General Christopher Donahue, commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa, said allies could seize Kaliningrad "in a timeframe that is unheard of."

Ukraine has taken possession of most of the 49 tanks given by Australia, and the rest will be delivered in coming months, said Defence Minister Richard Marles. “The M1A1 Abrams tanks will make a significant contribution to Ukraine’s ongoing fight against Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion," Marles said in a statement.

President Donald Trump’s ultimatum to Russia to accept a peace deal in Ukraine within 50 days or face bruising sanctions has given the Kremlin extra time to pursue its summer offensive.

"Putin's criminal war is getting closer to our borders," Polish Foreign Minister, Radosław Sikorski, said on Wednesday.

U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to ramp up arms shipments to Ukraine is a signal to Kyiv to abandon peace efforts, Russia said on Thursday, vowing it would not accept the "blackmail" of Washington's new sanctions ultimatum.

Putin’s refusal to compromise on Ukraine, say analysts, is a colossal error costing Russia regional influence, lucrative energy markets and its place in the world.

President Trump's tone has shifted both toward Putin and regarding the continuation of U.S. military support for Ukraine.

Russia launched four missiles and 136 drones into Ukraine overnight into Monday morning, according to Ukraine's air force.

NATO members that border Russia are buying US-made HIMARS. One defense minister told BI that the war shows deep strike abilities are needed.

In a keynote speech in London last month, the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte repeated a warning he has made in public at least three times this year: the western alliance is severely lagging behind Moscow on ammunition production.