A one-page draft of a joint declaration for the upcoming NATO summit omits Ukraine's membership aspirations and last year's pledge of over $40 billion in support, Bloomberg reported on June 11 after reviewing the draft.

This news signals that, for the first time since 2022, Russia's war against Ukraine will not be the chief focus of the annual NATO meeting, which is taking place on June 24-25 in The Hague.

The unusually brief document recognizes Russia as a threat to NATO but not as an aggressor in Ukraine. It also does not mention China, Bloomberg reported.

The communique of the 2024 summit in Washington named Beijing as a "decisive enabler" of Russia's war against Ukraine. Last year's gathering also included a declaration that Ukraine's path to NATO is "irreversible" and promised more than $40 billion in additional military aid.

This year, the document will solely focus on defense spending, as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes NATO partners to hike the military expenditure benchmark from 2% to 5% of GDP.

The final version of the statement can still change, Bloomberg reported.

The brevity of the communique and the summit itself, as well as the decreased focus on Ukraine, stems from the effort to avoid conflict between Trump and European allies.

In a sharp break from former U.S. President Joe Biden, the Trump administration has not approved any new military aid packages to Ukraine and signaled its intent to reduce assistance for Kyiv in the next year's budget.

The U.S. president initially vowed to broker a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow but became increasingly less engaged in the process as the negotiations stalled and Russia only intensified its attacks against Ukraine.

According to Bloomberg, NATO allies will pledge to allocate at least 3.5% of GDP to defense needs and 1.5% to protecting infrastructure and civil preparedness by 2032. Member states will also consider counting their contributions to Ukraine as part of the new defense spending targets, the news outlet reported.

The summit was preceded by rumors that President Volodymyr Zelensky would not be invited to participate for the first time due to U.S. opposition.

Later, the speculations were dispelled after the Dutch media reported that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had invited the Ukrainian leader to attend.

As Russia inches closer to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, new Ukrainian region might soon be at war

Moscow said its troops had crossed into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and were conducting offensive operations in the region, a claim Kyiv quickly denied as “Russian disinformation.” Russian troops have been pushing toward Dnipropetrovsk Oblast for months, trying to solidify the southern flank to capture Pokrovsk and the remaining parts of the

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

Norway has transferred or planned to transfer 14 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine — over double the six publicly declared — according to its annual arms export report.

According to Militarnyi, the official report on Norway’s conventional arms exports suggests that the country has planned to send 14 F-16s to Ukraine, despite only announcing six publicly. The status of the eight unannounced aircraft is not specified.

Condition of additional Norwegian F-16s unclear

It is likely, based on the report’s context, that these jets are not flight-capable and are intended for technical staff training, spare parts, or use as decoys, Militarnyi notes, adding that the possibility that some of the additional jets could be restored and made operational is not ruled out.

Norway previously stated that it would only provide operational aircraft that were withdrawn from service in 2021.

In mid-May, the Norwegian government reported that all promised F-16s would be delivered to Ukraine by the end of the current year. However, delivery dates for the eight unannounced jets remain unclear.

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Dutch, Danish, and Belgian F-16s for Ukraine

• As of May, the last Dutch F-16 fighters designated for Ukraine reportedly left the Netherlands. Despite completing the physical transfer of its pledged 24 jets, the Dutch Defense Ministry emphasized that its support continues, including training personnel and providing spare parts, ammunition, and fuel.
• Denmark’s delivery is ongoing in three phases, as previously agreed. By February, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen confirmed that Ukraine had already received 12 out of 19 promised fighters.
• Additionally, Belgium is expected to send two F-16s to Ukraine in 2025, with one aircraft designated for dismantling and use as a source of spare parts.

The Netherlands has set a deadline for third-country nationals who arrived from Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022 to leave the country, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) announced on 6 June.

As of early 2025, approximately 6.3 to 6.7 million Ukrainians have fled to European countries following the Russian invasion. Around 4.3 to 5.4 million registered as refugees across Europe. As of February 2025, there are about 120,000 Ukrainian refugees in Netherlands, according to the Statistics Netherlands.

Starting 4 September 2025, third-country nationals who came from Ukraine will no longer have the right to temporary protection in the Netherlands and will have four weeks to leave the country, the IND explained.

The decision affects approximately 1,000 people, according to the service. They will receive letters with relevant information next week.

“The exception applies to those who have residence permits or are undergoing asylum procedures, or who applied for permanent residence permits before 4 September,” according to the statement.

The ruling follows an April decision in the Netherlands that authorities could stop providing asylum to third-country nationals who arrived from Ukraine fleeing Russia’s full-scale invasion – such as students or labor migrants.

The IND’s Dutch-language statement provides additional context on the legal background. “Third-country nationals are people from outside the EU who temporarily stayed in Ukraine, for example on a student visa, and fled to the Netherlands together with Ukrainians after the war broke out,” the service explained.

Since April last year, a freeze measure had been in place for this group because it was unclear whether temporary protection could be terminated for them. This allowed them to retain rights to accommodation, municipal services and work.

