Context:

The NATO summit held in The Hague significantly shifted focus from Ukraine to managing relations with President Trump, whose stance on NATO and admiration for President Putin influenced the agenda. Ukraine's potential NATO membership was notably absent from the official declaration, and President Zelensky's meeting with Trump yielded no concrete outcomes regarding peace talks. Meanwhile, Russia's offensives in Ukraine have intensified, resulting in increased civilian casualties and territorial gains, with limited new military aid from the U.S. since Trump took office. Ukraine's pleas for international support were further overshadowed by the U.S.'s involvement in the Middle East conflict, leading to concerns about waning Western support. Despite European commitments to increased military spending, there is a growing sentiment in Ukraine that it may need to rely more on itself for defense against Russian aggression.

Dive Deeper:

• At the NATO summit, the focus shifted from Ukraine to maintaining a positive relationship with President Trump, whose views on NATO and admiration for Putin influenced the priorities. The official summit declaration did not mention Ukraine's potential NATO membership, a shift from last year's position.

• President Zelensky's meeting with Trump did not result in any specific commitments towards peace talks or military support, though Trump mentioned the possibility of sending more Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine.

• On the ground in Ukraine, Russia has escalated its military actions, with increased attacks on civilians and territorial advances in Eastern Ukraine, leading to a higher number of casualties compared to the previous year.

• The U.S.'s focus shifted towards the Middle East conflict, overshadowing Ukraine's calls for support and leading to the cancellation of a meeting between Trump and Zelensky at the G7 summit. This has raised concerns about diminishing U.S. support for Ukraine.

• Military aid from the U.S. has not been renewed since Trump took office, and the existing aid from the Biden administration is expected to run out soon. European allies have pledged support, but the gap in military capabilities remains significant.

• Ukraine faces a challenging situation with increasing Russian aggression and limited international support, prompting calls for self-reliance in defense and warnings that other European countries might be at risk if Ukraine falls.

• The NATO summit concluded with an agreement among most allies to increase military spending to 5 percent of their economic output over the next decade, signaling a commitment to strengthening defense capabilities amid ongoing threats.