Editor's note: The story was updated as the President's Office confirmed that following the call with Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel Macron also called Volodymyr Zelensky.
French President Emmanuel Macron and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a call on July 1 for the first time since 2022, discussing Russia's war against Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East, the Kremlin's press service reported.
The conversation between the two leaders took place as the Russian army continues to advance along the front line, trying to gain a foothold in Sumy Oblast and enter Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
Moscow has repeatedly rejected the U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal, stalling peace talks with Ukraine.
Following the call with Putin, Macron also called Zelensky to discuss his conversation with the Russian president, a source in the President's Office told the Kyiv Independent.
The call between Zelensky and Macron was "constructive," the source added. Putin's position remained unchanged: he does not show any willingness to end the war in Ukraine, according to the source.
The call between Putin and Macron lasted over two hours, BFM TV reported, citing the Elysee Palace.
During the conversation with Macron, Putin called Russian war "a direct consequence of the policy of Western powers" that "ignored Russia's security interests, created an anti-Russian bridgehead in Ukraine," the Kremlin said.
Macron, in turn, noted France's unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Suspilne reported, citing the Elysee Palace.
The French president also called for "a ceasefire to be established as soon as possible and for negotiations to begin."
The leaders will continue to discuss Russia's war in Ukraine, according to the Elysee Palace.
The presidents also discussed the situation in the Middle East regarding the Iranian-Israeli conflict and the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Macron frequently called Putin in the first year of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Their previous call took place in September 2022.
“We’re standing as we did before, and we will keep standing.” Talks about peace or Russia’s capitulation are illusions, says military pilot Dmytro, callsign Apostol, Voiin Svitla reports.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated he believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants peace. However, in June, Putin openly voiced his imperial doctrine: Russia claims as its own any territory entered by its troops and considers Ukraine and Russia to be one people. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesperson, said that Moscow was advancing in Ukraine and was not going to stop.
“If the aggressor country capitulates, it means huge reparations. No one will pay them,” he emphasizes.
Dmytro stresses that the Ukrainian army is strong due to the work of the rear, volunteers, and funds. But support has fallen critically now.
“We are raising five million for four army aviation brigades. Donations have critically dropped. No one wants to support,” explains the Ukrainian pilot.
He emphasizes that the soldiers are not tired but need reinforcements.
“My guys and I are not tired. But we don’t need to bury soldiers; we need to go mobilize,” he says.
The pilot finds his greatest motivation in the civilians who don’t give up even in destroyed villages.
“We’re flying over Donetsk Oblast, one small hut, and a boy runs out waving a flag. Isn’t that motivation? I don’t want my children to be involved in war,” he adds.
Earlier, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry revealed that Kyiv forces eliminated more than 230,000 Russian soldiers in just six months of 2025.
In June alone, Ukrainian forces inflicted heavy casualties: 32,420 Russian troops were killed or injured. Ukrainian strikes also destroyed 111 tanks, 272 armored vehicles.
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The Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned the Ukrainian charge d'affaires to protest "inappropriate remarks" by Kyiv regarding recent Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran, the ministry said on July 1.
Tehran threatened Ukraine with unspecified "consequences" should such statements be repeated.
The diplomatic spat follows a wave of Israeli and U.S. air strikes targeting Iran's nuclear program, with Iranian forces attacking Israel and a U.S. base in Qatar in response.
Highlighting Iran's military support for Russian aggression against Ukraine, Kyiv responded by calling for the dismantling of the Iranian nuclear program to prevent it from threatening the Middle East or the wider world.
In response, Shahram Farsaei, head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry's Eurasian affairs department, relayed a protest note to Ukraine via the Ukrainian envoy in Iran, Kyrylo Pozdniakov. The ministry did not specify what exact comments prompted the reaction from the Iranian side.
Tehran also said that Ukrainian officials have "disregarded Ukraine's international legal obligations concerning respect for the principles and purposes of the U.N. Charter as well as the four Geneva Conventions."
Iran has provided ballistic missiles and thousands of Shahed drones to Russia, directly backing its armed aggression in Ukraine, itself launched in violation of international law and the U.N. Charter.
Moscow has backed Iran diplomatically after U.S. and Israeli attacks, urging a response from the U.N. Security Council and calling the attacks an "unprovoked aggression."
The fall of the Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad has opened a window for wealthy Gulf countries to expand their influence as the sway of Iran diminishes.
A woman pushing a stroller through desolate streets outside Damascus, the capital of Syria. Gulf Arab states are leading the effort to help the country recover from the civil war.
A jet preparing to land at Mumbai’s airport. India’s air traffic was disrupted this spring after a brief clash with Pakistan prompted each country to close their airspace to the other’s planes.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe told U.S. lawmakers that recent American military strikes dealt a major blow to Iran’s nuclear program by destroying the country’s only metal conversion facility, a U.S. official told Associated Press on June 29.
Speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the intelligence, the official explained that Ratcliffe outlined the significance of the strike during a classified briefing last week, calling it a major setback that would take Tehran years to recover from.
Ratcliffe also told lawmakers that most of Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium likely remains buried under rubble at the Isfahan and Fordo nuclear sites, two of the three key facilities targeted by U.S. strikes.
While the uranium may still be intact, the official emphasized that the destruction of the metal conversion facility has left Iran without a crucial component needed to build a nuclear weapon. "You can’t do a nuclear weapon without a conversion facility," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during the NATO summit. "We can’t even find where it is, where it used to be on the map. You can’t even find where it used to be because the whole thing is just blackened out. It’s gone. It’s wiped out."
President Donald Trump has continued to defend the operation, which came just before a ceasefire between Israel and Iran took effect last Tuesday.
