It’s difficult to get a read on the current Russian economy. While the government boasts that its economy is doing well and is overcoming powerful sanctions, Russians on the streets are transferring large amounts of money overseas and converting their assets to cash, indicating that the majority of the population has little faith in the positive economic image that Moscow is pushing and are doubtful of their country’s economic future.
Despite his ongoing war with Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has continued to allow Kyiv to export grain through the Black Sea via the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which Putin has allowed to be extended previously. However, in remarks last week his patience with the deal appeared to be dwindling as he told journalists, “Probably, for the guys who are fighting, it’s not clear why we are letting the grain through. I understand.” As the July 17 expiration date for the current extension approaches though, Putin’s patience appears to have run out.
In an NBC News interview that was published Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky targeted former President Donald Trump and attacked his vow to negotiate an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Zelensky argued that if Russia is not defeated in Ukraine, then Moscow will attack or invade another NATO member state and force the U.S. and the alliance into a direct conflict with Russia.
The Biden administration made it clear in May that Washington would not prevent its allies from providing F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv, which would be a move widely seen as highly escalatory and one that could lead to direct conflict between NATO and Russia. However, it has also been largely understood that training Ukrainian pilots to fly Western combat aircraft could take at least a year, if not longer.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has told Russian state media that Minsk has begun receiving Russian tactical nuclear weapons that Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously would be stationed in Belarus.
On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave detailed comments regarding the progress of the war in Ukraine. The Russian leader said that Ukraine’s counteroffensive which he confirmed was launched on June 4, is failing. He went on to say that Kyiv has lost 25 to 30 percent of the Western-supplied military vehicles that had been transferred to Ukraine, including tanks.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said on Tuesday that he will not hesitate to use Russian tactical nuclear weapons, which are in the process of being moved to Belarus if his country faces “an aggression.”
In statements on Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Kyiv’s counteroffensive has started. “Counteroffensive and defensive actions are being taken in Ukraine,” Zelensky announced in Kyiv alongside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Zelensky’s remarks came days after international press reports had indicated that Ukraine’s much-anticipated counteroffensive had finally begun.
According to statements from the Russian judiciary, Travis Michael Leake was arrested and detained on Saturday. A statement released on Telegram by Moscow’s courts of general jurisdiction said Leake was arrested after “the Khamovniki District Court of Moscow took a preventive measure against an American citizen.”
As NATO’s summit approaches, former NATO Secretary-General Anders Rasmussen has warned that some of the alliance’s Eastern European states are considering sending their troops to Ukraine if NATO does not make substantial pledges to Ukraine during the summit.