Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

“For me, it’s important to emphasize once again that we plan to confirm funding for Ukraine. This year, we are increasing it from EUR 8.3 billion to EUR 8.5 billion. And if we include additional funding, the total reaches about EUR 9 billion allocated in the budget to support Ukraine,” said Vice Chancellor of the FRG Lars Klingbeil.

“There is a high probability and many signs indicating that the russian-Ukrainian war will at least be suspended in the near future,” Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk emphasized that even if the fighting in Ukraine stops, Poland’s position on its defense will remain unchanged.

US President Donald Trump has said that russia has 10 days to reach a peace agreement with Ukraine, and if it does not, the United States will impose tariffs on russian goods.

“He (Trump) has been patient, and that’s probably been misinterpreted by some people (in the rf). So I think the time for misinterpretations is over,” Spokesperson for the US Department of State Tammy Bruce commented on President Donald Trump’s position on russia.

Trump has also announced the introduction of 25 % tariffs against India on August 1. He mentioned that India is one of the largest buyers of russian energy carriers and also buys a large number of weapons from russia, “at the time when everyone wants russia to stop killing in Ukraine.” “Therefore, India will pay a duty of 25 %, as well as a penalty for the above, starting on August 1,” the US President summarized.

Donald Trump has also said that he will allow refugees from Ukraine to stay in the United States until the end of the war.

“I agree that putin doesn’t deserve additional time, and we need to move faster on the sanctions bill. Everything the President is doing is in the right direction, but I strongly advocate for sanctions to be 500 %, not 100 %,” said US Senator Richard Blumenthal.

Secretary of the Treasury of the USA Scott Bessent has said he did warn Chinese officials that China’s purchases of russian oil could result in the United States’ imposing high import duties on Chinese goods.

The IMF has downgraded its forecast for russia for 2025, unlike other emerging markets. The GDP growth forecast has been lowered to 0.9 % from 1.5 %.

18 EU member states have applied for at least EUR 127 billion under the SAFE defense instrument. The European Commission has welcomed the interest in accessing loans under the Security Action for Europe program from Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Finland.

Dozens of participants of the world conference of Speakers of Parliaments in Geneva, Switzerland, left the hall during a speech by speaker of the federation council of the rf Valentina Matvienko.

President of Moldova Maia Sandu has said the kremlin is planning unprecedented interference in the country’s parliamentary elections to be held in September.

Three tankers carrying fuel from India’s Nayara Energy were denied unloading in different ports. The company was sanctioned because of its ties to “Rosneft”.

The state duma has called for the dollar to be raised to 108 rubles to help the budget and economy.

The council of federation has called for raising taxes on the self-employed to patch up the Pension Fund’s budget. The self-employed, whose number in russia has exceeded 13 million people and who currently pay only 7 % of income tax, will be subject to an additional 2 % tax.

The debt problems of russian companies and households are gradually being shifted to the banks that lent to them. Sberbank’s expenses for provisions and revaluation of loans at fair value has doubled compared to last year: in the second quarter, they increased exactly 2 times to RUB 195 billion, and in six months, they increased 2.2 times (to RUB 335 billion). The share of third-stage loans (overdue for more than 90 days) in the bank’s portfolio reached 4.5 % at the beginning of July. It stood at 3.7 % at the end of the year and at 4.1 % as of March 31.

Banks have stopped making money on mortgage lending, Sberbank CEO German Gref complained to putin: “Mortgages for banks today – even under preferential programs – are either unprofitable or have a negative return.”

The number of complaints from russians against banks increased by 28.6 % in January–June 2025. During this period, 111.7 thousand claims were received from citizens.

Pavlovsky Bus Plant (PAZ), russia’s largest manufacturer of small and medium–sized buses, has suspended production until at least August 4 due to a sharp decline in sales.

russia’s largest automaker, AvtoVAZ, is cutting salaries due to a sharp decline in car sales and overstocking of warehouses, where, according to the company, tens of thousands of unsold cars have accumulated. The salary will be cut by at least 20 % and will take place after the Togliatti plant switches to a four-day work week at the end of September.

A wave of workweek cuts due to financial problems launched by major russian automakers has reached Irkutsk region, where the budget deficit in the first six months of 2025 reached 37 billion rubles. The mayor’s office of Bratsk, the second largest city in the region with a population of more than 200,000, has announced the transfer of employees to a shorter working week with a reduction in salaries. The administration cited “budgetary difficulties” as the reason for this. Officials will not be affected by the innovation – they will receive full pay. The new work schedule will affect cleaners, IT specialists, canteen workers, secretaries – in other words, everyone who is involved in servicing local governments.

Governor of Belgorod region Gladkov has labeled “wrong” the behavior of residents who fled their homes due to shelling and refuse to return, and instructed officials to bring them back home. Authorities in other russian regions, to which tens of thousands of Belgorod residents fled because of the war against Ukraine, have asked to organize their return home, Gladkov said. “It is absolutely obvious that the residents of Belgorod who left for Moscow region steadfastly refuse to return,” he said.

A Moscow court has fined Zoom, TikTok, and Likee a total of 90 million rubles under protocols for refusing to cooperate with Roskomnadzor.

Amid massive shutdowns, a popular internet speed measurement service, Speedtest, developed by the American company Ookla, has been blocked in russia.

russians need to adapt to the new reality with regular mobile Internet outages, including stocking up on cash, as this payment method will now prevail over others again, said chairman of the State Duma Committee on Industry and Trade Gutenev. The MP recommended withdrawing large sums from ATMs in advance. “You should not turn into a “hipster” who lives only in the center of moscow. Life is not limited to comfort,” he summarized.

Currently, there are no processes in Lithuania related to the revision of the sanctions policy and specific measures against belarus in the direction of easing, said Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Kęstutis Budrys. “On the contrary, we are looking at where we should expand this range of sanctions and what other measures of influence to apply,” he said.

The belarusian jewelry brand Belaruskicry has appeared on the list of extremist groups. Siloviki promise to “check for financing all those who bought or wear extremist jewelry (up to six years in prison).”

In Minsk, a well-known artist Oksana Shalyapina was detained for donating to political prisoners. The woman is accused under Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code (promotion of extremist activities). Shalyapina’s works are in private collections in the United States, Germany, Kazakhstan, russia, Georgia, Luxembourg, Finland, and Italy.