Ukraine, Russia Swap Prisoners Amid Ongoing Conflict

The Russians said the troops they had freed were being taken to Belarus for psychological, medical, and other treatments.

EU Sanctions Extended, Frontlines Shift
The European Union’s 27 leaders unanimously voted, during a summit meeting in Brussels, to extend sanctions against Russia for an additional six months.

The decision beat back resistance from Hungary and will also keep in place measures such as the freezing of more than €200 billion in Russian central bank assets until at least the start of 2026. But a new sanctions package is being stymied by Slovakia's objections.

EU leaders also repeated their support for Ukraine’s EU membership perspective, after it was attacked that NATO did not include a line on Ukraine’s membership hopes in its latest communique, mainly due to US reluctance. In a video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on EU nations to reiterate their support for Ukraine’s future in Europe.

Military Developments on the Ground
In Russia’s Volgograd region, traffic along the Don River was temporarily restricted as crews removed debris from what officials called a “large-scale” Ukrainian drone attack. Sappers are clearing the site, however, there is still no confirmed damage to the vital Don River bridge.

Also in eastern Ukraine, Russian forces seized the settlements of Shevchenko and Novoserhiivka, in the Donetsk region, after heavy fighting, they said.

Shevchenko is close to an important lithium deposit. Ukrainian forces, by contrast, are said to have stabilized the northern Sumy region, blocking the advance of the Russians and tying down some 50,000 enemy troops, including elite formations.

International and Political Reactions
An armaments race may download President Vladimir Putin's into the grave much do to the Soviet Union," Polish foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski said. He identified NATO’s higher defense spending as a key factor putting pressure on Russia’s economy.

In the United States, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget has proposed slashing funding for nearly two dozen global war crimes and accountability programs, including programs investigating alleged Russian atrocities in Ukraine. The proposal is not final, and the State Department can still dispute the change.

Chemical Weapons Concerns
The OPCW has for the third time confirmed the use of prohibited CS gas in Ukraine. The tear gas was detected in seven new samples that were provided by Ukraine, which has accused Russian forces of deploying the gas in frontline fighting.