A Belgian soldier participating in a NATO mission in Lithuania died during an exercise on Friday, Belgian officials said late Saturday. Belgium’s federal public prosecutor has launched an investigation into the incident. The soldier sustained an injury during a mortar exercise and died in hospital on Saturday, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken and Chief of Defense Frederik Vansina confirmed in a joint statement. Francken said in a post on X that he is “deeply saddened by the tragic accident,” sending “thoughts and solidarity” to the soldier’s friends and colleagues. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda also offered his condolences in a post, saying Belgian troops serving with NATO in Lithuania “make an invaluable contribution to the security of our nation and the entire Alliance,” adding: “Their dedication and sacrifice will never be forgotten.” The Belgian national, who was not identified, was part of the Artillery Battalion in Brasschaat. Nearly 200 Belgian soldiers have been deployed to Lithuania since the summer, as part of NATO’s Forward Land Forces mission, a series of multinational battle groups stationed in eight Eastern European countries. The Belgian federal public prosecutor’s office said it has opened an investigation into the soldier’s death without providing more information on the case, Belga newswire reported. A federal magistrate and two detectives from the federal police, specializing in military affairs investigations, visited the scene on Saturday, VRT reported.  Belgium’s defense ministry also has launched an internal investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the accident, according to media reports.

BERLIN — Germany’s top operational commander warned today that Russia could be capable of launching a large-scale attack on NATO “soon” if its military buildup continues unchecked. “Despite the war in Ukraine, Russia still possesses a very large military potential,” Lt. Gen. Alexander Sollfrank, head of the armed forces’ Operational Command, said at the Bundeswehr’s annual conference in Berlin. “That means Russia is already today capable of carrying out a regionally limited attack on NATO territory.” Sollfrank, who oversees all of Germany’s military operations and crisis deployments, warned that the Kremlin is rebuilding its land, artillery and drone forces and plans to expand its active troop strength to 1.5 million soldiers.  “After the end of Russia’s war against Ukraine, and if its rearmament continues unchecked, a large-scale attack on NATO could become possible — and soon,” he said. “That means we have to deal with the possibility of an attack against us, whether we like it or not. And beyond that, we have no time to lose.” The commander presented “Operation Plan Germany,” a new national defense plan aligned with NATO’s regional strategy, as the country’s blueprint for deterrence. The plan organizes how up to 800,000 allied troops could move through Germany within 180 days to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank if war looms. “It’s not a war plan, but rather a war-prevention plan at its core,” Sollfrank said. He pointed to a surge in hybrid attacks and sabotage targeting Germany and its neighbors — including drone sightings, naval incidents and undersea interference — as proof that Moscow is already testing Europe’s defenses. “Deterrence only works if it’s credible,” Sollfrank said. “We must be ready to fight so that we do not have to fight.”

Czechia — one of Ukraine’s staunchest allies — is considering cutting the flow of much-needed arms and ammunition to Kyiv’s forces when its new government takes control in the coming weeks, according to a key leader of the incoming coalition. Filip Turek, the president of the right-wing populist Motorists party that this week signed an agreement to help form a national government, said that his country will “maintain NATO commitments and adherence to international law.” However, he went on, “it will prioritize diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine and mitigate risks of conflict in Europe, shifting from military aid funded by the national budget to humanitarian support and focusing on Czech security needs.” The Motorists party was founded in 2022, and clinched six seats in parliament during last month’s nationwide election, making it a pivotal kingmaker in efforts by prime minister-designate Andrej Babiš and his populist ANO faction to form a government. Turek is under consideration to take on the role of foreign minister in the new administration. Babiš has previously publicly cast doubt on the future of a major program led by the current Czech government to provide tens of thousands of artillery shells to Ukraine, but has avoided publicly committing to a position since the election. Responding to the comments, first reported in POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook, outgoing Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský said, “the limitation of Czech military aid to Ukraine is news that will surely bring great joy to Russian soldiers on the front line. Let’s consider it a Christmas gift from Babiš to Vladimir Putin.” According to Lipavský, whose broad center-right platform suffered defeat in October’s election, the new coalition’s policy statements “do not mention the word Russia