Amid ongoing hostilities in Ukraine, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius criticized recent comments by the United States' new administration regarding Ukraine, labeling them as "clumsy" and "a mistake." As tensions rise, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte urged member countries to boost military spending, allowing the US to shift focus toward Asia. In the latest escalation, Ukraine's air force reported that Russia launched 133 drone attacks overnight, targeting various locations across Ukraine.
The Russian Defence Ministry announced that its forces have taken control of two frontline settlements in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, including a village near Kurakhove city. However, Ukraine's military confirmed the attacks but did not verify the capture of these locations by Russian forces. Additionally, Russia claimed to have seized the village of Berezivka in Donetsk, a strategic point near a major road linking key towns.
Meanwhile, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy highlighted the impact of North Korean troops fighting for Russia, indicating that they have suffered 4,000 casualties, with two-thirds being fatalities. The conflict's toll on civilians is also distressing, with Ukraine securing the return of eight children forcibly taken to Russian-occupied territories. The Ukrainian database, Children of War, estimates that at least 20,000 children have been relocated from Ukraine to Russian-occupied regions or Russia itself.
Amidst these developments, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed an explosion at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant after a Russian drone struck a radiation containment structure. Fortunately, the situation remained stable after a fire was extinguished and radiation levels were reported as normal.
In diplomatic circles, US Vice President JD Vance expressed the Trump administration's desire for a "durable, lasting peace" in Ukraine and Eastern Europe. During discussions with Vance, Zelenskyy emphasized the need for "security guarantees" for Ukraine as part of any prospective peace agreement. French President Emmanuel Macron supported this stance, asserting that Ukraine alone should lead discussions to achieve a solid and lasting peace with Russia. Contrarily, Hungarian President Viktor Orban anticipates that the Trump administration will reestablish economic and energy ties with Russia following the war's conclusion.
