Ukraine: West's supply of weapons the 'most urgent task'

That concludes our rolling coverage on the conflict in Ukraine for July 12, 2023.

US President Joe Biden emphasized to Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy Washington's "the enduring US to supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s war of aggression," according to a White House statement.

The statement comes after the two leaders met at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The statement said that Biden told Zelenskyy the US supported Ukraine's "integration into the Euro-Atlantic community," referring to Kyiv's intention to join the European Union and NATO.

The pair discussed "US readiness to begin negotiations with Ukraine on bilateral security commitments to ensure a sustainable force capable of defending Ukraine now and in the future."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he believed Ukraine would "be in NATO once the security situation stabilizes" after the alliance's summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.

"Put simply, when the war is over, Ukraine will be invited into NATO and Ukraine will clearly become a member of the alliance," he said.

He said that the summit in Vilnius had given Kyiv "unambiguous clarity that Ukraine will be in NATO."

Zelenskyy had earlier criticized NATO for not offering Ukraine a clear path to membership.

US President Joe Biden said in light of new commitments made to Kyiv: "One thing Zelenskyy understands now is that whether or not he's in NATO now is not relevant."

"He's not concerned about that now," he said.

"NATO is stronger, more energized and yes, more united than ever in its history," Biden said during a speech at Vilnius University.

"When Putin, and his craven lust for land and power, unleashed his brutal war on Ukraine, he was betting NATO would break apart," Biden said. "But he thought wrong."

Biden also reaffirmed Washington's commitment to a "secure Europe," saying it was necessary for US prosperity.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sent Russian President Vladimir Putin a letter proposing a way forward to further facilitate Russian food and fertilizer exports and ensure the continued Black Sea shipments of Ukrainian grain.

"The objective is to remove hurdles affecting financial transactions through the Russian Agricultural Bank, a major concern expressed by the Russian Federation, and simultaneously allow for the continued flow of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

A deal allowing the safe Black Sea exports of grain and fertilizers from Ukraine is due to expire on Monday.

Russia’s parliamentary speaker said that there is a plan to display destroyed NATO equipment outside of the embassies of Western countries that supplied it. 

"The proposal to install burned equipment next to the embassies of those countries that send it to Ukraine is especially interesting," said Vyacheslav Volodin who issued orders for such a display to be organized. 

Russia has been critical of Western countries for supplying arms and equipment to Ukraine, arguing they risk prolonging the conflict and causing further escalation. 

In February, German activists protesting against Russia's invasion of Ukraine parked a destroyed, rusty T-72 tank directly in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin. 

General Sergei Surovikin, a senior commander in Russian military operations in Ukraine and who has not been seen since the Wagner Group’s mutiny, is said to be "resting."

Andrei Kartapolov who is head of the State Duma Defence Committee was heard in a video posted on social media saying: "Surovikin is currently resting. [He is] not available for now." 

Surovikin was last seen on video urging Wagner forces to stop their mutiny on June 23-24. He appeared tired and unshaven with an assault rifle resting on his right knee. He had previously been a supporter of the Wagner mercenary group.

A New York Times report citing a US intelligence briefing said last month that Surovikin had advance knowledge of the mutiny and Russian investigators were probing whether or not he was complicit. 

A little under half of the Ukrainian refugees in Germany are planning to stay in the country on a long-term basis. 

According to a survey published by the German Institute for Economic Research — or DIW Berlin as it is commonly known — 44% of Ukrainian refugees questioned said they intended on staying in Germany for at least several years, or permanently. 

The survey questioned nearly 7,000 Ukrainian people aged 18-70 across Germany. 

More than a million Ukrainians have arrived in Germany since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, mostly women and children.

The UN’s human rights chief Volker Türk has called on Russia to respect humanitarian law after outlining evidence published in a report two weeks previously. The report detailed instances of arbitrary detention, torture and sexual violence against civilians in Ukraine. 

The UN rights monitoring mission in Ukraine documented the detention of more than 900 civilians following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and May of this year. 

"Over 90% of detainees held by the Russian Federation whom we were able to interview said they had been subjected to torture and ill-treatment — including sexual violence, in some cases — by Russian security personnel," Türk told the UN Human Rights Council.

Ukraine gave UN investigators full access with the exception of one incident, the report said, while Russia did not provide access to detainees despite repeated requests. 

Türk said his office had also recorded some violations committed by Ukraine. 

There has been no immediate response from the Russian permanent mission to the United Nations in Geneva.

Russia has denied committing atrocities and deliberately targeting civilians.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday that the most important task at hand is the continued supply of weapons for Ukraine. 

"Of course, guarantees, documents, council meetings are important, but the most urgent task now is to ensure enough weapons for Ukrainian President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy and his armed forces," Stoltenberg said at a joint press conference with Zelenskyy during a NATO summit in Vilnius. 

Zelenskyy said pledges from G7 countries should be seen as a substitute for eventual NATO membership. 

"We can state that the results of this summit are good, but should we receive an invitation, then that would be the optimum," Zelenskyy said. 

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Australia had agreed to a new defense package that would include 30 Bushmaster armored vehicles. 

"Thank you! A powerful new defence package, including 30 Bushmasters," Zelenskyy said on the Telegram messaging app following talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Vilnius. 

Zelenskyy said Ukraine's defense needs were discussed along with the "expansion of military support with new types of armored vehicles and weapons," Zelenskyy said in a Twitter post.

"I am grateful to Australia for its support and assistance to our country," Zelenskyy said.

Australia has been among the countries providing military aid to Ukraine and has provided $610 million in assistance since Russia launched its invasion in February 2022. 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has encouraged Ukraine to continue implementing reforms on the country's way to joining NATO and the EU. 

Von der Leyen said she would work "intensively" with Ukraine on the reforms, which she called "indispensable," to fight corruption and strengthen the institutions.

"It is impressive to see the pace at which Ukraine is reforming while waging a defence battle against Russia," she added. 

While the EU supports Ukraine and reforms there, it has declined to offer a fast track to membership while Ukraine is at war. EU officials have listed several entry requirements from political and economic stability to passing various EU laws. 

The process could take years. The last country to have joined the EU was Croatia in 2013, a decade after formally applying. 

Ukraine said it had intercepted 11 Russian drones overnight in a second night of attacks on Kyiv. 

"A total of 15 kamikaze drones were involved in the strike. Eleven of them were destroyed in the areas of responsibility of the Centre and East air commands," Ukraine's air force said on social media. 

"All enemy targets in the airspace around Kyiv were detected and destroyed," Ukraine's military said on social media, adding that there were no reports of victims or damage.

The governor of Cherkasy region in central Ukraine said that two people were taken to hospital with burns after a drone struck a non-residential building which caused a fire. 

"Cherkasy was on alert for more than three and a half hours," Igor Taburets said. 

On Tuesday Ukraine’s military said it had managed to shoot down a total of 26 Russian attack drones. 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit. 

"We started a meeting with Germany. Dialogue with Olaf Scholz will be meaningful as always. We expect good news regarding the protection of the lives of Ukrainians and our defense," Zelenskyy said in a tweet. 

On Tuesday, Scholz offered a new arms package worth nearly €700 million ($771 million) including tanks, Patriot air defense systems and 20,000 rounds of artillery ammunition.

"This is extremely important for defending lives in Ukraine against Russian terror," Zelenskyy wrote on the Telegram messaging app. 

The UK's Ministry of Defence (MOD) said Russian Chief of General Staff General Valery Gerasimov has made his first TV appearance since the Wagner rebellion of June 24. 

In its daily intelligence briefing, the MOD said Gerasimov was being briefed via video by Russian Aerospace Forces chief Viktor Afzalov. 

The MOD pointed out that Afzalov is deputy to the Aerospace Forces commander, Sergei Surovikin.

"Afzalov’s increased public profile, while Surovikin's whereabouts remains unclear, adds further weight to the hypothesis that Surovikin has been sidelined following the mutiny," the MOD said.

Surovikin appeared in a video in June, calling on rebelling Wagner forces to stand down. There has been speculation that the senior commander had advance knowledge of Yevgeny Prigozhin's mutiny plan. 

Russian media reported that Surovikin had been arrested at the end of June.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday that the war in Ukraine will continue if the West doesn't stop trying to dominate and defeat Russia. 

"Why doesn't the armed confrontation in Ukraine come to an end? The answer is very simple — it will continue until the West gives up its plans to preserve its domination and overcome ist obsessive desire to inflict on Russia a strategic defeat at the hands of its Kyiv puppets," according to a transcript of Lavrov's interview with Indonesian daily newspaper Kompas. 

"There has been no sign of a change in their position and we are seeing how America and its accomplices are continuously pumping weapons into Ukraine and pushing [Zelenskyy] to continue fighting," Lavrov said. 

The war in Ukraine began after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022. Russia also illegally annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

Lavrov is scheduled to attend the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum in Jakarta this week, and his comments come ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s talks with NATO leaders in Lithuania. 

Ukrainian officials had been looking for a more concrete roadmap to NATO membership but no clear timeline has been provided.