even once,” and fail to face up to the Kremlin’s aggression. “The new government will be undermining the security of the Czech Republic,” Lipavský said. Turek added that the new Czech government would deal with Moscow in a manner “guided by pragmatic protection of national interests” and avoid “escalation that could endanger Czechia’s energy security or economic stability.” A “broader focus on sovereignty and non-intervention suggests a cautious, interest-based approach,” he said. While the Czech government may change the types of aid it provides to Ukraine, the EU’s main plan to finance Kyiv next year hinges on the use of Russian frozen assets currently held in Belgium. Brussels is in the process of deciding whether to support those measures, and it’s unclear whether Prague would oppose such a move. Babiš, tasked with forming a government within the next month, may face opposition from President Petr Pavel over Turek’s nomination. The likely next foreign minister has faced police investigation over inflammatory social media posts, some of which he has apologized for and others of which he has denied authorship. EU STANCE At the same time, Turek said Prague would prioritize being “a sovereign, confident member of the EU and a firm ally in NATO,” but simultaneously “resist further transfers of powers to Brussels and advocate for a union based on unanimity, mutual respect, and pragmatic policies that avoid overburdening citizens with regulations.” The former racing car driver, who until last month served as a member of the European Parliament and campaigned on an anti-Green Deal platform, branded eco-conscious policies “unsustainable,” calling for a reversal of the 2035 ban on the sale of cars with combustion engines and for emissions trading systems to be dropped altogether. “Real change requires Brussels to prioritize factory floors and family budgets over ideological agendas that only accelerate the offshoring of sophisticated European production to China,” Turek said, “where less efficient plants and long-distance shipping generate higher global emissions, paradoxically contradicting the very climate objectives Brussels claims to pursue.” Babiš will have to present his proposed list of ministers to Czech President Petr Pavel in the coming days before a vote of confidence in the new government can be held.

BRUSSELS — Heard the one about the 12-and-half-hour meeting of 27 national leaders that succeeded in agreeing very little apart from coming up with quite a lot of “let’s decide in a couple of months” or “let’s just all agree on language that means absolutely nothing but looks like we’re united” or “let’s at least celebrate that we got through this packed agenda without having to come back on Friday”? No? Well let us enlighten you. And if that makes you question how we’ve managed to squeeze 29 things out of this, well let’s just say one of these is about badly functioning vending machines… 1 . STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOX WITH A QUICK WIN ON SANCTIONS … The day was off to a flying start when Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico lifted his veto over the latest raft of Russia sanctions on the eve of the summit — allowing the package to get formally signed off at 8 a.m. before leaders even started talking. Fico rolled over after claiming to achieve what he set out to do: clinch support for Slovakia’s car industry. He found an unusual ally in German Chancellor Friedrich Merz who he met separately to discuss the impact of climate targets on their countries’ automotive sectors. 2. … BUT AGREEMENT ON FROZEN RUSSIAN ASSETS WAS LESS FORTHCOMING There was a moment earlier in the week where the EU looked to be on the cusp of a breakthrough on using Russian frozen assets to fund a €140 billion loan for Ukraine. Belgium, the main holdout, appeared to be warming to the European Commission’s daring idea to crack open the piggy bank. But Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever stuck by his guns , saying he feared taking the assets, which are held in a Brussels-based financial depository, could trigger Moscow to take legal action. 3. BELGIUM DIDN’T MOVE ON ITS BIG THREE BIG DEMANDS The Flemish right-winger’s prerequisites were threefold: the “full mutualization of the risk,” guarantees that if the money has to paid back, “every member state will chip in,” and for every other EU country that holds immobilized assets to also seize them. Leaders eventually agreed on that classic EU summit outcome: a fudge. They tasked the European Commission to “present options” at the next European Council — effectively deciding not to decide. “Political will is clear, and the process will move forward,” said one EU official. But it’s uncertain whether a deal can be brokered by the next summit, currently set for December. 