Ukraine plans preemptive strikes on Russia amid conflicting war assessments

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reiterated Kyiv's intention to conduct "preemptive attacks" on Russian territory. This declaration comes amidst differing assessments of the conflict's trajectory. The Kremlin, through spokesperson Dmitri Peskov, asserts that Ukrainian strikes on Russia stem from deteriorating front-line conditions, claiming Russian forces are advancing "along the entire front" and predicting "irreversible" outcomes for Kyiv. Conversely, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz affirmed that Kyiv "remains strong" and European support "does not weaken."

Meanwhile, a first installment of a €90 billion European loan has been disbursed to Ukraine. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called for "mutual respect" and "understanding of history" between Poles and Ukrainians at a reconstruction conference. Ukraine has also urged vigilance regarding "mobilization exercises" in Belarus's Grodno region, while Russian forces continue to exert pressure on rear-front areas such as Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

Sources: Le Monde — International