United24: No European capital can defend itself against Russia's Oreshnik.
Europe lacks reliable defense against ballistic missiles. The US produces only 700 Patriot interceptors per year, Gulf states fired over 800 in just a few days during the Iran war.
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On the night of May 24, Russia launched 90 missiles and 600 drones at Kyiv. Ukraine shot down 55 out of 90 missiles — but ballistic missiles remain the main problem.
There are simply too few Patriot interceptors available.
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Ukraine proposed a coalition of 13 countries to jointly develop anti-ballistic missiles and build production facilities in Europe.
The concept: participating countries prioritize deliveries for their own defense — making the project independent of political bargaining.
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Russia jams Ukrainian drones targeting its Baltic ports and redirects them into NATO airspace.
Baltic officials warn this could gradually erode public support for Ukraine in countries that have been among Kyiv's strongest backers, — Kyiv Independent. 1/
The first major incident: March 2026, several drones crashed in Finland. At least one confirmed Ukrainian.
Kyiv apologized, saying the drones were aimed at military targets inside Russia but sent off course by Russian electronic interference.
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Latvia's government collapsed over it. After stray Ukrainian drones entered Latvian airspace on May 7, the defense minister resigned.
Days later, the prime minister quit after losing her coalition majority.
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Leverage in the war has shifted to Ukraine and Europe. Russia loses 30,000 troops a month. Ukraine makes 60% of its own weapons.
Brussels is floating Merkel, Draghi and Niinistö as envoys for Putin peace talks that do not exist — Nathalie Tocci, The Guardian. 1/
Russia is escalating the war. On Sunday it hit Kyiv with the hypersonic Oreshnik, capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.
Last week Lithuanians sheltered after a drone alert. The hybrid war between Russia and Europe is already running. 2/
Ukrainians hold no illusions. They survived another winter with most of the power grid destroyed. They expect Moscow to target water infrastructure next.
They treat the US shift as final. Trump sided with Putin. US military aid has shrunk. Kyiv assumes it is not coming back. 3/
Snyder: The essence of MAGA is losing and pretending to win. Trump is a failed businessman whose political career depends on persuading people he is successful.
When he lost in 2020, he tried to convince people he had somehow won. 1/
Snyder: The Republican Party has become a one-person cult. For it to become a party again, Trump has to lose big.
His cult depends on the illusion of strength and invulnerability — and that illusion has to be broken. 2/
Snyder: Trump understands God as one more propaganda device. What bothers him about Pope Leo is that Pope Leo actually believes in God.
Trump does not believe in anything beyond his own personal convenience, so even God becomes part of his act. 3/