4. DE WEVER REJECTS THE ‘BAD BOY’ LABEL After POLITICO ranked the Belgian leader among its list of “bad boys” likely to disrupt Thursday’s summit (rightfully, might we add), he protested the branding. “A bad boy! Me? … If you talk about the immobilized assets, we’re the very, very best,” he said. The day was off to a flying start when Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico lifted his veto over the latest raft of Russia sanctions on the eve of the summit. | Olivier Hoslet/EPA 5. URSULA VON DER LEYEN ALSO CONCEDED THEY’RE NOT QUITE THERE YET The high-level talks “allowed us to identify points we need to clarify,” the Commission president said tactfully. “Nobody vetoed nothing today,” European Council President António Costa chimed in. “The technical and legal aspects of Europe’s support need to be worked upon.” Translation in case you didn’t understand the double negative: The EU needs to come up with a better plan to reassure Belgium — and fast. 6. UKRAINE: EVER THE OPTIMIST Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ― a guest of the summit ― told reporters Russia must pay the price for its invasion, calling on the EU to follow through with its frozen assets proposal, adding he thought the leaders were “close” to an agreement. “If Russia brought war to our land, they have to pay for this war,” he said. 7. AND ZELENSKYY IS STILL HOLDING OUT FOR TOMAHAWKS “We will see,” was Zelenskyy’s message on the topic of acquiring the long-range missiles from the U.S., which Donald Trump has so far ruled out selling to Kyiv. “Each day brings something … maybe tomorrow we will have Tomahawks,” Zelenskyy said. “I don’t know.” 8. UKRAINE WANTS GERMANY TO SEND MORE WEAPONS TOO Merz held a meeting with Zelenskyy about “the situation in Washington and the American plans that are now on the table,” a German official said, adding Zelenskyy made “specific requests” to the chancellor about helping Ukraine with its “defense capabilities.” After the summit, the German leader said Berlin would review a proposal on how German technologies could help to protect Ukrainian’s energy and water infrastructure. 9. THUMBS UP TO DEFENSE ROADMAP! EU leaders endorsed the Defense Readiness Roadmap 2030 presented last week by the Commission, which aims to prepare member countries for war by 2030. One of its main objectives is to fill EU capability gaps in nine areas: air and missile defense, enablers, military mobility, artillery systems, AI and cyber, missile and ammunition, drones and anti-drones, ground combat, and maritime. The plan also mentions areas like defense readiness and the role of Ukraine, which would be heavily armed and supported to become a “steel porcupine” able to deter Russian aggression. As leaders deliberated, a Russian fighter jet and a refueling aircraft briefly crossed into Lithuanian airspace from the Kaliningrad region, underscoring the need for the EU to protect its skies. 10. KYIV IS PROMISING TO BUY EUROPEAN — MOSTLY Ukraine will prioritize domestic and European industry when spending cash from the proposed reparation loan funded by Russia’s frozen assets, Zelenskyy told leaders at the summit — but wants to be able to go across the pond when necessary. 11. MUCH THE SAME FOR SPAIN Spanish leader Pedro Sánchez said the country had committed to contributing cash to a fund organized by NATO to buy weapons for Ukraine from the U.S. | Nicolas Tucat/Getty Images Spanish leader Pedro Sánchez said the country had committed to contributing cash to a fund organized by NATO to buy weapons for Ukraine from the U.S. “Today, most of the air defense components, such as Patriots or Tomahawks … which Ukraine clearly needs, are only manufactured in the United States,” he said. Madrid has been a thorn in Washington’s side over its lax defense spending. 12. THERE WAS A MERCOSUR SURPRISE Merz stunned trade watchers when he announced the leaders had backed a controversial trade agreement with Latin American countries. “We voted on it today: The Mercosur agreement can be ratified,” the German chancellor told reporters, adding that he was “very happy” about that. “All 27 countries voted unanimously in favor,” Merz added on Mercosur. “It’s done.” The remark sparked confusion amongst delegations, as the European Council doesn’t usually vote on trade agreements — let alone one as controversial as the mammoth agreement with the countries of the Latin American bloc of Mercosur, which has been in negotiations for over 25 years. One EU diplomat clarified that it’s because European Council President António Costa sought confirmation from EU leaders that they would agree to take a stance on the deal by the end of this year — and no formal vote was taken yet. 13. CLIMATE TALKS PASSED WITHOUT A HITCH One of the hotter potatoes ahead of the summit passed surprisingly smoothly. Leaders ultimately refrained from bulldozing the EU’s climate targets, agreeing to a vaguely worded commitment to a green transition, though without committing to a 2040 goal, which proposes cutting emissions by 90 percent compared to 1990 levels. In the words of one diplomat: “Classic balance, everyone equally unhappy.” 14. AT LEAST ONE LEADER SEEMED PLEASED, THOUGH Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the summit a “turning point” in Europe’s approach to green policy, adding he succeeded in inserting a “revision clause” into the EU’s plan to extend its carbon-trading system to heating and transport emissions that will give member countries the option to delay or adjust the rollout. “We’ve defused a threat to Polish families and drivers,” he declared, calling the change a signal that “Europe is finally speaking our language.” 