Ukraine is preparing for a new phase of the war. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul says Kyiv forces will receive secret weapons to “influence” Russia’s territory, Zeit reports.

Wadephul emphasizes that European partners are now working intensively on the weapons delivery for Ukraine. He explains that the issue is not about finances but about the defense industry’s production capacity. 

“Ukraine has the right to defend itself against attacks. It will also have the ability to affect Russian territory, but we will not reveal to Putin what weapon systems we are supplying to Ukraine,” Wadephul states.

He has not mentioned specific names or dates for the deliveries. Separately, Wadephul says he had stopped looking for logic in the Russian terror against Ukrainian civilians.

“He will stop only when he realizes his plan isn’t working,” the German minister concludes.

In July, Germany announced it would supply five Patriot systems, which are to be delivered to Ukraine “soon.” Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed he had reached an agreement with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on the delivery. The Patriots are the only systems Ukraine has that can intercept Russian ballistic missiles.

Berlin also announced plans to supply over 200,000 shells for Gepard systems capable of shooting down Russian drones, and to fund the purchase of Ukrainian long-range drones to strike targets deep in the Russian rear.

A major shift in battlefield momentum is the only lever that could move the Kremlin, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assesses. The think tank’s report on 21 July says only severe Russian military setbacks, enabled by Western-supplied weaponry, could push Russian President Vladimir Putin toward serious negotiations.

Putin won’t talk peace without battlefield collapse

British Defense Secretary John Healey, speaking at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting on 21 July, announced a “50-day drive” to accelerate arms deliveries to Ukraine. He stressed the urgency of the effort, pointing to US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose “severe” 100% secondary tariffs on Russia’s trade partners if a peace deal isn’t reached within 50 days from 14 July.

ISW reaffirmed that “ISW has consistently assessed that only significant Russian battlefield setbacks, enabled by timely and sufficient Western military assistance to Ukrainian forces, will force Putin to reconsider Russia’s ability to militarily defeat Ukraine and bring him to the negotiating table.”

However, such setbacks “will not happen in a matter of weeks and will likely require several months or campaign seasons” — but only if Western governments provide Ukrainian forces with timely and adequate support for large-scale operations.

Ukraine expands defense production to meet the moment

Ukraine aims to scale up weapons production and can absorb $6 billion in investment, officials said, emphasizing the need to boost output of FPV and interceptor drones.

Procurement chief Zhumadilov said contracts were signed with Ukrainian and US firms to build counter-Shahed drone systems. Ukraine can produce up to 10 million FPV drones annually, though next year’s procurement may not exceed 4.5 million due to funding limits.

New round of negotiations still clouded by Kremlin stalling

Ukraine has proposed a third round of peace talks in Istanbul, with discussions possibly starting as soon as 22 July. Russia confirmed the offer through TASS, suggesting 24 or 25 July as possible dates.

Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed Moscow was on board but would send the same mid-level delegation as before. ISW said this reflects a lack of seriousness, noting previous talks led only to POW exchange after Russia refused to outline its terms.

According to ISW, Moscow’s intent remains to stall for time, keep fighting, and pressure Ukraine and the West. There’s no indication Putin’s objectives have shifted.

Russia did not launch a single missile on Kyiv during US Presidential Envoy Keith Kellogg’s visit. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha says this is a direct signal that only Washington can compel Moscow to pursue peace, UkrInform reports.

“While he was in Kyiv, no attacks by the Russian aggressor were recorded. This is further evidence of whom Putin truly fears. Putin fears only Trump,” Sybiha stresses.

According to him, during his intensive visit, Kellogg had the opportunity to receive information “firsthand.” This, the minister notes, is crucial in countering the Russian narrative: “Russia will not win, and Ukraine will not lose. It is important to operate from this very paradigm.”

In addition, the talks included discussions on arms procurement, particularly air defense systems. Sybiha states that Kellogg was provided with specific figures on the required number of air defense systems, long-range weapons, and other front-line priorities.

“Following this, we expect the appropriate contact and communication between Presidents Zelenskyy and Trump for the further implementation of the agreements reached,” the minister adds.

During the meeting, Ukrainian high-ranking defense officials explicitly warned Kellogg that Russia was preparing for a large-scale war, not only in Ukraine, but also against the North Atlantic Alliance.