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

Estonia, as it has done this year, will continue to provide Ukraine with military aid amounting to at least 0.25 % of its GDP, which is over EUR 100 million. Most of this amount will be channelled through Estonian companies. This was announced by Minister of Defence of Estonia Hanno Pevkur.

“The sequence of steps should be as follows: first, the killings must stop, then peace talks must take place, and only then security guarantees for Ukraine can be discussed,” said President of Finland Alexander Stubb, outlining his vision of the peace process. He believes that economic pressure on russia should force putin to start real negotiations to end the war. “russia is making maximalist demands, so Ukraine should do the same,” Stubb concluded regarding the realism of the basic principles of settlement: sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.

“The Ukrainians have already managed to significantly reduce the military power of the rf, and therefore there is no longer any talk of Ukraine’s defeat.,” said US President’s special representative for Ukraine Keith Kellogg. He does not consider the attack by russian drones on Poland’s territory to be a coincidence and is confident that the war would end “tomorrow if China completely cut off its aid to russia.”

“If a peace agreement is concluded, it must be secured as best as possible. And if the majority of member states decide that “blue helmets” are needed for this, then we hope that this will ensure lasting peace,” said President of the UN General Assembly Annalena Baerbock on the possibility of deploying “peacekeepers” in Ukraine after the end of the war.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Lithuania proposes to extend temporary protection for Ukrainian citizens until March 2027.

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US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick urge to tie a bill on tough sanctions against russia to a must-pass bill on funding the federal government.

Deputy Prime Minister,  Minister of Defence of Poland Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz has confirmed Warsaw’s readiness to support US President Donald Trump’s proposal for new sanctions against russia. “We are unequivocal about purchases from the rf we say a categorical ‘no’  to these purchases,” he stressed.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Jan Lipavský does not believe that the russian drone’s  intrusion into Romania’s airspace was accidental. “russia must pay a specific price for its provocations against NATO. That is why the Czech Republic supports further sanctions,” Lipavský stressed.

Head of Estonia’s foreign intelligence service Kaupo Rosin believes that the prospect of a full-fledged arms race with the West “is causing concern in russia, because they know very well that they will lose it.”

The Consulate General of Spain in moscow has suspended the acceptance of visa applications for an indefinite period. In mid-June, Spain, together with France, tightened entry requirements for russians and belarusians, restricting visa-free transit. Madrid introduced a mandatory airport transit visa (TAP) to pass through the international zones of Spanish airports. From July 12, all holders of russian passports for travelling abroad transiting through Spain must have a visa.

Against the background of EU sanctions and the kremlin’s restrictions on the supply of many European wines, russians have begun to consume more low-quality wines, particularly those produced in belarus. In January-July this year, russian retail chains sold 14 times more belarusian wines than before – 29,000 daL. At the beginning of 2025, belarus even found itself in the top 10 countries in terms of sparkling wine sales in the rf.

“russian shchi” is not a priority: russian cuisine is in the minority in its own country. According to data from the ministry of industry and trade for 2025, there are over 200,000 catering establishments operating in russia. Of those, less than one percent serve dishes from “russian cuisine” and “the cuisine of the peoples of russia”. More than 99 % of catering establishments position themselves as cuisines of other countries, in particular “European cuisine”,  “author cuisine”, and “local cuisine”.  The dominance of foreign cuisines in russia and the critically low level of dissemination of native culinary traditions in the restaurant business demonstrates the power of foreign influence on citizens – complained the ministry of industry and trade.

In the rf, not only people but also animals will be monitored: a draft law  has been submitted to the state duma to limit the number of farm animals and birds in private households in cities and villages, of which there are about 16.2 million across the country. Now, regional authorities will determine livestock standards, taking into account geographical and natural climatic conditions, local traditions, and the characteristics of different areas.