15. BUT THE ISSUE WON’T STAY BURIED FOR LONG Ministers are set to reconvene and cast a vote on the 2040 goal on Nov. 4, described by one diplomat as “groundhog day.” 16. MEANWHILE, THERE WAS NOTHING ON MIGRATION … Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the summit a “turning point” in Europe’s approach to green policy. | Thierry Monasse/Getty Images Aside from promising to make migration a “priority,” the EU’s leaders failed to make any kind of breakthrough on a stalled proposal for burden-sharing. Reminder: The EU missed a deadline last week to agree on a new way of deciding which member countries are under stress from receiving migrants and ways of sharing the responsibility more equally across the bloc. 17. … BUT THE ANTI-MIGRANT BREAKFAST CLUB LIVES ON Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, Denmark’s Mette Frederiksen and the Netherlands’ Dick Schoof have kept up their informal pre-summit “migration breakfasts” since last June, swapping innovative ideas on tougher border and asylum policies. They met again on Thursday with von der Leyen, who updated them on the EU’s latest plans for accelerating migrant returns, and the trio agreed an informal summit will take place next month in Rome. 18. NOR DID THE EU’S SOCIAL MEDIA BAN GET MUCH OF A LOOK IN As expected, the leaders endorsed a “possible” minimum age for kids to use social media, but failed to commit to a bloc-wide ban, with capitals divided on whether to make the age 15 or 16, as well as on the issue of parental consent. 19. THERE WAS A WHOLE LOT OF WAITING FOR NEWS… Journalists were frantically pressing their sources in the Council and national delegations to find out what was happening at the leaders’ table as the meeting dragged into the late hours. It eventually finished at 10.30 p.m. ― 12 and a half hours after it began. 20. … AND THE GREENS SEIZED THEIR MOMENT The EU Parliament’s Greens group co-chair Bas Eickhout wandered the hallways of the Justus Lipsius building ready to brief bored journalists about the wonders of the Green Deal — while leaders debated how to unravel it in the other room. 21. THE COMBUSTION ENGINE BAN FELL FLAT One of the pillars of the EU’s green transition, its 2035 de facto combustion engine ban, was set to play a major role in the competitiveness and climate discussions, with Merz and Fico spoiling for a fight over the proposal — yet it barely registered as a footnote. Slovakia used the climate talks to oppose the ban, and the Czech Republic chimed in to agree, but in the end the summit’s official conclusions welcomed the Commission’s proposed ban without mentioning how it should be watered down. 22. THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL’S VENDING MACHINES AREN’T VERY, ER, COMPETITIVE Officials and journalists alike found that the vending machines in the EU’s Justus Lipsius building, which incidentally is due for a €1 billion renovation, about as efficient as a roundtable of 27 national leaders lasting 12 and a half hours. 23. THE BLOC IS WORRIED ABOUT CHINA… Beijing’s export controls on rare earths came up in the talks on competitiveness, according to two EU officials, with some leaders expressing their concerns. 24. … BUT THEY’RE NOT READY TO GO NUCLEAR — YET One of the officials said the EU’s most powerful trade weapon, the Anti-Coercion Instrument, was mentioned, but didn’t garner much interest around the table. 25. HOUSING GETS 40 MINUTES — NOT BAD FOR A FIRST RUN Leaders spent a chunk of time discussing the continent’s housing crisis. A solid start for the topic, which made it onto the agenda for the first time at Costa’s behest. The EU executive “is ready to help,” von der Leyen said after the summit, announcing a European Affordable Housing Plan is in the pipeline and the first EU Housing Summit in 2026. | Dursun Aydemir/Getty Images During talks, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called on the Commission to create a database tracking which housing policies work — and which don’t — across Europe. Most leaders agreed that, while housing remains a national competence, the EU still has a role to play. 26. AND THE COMMISSION WANTS TO ROLL UP ITS SLEEVES The EU executive “is ready to help,” von der Leyen said after the summit, announcing a European Affordable Housing Plan is in the pipeline and the first EU Housing Summit in 2026. 27. LEADERS ENJOYED A FEAST OR TWO For lunch, langoustine with yuzu, celeriac and apple, fillet of veal with artichokes and crispy polenta, and a selection of fresh fruit. For dinner, cannelloni with herbs, courgette velouté, fillet of brill with chorizo and pepper, and fig meringue cake. Yum. 28. THOUGH A FEW COULDN’T MAKE IT Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was the most notable absence, rocking up several hours late due to a national holiday in Budapest. Portugal and Slovenia’s leaders were also absent at one point. 29. AND COSTA KEPT HIS PROMISE … JUST The European Council president pledged to streamline summits under his watch, making them one-day affairs instead of two. And with just a couple hours to spare, he was successful. Okay, breathe. Did we miss anything? (Don’t answer that.) Gerardo Fortuna, Max Griera Andrieu, Jordyn Dahl, Gabriel Gavin, Hanne Cokelaere, Clea Caulcutt, Hans von der Burchard, Kathryn Carlson, Tim Ross, Jacopo Barigazzi, Gregorio Sorgi, Eliza Gkritsi, Carlo Martuscelli, Nicholas Vinocur, Saga Ringmar, Sarah Wheaton, Louise Guillot, Zia Weise, Camille Gijs, Bartosz Brzezinski and Giedre Peseckyte contributed to this report.

