Belgium Aids Ukraine with €1 Billion, Russia Faces Justice in Germany

Europe's Response to the War in Ukraine

Belgian Defense Minister Theo Franken has pledged €1 billion in military aid to Ukraine, according to Belgian portal RTL Info. The aid package will include F-16 fighter jets, 155 mm shells, and air defense systems. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accepted the offer with gratitude and made counter-proposals that are being studied by the Belgian government.

A Russian man has been sentenced to life imprisonment in Germany for the murder of two Ukrainian soldiers who were receiving treatment for injuries. The court deemed the crime "especially serious," meaning early release is practically impossible.

Odesa and the surrounding region have been under attack by drones for the fifth night in a row. Explosions have been reported, and DTEK, a Ukrainian energy company, reported that the Russian Federation has damaged the sixth energy facility in the Odessa region.

US President Donald Trump is reportedly frustrated with Europe's "hunger for war" and its insistence on strengthening its defense capabilities. The Telegraph reports that Trump is considering redeploying 35,000 US troops from Germany to Hungary, which maintains close relations with Russia.

The US State Department is planning to close about a dozen consulates in Europe and fire about two-thirds of its foreign employees working in various diplomatic missions. The closures will primarily affect consulates in Western Europe, including those in Florence, Hamburg, Strasbourg, and Ponta Delgada.