"It was obliterating like nobody’s ever seen before," Trump said in an interview with Fox News. "And that meant the end to their nuclear ambitions, at least for a period of time." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed that assessment, stating the sites were “destroyed.”
A preliminary report by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, however, concluded the strikes inflicted significant damage but did not completely demolish the Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities.
Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said on CBS’ "Face the Nation" that three major Iranian nuclear sites with “capabilities in terms of treatment, conversion and enrichment of uranium have been destroyed to an important degree.”
However, he cautioned against overstating the damage. “Some is still standing,” Grossi said, adding, “If they so wish, they will be able to start doing this again.” He emphasized that inspectors must be allowed in to fully assess the extent of the destruction. “Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared, and there is nothing there,” he said.
The destroyed metal conversion facility, located at the Isfahan nuclear site, had played a central role in Iran’s nuclear weapons development. The facility’s function—to convert enriched uranium gas into dense metal—is a critical step in producing the explosive core of a nuclear bomb. Ratcliffe emphasized this point during the classified hearing, describing the facility’s elimination as a strategic win that effectively undercuts Iran’s ability to weaponize its uranium.
Ratcliffe also told lawmakers that the 12-day U.S. assault severely weakened Iran’s air defense systems. According to the U.S. official, the CIA director explained that Iran now lacks the capability to defend against future Israeli airstrikes, making any attempts to rebuild its nuclear program highly vulnerable.
The president said such an outcome was unlikely, describing Iran as exhausted from the damage it had suffered and eager to speak with the United States.
People gathering in support of Iran’s Armed Forces in Tehran on Tuesday. President Trump fielded questions on Iran in the White House briefing room at a news conference on Friday.
The countries have long worried about being sucked into regional war as they juggle relations with Washington, their security guarantor, while seeking to improve ties with Tehran.
U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff condemned on June 24 the leak of an intelligence assessment that undercuts U.S. President Donald Trump's claims of having "obliterated" Iran's nuclear program.
His remarks follow a leaked U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment, reported by CNN, which found that strikes on three major Iranian nuclear sites, Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, did not destroy the core of Tehran's nuclear program. Instead, the intelligence suggests the attacks likely delayed Iran's progress by "a few months."
"It goes without saying that leaking that type of information, whatever the information, whatever side it comes out on, is outrageous. It's treasonous," Witkoff said during an appearance on Fox News. "It ought to be investigated, and whoever is responsible should be held accountable."
Witkoff, who served as Assistant to the U.S. president and led peace mission efforts during the recent conflict between Israel and Iran, defended Trump's portrayal of the U.S.-led strikes as a decisive success.
"The objective was to eliminate enrichment in Iran… and he achieved that objective," Witkoff said, adding that he personally reviewed damage assessments and saw "no doubt" that key nuclear infrastructure was destroyed.
The report leaked in media contradicts public statements from Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had described the operation as delivering "total obliteration." Trump, for his part, stood by the claim on June 24. "Those targets were obliterated," he said. "That place is demolished."
According to the DIA assessment, though the strikes damaged above-ground infrastructure, most of the centrifuges and the enriched uranium stockpile reportedly remain intact. The assessment also noted that underground sections of the sites, where Iran's most sensitive work is done, were largely unaffected. Two officials told CNN that Iran likely retains operational nuclear facilities that were not targeted.
Witkoff dismissed the report as "preposterous," insisting that the Isfahan conversion facility, critical to Iran's ability to weaponize enriched uranium, was "completely destroyed" by a 30,000-pound bunker buster bomb.
"Without conversion, you can't begin or end enrichment," he said. "They cannot weaponize, even if they've enriched to 90%."
Witkoff also claimed successful targeting of Fordow and Natanz, saying the U.S. dropped more than a dozen bunker busters on the sites that made the facilities inoperable.
The White House acknowledged the assessment’s existence but strongly dismissed it. "This alleged assessment is flat-out wrong and was classified as ‘top secret’ but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community," press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
"The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear program. Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration."
Trump, for his part, stood by his assessment of the mission's success. "I think it’s been completely demolished," he said on June 24. "Those pilots hit their targets. Those targets were obliterated, and the pilots should be given credit.” Asked if Iran could rebuild, Trump responded: "That place is under rock. That place is demolished."
While both Trump and Hegseth praised the strikes as decisive, others expressed caution. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine said it was "way too early" to determine whether Iran retained nuclear capabilities.
Recent U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities did not eliminate the core components of Tehran’s nuclear program and likely delayed it by only a few months, according to an early assessment by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), CNN reported on June 24, citing four sources familiar with the findings.
The analysis, based on a battle damage report from U.S. Central Command, contradicts public statements by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who claimed the operation had "obliterated" Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
"So the (DIA) assessment is that the U.S. set them back maybe a few months, tops," one source told CNN, adding that Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium was not destroyed and that most centrifuges remain “intact.”
The White House acknowledged the assessment’s existence but strongly dismissed it. "This alleged assessment is flat-out wrong and was classified as ‘top secret’ but was still leaked to CNN by an anonymous, low-level loser in the intelligence community," press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “The leaking of this alleged assessment is a clear attempt to demean President Trump, and discredit the brave fighter pilots who conducted a perfectly executed mission to obliterate Iran’s nuclear program. Everyone knows what happens when you drop fourteen 30,000 pound bombs perfectly on their targets: total obliteration.”
Trump, for his part, stood by his assessment of the mission's success. “I think it’s been completely demolished,” he said on Tuesday. “Those pilots hit their targets. Those targets were obliterated, and the pilots should be given credit.” Asked if Iran could rebuild, Trump responded: “That place is under rock. That place is demolished.”
While both Trump and Hegseth praised the strikes as decisive, others expressed caution. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine said it was “way too early” to determine whether Iran retained nuclear capabilities.