The UK government is “deeply concerned” about clashes and the return of violence in Gaza, despite Donald Trump’s peace deal being in place since last week. On Sunday, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper wrote on X that the “escalation” in Gaza is “deeply concerning.” Israel’s military said it had struck multiple targets in Gaza on Sunday, using aircraft and artillery, after it said that Hamas militants had shot at Israeli soldiers. The strikes killed at least 26 people, according to Reuters. Cooper, Britain’s top diplomat, said that the ceasefire “must hold and humanitarian aid must get through to those in need.” She urged that “all parties” uphold the ceasefire agreement to “avoid any further bloodshed.” Speaking to reporters on Air Force One Sunday night, US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire in Gaza was still in effect, despite the deadly strikes. Trump was unable to say if the Israeli strikes were justified: “I’d have to get back to you on that.” The Hamas-run government media office in Gaza says Israel has killed 97 Palestinians and violated the ceasefire agreement 80 times since it went into force.

Israel said it launched airstrikes and artillery fire at targets in southern Gaza on Sunday, trading blame with Hamas and dimming hopes that a ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump can lead to a lasting peace. “Earlier today, terrorists fired an anti-tank missile and gunfire toward IDF troops operating to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in the Rafah area, in southern Gaza, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement,” the Israel Defense Forces said. “In response, the IDF has begun striking in the area to eliminate the threat and dismantle tunnel shafts and military structures used for terrorist activity,” it said. According to media reports, Hamas said it was “unaware” of any clashes in Rafah and that it “remains committed to the ceasefire agreement.” It also accused Israel of “violating the deal and fabricating pretexts to justify its crimes.” The Israeli far right in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government coalition is using the moment to call for a full resumption of the war. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on Israel to renew its military operations in the Gaza Strip “in full force” following the IDF reports, writes Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The far-right minister said Saturday that he had given Netanyahu a deadline to dismantle Hamas and enact the death penalty for terrorists, threatening that if his conditions were not met, his far-right Otzma Yehudit party would quit the government, writes another Israeli daily, the Times of Israel. Also on Saturday, the U.S. State Department said in a statement that it has “credible reports” that Hamas could violate the ceasefire with an attack on Palestinian civilians in Gaza. If the attack takes place, it “would constitute a direct and grave violation” of the agreement forged by Trump to end the two-year war between Israel and Hamas, the statement said. According to Bloomberg, an Israeli official said there are tentative plans for U.S. Vice President JD Vance to accompany White House mediator Steve Witkoff to the Middle East in the coming week, a signal of American seriousness about shoring up the deal. The U.S embassy in Jerusalem had no immediate comment, it said.

The Czech Republic’s successful effort to source over a million artillery shells for Ukraine is taking fire from the populist party that is leading in the polls ahead of the country’s October parliamentary election.   ANO party leader and former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said the initiative, which has already delivered 1 million rounds this year, costs too much in taxpayer money that should be spent “on our own people.” He called the drive “rotten” in an interview with Reuters, and said it would be scrapped if he returns to power. “Based on the information we have, there are inappropriate profit margins, poor quality and questionable suppliers involved. For these reasons, it should be managed at the NATO level,” ANO deputy chair Karel Havlíček told POLITICO. The Czech government, under the leadership of Prime Minster Petr Fiala, has defended the ammunition initiative. “Any halt to the initiative would be a real gift to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. Those who talk about it are gambling with Europe’s security,” Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský warned last month in a meeting with Czech ambassadors. Prague began