On July 17, Ukraine was again subjected to Russian attacks: during the night, 64 drones were launched, 36 of which were shot down. A fatality was reported after the strike on Dnipro. Russia continues to attack cities, including Kryvyi Rih, where explosions were also reported.
Amid these developments, Keith Kellogg, Donald Trump's special envoy, is in Ukraine and noted high innovation levels in drone production. US President Donald Trump is pushing for a program in which several European countries will pay for weapons for Ukraine. Germany, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK, Canada, and Finland have agreed, while Italy, France, Hungary, and the Czech Republic declined.
In Europe, the German Chancellor and British Prime Minister decided to sign a new defense pact for mutual assistance in case of armed attack. This is seen as a response to concerns about NATO guarantees, though no official change in bloc policy was announced.
The EU plans to allocate 100 billion euros to Ukraine from the 2028-2034 budget and 50 billion euros via the Ukraine Facility fund. The 18th sanctions package against Russia is yet to be approved, as Slovakia, Hungary, and Malta oppose it.
Russia is seeking economic help from China due to budget issues, though no official agreements have been announced. Russian authorities are calling for strict budget savings as revenues drop.
In Ukraine, internal political changes are ongoing: a new Cabinet lineup has been submitted, and an investigation has been confirmed regarding abuse in asset management. Olga Stefanishina is being considered as Ukraine's ambassador to the US.
