Politics
Former SBU Colonel Kryzhanovskyi has been charged with treason
Valentin Kryzhanovskyi, a former SBU colonel, has been charged with treason over his alleged collaboration with the Russians during the occupation of the Kyiv and Donetsk regions. According to the investigation, he helped the occupiers to interrogate and screen Ukrainians, gathered information on military personnel and persuaded the defenders of Mariupol to surrender.
EU court has banned the distribution of Russia Today, even via free websites
The Court of Justice of the European Union has extended the scope of sanctions against the Russian state-run television channel Russia Today (RT). The judges ruled that the ban on the distribution of its content applies not only to commercial platforms but also to free websites that operate without advertising and do not generate a profit.
France has fined the owner of a tanker belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet 1 million euros
France has imposed a fine of 1 million euros on the owner of the tanker Tagor, which is linked to the Russian shadow fleet. The vessel was detained in the Atlantic at the end of May.
Lithuania may amend its Constitution to lift the ban on the deployment of nuclear weapons
The President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, has stated that the majority of parliamentary group leaders support amending the Constitution regarding the deployment of nuclear weapons. According to him, the current provision no longer reflects contemporary geopolitical conditions.
Italy has denied reports that it will block military aid to Ukraine in 2027
Italy will not stand in the way of its NATO allies’ decision to continue military support for Ukraine in 2027. Government sources have denied reports that Rome is opposed to the associated financial commitments.
Ukraine is opening up exports of defence technologies
The government is launching a special mechanism for the controlled export of Ukrainian weapons and defence technologies.
The Verkhovna Rada is considering allowing MPs to bring their children to sessions
A bill has been tabled in the Verkhovna Rada aimed at providing employment safeguards for MPs who are raising children. In particular, the bill proposes to allow MPs to be with their children during plenary sessions and parliamentary committee meetings.
Talks between the US and Iran in Doha on a peace agreement have been described as positive
US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held constructive talks in Qatar on a settlement with Iran. The parties are continuing technical consultations as part of an effort to turn the temporary peace agreement into a permanent end to the war.
Italy is withholding €70 billion for Ukraine in 2027 — FAZ
Italy has not yet agreed to back NATO’s commitment to provide Ukraine with 70 billion euros in military aid in 2027. At the same time, the allies have already agreed on a similar amount of support for 2026, according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
At a meeting with Zelenskyy, Zaluzhny confirmed that he would stand for president, despite attempts to dissuade him — media reports
Prior to the resignation of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the Ukrainian Ambassador, Valeriy Zaluzhny, was summoned to Kyiv, where he was questioned about his presidential ambitions in the event of an autumn election and attempts were made to dissuade him from pursuing them.
Xi Jinping met with Lukashenko after the Valdai Forum: what they discussed
On 29 June, Xi Jinping held talks with Alexander Lukashenko in Beijing shortly after his closed-door meeting with Vladimir Putin at Valdai. Ukrainian diplomat Roman Bezsmertny suggests that Lukashenko may have brought the Kremlin’s request regarding dual-use components to China, or may have been seeking to verify his own guarantees in the event of a flight.
Syryskyi assessed the threats from the north, the mobilisation in the Russian Federation and the Kremlin’s nuclear blackmail
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi spoke about the situation on the front line, Russia’s possible plans for an offensive in northern Ukraine, and the risks posed by Belarus. He also commented on a possible mobilisation in the Russian Federation and the Kremlin’s nuclear threats.