the ammunition effort in 2024 in response to U.S. delays in sending shells to Ukraine. The shortfall was starving Kyiv’s forces of crucial weapons at a time when Russia was being aided by its ally North Korea and was gaining an edge on the battlefield. Czech President Petr Pavel has said that before the initiative, Russia had a tenfold advantage in artillery ammunition, but that has since been whittled down to 2-to-1 in Moscow’s favor. The initiative collects Western donations of ammunition and also buys shells on the global market, and sends the combined total to Kyiv. This eases the burden on other countries, and organizers have said the growing number of donations is proof of its success. Last year the Czech Republic coordinated the delivery of 1.5 million rounds of large-caliber ammunition with financial contributions from 14 countries. This year it aims to deliver 1.8 million rounds, said Aleš Vytečka, head of the Intergovernmental Defense Cooperation Agency. The effort has come under fire for a perceived lack of transparency, but in an interview with the BBC, Pavel called such complaints “efforts to undermine the initiative.” However, ANO’s skepticism about the ammunition effort has struck a chord with Czech voters. A June poll by the Stem organization asked about the level of Czech support for Ukraine: 49 percent said it was too much, 29 percent that it was about right, and 6 percent felt it was not enough. Czech President Petr Pavel has said that before the initiative, Russia had a tenfold advantage in artillery ammunition, but that has since been whittled down to 2-to-1 in Moscow’s favor. | Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images Vytečka stressed that the government aims to be as transparent as possible, but noted that some information must be kept from the public. “We cannot publicly disclose the type or price of the ammunition, its destination, or the delivery date. However, every single donation is reported on a weekly basis,” he said. Through the ammunition initiative, he added, the Czech Republic has come to play a significant role in organizing military aid for Ukraine without assuming a greater financial burden. PRAGUE GAINS CREDIBILITY Martin Vokálek, head of the Brussels office of Czech think tank Europeum, agreed and added that Prague has gained significant political clout by having organized the initiative. “Across Europe, at least in my circle of colleagues, this is something we are known for,” he said.  The outgoing Czech permanent representative to the EU’s Political and Security Committee, Jitka Látal Znamenáčková, also told Czech news agency ČTK that Prague’s ammunition initiative has earned it credit in Brussels and established the Czech Republic as a constructive country that can find compromises between member states. But despite the project’s broad support in Brussels and Kyiv, it has triggered public suspicion at home as Czechs grow increasingly skeptical of the war in Ukraine. “Since only a few people believe Ukraine will win and even fewer believe there will be a quick resolution, they don’t see the point in sending military aid,” said Jiří Táborský, an analyst with Stem.  Vokálek said Babiš and his party are seizing on that sentiment to attack the ammunition drive. ANO has the support of 32 percent of voters, according to POLITICO’s poll of polls, while Fiala’s Spolu coalition has only 21 percent. If Babiš keeps his word and kills the ammunition initiative, Ukraine’s other Western partners will need to contribute more, Vokálek warned. Pavel also said he can’t guarantee the continuity of Czech policy on Ukraine, as that depends on the outcome of the October election. However, Vytečka said he was optimistic that Czechs are willing to continue contributing to the war and supporting Ukraine. “One of the largest pillars of our support is crowdfunding. I am astonished by how helpful the Czech people are when I see contributions, for example to howitzers or helicopters,” the director said. A volunteer initiative calling itself Dárek pro Putina (A Gift for Putin) has raised over 1 billion koruna (€41 million) from over 360,000 donations to buy artillery, armored personnel carriers and even a Black Hawk helicopter for Ukraine. Vytečka attributed this generosity to the historical memory of the Czech nation. The country was occupied by Nazi German forces after the 1938 Munich Conference and by Soviet troops after World War II, who in 1968 crushed the “thawing” of communism represented by the Prague Spring. “Because of the memories of these two events, the majority feels [sympathy] with Ukraine,” he said.

