Russian invasion

Negotiations
von der Leyen: Europe has a clear troop plan

Europe has a “fairly precise” plan for troops in Ukraine as part of post-war security guarantees, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tells the Financial Times.

Together with the White House, a clear path forward has been outlined, and work is going “very well,” she adds.

The plan concerns a force of potentially tens of thousands of soldiers from several European countries. The United States will contribute with coordination, intelligence and surveillance.

“President Trump assured us that there will be an American presence to support us. That was clearly and repeatedly emphasized,” says von der Leyen. 

Fighting
Germany’s Merz: The war in Ukraine is likely to last a long time

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is not optimistic about the chances of peace in Ukraine, Reuters reports.

– I am preparing myself inwardly for this war to continue for a long time, he tells the German public service channel ZDF.

Wars usually end with military defeats or the depletion of war funds – neither of these scenarios seems likely for either Ukraine or Russia, says Merz.

Regardless of how the war ends, it must not be by Ukraine surrendering, because then Russia will just attack another country next, he adds.

Zelenskyj: Planning attacks deep inside Russia

Ukraine is planning new attacks deep inside Russian territory, writes President Zelenskyj on X.

“We will continue our active operations in exactly the way required for Ukraine’s defense. The forces and resources are prepared. New deep attacks have also been planned.”

According to Zelensky, 290,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or seriously injured on the front this year, most of them in Donetsk.