In a move that could potentially change the dynamics of the Ukraine situation, the U.S. administration has approved the provision of additional weapons to Kyiv, which has drawn criticism from Russia, warning that this may prolong the conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that more arms would be sent to Ukraine, primarily focusing on defensive equipment. While speaking to reporters at the White House, he emphasized:
“We will be sending more weapons. It’s necessary. They need to be able to defend themselves. They are currently facing heavy bombardments. We’ll need to increase our arms supply, prioritizing defensive weapons.”
Following this statement, the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that additional defensive arms would be dispatched to Ukraine under Trump’s directive, ensuring that Ukrainians can adequately protect themselves, while reiterating that its initiative to assess military shipments globally remains in place.
Conversely, the Kremlin warned that supplying Ukraine with weapons would only serve to extend the duration of the conflict. Russian state media reported statements from Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov during a press briefing:
“It is clear that such measures do not align with efforts to reach a peaceful resolution.” Peskov did not spare criticism for European nations, accusing them of actively contributing to the continuation of hostilities through the weapons supplied to Ukraine. He further noted that it would take time to understand the specifics of the arms being sent by the United States to Ukraine.
In related news, an Italian government source disclosed that Keith Kellogg, the U.S. President’s envoy for Ukraine, is set to attend an international aid conference regarding Ukraine in Rome on July 10 and 11.
This announcement follows Trump’s assertion that the U.S. would resume sending arms to Kyiv. The source also relayed estimates from the World Bank indicating that around 500 billion euros will be required for the reconstruction, recovery, and modernization of Ukraine.
Plans
Additionally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed plans to expand the production of drones, collaborating with allies to ensure this initiative spans beyond the war period.
Zelensky stated: “We are working with our partners to ensure that production lines in their countries operate at full capacity, not just for our shared defense today but for our partners’ stockpiles after the war.”
He highlighted that this cooperation would include all nations willing to assist in investments, supply individual components, and production facilities, adding: “We are gradually bridging the funding gap for drone and interceptor aircraft production.”
Zelensky has also agreed to replace Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, during a recent phone conversation with Trump, according to reports from reputable sources.
The British publication has indicated that discussions are ongoing regarding potential candidates to succeed Markarova, with the appointment requiring consent from both nations.
Markarova has served as Ukraine’s ambassador in Washington since 2021 but has faced criticism from some Republicans for her close ties to the Democratic Party.
Calls for Investigation
Meanwhile, Ukraine has requested the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague to investigate allegations of Russia using banned chemical munitions against Ukrainian forces. Kyiv has submitted a request for the investigation to the relevant authorities within the organization, which stated:
“Ukraine hereby requests the Director-General of the OPCW to take steps towards establishing an independent and neutral mechanism to investigate the alleged use of chemical weapons in Ukraine.”
The request urged the mechanism to have the authority to gather additional evidence and identify perpetrators and organizers behind this usage.
According to the Dutch military intelligence, at least three Ukrainian deaths have been linked to the use of chemical weapons, while over 2,500 individuals injured on the battlefield reported symptoms associated with chemical agents to Ukrainian health authorities.