Biden states he won't simplify requirements for Ukraine on its path to NATO

US President Joe Biden has said he opposes simplifying requirements for Ukraine on its path to NATO membership.

The American President stated that Ukraine has to meet the same standards, and he will not make it easier.

At the same time, the American president acknowledged that the Ukrainian army now meets the standards of NATO countries. Still, he expressed doubt about whether the Ukrainian security system as a whole meets the criteria and whether it is corrupt.

At the July NATO Summit in Vilnius, Ukraine seeks to hear solid statements on the prospect of gaining membership in the North Atlantic Alliance while criticising the decision of the 2008 Bucharest Summit, which is "grossly detached from reality."

Russians hit Kherson Oblast with bombs, killing and wounding civilians

Russian aviation once again attacked the village of  Kozatske. The enemy fired two guided aerial bombs at a peaceful settlement.

One civilian was killed due to the attack on Kozatske. Three people were also wounded, including a 35-year-old woman, an 88-year-old man, and a 17-year-old boy.

Russian missile hits car in Kharkiv Oblast,  two volunteers died

The Russian forces struck the village of Huriv Kozachok in the Bohodukhiv district of Kharkiv Oblast on 17 June, hitting a civilian car and killing two people inside.

The report says an anti-tank-guided missile hit a car moving towards the village. Preliminary data indicate that the car had been carrying four people, who were killed on the spot.

Putin assures African leaders his logic of war is flawless and consistent with UN Charter

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin assured the African delegation that his logic of the war against Ukraine is allegedly "flawless" from the point of view of international law and the UN Charter.

"It was the Kyiv regime that unleashed this war in 2014. By Article 51 of the UN Charter, we had the right to assist them [pseudo-republics of Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics – ed.], referring to the section on self-defense. Dear colleagues, this logic, which was set out, in my opinion, and the opinion of my colleagues and experts, is flawless from the point of view of international law and the UN Charter," - Putin told African leaders.

According to Putin, Russia allegedly had the right to recognize the "independence" of the occupied regions of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts in accordance with the UN Charter.

"These territories had the right to declare their independence. So, we had the right to recognize them. We did it. And then, having signed an agreement on friendship and interaction with them, we had the right to provide this assistance to them in full accordance with the UN charter," Putin said.

The Russian dictator also reiterated that Ukraine, not Russia, refuses "peace talks."

Putin's Press Secretary claims Grain Initiative has "no future"

Dmitry Peskov, Press Secretary of the Russian president, has said that the Grain Initiative has no future, and Moscow sees no reason to continue it (the Black Sea Grain Initiative is an agreement brokered by the UN with Russia and Türkiye launched on 22 July 2022 to enable ships to transport grain from Ukraine – ed.)

"It is hardly possible to predict any final decision here, we can only state that if we judge de facto from what we have [at the moment – ed.], then this agreement has no future," Peskov said.