RUTTE: Ukraine is doing very well on the battlefield, killing or seriously wounding 30,000 to 35,000 Russians a month.
These are incredible numbers, and they are having a huge impact on Russia. And Russian economy is also struggling at the moment.
Ukrainians are being very effective at striking Russian energy infrastructure, particularly oil refineries inside Russia, which help finance the war effort.
Putin is spending almost 50% of his state budget on defense and three-quarters of his tax revenue on the war.
What we need now is for Putin to play ball and come to negotiating table. So far, he has only repeated his maximalist demands.
The only acceptable end to this war is Russia's defeat. It's in our deep strategic interest to give Ukraine the support they need to win this war.
https://t.co/Er33cVsSLK
https://t.co/vFxRtuhSti A $500 million superyacht linked to sanctioned Russian billionaire successfully transited the blockaded Strait of Hormuz this week
Russia once again deliberately targeted and killed Ukrainian civilians last night. With its army stalled on the battlefield, Moscow keeps falling back on terror against the innocent.
Russia wants more war, so our response is more aid for Ukraine, more pressure on Russia, and full accountability for war crimes.
Europe steps up. In recent days, Germany and Ukraine struck a €4 billion arms deal, the UK announced its biggest-ever drone package, and the Netherlands pledged €200 million, among other pledges.
On the EU side, it is high time to unblock the €90-billion loan and move forward with the 20th sanctions package. The Foreign Affairs Council will take this up next week.
Russia has attacked DTEK thermal power plants in Ukraine more than 220 times
These were not military targets and not “precision strikes,” but systematic attacks on civilian energy infrastructure.
The goal is obvious — to leave millions without electricity, heat, and water, especially in winter.
Size of Russian economy in 2025=$2.5 trillion. Proposed $12 trillion “Dmitriev package” that Russia is offering the US to sell Ukraine down the river is mathematically impossible. They’re claiming to offer the US roughly 5 times their GDP?!?
Reports talk of a massive Russia-US economic cooperation deal being negotiated. That doesn’t sound unlikely - Russia desperately need Western technology and billions to repair its oil and gas industries, and the Trump team loves both billions and fossil fuel.