Republican Rep. Michael McCaul, former chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, also avoided endorsing the president’s characterization. “I’ve been briefed on this plan in the past, and it was never meant to completely destroy the nuclear facilities, but rather cause significant damage,” McCaul told CNN. “But it was always known to be a temporary setback.”
The DIA’s assessment reportedly found that damage at the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan sites was mostly limited to aboveground infrastructure, such as power systems and uranium metal processing buildings. The underground facilities—where Iran's most sensitive nuclear work takes place—were largely unaffected, the sources said.
According to CNN, Israel had been carrying out its own strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities prior to the U.S. operation, but relied on U.S. B-2 bombers equipped with 30,000-pound “bunker buster” bombs to finish the job. Despite over a dozen bombs being dropped on Fordow and Natanz, the sites’ key components remain intact, the sources said.
The U.S. also reportedly used Tomahawk missiles launched from a submarine to target Isfahan, rather than deploying bunker busters. A source said this was due to doubts over whether the bombs could penetrate Isfahan’s deep underground levels, which are believed to be even more fortified than Fordow.
Two sources also told CNN that Iran likely retains undisclosed nuclear facilities that were not targeted and remain operational.
Meanwhile, classified briefings for lawmakers on the strikes were postponed. The all-Senate briefing was rescheduled for Thursday, and the House briefing’s new date remains unclear.
Christina Goldbaum, a New York Times reporter, and Katrin Bennhold, a senior writer on the international desk, discuss how the power dynamics in the Middle East could change as Iran has become more isolated.
In public, Qatar was insisting on the right to defend itself after Iran attacked a U.S. military site in the emirate. Behind the scenes, it was already mediating a truce between Israel and Iran.
As leaked US intelligence suggests Trump’s strikes only put Iran’s nuclear programme back by a few months, Tehran will feel the incentive to secure a weapon more than ever, world affairs editor Sam Kiley writes from Tel Aviv
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
Israel launched airstrikes on Iranian territory on June 24, defying U.S. President Donald Trump's call for calm just few hours after he announced a ceasefire between the two countries, according to the Times of Israel.
The attack comes less than an hour after Trump told reporters that "Israel needs to calm down" as he criticized both countries for undermining the ceasefire he says he brokered.
"We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f*ck they're doing," Trump said on June 24.
Hours after Trump said the ceasefire came into effect, Israel accused Tehran of launching missiles toward its territory — an allegation Iran denied.
Following Iran's alleged missile strike, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly spoke on the phone and agreed that Israel would carry out a limited response. The air force strike targeted a single "symbolic" radar installation.
Ahead of Israel's strike, Trump wrote on Truth Social that all of the Israeli planes "turn around and head home, while doing a friendly 'Plane Wave" to Iran."
According to the Times of Israel, Israeli officials said Trump was still sending messages promising that Israel would not attack Iran "after he knew we would attack," a senior official told the Kan public broadcaster.
U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities demonstrated how precision military action can achieve rapid peace, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said on June 24, speaking at the NATO Public Forum held alongside the alliance summit in The Hague.
"(The U.S. attack on Iran's nuclear facilities) shows how you get that peace through that strength, and that strength is amplified and enhanced by this alliance (NATO)," Whitaker said, referring to the June 21 American strikes on Iran's Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan nuclear sites, which U.S. President Donald Trump called a "spectacular success."
Whitaker emphasized that the U.S. remains a reliable ally and a cornerstone of NATO's deterrence. "The U.S. isn't going anywhere," he said. "The U.S. has certain capabilities that you want an alliance to have."
He added that recent U.S. military operations underscore the importance of defense investments by all member states. "If all of (NATO) countries elevate investments in their defense, I think we will have peace for generations,” Whitaker said.
The U.S. strikes on Iran came amid escalating tensions between Israel and Tehran. Trump said the strikes were intended to push Iran toward negotiations, warning that the alternative would be "tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed."
Trump claimed that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel was achieved on June 24. Just hours later, Israel accused Tehran of launching missiles toward its territory — an allegation Iran denied.
Whitaker said the White House hopes the U.S. will also bring to an end Russia's war in Ukraine. He added that there is "no purely military solution" to the war in Ukraine.
Unlike past U.S. administrations, Trump has not introduced new sanctions against Russia despite increasing Russian missile and drone attacks on civilians.
On June 24, the first day of the NATO summit, Russia launched a ballistic missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, killing at least three people and injuring more than 20, including two children, according to regional officials.
China has installed large steel cages and a former oil drilling rig in the Yellow Sea, raising concerns in South Korea that they could be used for military purposes.
Korean military veterans protested near the Chinese Embassy in Seoul in April, calling on Beijing to remove the steel structures it installed in shared waters in the Yellow Sea.
Editor's note: This story was updated to include comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Iran launched missiles toward Israel on June 24, just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between the two countries had come into effect, the Israeli military said. Iran denied the accusation.
"A short while ago, sirens sounded in northern Israel following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the State of Israel," the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.
"At this time, the IAF (Israeli Air Force) is operating to intercept and strike where necessary to eliminate the threat," the statement read.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the army to respond forcefully to Iran's ceasefire violation, Reuters reported. Katz said that Israel will continue to strike Iran after the "utter violation" of the ceasefire.
Shortly after Israel's statement, Iranian state media reported that Tehran denied firing missiles at Israel after the ceasefire began.
A senior security official in Iran told CNN that “no missiles have been fired at the enemy" after the ceasefire.
The reports come after days of escalating hostilities in the Middle East. Early on June 24, Trump declared in a Truth Social post that a ceasefire had begun, writing, "The ceasefire is now in effect. Please do not violate it!"
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on June 24 Israel had agreed to Trump's ceasefire proposal, claiming that Israel had "achieved its goal of removing the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile threat," according to Reuters.