The end of the freeze measure means these people must leave the Netherlands within four weeks from 4 September. Exceptions apply to those with residence permits, ongoing asylum procedures, or who submitted applications for regular residence permits before 4 September.

The EU Commission recently proposed extending temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees until March 2027 to ensure continued legal certainty and support across all member states. Individual countries have not terminated the protection but may adjust national conditions.

The Netherlands has committed €400 million ($456 million) in maritime security assistance to Ukraine, including over 100 vessels and 50 maritime drones, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans announced before the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in Brussels on 4 June, according ro European Pravda.

The new support package reportedly will include more than 100 ships, patrol boats, transport boats, interceptors, special operations vessels. That is, a wide range of more than 100 vessels, Brekelmans said.

European Pravda also reported that the comprehensive package extends beyond vessels to include over 50 maritime drones, weapons systems, sensors, spare parts, and training programs for Ukrainian specialists. Brekelmans characterized the aid as “a complete package to strengthen Ukraine’s maritime security.”

The Dutch defense minister linked the assistance to escalating Russian maritime threats. “This is very important because we see that Russian threats, both in the Black Sea and around Kherson, are growing,” Brekelmans stated. “It is very important for Ukraine to protect itself from this.”

The Netherlands positioned the maritime aid within broader strategic objectives of supporting Ukraine’s shipping freedom and preserving commercial sea routes, Brekelmans explained.

This announcement follows the Netherlands’ completion of F-16 fighter jet deliveries to Ukraine. The Dutch Defense Ministry confirmed in late May that it had dispatched the final batch of 24 F-16 fighters designated for Ukraine. The Netherlands and Romania are establishing a joint training center for Ukrainian F-16 technical personnel.

The maritime security package comes amid political instability in the Netherlands. Prime Minister Dick Schoof announced his resignation after the governing coalition lost its parliamentary majority. The coalition collapse was triggered by Geert Wilders’ far-right Party for Freedom’s withdrawal over disagreements on stricter anti-migration measures.

Ukraine has been invited to the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague between June 24 and 25, President Volodymyr Zelensky said during a June 2 online press conference attended by the Kyiv Independent.

"We were invited to the NATO summit. I think this is important," Zelensky said, adding that he held a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during the Vilnius summit of the Bucharest Nine (B9) and the Nordic countries on June 2.

"Now, (Foreign Minister Andrii) Sybiha will be speaking with his colleagues regarding infrastructure and what potential outcomes may arise from this summit in The Hague."

Zelensky did not specify who would be representing Ukraine at the summit or whether he would attend the event himself.

The statement follows speculations that the allies decided not to invite Ukraine to the annual summit due to opposition from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later denied the claims, and the Netherlands said it would welcome Zelensky's attendance.

At the previous NATO summit in Washington in 2024, Zelensky was a prominent presence, engaging directly with allied leaders. This year, the tone appears more cautious as NATO members weigh how to handle Ukraine's future in the alliance amid renewed questions about U.S. commitment.

Trump has claimed that Ukraine provoked the war by pursuing NATO membership, a narrative often used by Russian propaganda to justify its 2022 full-scale invasion. He also signaled plans to reduce U.S. military presence in Europe and has been reluctant to provide new military support to Kyiv.

Earlier reporting suggested that this year's communique may omit direct mention of both Russia and Ukraine — a contrast to past summits where Ukraine dominated the agenda.

‘Idiots’ — Zelensky slams Russia’s proposal for brief truce to retrieve fallen soldiers’ bodies

“They just don’t see a ceasefire as such at the moment,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 2, commenting on Russia’s proposal. “I think they’re idiots, because, fundamentally, a ceasefire is meant so that there are no dead.”

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova

On 25 May, Dutch Minister of Defense Ruben Brekelmans announced that the final F-16 fighter jet pledged to Ukraine will be delivered tomorrow, on 26 May, according to WNL.

Speaking during a broadcast of WNL, Brekelmans confirmed,

“This means that all 24 pledged fighter jets will soon be present in Ukraine.”

Pressure on Russia

Brekelmans condemned Russia’s ongoing aggression, stating that President Vladimir Putin shows “no intention of seriously discussing a ceasefire.”

The minister stressed the importance of maintaining pressure on Russia and continuing broad support for Ukraine.

In addition to the previously announced aid package, Brekelmans confirmed that the Netherlands is actively training Ukrainian pilots and technicians, and sharing military doctrines to help Ukraine build a modern armed force aligned with NATO standards.

Trump confirmed for NATO summit, Zelenskyy participation expected

Brekelmans also confirmed that US President Donald Trump will attend the NATO summit in The Hague on 24 June. He added that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also expected to participate, although the exact timing of his appearance is still being coordinated.

Dutch F-16s for Ukraine

The Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, and Norway pledged the F-16 fighter jet supplies to Ukraine, after Washington’s approval in 2023. In July 2024, the Netherlands finalized export clearance for 24 F-16 aircraft. The first jets were delivered to Ukraine in August, although details on quantities and specific contributing countries were not disclosed. Additional shipments from the Netherlands and other partners followed in subsequent months.

Ukraine has sought US-made F-16 fighter jets for years to bolster its air defenses and counter Russia’s air superiority during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war.