“Better to leave than to face the truth.” This is how former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko explains US President Donald Trump’s behavior at the G7 summit on Ukraine, Hromadske reports.

“He has nothing to say to Zelenskyy. He can’t find a single argument to justify his defense of Putin. This is one of those situations where it’s easier to just leave,” the diplomat explains.

According to Ohryzko, all Ukraine can expect from Trump right now is weapons sales and intelligence sharing. Genuine support must come from Europe, but only if European leaders stop “being afraid of their own shadow.”

What happened in Ukraine today is yet another reproach to our European partners, he says.

“We need French or German fighter jets to shoot down missiles over Ukraine — just like the US shoots down Iranian missiles over Israel,” the diplomat adds.

He emphasizes that such action would not drag NATO into the war, as it would be an act of defense, not aggression.

“There isn’t a Russian sitting on every missile. These are aerial weapons flying into the territory of a country friendly to France, so they should be shot down,” he says.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy must raise this issue directly with allies during his visit to Canada, in his view.

“The question must be put bluntly. I believe Zelenskyy has to do it today, in Canada,” he concludes.

On 17 June, Ukraine’s capital and other cities were subjected to sheer terror. Russia deployed its every available aerial weapon to strike Kyiv, Odesa, and Zaporizhzhia, including hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, Kalibrs, cruise and ballistic missiles, and Shahed drones.

Read more: 

• How Ukraine can win, p.4: Just repeat what Putin says
• Russia bombs Kyiv and Iran targets Israel, Trump wants ceasefire — but only from Ukraine

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

A Russian SU-25 fighter jet reportedly crashed over Donetsk Oblast on June 13, Russian social media channels reported.

Videos posted on social media of the purported crash by bloggers with close ties to the Russian Air Force appear to show the plane crashing into a field after closely being followed by another fighter jet. The circumstances of the crash remain unclear as rumours swirl of Russian 'friendly fire' as a potential cause of the crash.

The Kyiv Independent cannot independently verify the crash or the details surrounding it. Neither the Ukrainian nor Russian military have commented on the reported crash.

The Su-25, a Soviet-designed close-air support aircraft developed by Sukhoi in the late 1970s, is built for battlefield survivability. It features heavy armor and can withstand enemy fire.

The aircraft has been widely used in various conflicts, including in Afghanistan, Chechnya, and, more recently, in Ukraine, where both Russian and Ukrainian forces operate the platform.

Ukraine has downed multiple Russian Su-25s throughout the war. On Feb. 8, Ukraine's military reported shooting down a Russian Su-25 near the town of Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast.

In another instance, Russia's Defense Ministry said on on March 24 that Russian Su-25 attack aircraft crashed during a routine training flight in Primorye Krai in Russia's Far East.

The incident comes less than two week following Ukraine's 'Operation Spiderweb' in which Ukrainian drones smuggled deep inside Russia and hidden inside trucks struck as many as 41 Russian heavy bombers at four airfields across the country.

Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian MiG-29 strikes Russian drone hub, ammo depot in Zaporizhzhia direction, releases video

Key developments on June 13: * Ukrainian MiG-29 strikes Russian drone hub, ammo depot in Zaporizhzhia direction, releases video * Ukrainian military denies NYT claims about Russian presence in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast * Russia preparing strategic reserves for conflicts beyond Ukraine, Ukraine warns * Ukraine repatriates bodies of 1,200 citizens, soldiers under Istanbul deal

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk

A Russian military aircraft is suspected of violating Finland's airspace on June 10, the country's Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"The investigation into the suspect's airspace breach has been launched immediately," Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen said. The Finnish border guard is investigating and will share more information as the probe continues, according to the Finnish Defense Ministry.

The alleged violation occurred near the city of Porvoo, located about 50 km east of Helsinki. The city lies in the country's far-south, along the Gulf of Finland.

Russia regularly stages provocations on NATO's eastern flank, which includes Poland, Finland, and the Baltic countries. On May 22, two Russian aircraft violated Finnish airspace, while the day prior Polish fighter jets intercepted a Russian Su-24 bomber in international airspace over the Baltic Sea.

Russian aircraft frequently fly from its exclave, Kaliningrad. The jets often disable their transponders, fail to file flight plans, and do not establish contact with regional air traffic control — a pattern NATO officials describe as high-risk behavior.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, NATO officials have increasingly warned Moscow could attack the alliance's members in the coming years. In anticipation of increased hostilities, Finland has said it expects a Russian military build-up on its borders after the war in Ukraine ends.

On May 19, the New York Times published satellite images which seem to indicate an expansion of military facilities near the Finnish border.

Finland joined NATO in 2023 following the onset of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022 and shares a 1,300-kilometer (800-mile) border with Russia.

NATO countries in Russia's vicinity have intensified their preparations for a possible conflict. Poland and the Baltic countries moved to abandon a treaty banning land mines and are strengthening the borders shared with Russia and its ally Belarus while urging higher defense spending across the alliance.

Germany plans expansion of air raid shelters amid growing Russian threats, official says

“We must quickly create space for 1 million people,” Ralph Tiesler, the head of the Germany’s Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance told Suddeutsche Zeitung. “Existing structures must be assessed and adapted without delay.”

The Kyiv IndependentDmytro Basmat

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 U.K. is looking to revamp its defense capabilities and on the wish list of new weapons are U.S.-made fighter jets capable of launching tactical nuclear weapons to, in part, counter the threat from Russia, the Sunday Times reported on June 1.

The British military has a substantial nuclear arsenal, but after decommissioning a number of platforms at the end of the Cold War, can today only launch such weapons from its submarines.

According to the Sunday Times, the new air fleet will form a key part of the UK's strategic defense review, set to go public on June 2.

The military is looking at F-35A Lightning stealth fighter jets, made by Lockheed Martin, the report says.

The review is largely in response to the increasing risk of state-on-state warfare, specifically the threat of a Russian attack. In other line items from the pending review, the U.K. government is asking for £6 billion ($8 billion) for more ammunition, to be manufactured in six new factories, as well as a boost in the number of the navy's fleet of destroyers and frigates from 14 to 25.

The U.K. government will also consider a new missile defense shield capable of protecting against prospective ballistic attacks.

The broad plan is to boost British defense spending to 3% of GDP. But the projected timeframe for that boost is between now and 2034.

Post-Cold War plans for increasing defense spending in Europe have historically sunk amid murky deadlines and administration handoffs.

As 50,000 Russian troops amass, Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast braces for potential large-scale offensive

Reports of an imminent Russian summer offensive and troop build ups on Ukraine’s border are raising alarms in Sumy Oblast and fears that a large-scale assault could be on the horizon. Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 22 said he had ordered his military to create a “security buffer zone”

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

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.