Trump said later on June 24 that Israel needs to "calm down" after what he described as violations of the ceasefire by both sides.
"I gotta get Israel to calm down now," Trump said as he left the White House. "Israel, as soon as we made the deal, they came out and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I've never seen before, the biggest load that we've seen."
He added: "We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f*ck they're doing."
Trump also wrote on Truth Social that "Israel is not going to attack Iran."
"Nobody is going to be hurt. The Ceasefire in in the effect," U.S. president wrote,
Previously, the U.S. launched airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan on June 21. In response, Iran fired missiles at U.S. military bases in the region, including at least 10 targeting Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and one aimed at a base in Iraq.
The Pentagon confirmed that Iran launched several short- and medium-range missiles at Al Udeid but reported no U.S. casualties. Trump dismissed the attacks as "limited and largely ineffective."
Iran is a key arms supplier to Russia, providing Shahed drones used in attacks on Ukrainian cities and pledging to send ballistic missiles. Israel, while home to a significant Russian-speaking population, has not joined Western sanctions against Moscow.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on June 24 that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel had come into effect, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and retaliatory attack on U.S. military base in Qatar.
"The ceasefire is now in effect. Please do not violate it!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social on June 24.
The announcement follows days of intensifying conflict after the U.S. conducted airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on June 21, targeting sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.
In response, Iran launched multiple missiles at U.S. military bases in the region, including at least 10 toward the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and at least one toward a base in Iraq, Axios reported, citing an Israeli source.
The Pentagon confirmed that Iran fired several short- and medium-range missiles at Al Udeid, but said no American personnel were harmed. Trump downplayed the attack, calling it "limited and largely ineffective."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on June 24 that Israel has agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Iran, thanking Trump for his support in defending Israel and "removing the Iranian nuclear threat," according to Reuters.
"Israel has achieved its goal of removing the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile threat," Netanyahu said in a statement. "Israel thanks President Trump for his support and participation in removing the Iranian nuclear threat."
Iran is a key arms supplier to Russia, providing Shahed drones used in attacks on Ukrainian cities and pledging to send ballistic missiles. Israel, while home to a significant Russian-speaking population, has not joined Western sanctions against Moscow.
Tensions between Iran and Israel had already been rising after Iran launched missile strikes on Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities on June 13, killing multiple civilians, including five Ukrainian nationals. The attack came in retaliation for Israeli military action.
Trump, who has long styled himself as a dealmaker and peacemaker, has come under criticism for his failure to deliver on promises to reach a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. During his electoral campaign, he pledged to end the war between Russia and Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office. More than 100 days after Ukraine accepted a U.S.-backed proposal for a ceasefire, no progress has been made.
"It has been exactly 100 days since Ukraine unconditionally accepted the U.S. peace proposal to completely cease fire, put an end to the killing, and move forward with a genuine peace process," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on June 19. "Russia continues to choose war."
Ukraine backed the proposal during talks in Jeddah on March 11, agreeing to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. Russia has rejected the offer, continuing its assault on Ukrainian cities and pushing for maximalist demands.
"It is time to act now and force Russia to peace," Sybiha said. "Peace through strength, increased sanctions, and enhanced capabilities for Ukraine."
Iran launched multiple missiles at U.S. military bases in the Middle East, targeting sites in Qatar and Iraq, a day after the U.S. conducted air strikes on nuclear sites in Iran.
At least 10 missiles were reportedly fired at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and at least one toward a base in Iraq, Axios reported, citing an Israeli source.
The U.S. Defense Department confirmed that Iran launched several short- and medium-range missiles at Al Udeid Air Base, the New York Times reported. According to the Pentagon, there have been no reports of American casualties.
President Donald Trump downplayed Iran's response to the recent U.S. strike on its nuclear facilities, describing Tehran’s retaliation as limited and largely ineffective. "There have been 14 missiles fired — 13 were knocked down, and 1 was 'set free,' because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction," Trump said in a statement on Truth Social. He emphasized that no Americans were harmed and that the damage was minimal.
Trump went on to say, "Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE." Ending on a conciliatory note, Trump added that he would "enthusiastically encourage Israel" to pursue peace in the region.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on X that his country "neither initiated the war nor wanted it, but we will not leave the aggression against the great Iran unanswered."
Iran's targeting of U.S. assets marks a dangerous widening of the conflict, raising fears of further destabilization in the region.
The missile strikes come in response to the June 21 U.S. air campaign that targeted three nuclear facilities in Iran — Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan — as Washington joined Israel's military operation against Tehran's nuclear program.
The escalation follows Israel's June 13 attack that prompted Iran to retaliate with missile attacks on Tel Aviv and other cities, killing multiple civilians, including five Ukrainian citizens.
Iran is a key supplier of weapons to Russia, including Shahed-type drones and ballistic missiles used in attacks on Ukrainian cities. Israel, which hosts a significant Russian-speaking population, has not joined Western sanctions against Moscow.
On June 13, Kyiv expressed concern over the security situation in the Middle East, describing Tehran as a "source of problems" in the region and beyond.
U.S. President Donald Trump on June 23 called for urgent measures to prevent rising oil prices amid escalating tensions with Iran.
"Everyone, keep oil prices down. I'm watching," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "To the Department of Energy: Drill, baby, drill! And I mean now."
The post comes after global oil prices surged on June 13 following a series of Israeli air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The escalation sparked fears of broader conflict in the energy-rich Middle East, home to critical oil shipping routes.
The surge in oil prices risks undermining Western attempts to curb Russia's war funding, as the Kremlin relies heavily on oil revenues to sustain its invasion of Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that a price surge could further embolden the Kremlin.
