German Air Force’s Patriot air defense missile system deployed to Slovakia. (Bundeswehr/Tom Twardy)WASHINGTON — The United States is reshuffling its Patriot air defense queue as European nations rush to support Ukraine, with Switzerland announcing it will have to wait longer to receive the weapon systems.“The United States Department of Defense has informed the DDPS [Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport] that it will reprioritize the delivery of Patriot systems to support Ukraine, focusing on ground-based air defense,” a statement[1] posted on the Swiss federal government’s website said. “This also affects Switzerland, which will receive its production batches later ...

The Energy Community Ministerial Council held its annual informal meeting in Athens, where the organization was founded twenty years ago. No contracting party is expected to meet the criteria for exemption from the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in the electricity sector – the European Union is due to start charging the CO2 tax on January 1 – but the European Commission could propose amendments.The Energy Community promotes integration, reforms and investments across the region, top officials stressed.Ministers from the Energy Community contracting parties convened today at the Informal Ministerial Council in Athens to mark the organization’s 20th anniversary. The ...

On July 14, US President Donald Trump[1] gave his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin another 50 days to reach a peace deal with Ukraine[2]. He also threatened to impose secondary tariffs on Russia's trading partners if the ceasefire failed to materialize. DW spoke to Kyiv's mayor Vitali Klitschko about what he thinks Ukraine needs in order to protect itself and the challenges the Ukrainian capital faces today.DW: Mr. Klitschko, Donald Trump has given Vladimir Putin[3] a new deadline and at the same time opened up the possibility of supplying Ukraine with new weapons. What is your assessment of the US president's ...

Key developments on July 17:Zelensky, Trump discuss 'win-win' drones-for-weapons 'mega deal'Washington 'moving with haste' to arm Ukraine under Trump plan, US envoy saysUkrainian drones reportedly target Moscow, St. Petersburg amid wider strikesLeaked documents claim Russia's 41st Army suffered 'catastrophic' losses fighting in UkraineUS delays Patriot deliveries to Switzerland, prioritizes Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump are exploring a potential agreement[1] involving the purchase of American weapons in exchange for the sale of Ukrainian drones, Zelensky told the New York Post in an interview published on July 17."The people of America[2] need this technology, and you need to ...

Kate Laycock07/17/2025July 17, 202530 years since Srebrenica, Hanno Hauenstein on why language matters when reporting on Gaza, Wayne Jordash KC on gathering war crimes evidence in Ukraine, PKK fighters disarm, and a personal account of Kosovo’s past and present. https://p.dw.com/p/4xdAHKate Laycock Editor and host of Inside Europe

UK’s Starmer says plan in place in event of ceasefire in Ukraine once Russia’s Putin agrees to ‘unconditional’ truce.The United Kingdom and Germany have signed their first bilateral treaty since World War II, pledging to deepen cooperation on defence at a time of growing threats to Europe.The Kensington Treaty, signed by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer[1] and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz[2] on Thursday, includes clauses on “mutual assistance” in case of attack and on “joint export campaigns” to drum up external orders for military hardware such as fighter jets that the countries produce together.Speaking after the signing ceremony at London’s ...

Russia said Thursday (July 17, 2025) it had captured Ukrainian villages in three separate areas of the front line, expanding its summer offensive despite U.S. calls to end the fighting.Ukraine did not immediately comment on Moscow’s claims.In a statement, the Russian Defence Ministry said its forces had “liberated” the settlements of Popiv Yar in the eastern Donetsk region, Degtiarne in the northeast Kharkiv region and Kamianske in the southern Zaporizhzhia region.Kamianske, on the banks of the Dnipro river, was home to around 2,000 people before the conflict.Degtiarne is a tiny hamlet near the Russian border but lies in an area ...

NATO forces could capture Russia's heavily fortified Kaliningrad Oblast "in a timeframe that is unheard of" if necessary, U.S. Army Europe and Africa commander General Chris Donahue said, Defense News reported on July 17.Kaliningrad Oblast[1], wedged between Poland and Lithuania, is surrounded by NATO[2] territory and spans just 75 kilometers (47 miles) across. Donahue said[3] allied capabilities now allow them to "take that down from the ground" faster than ever before.His remarks come amid heightened tensions[4] between NATO and Russia[5] and the implementation of a new allied strategy known as the "Eastern Flank Deterrence Line." The initiative focuses on bolstering ...

It may be the right moment for Ukraine’s Western allies to lobby Donald Trump.It’s no secret that the U.S. president is frustrated with Vladimir Putin. Despite previous friendliness, Trump has lashed out at his Russian counterpart multiple times in recent weeks, most notably after Putin offered to help[1] the U.S. with the situation in Iran: “He said, can I help you with Iran? I said, ‘No, I don’t need help with Iran. I need help with you.’” It may be the right moment for Ukraine’s Western allies to lobby Donald Trump.It’s no secret that the U.S. president is frustrated with ...

It’s the other side of the coin: the resilience that has impressed the world since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Ukrainians don’t frighten easily or get discouraged, but they don’t impress easily either. Donald Trump’s shift on Ukraine last week, sending U.S. weaponry to Kyiv after the Pentagon had held it up, has been met with skepticism, black humor, and hope.“Wow, 10 Patriot missiles,” someone calling himself Jerzy posted sarcastically in a July 8 Telegram chat[1] after Trump reversed[2] the pause of weapons deliveries. Shortly after the president’s remarks, sources revealed[3] he was planning to send a small first shipment ...