Ukrainian air and missile defense systems will be integrated into the high-tech infrastructure of the Norwegian-American NASAMS complex. Ukrainian Defense Industry JSC says it will become a breakthrough in the country’s air defense by combining domestic developments with powerful Western weapons. 

NASAMS can destroy drones, aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, and ballistic targets at medium and low altitudes in all weather conditions. Its range reaches up to 180 km, and its altitude ceiling is 21 km.

The agreement between the companies includes integrating Ukrainian short- and medium-range air defense systems into the NASAMS infrastructure. In particular, the parties agreed that Ukrainian systems will operate in conjunction with Norwegian command and control modules.

In January, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced the beginning of the expanded cooperation with Kongsberg. Ukrainian representatives and the team of the company held a meeting on the joint project. It also addressed anti-drone systems and the possibility of localizing their production in Ukraine, along with the development of maritime capabilities.

Wars of the future are not about nuclear strikes. The world is on the verge of a new logic of confrontation, says Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation.

Outdated politicians keep talking about nuclear weapons, and the Kremlin tries to intimidate with its intercontinental ballistic Oreshnik, but future wars will not be won with missiles.

According to him, “the future lies not in nuclear deterrence, but in the doctrine of AI deterrence.” And already now, “Ukraine must adapt the logic of the nuclear age to the age of AI.”

“Wars of the future are not an exchange of nuclear strikes, as old politicians keep saying. They are attacks on systems that will carry out and make the decisions of the future,” Kovalenko emphasizes.

These include AI centers, generative models, LLMs that will analyze political scenarios, and AI systems that manage energy and vital city infrastructure.

“And if one state deliberately disables another’s AI systems, the risk of losing control increases manifold,” the expert warned.

To avoid catastrophe, Ukraine must initiate:

• classification of critical AI systems as strategic security assets,
• development of “secure decision-making” protocols under hybrid destabilization,
• creation of an international platform for rules of conduct in the sphere of military AI.

“We are on the verge of a new logic of confrontation, competition, and war. This concerns the whole world,” Kovalenko concludes. 

Earlier, reports emerged that Ukraine was building a new class of weapons — drone-powered cruise missiles that are small, cheap, and deadly. 

These weapons use mini jet engines, aviation-model components, and advanced guidance systems, yet weigh a fraction of traditional cruise missiles and cost exponentially less. 

In recent weeks, the Trump administration has quietly disbanded a working group formed to develop strategies for pressuring Russia into peace talks with Ukraine, three US officials told Reuters. The move follows a suspension of a separate initiative countering Russian disinformation. Trump’s broader peacemaking efforts, including in the Middle East, have also struggled in recent months.

Group lost momentum amid Trump’s waning interest

Set up earlier this spring, the inter-agency group included officials from the National Security Council (NSC), State Department, Treasury, Pentagon, and intelligence community. It lost relevance by May as Trump appeared increasingly uninterested in tougher action against Moscow.

“The effort […] lost steam toward the end because the president wasn’t there. Instead of doing more, maybe he wanted to do less,” one official said.

Officials said the group explored ways to pressure post-Soviet states to restrict trade with Russia, including incentives for Kazakhstan to curb sanctions evasion. However, no policies were enacted before the group’s shutdown.

Trump delays backing new Russia sanctions over claimed US economic burden and peace deal hopes as Moscow continues to bomb Ukraine

NSC purges sealed the group’s fate

Roughly three weeks ago, most members of the NSC’s Ukraine team were dismissed, including top Europe-Russia adviser Andrew Peek. The purge made it nearly impossible to continue the effort.

The existence of the group had not been publicly known. Its end raises concerns among European allies, especially ahead of an upcoming NATO summit, over Trump’s mixed signals on supporting Ukraine.

Shift in tone despite earlier frustration with Russia

The group was formed as Trump publicly expressed anger at Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying in March he was “pissed off” over attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s legitimacy. Still, Trump has since suggested the US might abandon peace efforts altogether.

Russia turns the war into a marathon of continuous arms production. Moscow produces more ammunition than all NATO countries combined, and does so many times faster, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London on 9 June. 

“In terms of ammunition, Russia produces in three months what the whole of NATO produces in a year,” said Rutte.

He added that Russia’s military machine is not slowing down. On the contrary, it is strengthening its potential. Russia is actively replenishing its arsenal with help from China, Iran, and North Korea. 

Rutte also noted that Russia is using Chinese technology to modernize its army.

“And its defence industrial base is expected to roll out 1,500 tanks, 3,000 armoured vehicles, and 200 Iskander missiles this year alone,” the NATO chief highlighted.

He warned that Russia could be ready for aggression against NATO within the next five years. According to Rutte, “President Putin does not act like someone who is interested in peace.” 

NATO needs to increase air and missile defence by 400% – Rutte says ahead of June summit