On June 21, the U.S. joined Israel in conducting airstrikes that targeted three nuclear facilities in Iran — Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. The operation triggered a strong response from Tehran, which threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance responded on June 22 that any Iranian attempt to shut the strategic waterway would "destroy their own economy." The strait is a vital chokepoint for global energy supplies, with nearly a fifth of the world's oil passing through it daily.
Amid the turmoil, the EU has reportedly postponed plans to tighten the $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian crude, originally imposed in December 2022. The mechanism restricts Western firms from shipping or insuring Russian oil sold above that threshold.
The Russian Finance Ministry has relied heavily on energy revenues to sustain defense spending, which hit record highs this year.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the bombing campaign aimed to end the threats from Tehran’s nuclear program and ballistic missiles. He did not give a timetable for stopping the strikes.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel speaking on Thursday at the Soroka hospital complex in southern Israel after it was hit by a missile fired from Iran.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said on June 22 that Iran’s nuclear program must be dismantled to prevent it from threatening the Middle East or the wider world, following U.S. air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
“The Iranian regime’s aggressive actions and long-standing destructive policy aimed at undermining global peace and security – particularly its hostility toward Israel and others – have led to the current situation,” the ministry said in an official statement.
These comments come after U.S. President Donald Trump announced on June 21 that the U.S. air strikes targeted three nuclear sites in Iran, Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, joining Israel's campaign against Iran's nuclear program amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
The ministry added that Iran continues to destabilize the region through its support of proxy groups and is complicit in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“Iran is complicit in the crime of aggression against Ukraine. The Iranian regime is providing military assistance to Russia, including the supply of UAVs and technologies that Russia consistently uses to kill people and destroy critical infrastructure,” the statement read.
The ministry noted that although the U.S. and other nations have made peaceful diplomatic efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions, these efforts have ultimately failed to produce meaningful results.
“As early as this spring, the United States warned Iran of the consequences in the absence of constructive steps.”
Ukraine also asserted its unique moral position on nuclear issues, having given up the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal in the 1990s, and argued that the elimination of Iran’s nuclear ambitions would enhance global safety.
Meanwhile, Moscow has diplomatically backed Iran after Israel launched the initial air strikes against Iranian military and nuclear targets on June 13, an operation that sparked further waves of aerial attacks from both sides.
In its statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry urged a response from the U.N. Security Council, saying that "the confrontational actions of the U.S. and Israel must be collectively rejected."
Vice President JD Vance earlier this month. “I think we set that program back substantially,” he said on Sunday, “and we did it without endangering the lives of the American pilots.”
Ukraine's diplomatic corps and military intelligence (HUR) evacuated 176 Ukrainian and foreign citizens from Israel to Egypt ahead of U.S. attacks on Iran, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on June 22.
"Evacuation efforts are also ongoing from Iran to Azerbaijan," Zelensky said on X after the U.S. launched air strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities, joining Israel's campaign against Iran's nuclear program.
The foreign nationals evacuated by Ukraine included citizens of the U.S., Moldova, Latvia, Azerbaijan, and Estonia.
"We are responding to every request and will continue evacuation efforts," Zelensky added.
The latest chapter of hostilities between Iran and Israel began with Israeli air strikes against the Iranian nuclear program and military leaders on June 13. Israel has accused Iran of developing a nuclear weapon, a claim that Tehran denied.
U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly hopes that the U.S. attacks will push the Iranian leadership to the negotiating table, as the conflict was preceded by Trump's efforts to find a diplomatic solution to Tehran's nuclear aspirations.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry announced already on June 18 that evacuations of Ukrainian citizens from Iran and Israel are being prepared.
According to the Iranian Health Ministry, over 400 Iranians have been killed and over 3,000 wounded in Israeli attacks. In turn, at least 29 Israeli citizens have been killed and 900 injured in Iranian attacks.
Moscow condemned on June 22 the recent U.S. strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, calling them a violation of international law and Iran's sovereignty, a statement in stark contrast to Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on June 21 that the U.S. air strikes targeted three nuclear sites in Iran, Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, joining Israel's campaign against Iran's nuclear program amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
"The irresponsible decision to subject the territory of a sovereign state to missile and bomb strikes, no matter what arguments are used, is grossly violating international law, the U.N. Charter, and the resolutions of the U.N. Security Council," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry also warned of possible radiological consequences, despite Moscow's own record of repeatedly placing nuclear facilities at risk during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and threatening to use nuclear weapons.
Russia and Iran are close strategic partners, with Tehran providing Moscow with ballistic missiles and thousands of Shahed attack drones for its war against Ukraine.
Moscow has diplomatically backed Iran after Israel launched the initial air strikes against Iranian military and nuclear targets on June 13, an operation that sparked further waves of aerial attacks from both sides.
In its statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry urged a response from the U.N. Security Council, saying that "the confrontational actions of the U.S. and Israel must be collectively rejected."
"Of particular concern is the damage caused by the attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities to the global non-proliferation regime based on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)."
Israel has increasingly warned that Iran is developing a nuclear weapon, an assertion backed by Trump despite U.S. intelligence previously disputing the claim. Tehran has rejected having a nuclear weapons program.
Though Trump announced a complete "obliteration" of Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities in the recent attacks, the scale of damage is not immediately clear. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it had detected no increase in radiation at the targeted sites, while the Iranian state media and officials sought to downplay the damage.
Iran has called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council in the wake of the attacks. Both the U.S. and Russia hold a permanent seat and a veto power in the council.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump for the operation, saying, "First comes strength, then comes peace. And tonight, (President Donald) Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength.
In turn, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that the U.S. "has committed a grave violation of the U.N. Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran's peaceful nuclear installations."
Washington's European partners have issued cautious responses to the U.S. attacks, calling for a diplomatic resolution while affirming that Iran's nuclear program is a danger to international security.
"Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, as it would be a threat to international security," top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas said on X.