European leaders are weighing the creation of a 40 kilometer buffer zone between the Russian and Ukrainian frontlines as part of a peace deal, a last-ditch move Moscow has embraced that would likely stretch a modest number of the continent’s peacekeeping troops. The proposal, according to five European diplomats, is among several that military and civilian officials are considering for either a postwar or ceasefire scenario in Ukraine. Officials disagree how deep the actual zone could be and it’s unclear Kyiv would accept the plan as it would likely come with territorial concessions. The U.S. does not appear to be involved in the buffer zone discussions. But the fact that officials are toying with blocking off a strip of land inside Ukraine to force fragile peace is indicative of NATO allies’ desperation for a resolution to a war nearing its fourth year. Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown no desire to stop fighting. Moscow on Thursday launched a rare attack on the center of Kyiv, killing at least 19 people and damaging European Union offices. “They’re grasping for straws,” Jim Townsend, a former Pentagon official who oversaw Europe and NATO policy under the Obama administration. “The Russians are not afraid of the Europeans. And if they think that a couple of British and French observers are going to deter them from marching into Ukraine, then they’re wrong.” A buffer zone is fraught with historical significance. European diplomats have stayed away from likening a partition to the heavily guarded divide between North and South Korea, which are technically still fighting. They compare it more to the division of Germany during the Cold War. Putin and his deputies have said they are working to create buffer zones along Russia’s borders with Ukraine, which would put more distance between Moscow and Ukrainian artillery and drones. But no details have emerged to suggest what those proposals would entail. The number of servicemembers needed to patrol the border also remains a concern. Officials are discussing from 4,000 to around 60,000 troops. But countries have yet to make any commitments and President Donald Trump has backed away from a potential U.S. troop presence. NATO already is struggling to prepare a response force of 300,000 troops to defend the alliance’s eastern flank from a future Russian attack. And any peacekeeping force would play dual roles, patrolling near the demilitarized zone while also training Ukrainian troops, according to two of the diplomats. They, like others, were granted anonymity to speak about an unresolved issue. Allies are holding off on making public troop commitments while they wait for key details, according to one of the European officials. Their questions include the rules of engagement for NATO troops on the frontline, how to manage a Russian escalation, and whether they would need third countries to patrol the area if the Kremlin objects to alliance troops’ within a buffer zone. “Everyone is trying to move as quickly as possible on security guarantees so Trump doesn’t change his mind,” about pushing Putin to a negotiated settlement, said one of the European officials. The buffer zone proposal did not come up at a Monday video conference of NATO chiefs of defense that included Joint Chiefs of Staff chair Gen. Dan Caine and NATO Supreme Allied commander and U.S. European Command chief Alexis Grynkewich, said one of the European officials. French and British forces will likely make up the core of the foreign troop presence, according to two of the European officials, who said those countries are lobbying other allies to help provide military assets. But this has worried NATO members along Russia’s border, such as Poland, which has expressed concerns that it will leave the country vulnerable to an attack. Allies have raised concerns to Pentagon leaders that a larger troop commitment would take away from the defense of the alliance’s eastern flank, the two officials said. And some allies have expressed concern that drawing a buffer zone could actually put Ukrainian cities at further risk of attack or reinvasion by Russia. “It’s not very sensible against an adversary who is not negotiating in good will,” one of the two European officials said. Poland and Germany have said they’re not interested in troops in Ukraine, while tiny Estonia has even pledged some forces. Allies anticipate that Ukraine will still contribute the lion’s share of troops near any ceasefire or buffer zone, the third European official said. NATO members are speaking with U.S. officials about supplying satellite intelligence and air support, although they don’t expect much more. Top Pentagon officials have already told their European counterparts the U.S. would play a minimal role in any Ukraine security guarantees. The Defense Department did not respond to a request for comment. The U.S. is perhaps the only NATO country with enough satellites on hand to provide the overhead intelligence to ensure that Russia would not violate a ceasefire or peace deal. “Everyone is waiting for the DOD’s policy leaders to clarify how far they are willing to commit and they are letting the Europeans show their cards,” the first European official said. “So it’s a bit of a dance.”

President Donald Trump is weighing a new military aid package for Ukraine worth hundreds of millions of dollars, according to two people familiar with the plan, the first potential aid from the administration to the beleaguered country. The discussions come just over a week after the Pentagon blindsided many in the White House by abruptly halting part of an existing aid package with thousands of artillery rounds and precision ammunition. Trump has said that aid will resume. A new weapons package would underline the administration’s internal divisions over Ukraine assistance as its battle against Russia grinds past a third year. The money would come from a fund Congress approved last year under President Joe Biden that allows the Defense Department to take weapons out of U.S. military’s stockpiles for Ukraine. The fund, known as presidential drawdown authority, still holds about $3.8 billion. Trump, who has expressed frustration with the Kremlin’s refusal to help broker an end to the war, hinted in a Thursday interview with NBC News about “a major statement” on Monday involving Russia. He teased the announcement again on Friday, when asked by reporters about Russia’s overnight bombardment of a Ukrainian maternity hospital. “You’ll be seeing things happen,” he said. Neither the White House nor the Pentagon responded to requests for comment. Reuters first reported that the administration was considering new aid. NATO nations, meanwhile, are working on a larger deal to purchase U.S. weapons for Ukraine, said a congressional aide, who like others, was granted anonymity to discuss internal conversations. POLITICO reported earlier this month that Kyiv is asking Washington to let Europe buy American weapons. “We send weapons to NATO, and NATO is going to reimburse the full cost of those weapons,” Trump said in the NBC interview. Defense Department officials said they halted the weapons shipments due to concerns about U.S. stockpiles. But some officials disagreed that these relatively small shipments would have an adverse impact on U.S capabilities. The issue led Deputy Defense Secretary Steven Feinberg to call defense industry executives into his office for a meeting last month to discuss concerns over the stockpiles, according to a person briefed on the conversation. That person said the concerns were similar to those articulated by the Biden administration in its final months: the Ukraine war, along with continued operations in the Middle East, was taking a toll on the Pentagon’s munitions stockpiles. Feinberg, who handles the Pentagon’s budgeting process, is considering sending Congress a proposal for a new munitions funding package, according to the person, and is pushing the defense industry to speed up its production of air defenses and precision rockets and missiles. The aid package for Ukraine that was halted this month included 30 Patriot air defense missiles and hundreds of precision weapons that Ukraine uses for offensive and defensive purposes. Some 8,000 155mm howitzers shells and 250 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System rockets have started moving into Ukraine, but it is unclear if and when the Patriot air defense missiles will move, according to one of the people familiar with the situation. The potential new military assistance, the first from the U.S. since January, comes as Ukraine’s cities have faced the heaviest Russian drone and missile bombardments yet. Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight killed nine people and left dozens wounded.

