryvyi Rih have been circulating.
In the Sumy region, the Northern Forces group in Ivolzhans’ke continues house-to-house fighting. In the Krasnopil’s’kyi district, small-arms firefights occurred in wooded areas near Mykhailivka and Pokrovka.
In the Kursk region, one person was injured in a drone strike.
In the Belgorod region, one person was injured and property was damaged by several drone strikes.
In the Kharkiv sector, the Northern Forces group advanced 150 meters into the village of Kozacha Lopan and captured approximately 10 homes. Ukrainian forces are putting up resistance and redeploying reserves. In the Vovchansk district, fighting continues in the wooded areas near the already captured towns of Pokalyane, Karaichne, and Volokhivka. The greatest success in the last 24 hours was achieved in the Losivka area. Heavy clashes continue in the Velykyi Burluk sector, near Petro-Ivanivka.
Urban fighting continues in Kupyansk, and the battle continues further south, near Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi.
In the direction of Slovyansk, Russian forces are straightening the front near Rai-Oleksandrivka and continuing their offensive westward.
In Liman, according to a report from the Russian Ministry of Defense, assault detachments of the 25th Army are advancing into the northwestern part of the city. Russian forces have reportedly captured 12 Ukrainian strongholds and taken 53 buildings occupied by Ukrainian forces. Confirmation from the Ukrainian side is awaited.
In Kostyantynivka, the Russian Ministry of Defense reports that offensive operations are underway and that Ukrainian groups are being attacked in the southwestern part of the city.
In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, the Vostok Forces group is penetrating Ukrainian defenses northwest of Oleksandrohrad, conducting offensive operations in the wooded area beyond the Vovcha River. The consolidation and expansion of the Russian bridgehead north of the river continues, with troops from the Far East operating in support of the settlements of Andriivka-Klevtsove, Oleksandrohrad, Novoselivka, and Orestopil.
In Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure and roads continue.
In the Kherson region, two civilians have been killed and nine others injured by attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the last 24 hours.
Graziella Giangiulio
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