"I urge all sides to step back, return to the negotiating table, and prevent further escalation."
The United States conducted air strikes on nuclear sites in Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump said on June 21, calling the attacks a "spectacular success."
"We have completed our very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air airspace," Trump said.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the U.S. attacks and warned they will have "everlasting consequences," with Tehran requesting an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting.
Israel and Iran have exchanged strikes in recent days as Israel voices concern over Tehran's continued development of nuclear weapons.
The White House has backed Israel, remaining cautious in escalating its role in the conflict. The strikes mark U.S. military involvement in the conflict.
"A full payload of bombs was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors," Trump said.
The U.S. president shared a separate post with a screenshot that said, "Fordow is gone."
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it had detected no increase in radiation at the targeted sites, while the Iranian state media and officials sought to downplay the damage.
"Iran must now agree to end this war," Trump then said in another post on social media.
Trump later held a live address where he reiterated calls for Iran to join negotiations as the U.S. and Israel demand that Iran abandon its nuclear program.
"This cannot continue. There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember, there are many targets left," Trump said.
Trump has called for Tehran to negotiate an end to the conflict as Israel and Iran exchange strikes.
The U.S. president hopes that the strikes will push Iran to the negotiating table, sources familiar with the matter told CNN, adding that the U.S. is not planning additional military actions in Iran.
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has condemned Trump's decision to conduct air strikes without congressional approval.
"President Trump must provide the American people and Congress clear answers on the actions taken tonight and their implications for the safety of Americans," Schumer said.
Israel asked the U.S. to join military operations targeting Iran’s nuclear program, including a strike on the fortified Fordow uranium enrichment site, Axios reported on June 14, citing two Israeli officials.
Trump suggested in a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would consider joining the operation if needed, an Israeli official told Axios.
A White House official denied that claim on June 13. Another U.S. official confirmed that Israel had urged the U.S. to take part, but said Washington is not currently considering involvement.
Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter told Fox News on June 13 that "the entire operation… really has to be completed with the elimination of Fordow."
Russia and Iran have cooperated to develop their own nuclear programs as both countries face Western sanctions.
Russia supplied Iran with the Middle East's first nuclear power plant despite objections from the West.
Iran has assisted Russia in its war against Ukraine, providing drones and missiles. Tehran has helped Moscow develop weapons of its own. Russia's Geran drone is modelled after the Iranian Shahed drone.
Mohammed Said Izadi, one of the commanders Israel said it killed, was one of the few people who knew in advance about Hamas’s plan to launch a surprise attack on Israel, The New York Times has reported.
President Volodymyr Zelensky on June 20 called on U.S. President Donald Trump to "make the right choice for history" by standing with Ukraine against Russian aggression.
Zelensky said Moscow is attempting to influence the U.S. president amid the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.
"(Russian President Vladimir) Putin really wants us to be without America," Zelensky said during a briefing attended by the Kyiv Independent. "For President Trump right now, the Israel-Iran issue is definitely a higher priority."
The Ukrainian president cautioned that Moscow lacks the capability to meaningfully support Iran but will "pretend" otherwise to gain influence with Washington.
"I think this is also a sign to President Trump. And I really don't want him (Trump) to make a deal with the Russians that is not in our favor," he said.
Zelensky said that U.S. support remains essential for Ukraine's defense and long-term security. While some European countries have committed to backing Ukraine, he said, the loss of American support would be the most difficult scenario.
"So that President Trump makes the right choice for history," Zelensky said. "Because it's the right thing to be with us. Because Putin is the aggressor. And in any case, the aggressor loses."
He added that the Ukrainian delegation is actively working with U.S. officials, including a recent conversation between Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding the minerals agreement and securing new military assistance.
"We handed over a specific weapons package we need, including Patriot systems, and we are awaiting feedback," Zelensky added. "We are ready to find the money for this entire package."
The president said these items — military aid, sanctions, and coordinated diplomatic pressure on the Kremlin — would be key topics in a potential meeting with Trump.
"We need greater certainty and greater pressure from the world on Putin — this is necessary for diplomacy," he said. "And I would like to discuss these formats with him."
Putin offered to mediate between Israel and Iran after speaking with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on June 13.
Russia condemned Israel's strikes, which targeted Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure using 200 aircraft and 330 munitions. Iran retaliated with missile strikes on Tel Aviv and other cities, killing five Ukrainian citizens on June 14.
Zelensky traveled to the G7 Leaders' Summit in Canada on June 17, hoping for a one-on-one meeting with Trump. The U.S. president left the summit early, citing the escalating Israel-Iran crisis.
Despite rejecting Putin's offer to mediate in the Middle East conflict, Trump has not imposed any new sanctions on Russia, even as the Kremlin continues to reject ceasefire proposals in its war against Ukraine.
The war in Iran is exactly the kind of Middle East entanglement that President Trump’s anti-interventionist base believed he was bitterly opposed to, because he said he was.
The European Union has postponed a move to lower the existing price cap on Russian oil, after concerns that the Iran-Israel conflict could lead to higher prices, Politico reported on June 20, citing unnamed diplomatic sources.
The price cap, introduced in December 2022 as a measure to limit the Kremlin's ability to finance its war against Ukraine, prohibits Western companies from shipping, insuring, or otherwise servicing Russian oil sold above $60 per barrel.
Ukraine has been calling on Western partners to lower the price cap on Russian oil from $60 to $30 per barrel. Meanwhile, two diplomats told Politico that the escalation of the conflict between Iran and Israel would make it impossible to impose new restrictions.
"The idea of lowering the price cap is probably not going to fly because of the international situation in the Middle East and the volatility," said one diplomat on the condition of anonymity.
The issue of reducing the price cap on Russian oil was discussed during the Group of Seven (G7) summit, which was held June 15-17 in Canada. However, the participants failed to reach a consensus.
