June 13, 2025 Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

In 2024, Norway transferred to Ukraine 14 F-16 multi-purpose fighters (six were announced), 20 Dingo 2 armored vehicles and three NM189 armored engineering vehicles.

The participants of the Ukraine – Southeast Europe Summit reaffirmed the European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Kyiv and the states of the region.

EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarina Mathernova remains hopeful that the ambitious plans to launch accession talks with Ukraine in the near future will come true.

NATO is expanding its large-area satellite surveillance capabilities, which will allow it to track military movements in Ukraine and on russia’s borders with Eastern European countries.

President of Finland Alexander Stubb believes that US President Donald Trump will continue to make efforts to reach a peace agreement between Ukraine and russia.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Radosław Sikorski believes that putin is “disrespecting President Donald Trump’s peace efforts” with his attacks on Ukraine. He also hopes that the 18th package of European Union’s sanctions against russia can be approved by the end of Poland’s EU presidency, which will last until early July 2025.

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The EU Council has approved new tariffs of 50 % on agricultural products and certain fertilizers produced in the rf and the rb, which have not yet been subject to additional duties. In addition, “a duty of 6.5 % on fertilizers imported from belarus and the rf, as well as fees of EUR 40 to EUR 45 a ton in the period 2025-2026 are envisaged. By 2028, the duty will increase to EUR 430 a ton. The aim of the measures is to reduce European countries’ dependence on russian and belarusian imports and to decrease the budget revenues of the rf and its ability to finance the war against Ukraine.

High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas believes that the EU can reduce the maximum price for russian oil even without the participation of the United States, and this will have an effect on the russian economy.

Federal Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz has expressed hope that the European Union will adopt the 18th package of sanctions against russia next week.

“Human life has no value for putin. russia’s casualties since 24 February 2022 have exceeded one million. putin has rejected any meaningful peace efforts and is only pretending to negotiate,” said Prime Minister of Estonia Kristen Michal. The Estonian Prime Minister also pointed out that pressure on russia should continue, as it is “the only way to a just and lasting peace.”

Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen has called for a tougher course towards moscow, noting that the West has relied on negotiations with the kremlin for too long.

Before the outbreak of the full-scale war, Germany was russia’s second largest trading partner in terms of total trade (after China): it amounted to EUR 59.7 billion in 2021. But now Germany buys almost nothing from russia: imports have declined by 94.6 % and amounted to only EUR 1.8 billion. Exports of German goods to russia decreased by 71.6 % to EUR 7.6 billion.

Toyota Tsusho Corporation has announced that it has no plans to return to the russian market.

AerCap, the world’s largest aircraft lessor, has won a court case and will be able to receive up to $1 billion for the aircrafts and engines that russia refused to return after the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

At least 50 representatives of the United States and Europe left the plenary session of the fourth Tashkent International Investment Forum during deputy prime minister of the rf Novak’s speech when he wanted to convey greetings from putin.

russian authorities are considering introducing mechanisms for state regulation of prices for basic vegetables. In particular, wholesale prices for potatoes increased by 285.5 % year-on-year by April. As of mid-May, the price of onions rose by 87.2 % over the year; white cabbage went up by 56.8 %; and beets added 11.9 %.

Starting July 1, russia is significantly raising utility and housing tariffs. The rise in prices will be most noticeable in Arkhangelsk region – by 24.8 %, in Mordovia – by 22.8 %, in Chelyabinsk region – by 22.8 %, in Dagestan – by 22.3 %, and in Tatarstan – by 22.3 %.

A significant increase in the incidence of a number of infectious diseases, including measles, in russia is associated with the increase in the number of unvaccinated people among migrants, representatives of the Roma nationality and a number of religious groups, including Orthodox Jews. This was stated by academician of russian academy of sciences, head of the department of epidemiology and evidence-based medicine at the Sechenov university nikolai briko.

The orthodox TV channel “spas” in the rf has said that Satan controls people through tattoos.

US President Donald Trump has extended for another year, starting on June 16, the national emergency regime against belarus, according to a document published by the US Federal Register. The notice emphasizes that “the actions and policies of certain members of the government of belarus and others, as well as the pernicious activities and longstanding abuses of the belarusian regime, continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.”

The belarusian association of journalists has reported that belarusian and russian special services are increasingly resorting to deception, posing as journalists or representatives of human rights organizations to obtain sensitive information from activists who have emigrated to Europe. The aim of such pseudo-interviews is not only to collect information, but also to discredit activists and human rights defenders in propaganda materials.

In the rb, the prices for vegetables that are grown in the country have risen the most: white cabbage (+45.2 % compared to April), onions (+39.5 %), beets (+32.3 %), carrots (+26.5 %), and potatoes (+26.3 %).

In his message to putin, lukashenko called russia, which attacked Ukraine, “a country that stands for respect for state sovereignty.”

lukashenko also believes that the people may begin to consider him unneeded. This can happen if his orders are not fulfilled.