Monday, 17 August 2026Europe · Analysis
Independent · Brussels & Berlin
Person
President of Ukraine, Office of the President of Ukraine
A Russian barrage of 24 ballistic missiles penetrated Ukrainian defences entirely on Wednesday, killing at least 17 people, while NATO admits supply lines have collapsed to a third of last year's rate.
Kyiv's ambassador to London and former military chief says the alliance relies on Second World War thinking while Ukraine has surpassed Western forces in drone and missile production.
US president reverses long-standing policy on missile technology transfer while NATO leaders pledge $80 billion for Kyiv and defence spending targets slip.
The US president travels to Turkey expecting concrete plans from European members after last year's Hague agreement, while his administration reviews force posture in Europe and feuds with several allied leaders.
Former NATO chief argues Ukraine is now Europe's strongest military power and should be integrated into a new security architecture led by France and Britain, ahead of a critical NATO summit in Ankara.
The 45-year-old former insider's Tisza Party secured a constitutional majority on Sunday, promising to unlock frozen EU funds and restore democratic checks after 16 years of Viktor Orbán's rule.
Pro-European Tisza party wins 138 of 199 seats on record 80% turnout, promising constitutional reform and renewed EU ties after 16 years of Viktor Orban's rule.
Trailing by eight points weeks before the April vote, Hungary's prime minister blocks €90 billion in EU aid for Ukraine and brands his rival a foreign stooge. Péter Magyar refuses the bait.
Kyiv plans an 800,000-strong army and domestic missile industry after concluding it cannot rely on Western promises, with EU loans and drone output already scaling up.
Emergency summit in Brussels reveals frayed transatlantic trust as Kaja Kallas warns of a 'big blow' while member states disagree on how firmly to respond to US volatility.
Washington joins coalition of willing for first time as Trump envoys signal support for binding commitments, while Britain and France pledge troops and territorial disputes remain unresolved.
Leaders in Paris agree text committing Washington to ceasefire monitoring, intelligence and backing for a European-led multinational force, though Moscow has not signed on.
US security commitments are the only credible deterrent, but their durability depends on Russian acceptance and Congressional ratification, neither of which is assured.
European leaders outlined a multinational force and legally binding commitments in Berlin, yet experts disagree on whether the guarantees match NATO's Article 5 and the Kremlin has already dismissed a Christmas ceasefire.
Trump envoys make unprecedented offer to Zelenskyy as European leaders express cautious optimism, but Moscow has yet to signal willingness to negotiate territorial concessions.
Former NATO chief calls for air defences on alliance territory, European troops in Ukraine and seizure of frozen Russian assets to force Putin to negotiate
EU foreign policy chief names Montenegro and Albania as frontrunners while warning of democratic backsliding in Georgia and Serbia; Hungarian veto blocks Ukraine and Moldova talks
EU leaders prepare a €140bn reparations loan from frozen Russian assets while military aid drops sharply and Orbán vetoes accession talks.
German foreign minister Johann Wadephul says no alliance member will face Russian provocations alone, while Ukraine's president proposes a shared aerial defence system at Warsaw Security Forum.
President Maia Sandu's Party of Action and Solidarity secured 50.2% of the vote, but the opposition disputes the result and Moscow alleges voting restrictions for Moldovans in Russia.
US president tells UN gathering that Ukraine can retake all land lost to Russia with European and NATO support, reversing his previous call for mutual territorial concessions.
Berlin says it will decide on troop deployment only when US engagement and negotiation framework are clear, while Trump presses Europeans to halt Russian oil purchases.
European leaders joined Zelenskyy at the White House as Trump described a guarantee framework reliant on European troops backed by US air power, with formal details promised within ten days.
Central and eastern European states are accelerating defence industrial conversion while pressing Washington for concrete security guarantees, fearing a negotiated Ukraine settlement could leave them exposed.
Germany leads a coalition of European nations purchasing American arms for Kyiv, allowing Washington to profit while avoiding direct confrontation with Moscow.
Twenty-seven heads of government meet after NATO summit to weigh an 18th sanctions package on Moscow, fend off Trump trade threats, and navigate a deepening split over Israel’s war in Gaza.
Brussels targets 189 tankers while London hits missile components and disinformation networks, acting in concert after Trump failed to extract a ceasefire commitment from Putin.
Independent candidate overturns 20-point deficit to win 54% of vote against far-right opponent George Simion, securing Romania's European trajectory and Ukraine support.
Germany's new chancellor needed two ballots to win confirmation, exposing deep fractures in the CDU-SPD coalition as France drifts and Ukraine presses for stronger European leadership.
A series of shocks in February 2025 forced European leaders to confront the possibility that Washington is no longer a reliable partner, triggering frantic diplomacy and a scramble for strategic autonomy.
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