"At the G7 meeting this week, it was agreed by all the countries they would prefer not to take the decision right now," the diplomat added. "The prices were quite close to the cap; but now the prices are going up and down, the situation is too volatile for the moment."
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said during the G7 summit that the existing measures on Russian oil exports "had little effect," while noting that oil prices had risen in recent days, so "the cap in place does serve its function. "
Global oil prices spiked on June 13, after Israeli strikes on Iran triggered a long-range war between the two countries that has continued for over a week.
Brent and Nymex crude prices surged more than 10% before stabilizing around 7.5% higher, with Brent at $74.50 a barrel and Nymex at $73.20 as of June 20, the BBC reported.
The spike threatens to undermine Western efforts to restrict the wartime revenue of the Russian state, which depend heavily on oil exports.
EU High Representative Kaja Kallas previously urged the European Union to pursue lowering the oil price cap on Russian oil, even without U.S. support, warning that Middle East tensions could otherwise drive prices up and boost Russia's revenues.
Russian drone attacks against Ukraine might decrease due to Iranian Shahed production capabilities being targeted in Israeli strikes, Estonian military intelligence commander Ants Kiviselg said on June 20, according to the ERR broadcaster.
The comments come as Russian drone strikes across Ukraine have been breaking records in recent weeks, with nearly 500 drones and missiles launched overnight on June 9.
"While it can be assessed that Russia has been able to largely localize and transfer the production of Shahed and Geran-type drones to Russia, it can be assumed that some critical nodes for drone production continue to come from Iran," Kiviselg said.
Israel initiated a series of air strikes against Iranian military and nuclear facilities on June 13, with Tehran responding with waves of drone and missile attacks, further escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Iran has been a key ally to Moscow and provided the country with ballistic missiles and thousands of Shahed "kamikaze" drones for its war against Ukraine. Russia has also launched production of its own Shahed equivalents called Geran.
While Israeli strikes targeted and destroyed a Geran-type drone factory in Isfahan, Ukrainian forces have been attacking the Russian plant in Alabuga in Tatarstan, the Estonian intelligence chief noted.
"So there is a possibility that in the near future we may see a certain decline in the use of drones," Kiviselg said. Estonian intelligence is nevertheless convinced that Moscow is planning steps to not only maintain, but also "increase" its drone production.
Russia has been regularly deploying Shahed-type drones for nighttime attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, overwhelming Ukrainian air defenses with massive swarms.
Ukraine's intelligence has warned that the Russian defense industry seeks to ramp up the production of the strike drones, aiming to deliver 500 unmanned aircraft per month for Russia's war effort.
In turn, the Ukrainian side has also increasingly invested in its drone capabilities, and more than doubled its production of long-range drones in 2024 compared to the previous year.
Today, there are interesting updates from the Middle East. Here, in a war Tehran once promised would reshape the region, the only thing reshaped is Iran’s own military, flattened, blinded, and humiliated in a matter of days.
With both its offensive and defensive capabilities shattered beyond repair, Iran now scrambles not for victory, but for a way out.
Israeli F-35s own the skies above Tehran
In the opening hours of the Israeli operation against Iran, it became immediately clear that Iran’s air defense network was utterly insufficient to repel an attack from a modern and well-prepared adversary.
Already weakened by previous Israeli strikes, Iranian air defenses were systematically dismantled in a series of swift, precision attacks spearheaded by Israeli F-35 stealth fighters.
A screenshot for Reporting from Ukraine
Iran’s regime claimed to have downed four such jets, yet the evidence provided was quickly debunked as embarrassingly obvious Photoshop manipulations. In reality, Israeli aircraft rapidly dominated western Iranian airspace, freely operating even over Tehran itself, an unprecedented humiliation.
The Iranian Air Force was also quickly neutralized with Israeli planes striking Iranian jets directly on their runways and systematically targeting radar installations, leaving Iran’s air force unable to respond or put up resistance against Israeli airpower.
Scorched before fired
Following this crippling operation, Iran attempted to retaliate with ballistic missiles.
While several of them managed to penetrate Israeli defenses, Iran claimed they launched hundreds, indicating that most Iranian ballistic missiles were intercepted before they could hit their targets.
A screenshot for Reporting from Ukraine
However, even this modest success was short-lived. On the second day of the operation, Israeli aircraft rapidly identified and destroyed approximately one-third of Iran’s missile launchers, dramatically reducing the volume of subsequent missile attacks.
Iran’s missile arsenal is buried in two days
Further worsening Iran’s trouble, Israel took swift and decisive action to neutralize Iran’s vaunted underground missile stockpiles.
Although Iran frequently showcased these missiles in highly symbolic videos intended to intimidate opponents, Israel simply destroyed the entrances to these bunker complexes.
Consequently, despite the vast stores of missiles presumably remaining intact underground, Iran now lacks timely access to these weapons, rendering them irrelevant to the current conflict.
Iran’s drones meet the Iron Dome wall
Iran’s widely touted Shahed drones, famous for their use by Russia against Ukraine, proved astonishingly ineffective against Israeli defenses.
A screenshot for Reporting from Ukraine
Despite ample combat data from Ukraine, Iranian forces seemingly learned nothing from these engagements, deploying outdated first-generation Shahed drones without critical upgrades developed by Russia through battlefield experience.
Israel’s dense and layered air defense network, featuring the Iron Dome supplemented by advanced missile defenses, fighter cover, and helicopter support, intercepted these drones with ease.
Moreover, American and Jordanian support further bolstered Israeli defenses. Israeli electronic warfare experts had previously studied Shahed drones extensively, even deploying to Ukraine for hands-on experience in 2023. As a result, Iranian drone assaults were swiftly neutralized long before even reaching Israel.
