Skip next section Spain’s Sanchez announces €615 million military aid package for Kyiv
11/18/2025November 18, 2025Spain’s Sanchez announces €615 million military aid package for Kyiv
Sanchez vowed additional support for Ukraine during a joint press conference with Zelenskyy at the Moncloa palace in MadridImage: Bernat Armangue/AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced a new military aid package for Ukraine worth €615 million ($710 million).
He made the announcement during a visit to Madrid by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
That is to include €100 million in US military equipment under NATO’s Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, Sanchez said at joint press conference with the Ukrainian leader.
Sanchez said that around €300 million would go toward “new defense equipment.”
“Against the cruelty of war. For justice and peace. We will stand with Ukraine, always,” Sanchez said in a post on the platform X ahead of the press conference.
https://p.dw.com/p/53ppq
Skip next section Ukraine seeks climate reparations over war
11/18/2025November 18, 2025Ukraine seeks climate reparations over war
Ukrainian deputy Environment Minister Pavlo Kartashov presented Kyiv’s plan to seek climate damages at the COP30 summit in BrazilImage: Andre Penner/AP Photo/picture alliance
During a UN climate summit, Ukraine said it was seeking $43 billion (€37 billion) in climate damages from Russia for CO2 emitted during the war.
The summit, known as COP30, is being held this year in Belem in Brazil’s Amazon.
Ukrainian deputy Environment Minister Pavlo Kartashov, who attended the conference, said that the climate had become a casualty of what he described as Russia’s “dirty war.”
He warned the impact of emissions from the war “will be felt well beyond its borders and into the future.”
Ukraine is to submit the claim early next year.
Lennard de Klerk, lead author of a study from the non-profit Initiative of Greenhouse Gas Accounting of War (IGGAW) told DW that the case was “unique.”
“It would be the first time that a country would be held responsible for emissions as a result of an unlawful act,” he said.
Ukraine plans to use a non-binding ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) from July 2025, which indicated countries failing to fulfill climate obligations could be liable for reparations, to bolster its case.
https://p.dw.com/p/53pos
Skip next section Ukraine strikes Russian territory with ATACMS missiles — Ukrainian general staff
11/18/2025November 18, 2025Ukraine strikes Russian territory with ATACMS missiles — Ukrainian general staff
Ukrainian forces used long-distance ATACMS missiles to hit targets within Russian territory, the Ukrainian military’s General Staff said in a social media statement.
“The Armed Forces of Ukraine have successfully employed ATACMS tactical missile systems to carry out a precision strike against military targets on the territory of Russia,” the statement said, adding that such long-range strikes “will continue.”
Ukraine has used ATACMS long-range missiles to attack targets within Russia since it was authorized to do so by Washington in November 2024.
Kyiv has requested its allies further strengthen its long-range striking capabilities by providing Tomahawks and additional ATACMS missiles.
https://p.dw.com/p/53pff
Skip next section Poland identifies 2 Ukrainian suspects in railway explosion
11/18/2025November 18, 2025Poland identifies 2 Ukrainian suspects in railway explosion
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said investigators identified two suspects allegedly responsible for an explosion on a railway line.
Both of them, he said, are from Ukraine and had been commissioned by Russian intelligence to carry out the blast before fleeing to Belarus.
Tusk told the lower house of parliament that the duo had been collaborating with Russian secret services for a long time.
He said Polish authorities were aware of their identities but would not reveal them to the public because of ongoing investigations.
Speaking to lawmakers, Tusk added that Poland would introduce a higher threat level on certain railway lines to protect key infrastructure.
“The head of the Internal Security Agency and the interior minister have requested that I introduce the third threat level, Charlie, due to terrorist threats,” he said.
On Sunday, an explosion damaged railway tracks near the village of Mika, around 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Warsaw.
The route is vital for delivering aid to Ukraine, Tusk said.
https://p.dw.com/p/53or1
Skip next section Zelenskyy to meet Spain’s king, prime minister
11/18/2025November 18, 2025Zelenskyy to meet Spain’s king, prime minister
Zelenskyy is hoping pledges of new supportImage: Europa Press/ABACA/picture alliance
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy started his trip to Madrid with a meeting with the president of the Spanish parliament, Francina Armengol, and Senate President Pedro Rollan.
He is due to meet with King Felipe VI and later with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
Unlike Zelenskyy’s trip to France a day earlier, no agreements are expected to be signed during Zelenskyy’s visit to Spain.
Instead, the trip is “an opportunity to reaffirm Spain’s commitment to Ukraine in all areas,” according to the Spanish government.
Zelenskyy wrote on social media that he hoped “another strong country will increase its support — helping us protect lives and bring the end of the war closer.”
Madrid is planning on announcing a “substantial” aid package for Ukraine on Tuesday, Spanish secretary of state for foreign affairs, Diego Martinez Belio, told a conference.
https://p.dw.com/p/53oCL
Skip next section Poland: Russia likely commissionied railway ‘sabotage’
11/18/2025November 18, 2025Poland: Russia likely commissionied railway ‘sabotage’
Jacek Dobrzynski, a spokesperson for the special services minister, said that all indications point to Russian intelligence services ordering the explosion on a key Polish railway line.
“The Russian services want to destabilize our society, they want to spread fear,” Dobrzynski said.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said earlier that the explosion that damaged a railway track was an “unprecedented act of sabotage.”
Many Western aid deliveries to Ukraine pass through Poland, with Polish officials saying this specific line is crucial for the transfers of supplies.
https://p.dw.com/p/53nkp
Skip next section Russia not taking part in Turkey taks, Kremlin says
11/18/2025November 18, 2025Russia not taking part in Turkey taks, Kremlin says
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said “there will be no Russian representative in Turkey” on Wednesday, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is meeting with officials there in an attempt to revive peace negotiations.
Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin was, however, open to conversations with the United States and Turkey on the results of the talks.
“For now, these contacts are taking place without Russian participation. We will await information on what would actually be discussed in Istanbul,” Peskov told reporters.
Last week, Peskov said Russia was “ready” to negotiate to resolve the conflict.
Turkey has hosted several rounds of talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators. The NATO member state maintains cordial ties with both Moscow and Kyiv.
https://p.dw.com/p/53ni6
Skip next section Attacks reported in Ukraine’s Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk regions
11/18/2025November 18, 2025Attacks reported in Ukraine’s Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk regions
Russian drones sparked multiple fires in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro last nightImage: State Emergency Service of Ukraine/REUTERS
Oleg Synegubov, the governor of the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv, said a 17-year-old girl was killed and at least nine other people were injured in a Russian missile attack on the city of Berestyn, about 110 kilometers (70 miles) from the Russian border.
Russia has been stepping up its drone and missile barrages every day in recent months. Ukraine’s infrastructure has been especially hit ahead of winter.
In the neighbouring Dnipropetrovsk region, the governor said fires had broken out in the central city of Dnipro after a drone attack.
At least two people were injured, and six residential buildings were damaged.
https://p.dw.com/p/53nio
Skip next section Top Polish officials meet after ‘sabotage’ of railway supply line to Ukraine
11/18/2025November 18, 2025Top Polish officials meet after ‘sabotage’ of railway supply line to Ukraine
Tusk visited the line on Monday and called the rail route, which is used daily by dozens of trains, ‘critically important,’ including for delivering aidImage: KPRM/AP Photo/dpa/picture alliance
Poland’s national security committee, including military commanders, is convening Tuesday after an explosion on a section of railway line used for deliveries to Ukraine.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said late Monday that the blast was an “unprecedented act of sabotage.”
Tusk has said the blast took place on a line that is crucial for delivering aid to Ukraine, and vowed to catch the perpetrators, “whoever they are.”
Polish authorities are investigating whether the explosion is linked to Russia, Belarus or their proxies, according to a security official quoted by the Associated Press (AP) news agency.
The blast took place on Sunday on a line connecting Warsaw to southeastern Poland.
https://p.dw.com/p/53nXP
Skip next section Zelenskyy announces Turkey trip to ‘reinvigorate’ peace talks
11/18/2025November 18, 2025Zelenskyy announces Turkey trip to ‘reinvigorate’ peace talks
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a social media post that he would visit Turkey on Wednesday in an attempt to revive peace negotiations.
“We are preparing to reinvigorate negotiations, and we have developed solutions that we will propose to our partners,” Zelenskyy said.
“We are also working to restore [prisoner-of-war (POW)] exchanges and bring our prisoners of war home,” he added.
The Ukrainian president did not name any officials whom he planned to meet. But Reuters news agency reported, citing Turkish officials, that US special envoy Steve Witkoff is also expected to join the talks.
The announcement follows signals from Moscow, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov last week saying that Russia was “open to negotiation processes” to resolve the conflict.
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators last met in Istanbul in July. The talks at the time came as US President Donald Trump was pushing for negotiations, but they yielded no breakthrough.
Prisoner exchanges were the only tangible results of the last negotiations.
https://p.dw.com/p/53nS1
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage 11/18/2025November 18, 2025Welcome to our coverage Zelenskyy has been on a European tour that included a stop in France and a major deal to acquire fighter jets Image: Christophe Ena/POOL/AFP/Getty Images
We’re waiting to hear about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s meetings in Spain, as part of a tour to strengthen support for Kyiv amid a reported Russian advance.
This follows a trip to France on Monday that saw Zelenskyy sign a “historic” deal that provides for Ukraine to acquire up to 100 fighter jets and other hardware, including drones.
Zelenskyy, who was also on an official visit to Greece on Sunday, is stepping up efforts to reassure allies amid a major corruption scandal in Ukraine involving state-run energy firms.
Also on Tuesday, we’re expecting to hear an announcement at the UN climate summit, COP30, that Ukraine is taking Russia to court over war emissions.
Meanwhile, in Ukraine’s neighboring country Poland, NATO troops are testing counter-drone technology today.
https://p.dw.com/p/53nKq