United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio surprised NATO allies this week with conflicting messages on Russia sanctions, delivering a tougher stance in private than in his public remarks, Politico reported on June 25.

Rubio met with NATO foreign ministers on June 25 during a private dinner at the alliance's annual summit. According to sources who spoke with Politico, Rubio acknowledged that Russia was the main obstacle preventing peace talks to end the war in Ukraine.

He reportedly said the U.S. Senate would likely consider new sanctions legislation after completing work on President Donald Trump's spending bill.

However, just hours later, Rubio softened his position on Russia during an exclusive interview with Politico, calling for a more cautious approach.

"If we did what everybody here wants us to do, and that is come in and crush them with more sanctions, we probably lose our ability to talk to them about the ceasefire and then who's talking to them?" Rubio said.

Putin insists the Russian economy is fine, but Kremlin officials say otherwise

In a rare public sign that all is not well in Russia, two high-ranking Moscow officials last week issued separate warnings about the state of the country’s economy. Russian Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina and Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov both highlighted that amid the Kremlin’s full-scale war against Ukraine, the tools Moscow once relied on to maintain wartime growth are nearly exhausted. Almost immediately, Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 20 dismissed the concerns, clai

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

He also added that Trump would know the "time and place" to change course.

When asked about the apparent shift in tone, a senior U.S. official insisted Rubio's messaging has remained consistent in conversations with allies.

"The secretary has been very consistent in meeting and calls with his counterparts on three key point," the official said.

"One is that the president believes strongly that the only way this war ends is through negotiations; second, as soon as the U.S. imposes new sanctions on Russia the opportunity for the U.S. to be involved in those negotiations closes; and third, that the Senate, in America anyway, is an independent body that at some point is going to move on those sanctions,."

At the NATO dinner, Rubio reportedly faced criticism from Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin was disrespecting Trump by violating the ceasefire.

It has been more than 100 days since Ukraine agreed to a U.S.-backed complete ceasefire, while Russia continues to reject it.

Sikorski also reportedly denounced Moscow's repeated attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, which have intensified in recent weeks, saying such strikes "should not come for free" — implying that the U.S. and Europe should do more to support Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Rubio has delivered different messages in public and behind closed doors. Despite the shifting rhetoric, Baltic and Nordic countries reportedly view him as a pragmatic ally within the Trump administration — one who has a realistic understanding of the threats posed by Russia and China, according to a second European official cited by POLITICO.

Ukraine war latest: US signals more Patriot missiles for Kyiv after Zelensky-Trump talks at NATO summit

Key developments on June 25: * Zelensky, Trump hold talks on NATO summit sidelines * ‘Something unknown’ hits key Russian drone facility in Taganrog, Ukrainian official says * Russia has launched over 28,000 Shahed drones at Ukraine since 2022, with nearly 10% fired in June alone, Zelensky says * Donetsk Oblast city “on

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

President Volodymyr Zelensky met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in The Hague on June 25.

The meeting lasted approximately 50 minutes, according to Suspilne. In a post on X, Zelensky described the conversation as "long and substantive."

"We covered all the truly important issues," he wrote. "We discussed how to achieve a ceasefire and a real peace. We spoke about how to protect our people. We appreciate the attention and the readiness to help bring peace closer."

Zelensky said that he briefed Trump about the situation on the battlefield.

"Putin is definitely not winning," Ukraine's president said.

The two leaders also discussed the purchase of American air defense systems as well as the potential for co-production of drones.

"Ukraine is ready to buy this equipment and support American weapons manufacturers," Zelensky added.

Speaking at a briefing, Trump was asked what he would be discussing during the meeting with Zelensky.

"Obviously we'll be discussing his difficulties, he's got a little difficulty," the U.S. president replied without elaborating on what he meant.

Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, said that the presidents discussed the future of global security, ways to end Russia's all-out war, and defense cooperation between Kyiv and Washington.

Speaking at a press conference following the meeting, Trump said that it "couldn’t have been nicer."

"I think it’s a great time to end it (war). I’m going to speak to Vladimir Putin, see if we can get it ended," Trump said. "He (Zelensky) is fighting a brave battle, it's a tough battle."

The NATO summit convenes at a time when U.S. support for Kyiv is waning, and just a week after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared "all of Ukraine is ours."