20 Iranian generals gone before sunrise
The Israeli operation also delivered a devastating blow to Iranian military leadership: over 20 high-ranking commanders, including senior officers of the Iranian armed forces and the elite Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, were killed within the first hours.
Israel then meticulously targeted and eliminated their replacements as soon as they were appointed, paralyzing Iran’s ability to respond effectively.
A screenshot for Reporting from Ukraine
Iran’s regime teeters between collapse and surrender
Facing catastrophic losses and a rapidly deteriorating strategic position, Iran’s regime quickly spiraled into panic mode.
Tehran’s statements that they are ready to stop the attacks after Israel stops indicate not just willingness but a call to resume negotiations, proposing a mutual ceasefire.
Simultaneously, Iranian leadership, including the Ayatollah himself, is reported to be seeking refuge in Russia, echoing Bashar al-Assad’s similar requests during the Syrian regime’s collapse.
A screenshot for Reporting from Ukraine
Tehran’s leaders recognize that while escalating further might inflict limited additional damage upon Israel, it would also prompt devastating counterstrikes capable of collapsing their regime.
Tehran fights to avoid its fall
Yet, the regime must also demonstrate some military resolve domestically, or risk losing its internal legitimacy entirely, a scenario equally threatening to its grip on power.
A screenshot for Reporting from Ukraine
The US initially signaled openness to renewed diplomacy, but President Trump subsequently hardened his stance, explicitly rejecting any further negotiations with Iran.
In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.
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If the United States bombs an underground uranium enrichment facility in Iran or kills the country’s supreme leader, it could kick off a more dangerous and unpredictable phase in the war.
Regime change in Iran is "unacceptable" and the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would "open Pandora's box," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Sky News in an interview published June 20.
Russia, which signed a strategic partnership with Iran in January, has reportedly grown increasingly alarmed as the United States weighs deeper involvement in Israel's military campaign against Tehran.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested the option of assassinating Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei remains on the table, though he said the U.S. does not plan to act on it "for now."
The comment followed reporting that Israel had earlier proposed a plan to kill Khamenei — a proposal Trump initially rejected, according to a U.S. official cited by AP.
Peskov warned that any attempt at regime change in Tehran or threats to its leadership would "open Pandora's box," deepening instability across the Middle East and beyond.
"(Regime change in Iran) is unimaginable," Peskov said. "It should be unacceptable, even talking about that should be unacceptable for everyone." He added that the killing of Khamenei would promote extremist sentiment inside Iran and provoke unpredictable consequences.
"The situation is extremely tense and is dangerous not only for the region but globally," Peskov said. "An enlargement of the composition of the participants of the conflict is potentially even more dangerous. It will lead only to another circle of confrontation and escalation of tension in the region."
Russia has been a close regional ally of Iran, while Tehran supplied drones and ballistic missiles for Moscow's war against Ukraine. Meanwhile, Israel has maintained a delicate balance, refraining from joining Western sanctions against Moscow while condemning Iran's role in supporting Russia's war effort.
Asked on whether Moscow would respond to a possible strike against Khamenei, Peskov declined to specify, saying any reaction would come from "inside Iran."
Peskov also commented on Trump's dismissive response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's offer to mediate between Israel and Iran. The U.S. president reportedly told Putin to "mediate your own conflict" in reference to the Russia-Ukraine war. Peskov shrugged off the remark, calling Trump's language "unique" and urging mutual tolerance.
Tensions have risen between the U.S. and Iran following a wave of Israeli air strikes on Iranian territory, beginning June 13. The attacks targeted nuclear infrastructure and senior Iranian commanders, prompting Iranian missile strikes on Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities.
Tehran claimed that at least 224 Iranian civilians were killed on June 16, though the figures remain unverified.
Russia has offered to mediate the crisis, with Putin reportedly reaching out to both Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Tel Aviv, according to the Kremlin, is reluctant to accept the proposal, while the EU leaders rejected it, citing Russia's aggression in Ukraine and its close military ties to Iran.
Ukrainian First Deputy Foreign Minister Serhii Kyslytsia says Russia has successfully used the Istanbul negotiations to stall the adoption of new US sanctions, Suspilne reports.
There is no sign that Russia wants to end its war against Ukraine. Since US President Donald Trump started his peace efforts, the only thing that has changed is that Moscow has doubled its attacks on civilians, killing women, children with unprecedented cruelty. At the same time, the US halts its aid for Kyiv, avoids imposing sanctions, and stalls negotiations on weapon purchase, including air defenses.
According to the official, this diplomatic maneuvering came as the Middle East crisis pushed global oil prices sharply higher.
“Sanctions must be strengthened and designed to make it impossible for Russia to finance its war,” Kyslytsia emphasizes.
He also stresses the need to target Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” and lower the oil price cap. Additional sanctions should also hit Russia’s financial sector, specifically by cutting more Russian banks off from the SWIFT system.
Another critical issue, he notes, is the presence of foreign components in Russian weapons used against Ukraine. While the impact of sanctions is often delayed, Kyslytsia warns that a stop-and-go approach to sanctions only benefits the Kremlin.
“The fact that sanctions are adopted slowly and in waves does not help us,” he states.
Kyslytsia also points to the fallout from Israel’s strike on Iran, which sent oil prices soaring by 13–14% in the first few hours, a windfall for Moscow’s war economy.
“Whether this will have a lasting impact remains unclear. Everything now depends on de-escalation in the Middle East,” he adds.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is facing the broader geopolitical challenge posed not only by Russia but also by its key international backers, Iran, China, and North Korea.
Ukraine’s military confrontation remains primarily with Russian forces on the frontlines. However, these allied states provide critical economic, military, and diplomatic support to Moscow, indirectly intensifying the war.
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The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov
