Russian President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine and President Trump's tough stance on NATO have 'energized' the alliance into action, experts explain unique circumstances that led to unprecedented commitments.

Ukraine's air force said on Monday Russia had fired 426 drones and 19 cruise missiles at the country overnight, as well as five hypersonic ballistic missiles.

Between September 2022 and August 2023, Russia launched around 2,000 Iranian-designed Shahed drones into Ukraine, according to the conflict monitor Airwars. That figure has surged in 2025. In June alone, Russia launched a record 5,337 Shahed-type drones, comprising both attack and decoy variants.

The British defense chief is expected to urge Ukraine’s Western partners at the meeting to launch a “50-day drive” to get Kyiv the weapons it needs to fight Russia’s bigger army.

The Kremlin warned of escalating nuclear tensions and said Russia was taking action to protect its security in response. Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, said there is "clearly no basis" for holding a summit of the "Nuclear Five" members of the UN Security Council—the U.S., Russia, China, the U.K., and France.

NATO's enhanced ground capabilities in the Baltic region spark Russian warnings as military focus intensifies on Kaliningrad and the strategic Suwalki Corridor

Russia unleashed one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine in recent months, hours before Britain and Germany chaired a meeting Monday to discuss President Trump’s plans for NATO allies to provide Ukraine with weapons.

Flight data showed how American and British reconnaissance aircraft flew from England toward Russia on Monday.