European allies boost Ukraine aid amid Russia’s foreign recruit push

[EUROPE] European allies have pledged a "surge" in military support for Ukraine, with the British government pledging £450 million ($580 million) in UK-led help. The assistance is intended to enhance the country's position ahead of any peace agreement with Russia. The UK will provide £350 million this year, with Norway contributing additional funds, the British Ministry of Defence announced on Friday. The funds will be used to repair and maintain vehicles and equipment, as well as radar systems, anti-tank mines, and hundreds of thousands of drones.

The announcement comes as Ukraine faces critical shortages in ammunition and manpower, with Russian forces making incremental gains along the front lines. Western officials have privately expressed concerns that delays in aid deliveries earlier this year allowed Moscow to seize the initiative in several key sectors. The new funding is expected to bolster Ukraine’s defensive capabilities, particularly in countering Russia’s relentless drone and missile attacks on infrastructure and civilian areas.

On Friday, the United Kingdom and Germany will host a 50-nation gathering at NATO headquarters in Brussels. British Defence Secretary John Healey and his German counterpart, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, will co-chair the 27th Ukraine Defence Contact Group, a position previously held by the US Defense Secretary until Donald Trump's return to office.

The shift in leadership of the Contact Group reflects growing European responsibility for Ukraine’s defence amid uncertainty over Washington’s long-term commitment under the Trump administration. Analysts note that while the US remains Kyiv’s largest single donor, European nations have collectively surpassed American contributions in recent months. This meeting is seen as a test of Europe’s ability to coordinate sustained support without relying on US direction.

On Thursday, Defence Secretary Healey urged his counterparts from over 30 countries to proceed with plans to deploy troops to Ukraine under any potential peace agreement with Russia. Foreign forces on Ukrainian soil are a sticking point in negotiations with Russia. According to the Telegraph, the UK is considering deploying troops to Ukraine for five years as part of measures being explored by allies. One of several alternatives on the table is to send a European-led force to Ukraine to dissuade Russia from violating any agreement and to provide Kyiv's forces with much-needed relief.

The proposal for a European peacekeeping mission has drawn mixed reactions, with some NATO members wary of escalating tensions with Moscow. Critics argue that such a deployment could be perceived as a direct provocation by Russia, while proponents insist it would provide a necessary security guarantee for Ukraine. The discussions highlight the delicate balance between reinforcing Kyiv’s position and avoiding actions that could derail potential negotiations.

After spending two days appealing against the government's decision to strip him of his security protection while in the UK, Prince Harry went to an orthopedic facility in Ukraine to see amputees and wounded military members. The prince visited with wounded veterans at the Superhumans Centre in Lviv, which heals and rehabilitates injured military members and civilians, including children, afflicted by the conflict. Harry, who served in the British army for ten years, was accompanied by a group from the Invictus Games Foundation, which included four veterans who had comparable rehabilitation experiences.

Russia is using well-produced propaganda movies to attract Chinese men to fight with its military in Ukraine. The films convey a message about being "tough" men, yet several sound more like influencer marketing for a working holiday. Others are screenshots put together by ordinary folks about to leave China. But they all have one thing in common: they all try to sell Russia on the advantages of joining a Chinese mercenary. Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Tuesday that two Chinese nationals had been apprehended in the eastern Donetsk region, accusing Moscow of attempting to involve China "directly or indirectly" in the conflict. A day later, he stated that the guys were among at least 155 Chinese personnel of Russia's military forces.

The recruitment campaign underscores Russia’s growing reliance on foreign fighters to offset its heavy battlefield losses. Military analysts estimate that Moscow has suffered over 400,000 casualties since the invasion began, forcing it to seek manpower from abroad, including from Nepal, Cuba, and now China. The involvement of Chinese nationals, however, risks complicating Beijing’s carefully maintained neutrality, as it seeks to avoid alienating Western trading partners while maintaining its strategic partnership with Moscow.

The top US commander in the Pacific has warned senators that China and North Korea's military backing for Russia in its assault on Ukraine poses a security concern in his region, since Moscow gives essential military help to both in exchange. Admiral Samuel Paparo, chief of US Indo-Pacific Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that China has provided Russia with 70% of the machine tools and 90% of the legacy chips to assist Moscow in "rebuilding its war machine". In exchange, he claimed, China may receive technology to help its submarines move more silently, as well as other support.

Russia's defense ministry announced on Thursday that its soldiers had conquered the village of Zhuravka in Sumy, Ukraine's northern border area, however Ukrainian officials refused to acknowledge the takeover. Moscow has long launched air operations on the region opposite Russia's Kursk, where it is attempting to evict residual Ukrainian soldiers eight months after they launched a cross-border incursion and seized substantial portions of territory. Ukrainian officials claimed that Russian military action had increased on their side of the border, but made no mention of Zhuravka falling into Russian hands.

The Sumy region has become an increasingly active frontline in recent weeks, with Russian forces probing Ukrainian defences for weaknesses. While the capture of Zhuravka, if confirmed, would represent only a minor tactical gain, it reflects Moscow’s strategy of stretching Kyiv’s resources by opening new axes of attack. Ukrainian commanders have warned that Russia may be preparing for a larger offensive in the north to divert attention from the more heavily contested eastern and southern fronts.

Bridget Brink, the US ambassador to Ukraine, is stepping down after nearly three years in Kyiv, citing uncertainty over the Trump administration's efforts to arrange a peace deal to end the war. Her departure has been expected for some time, particularly given the Trump administration's emphasis on rapprochement with Russia and ending the war. Brink has been loud in her support for arming Ukraine, and she has continued to advocate even after Donald Trump took office in January and began pressuring Ukraine to accept a cease-fire arrangement.