This is the first meeting between the two leaders since April, when they spoke briefly on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral in Rome.

A planned discussion at the G7 summit earlier this month fell through after both leaders left the event early, Trump due to escalating tensions in the Middle East, and Zelensky in response to drone and missile attack on Kyiv.

Upon arriving in The Hague, Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential office, said on June 24 that he had held "substantive" talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to prepare for the Zelensky-Trump meeting, including its structure and key topics.

Zelensky is also scheduled to meet with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the summit.

In a recent interview with Sky News, Zelensky expressed uncertainty about Trump's ties to Putin but said he believes Trump understands that Ukraine is a U.S. ally and that "the real existential enemy of America is Russia."

NATO allies set new 5% defense spending target, reaffirm support for Ukraine, but fail to condemn Russia

The leaders also reaffirmed support for Ukraine, stating that direct contributions to Ukraine’s defense and industrial capacity will be counted toward the 5% total.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

Editor's note: This story was updated with comments made by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

NATO member states have agreed to a new defense spending benchmark, committing to allocate 5% of their gross domestic product annually to defense and security-related expenditures by 2035, according to a joint statement released on June 25 by alliance leaders meeting in the Netherlands.

The decision marks a significant increase from the current 2% guideline and reflects the alliance's response to the push from the U.S. and growing security threats, particularly the long-term challenge posed by Russia.

"We remain united and steadfast in our resolve to protect our one billion citizens," the statement reads. "Allies commit to invest 5% of GDP annually on core defense requirements as well as defense and security related spending."

"The decision we make today makes NATO much stronger. It also makes NATO a much fairer alliance, with Europe and Canada stepping up," NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said during a briefing on June 25.

Unlike in previous years, this year's NATO statement does not include a direct condemnation of Russia's actions, unlike the communique issued during the 2024 NATO summit in Washington, which explicitly condemned Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

But the leaders reaffirmed support for Ukraine, stating that direct contributions to Ukraine's defense and industrial capacity will be counted toward the 5% total.

When asked by a journalist whether the current trajectory of military aid from allies could help Ukraine "not only survive but win the war," Rutte said he is "optimistic."

"You can safely assume that the trajectory in the first almost six months now is really north of last year's," he said. "By the end of the year, it will end up north over $50 billion, which was pledged in 2024. I'm optimistic about that, but I won't make a concrete prediction."

He emphasized the importance of sustained and long-term support.

"We have to make sure Ukraine can stay in the fight, that it has what it needs... But we're also working to secure peace deal or a long-term ceasefire. And then we have to make sure that Ukraine has what it needs to prevent (Russian President) Vladimir Putin from effort ever trying this again in the future,” Rutte said.

Trump says Zelensky is a ‘nice guy,’ will discuss ‘his difficulties’ during meeting at NATO summit

“Obviously we’ll be discussing his difficulties, he’s got a little difficulty,” U.S. President Donald Trump said.

The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir

Rutte added that part of the strategy includes supporting Ukraine's defense industrial base, which has an estimated $35 billion in spare capacity.

Rutte emphasized that NATO's immediate priority is to "keep (Ukraine) in the fight," noting that support includes "training, delivering military equipment, but also various streams of money going into Ukraine" to help it defend itself and lay the groundwork for a future peace deal or long-term ceasefire.

Politico earlier reported that the narrowed focus of the NATO summit in The Hague was designed to appease U.S. President Donald Trump.

"(Trump) has to get credit for the 5% — that's why we're having the summit," one unnamed European defense official told Politico.

Under the new framework, at least 3.5% of GDP will be directed toward core defense needs, including NATO capability targets, with the remaining 1.5% covering civil preparedness, infrastructure protection, innovation, and the defense industrial base.

Allies will submit annual plans outlining a credible path to reach the targets, with a mid-term review scheduled for 2029.

Trump has consistently accused NATO members of underfunding their militaries, pushing for raising defense spending target to 5% of GDP.

In 2024, only 23 alliance members met the 2% target, according to NATO estimates. Poland was ahead of all members with 4.12% of GDP allocated to defense, followed by Estonia (3.43%) and the U.S. (3.38%).

