Trump: on Patriot to Ukraine we will evaluate, it is very expensive. Kellogg at the Willing call, first time for the US

Also today, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) declared that Russia violated international law in Ukraine. This is the first time that an international court has held Moscow responsible for human rights violations since the large-scale invasion in 2022. The judges of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg are ruling on four cases filed by Ukraine and the Netherlands against Russia, covering a wide range of alleged human rights violations since the start of the conflict, including the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 and the abduction of Ukrainian children.

Kiev, double Russian raid in Donetsk, 8 dead

Moscow attacked in two waves the settlements of Rodynske and Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region with drones and aerial bombs, killing eight civilians. This was reported by the Donetsk regional prosecutor's office, as Ukrainska Pravda reports. In the first raid, cars were hit, killing five people. After 10 minutes the Russians dropped two Fab-250 aerial bombs on Kostyantynivka. Three men, aged 42, 53 and 71, died in the street.

 German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, during a debate in the Bundestag, pledged to continue to support Ukraine "even against the pressure of the political left and the pro-Russian right in this House". In a harsh warning to Russia , he expressed concern that 'the means of diplomacy have been exhausted', adding: 'When a criminal regime openly questions another country's right to exist by military force and sets out to destroy the political order of freedom across the entire continent of Europe, the federal government I preside over will do everything in its power to prevent it'.

Separately, he also stated that the German army, the Bundeswehr, 'must quickly receive everything it needs to defend Germany'. Referring to his recent participation at EU and NATO summits, he also insisted that Germany was 'once again noticed and, above all, taken seriously around the world'. Earlier, AfD leader Alice Weidel attacked Merz for taking a stance abroad, leaving domestic politics to the smaller coalition partner, the Social Democrats, and breaking election promises.

Air defences tonight shot down86 Ukrainian drones over nine Russian regions, including Moscow. This was announced by the Russian Defence Ministry, quoted by the Tass news agency.

Overnight, the Russian military launched 728 drones and 13 missiles against Ukraine, setting a new record. This is according to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The main target of the massive air attack was the city of Lutsk in the west of the country. Lutsk, located in the north-west of Ukraine along the border with Poland and Belarus, was not the only city hit. Ten other regions were also targeted. Lutsk hosts airfields used by the Ukrainian army. Cargo planes and fighter jets regularly fly over the city. No casualties have been reported, while emergency teams continue to assess the damage. Ukrainian air defence shot down 296 drones and seven missiles during, while another 415 drones were lost to radar or jammed, according to an air force statement.

Three people were killed and seven wounded in a drone attack by the Ukrainian armed forces in the Russian border region of Kursk. This was reported by Russian agencies citing the local governor, Aleksandr Khinshtein. Among the wounded was reportedly a five-year-old child. "Five people, including a child, are in serious condition. They have shrapnel wounds and burns of varying degrees. Doctors are doing everything possible to save them," Khinshtein disclosed.

According to CNN, USDefence Secretary Pete Hegseth did not inform the White House before authorising the suspension of arms shipments to Ukraine last week, triggering a race within the Trump administration to understand why the suspension was implemented and explain it to Congress and the Ukrainian government. According to a senior administration official and two sources, even the US special envoy to Ukraine, retired General Keith Kellogg, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is also Trump's national security adviser, had not been informed in advance of the pause and learned about it through the press. Two sources attributed the reason Hegseth did not inform the White House to the fact that he does not have a chief of staff or trusted advisers around him who could push him to better coordinate major policy decisions with other government agencies.

After the case, US President Donald Trump is considering sending an additional Patriot air defence system to Ukraine, after promising in recent days to strengthen Kiev's defences against Russian attacks. The Wall Street Journal reported this, citing two US officials. The Washington administration has not revealed what additional weapons it intends to provide to Ukraine in the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin's failure to respond to calls for an end to the conflict. Sending another Patriot defence system would be a significant step for the White House: it would be the first time Trump has approved the supply of a major weapons system to Kiev outside of those authorised by Joe Biden's White House. The White House has asked the Pentagon to outline its options for sending additional weapons to Ukraine, including a Patriot system, revealed one of the officials quoted by the Wall Street Journal, according to which it is also currently assessing whether other countries could provide more Patriots to Kiev.

"They have asked for a Patriot defence system. We will evaluate. It's very expensive." This was said by Donald Trump responding to those asked to comment on Wall Street Journal rumours about the possibility of the US providing an additional Patriot system to Kiev.

President Trump announced yesterday that he is considering a bill to impose sanctions or tariffs on countries that support the Russian invasion, a measure promoted by Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, and supported by more than 80 senators. However, writes the WSJ, according to a person close to Trump, the bill currently under consideration 'does not provide the president with sufficient flexibility', and the White House would be working with parliamentarians to ensure that the measure actually supports efforts to end the war.

Both top Republican congressional leaders said today they were ready to adopt new sanctions against Russia in July, after President Donald Trump signalled this week his willingness to pressure Moscow to end the war in Ukraine. "Vladimir Putin has shown that he's not willing to be reasonable and talk seriously about mediating for peace, and I think we need to send him a message - that's my view," House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters.