Together with my Estonian colleague @Tsahkna and NB8 foreign ministers, we discussed what we want the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2027 in Tallinn to deliver. Thank you to Estonia for taking the lead. URC 2027 should be about decisions, agreements, and projects — especially in defence, energy resilience, and critical infrastructure. A winter conference is also a reminder of reality — Russia continues to weaponize cold and attack Ukraine’s energy system. We want URC 2027 to advance the transition from military assistance to a long-term security partnership, with a strong focus on expanding joint defence production, developing new Drone Deals with Ukraine, and advancing our anti-ballistic coalition. These practical initiatives will strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities while contributing directly to the security of Europe as a whole. The NB8 has already provided Ukraine with over €42 billion in military, financial, and humanitarian support. This gives us a strong foundation to make Tallinn a genuine NB8–Ukraine effort and bring more governments and businesses on board. Recovery is not about restoring the Ukraine Russia tried to destroy. It is about building the Ukraine Russia will never be able to destroy — stronger, more resilient, secure, and prosperous. Thank you, Estonia and all our NB8 friends, for helping us build it.

Here are a few independently verified figures about the frontline dynamics, showing that Russia is not winning and will not win this war: - According to open sources, the net balance between areas occupied by Russia and those liberated by Ukraine in August 2026 was roughly +5 square kilometers. While the figure is approximate, the trend is clear. Meanwhile, Moscow lost at least 42,000 troops killed and wounded—one of its highest monthly casualty rates of the war. - Open-source data shows that in August 2026 alone, in response to Russian attacks, there were a record 70 successful Ukrainian long-range sanctions against legitimate military targets in Russia (5 more than in July). - Over the first eight months of 2026, the average pace of Russia’s already slow advance was 3.5 times slower than in 2025. Russia has occupied less than 0.2% of additional Ukrainian territory this year. - Even in the Donbas, where Russian forces concentrate most of their effort, Russia has failed to achieve an operational breakthrough and still does not control 20% of the Donetsk region. At its current pace, it would take the Russian occupiers over two years to capture that remaining land. Whatever fabricated maps Russian generals present to Putin, the reality on the ground shows that he is not winning and will not win this war. Given the situation in the Russian economy and its inability to counter Ukraine’s long-range sanctions, things will only get worse for Russia. Yes, it’s very difficult for Ukraine as well. For our warriors, frontline communities, and all of our country. We are in the fifth year of full-scale war that we didn’t choose. Every family has been scarred by it in one way or another. But clearly, Moscow is not in a strong position either. And certainly not in a position to dictate terms.

I sincerely welcome the U.S. Senate’s adoption of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 and am grateful for this important step to further strengthen the sanctions regime against the Russian aggressor. This landmark legislation is a powerful demonstration of America’s global leadership. I extend my sincere gratitude to the members of the U.S. Senate for their leadership, their principled bipartisan support, and their enduring solidarity with Ukraine. Together, we are bringing a lasting peace closer.

We have detected an intensive Russian propaganda campaign across Europe using pictures from Ceuta to sow destabilization. There have been more than 1,500 publications on outlets identified by analysts as a pro-Russian network, led by Pravda and RT. Pravda Spanish has posted almost 300 of them. Every language edition of RT has pushed more than 25 news items on the issue. For years, Moscow has used migration and other sensitive topics to stoke fear and destabilize European countries. This is not about the situation itself, but about the way Russia tries to exploit any topic that can benefit its agenda. The only way to protect the public from this interference is to cut it off. All Russian propaganda resources should be completely banned in every European country that takes its national security seriously.