Halted shipments of some American military aid to Ukraine could resume after a series of high-level meetings in Italy and Ukraine over the coming week, according to two people familiar with the planning. These meetings could be the key to resuming some of the aid, which POLITICO first reported were paused earlier this month. President Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg will meet with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov in Rome at an international aid conference followed by a meeting in Kyiv this week and next, with the issue of aid sure to be at the top of the agenda. The Ukrainian government sees the resumption of air defense and precision munitions as critical to its war effort, as Russia has hit civilian targets hard in some of the largest drone and missile strikes of the war over the last two weeks. The U.S. has indicated to Kyiv that deliveries of engineering equipment and some armored vehicles will resume soon, though no timeline has been given yet, according to the people, who were granted anonymity to share details of ongoing discussions. The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment. The Kyiv meeting between Kellogg and Umerov was not originally intended to address U.S. military aid, and was “set up before news of the arms pause came to light last week,” Kellogg spokesperson Morgan Murphy said in response to a request for comment about the meetings. The Pentagon’s abrupt halt of missile defense and precision-guided munitions for Ukraine last week came as a shock to Ukraine and caught many lawmakers and Trump allies off guard. It also raised new questions among U.S. allies across the Atlantic about whether America was more broadly stepping back from military support for Kyiv. The munitions pause appeared counter to comments Trump made last month after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the NATO summit in The Hague, where he indicated he was willing to step up the shipment of air defense systems to Ukraine. “They do want to have the anti-missile missiles, as they call them, and we’re going to see if we can make some available,” Trump said. “They’re very hard to get.” Trump discussed the aid pause on a call Friday with Zelenskyy, and also addressed a potential ceasefire agreement with Russia. The Ukrainian president said it was “probably the best conversation we have had during this whole time, the most productive.” That call came a day after Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a conversation Trump indicated did not go well. He was “very unhappy” with the Putin call, he told reporters over the weekend. “It just seems like he wants to go all the way and just keep killing people. It’s not good. I wasn’t happy with it.” In contrast, he indicated that the call with Zelenskyy was more productive, and suggested that more weapons could soon be on the way. When asked about supplying more Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine — which were stopped under orders from the Pentagon — Trump replied, “Yeah, we might … they’re going to need something because they’re being hit pretty hard.” On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that the aid stoppage wasn’t permanent, portraying it as “a pause, to review, to ensure that everything the Pentagon is pushing out there is in the best interests of our military and our men and women in uniform.” Some of the weapons denied to Ukraine included 8,400 155mm artillery rounds, 142 Hellfire missiles and 252 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System missiles, which can precisely hit targets up to 50 miles away. Most significantly, the halted shipment also included 30 Patriot missiles used for shooting down Russian missiles and drones, which have been pounding apartment buildings and other civilian infrastructure in Kyiv. “The air defense munitions — the Patriots — are obviously the big one because Russia is producing so many UAVs that are becoming harder to hit with Ukraine’s mobile air defenses,” said Rob Lee, who studies the Russia-Ukraine war for the Foreign Policy Research Institute. “Russia is actually targeting the defense industry, and sometimes they have success and they destroy factories, so providing air defense systems is important because it also helps Ukraine produce its own munitions so it can sustain the fight itself,” Lee added. The stepped-up Russian attacks killed at least 11 civilians and injured more than 80 others, including children, Ukrainian officials said Monday. Over the past week, Russia launched at least 1,270 drones, 39 missiles and 1,000 glide bombs at different areas of Ukraine, Zelenskyy said Monday. Eli Stokols contributed reporting.