Rutte previously said on June 17 that all NATO countries are on track to meet the 2% threshold in 2025.

With Trump disengaged and EU complacent, Ukrainian reforms lose momentum

Russia’s all-out war has accelerated Ukraine’s push to join the European Union and NATO, as well as its dependency on Western loans and aid. Before, these things would have been heavily preconditioned on Ukraine implementing crucial reforms. However, the war has also eased the pressure on Kyiv to carry out

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

U.S. President Donald Trump has said President Volodymyr Zelensky is a "nice guy" ahead of a meeting at NATO summit in The Hague on June 25, saying they will be "discussing his difficulties."

The White House confirmed the meeting on June 24 but did not release further details. According to a diplomatic source cited by AFP, the talks between Zelensky and Trump were scheduled for early afternoon, with both sides finalizing the agenda.

The two leaders are expected to discuss Ukraine's planned purchase of a new defense package, including air defense systems, as well as additional sanctions on Russia and an international price cap on Russian oil.

Speaking at a press briefing at The Hague on June 25, Trump was asked by a reporter what he would be discussing during the meeting with Zelensky.

"Obviously we'll be discussing his difficulties, he's got a little difficulty," Trump replied.

"Zelensky is a nice guy, I'm going to meet him today. I don't know, I assume we're going to be discussing Ukraine. It seems the most likely," he added.

Trump did not elaborate on what he meant by "difficulties" but the NATO summit comes at a time when U.S. support for Kyiv is waning, and just a week after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared "all of Ukraine is ours."

This will be the first meeting between Zelensky and Trump since April, when they spoke briefly on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral in Rome.

A planned discussion at the G7 summit earlier this month fell through after both leaders left the event early, Trump due to escalating tensions in the Middle East, and Zelensky in response to drone and missile attack on Kyiv.

Upon arriving in The Hague on Monday, Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidential office, said he held "substantive" talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to prepare for the Zelensky-Trump meeting, including its structure and key topics.

Zelensky is also scheduled to meet with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the summit.

In a recent interview with Sky News, Zelensky expressed uncertainty about Trump's ties to Putin but said he believes Trump understands that Ukraine is a U.S. ally and that "the real existential enemy of America is Russia."

Investigation: How Russia prepares its strategic missile plant for ‘eternal war’

Key findings: * Despite international sanctions, Russia’s strategic missile plant was able to import complex machinery to dramatically increase missile production. * The Kyiv Independent has identified the equipment supplied to the plant, as well as the supply chains, mostly from China. * We located the plant’s new premises, built to house the

The Kyiv IndependentAlisa Yurchenko

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reiterated the EU's ongoing support for Ukraine at a NATO summit in The Hague on June 24.

"We have designed a funding program of 50 billion euros, we call it Safe, where member states, but also Ukraine and other partners, can take these loans to invest in the (Ukrainian) defense industry," she said, addressing President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"We are integrating our defense industries as if Ukraine was in the EU. This is good for Ukraine. And just as good for Europe, as Ukraine is now home to extraordinary innovation," von der Leyen later said in a post to social media.

NATO is holding a summit in The Hague from June 24-25 with world leaders, including Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump present.

"(M)y dear friend Volodymyr, you're here among friends and we stand by Ukraine from the very first day on and you can count on us also for the future," von der Leyen said.

The leader described the EU's 18th sanctions package as a "biting one" to apply pressure on Moscow and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Secondly, of course, there's constant financial support to Ukraine because we know you're fighting a war that is also protecting our values and our principles, and thirdly, indeed, we have to put pressure on President Putin (so) that he comes to the negotiation table," von der Leyen said.

She noted that members of the Group of Seven (G7) will also be implementing additional sanctions against Russia.

"All this shows you are among friends, you can count on us, we stand by your side," von der Leyen said.

The White House has confirmed that Trump and Zelensky will hold a meeting at the NATO summit.

Investigation: How Russia prepares its strategic missile plant for ‘eternal war’

Key findings: * Despite international sanctions, Russia’s strategic missile plant was able to import complex machinery to dramatically increase missile production. * The Kyiv Independent has identified the equipment supplied to the plant, as well as the supply chains, mostly from China. * We located the plant’s new premises, built to house the

The Kyiv IndependentAlisa Yurchenko