Donald Trump says US weapons are already being shipped to Ukraine and that he has not spoken to Vladimir Putin since threatening Russia with sanctions. Follow the latest below.
Wednesday 16 July 2025 12:09, UK
There’s a key message after Russia launched its latest overnight strikes on Ukraine, our security and defence analyst Michael Clarke said.
“The message that the Russians are sending to the rest of the world is we’re carrying on,” Clarke explained.
He said Russia is “hitting cities all over Ukraine with both military and civilian relevance”.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 400 drones and one ballistic missile overnight in an attack that mainly targeted energy infrastructure.
Russia is also showing that it is “not impressed” by what it’s heard from Washington so far, Clarke added.
That’s after Donald Trump threatened to implement “severe tariffs” on Russia unless a peace deal was reached in 50 days.
He also announced a deal to boost weapons shipments heading to Ukraine.
Watch his analysis in the video below.
This week, Yalda and Richard discuss Donald Trump’s big decision to send weapons to Ukraine through NATO. Why has he changed his mind?
Yalda gives her take on the situation and why she thinks Trump is following a similar position to presidents before him when it comes to the Russian leader.
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More to bring you from the Kremlin now, where spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says renewed support for Ukraine is being perceived in Kyiv as a signal to continue the war.
It comes as Donald Trump has ramped up pressure on Moscow to end the conflict and begun selling more weapons to NATO, which will be passed to Ukraine for its defence.
“Many statements have been made, many words about disappointment, but we, of course, would like to hope that alongside this, pressure is being put on the Ukrainian side,” Peskov said.
“Now it looks like the Ukrainian side perceives all words of support addressed to it not as a signal for peace, but a signal for war, for the continuation of the war.”
As a reminder, Russia rejected a US-proposed 30-day ceasefire back in March, which Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave his support for.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said recovery work is ongoing after Russia’s attack on cities across Ukraine overnight.
Scroll through the pictures below to see firefighters dealing with the aftermath this morning.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s closest aide has called on Donald Trump to apply even more pressure on Russia and Vladimir Putin.
In a series of social media posts, Andriy Yermak insisted Ukraine seeks peace.
“A just peace is only possible when the aggressor pays for its crimes and retreats from terror,” he said, calling for “real pressure” on the Kremlin.
“Russia must feel that its path leads only to isolation, sanctions and defeat on the battlefield.”
Turning to the US, Yermak called on Trump to apply pressure on Russia “because that’s what Putin fears”.
“Since Russia shows no intention of stopping, we would be sincerely grateful if the United States, using its strength and global influence, could help apply real pressure on Moscow,” he added.
Trump has already threatened to implement “severe tariffs” on Russia unless a peace deal was reached within 50 days.
He has also announced a deal to boost weapons shipments heading to Ukraine.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 400 drones and one ballistic missile overnight in an attack that mainly targeted energy infrastructure.
Take a look at the map below to see the parts of Ukraine that were targeted.
Some lines to bring you from the Kremlin now, which has been responding to Donald Trump’s decision to boost weapons shipments heading to Ukraine.
According to Russian state media Interfax, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says the subject of weapon supplies to Ukraine is high on the agenda.
Asked a second time for the Kremlin’s reaction to the US weapons supplied to Ukraine, Peskov said: “This is business”.
He added that a phone call between Trump and Vladimir Putin has not been planned, but it can be organised quickly.
At least two people have been killed by Russia’s overnight strikes across Ukraine, according to local officials.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the large-scale attacks targeted energy infrastructure (see 8.47 post) and left at least 15 people injured.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 400 drones and one ballistic missile, mainly targeting Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih and Vinnytsia.
Russia has stepped up its attacks on cities across Ukraine this summer, and were cited by Donald Trump as a reason for his decision to approve more weapons for Ukraine.
Ukraine’s outgoing prime minister has said Kharkiv was targeted in a “massive attack” overnight, with civilian infrastructure damaged and destroyed.
An “industrial enterprise” was destroyed in Kryvyi Rih, Denys Shmyhal said, with interruptions to electricity and water supplies.
“Russia continues to deliberately strike civilian objects,” he wrote on X.
“It is critical to step up pressure on the aggressor and bolster support for Ukraine to protect people and ensure security through Europe.”
Shmyhal submitted his resignation letter as part of a cabinet reshuffle yesterday.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has proposed him as Ukraine’s new defence minister, with Yulia Svyrydenko, currently first deputy prime minister, tipped to take over as PM.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy says response efforts are still under way across the country after last night’s Russian drone strikes.
He says the Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Kharkiv and Odesa regions came under the heaviest attack, with energy infrastructure being targeted.
In Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy’s home town, the power is still out, he adds, with one child among the 15 people injured there.
DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, said this morning that power had been cut for 80,000 families in the city.
“Russia is not changing its strategy – and to counter this terror effectively, we need to systematically strengthen our defences,” he added.
“More air defence systems, more interceptors and more determination – so that Russia feels our response.”
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