Ukraine

Hungarian PM shows no sign of backing down while Volodymyr Zelenskyy urges EU to resolve dispute.

Kyiv is rolling out a new artificial intelligence (AI) war hub, the Defence AI Center “A1,” aimed at speeding up how battlefield data is turned into real combat power.

David M. Crane, Founding Chief Prosecutor of the UN Special Court for Sierra, argues that the newly established Special Tribunal on the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine must begin operations by the end of 2026, drawing on the proven model of the Special Court for Sierra Leone to deliver swift, cost-effective accountability before political momentum erodes.

President Volodymyr Zelensky, on a tour of European countries, is expected to hold talks in Paris on ways to increase sanctions pressure on Russia, notably by targeting the 'shadow fleet' of tankers it uses to evade sanctions on oil exports. … The Kremlin said the planned meeting would obstruct the peace process and that the "very idea of trying to put pressure on Russia is absurd."

Teams of Ukrainian military experts have been sent to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to help them defend against drones being launched from Iran in retaliation for the massive US and Israeli air attacks. … Ukraine says the US and 10 more countries across the Middle East and Europe have asked for help countering the threat of drones that have wrought much damage.

Ukraine is ready for new U.S.-backed peace talks "at any moment", but its partners' attention is currently focused on the Iran conflict, President ⁠Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday, adding that the U.S. had asked to postpone an upcoming meeting.

The Bank of Russia filed a claim on Tuesday at the EU General Court, challenging the December 2025 regulation to freeze its assets until the requests of the European Union are met and generated interests are redirected to Ukraine. 

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas says the bloc may be open to direct talks with Moscow on trying to help settle the war in Ukraine but Moscow will have to temper its "maximalist" demands to pave the way for negotiations.

The European Union is looking into “non-standard” tactics to allow Ukraine to join the EU faster, Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Tuesday. The EU is clashing with Kyiv over the timeline for becoming a member of the club and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s call for a 2027 accession date has been widely rebuffed by EU politicians.

Reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine will cost almost $588 billion over the next decade, or nearly three times the estimated GDP in 2025, as housing, energy and other critical sectors continue to come under fire from Russian forces. The finding comes in the updated joint Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA5) issued on Monday by the Government, the World Bank Group, the European Commission and the United Nations.