Keyword – World news
Trefwoorden – World news, Ukraine, Europe, Russia
Title – ‘If Ukraine burns, your Moscow will burn,’ Zelenskyy warns after overnight strikes in Russia – Europe live | World news | The Guardian
Author – https://www.theguardian.com/profile/jakub-krupa,https://www.theguardian.com/profile/peterbeaumont
Link – ‘If Ukraine burns, your Moscow will burn,’ Zelenskyy warns after overnight strikes in Russia – Europe live | World news | The Guardian
Publish date – 2026-06-18T14:01:00.000Z
Category – News
URL – https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/jun/18/ukraine-russia-moscow-strikes-nato-defence-ministers-hegseth-rutte-latest-news-updates
‘If Ukraine burns, your Moscow will burn,’ Zelenskyy warns after overnight strikes
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that “if Ukraine burns, your Moscow will burn” as he ramped up his rhetoric after overnight drone strikes on the Russian capital.
Scores of drones targeted Moscow overnight, hitting the Russian capital’s oil refinery for the second time this week, Reuters reported.
“ We don’t want this war, we never did, and everyone knows it, and our partners know it,” Zelenskyy said in a voice message sent to reporters on a WhatsApp group, quoted by Reuters.
But if Ukraine burns, your Moscow will burn.
Zelenskyy also called on Europe and the United States to increase pressure on Russia through sanctions on Russia’s defence and energy sectors and broader economy to force president Vladimir Putin into ending the war.
Europe needs to maintain its support for Ukraine, senior US official says
Speaking at the same event, US undersecretary of defence Elbridge A. Colby stressed that the continued support of Nato’s European members for Ukraine will be essential to keeping its fight against Russia alive.
Colby said that the US policy of shifting responsibility for supporting Ukraine onto Europe has worked out well.
“In the past year, European allies have taken the leading role in supporting Ukraine’s defence, assuming the responsibility for the financial support of Ukraine, as well as providing their own arms to Ukraine.
At the same time, we have been prepared to provide weaponry purchased by Europe for Ukraine’s defence through President Trump’s PURL Initiative, which we’ve discussed already today, and allies have contributed significantly to this signature example of practical results-oriented transatlantic cooperation.”
Colby said that “that transition of support to Europe has not only been implemented, it has been correlated with a sustained, effective defence by Ukraine.”
He said “Ukraine’s situation has even improved” as a result.
He said:
“Ukraine has managed to hold the front line and even improve its position in some places, continuing to lay the groundwork for a lasting peace built on Russia’s understanding that perpetuating this war is not only condemnable but also will not pay off for Moscow.”
But Colby stressed that “Ukraine’s defence does hold, but continued and sustained support from allies is essential to maintain it.”
“We in the United States hear time and again how vital Ukraine’s defence is for Europe and for our allies … but our allies must back words with actions.
This is an opportunity for Europe to do precisely that, and in the process help to set and strengthen the conditions for lasting peace in Ukraine.”
Ukraine and Germany sign agreement on anti-ballistic capabilities
Ukraine and Germany signed an agreement on anti-ballistic capabilities, president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said , calling on other western allies to join the effort and deliver results by winter.
Speaking at a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, Zelenskiy said Ukraine urgently needed long-range artillery and unmanned vehicles, Reuters reported.
Zelenskyy also asked to develop additional financial instruments to finance the Ukrainian army long-term, Reuters added.
Warsaw says US ‘open’ to permanent military presence in Poland
The US Department of Defense is open to Poland’s offer to host a permanent US military presence in Poland, Polish defence minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said after meeting US counterpart, Pete Hegseth , in Brussels.
Reuters reported that Poland has been pushing for a bigger allied presence on Nato’s eastern flank after Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine in 2022.
“The US responded positively to Poland’s proposal to establish a permanent US military base in Poland,” Kosiniak-Kamysz told reporters.
But no decision has been taken yet , he added. Poland has so far hosted US troops on a rotational basis, with a recent controversy over a short-lived decision to pull some troops from the country.
Separately, Lithuania is also hoping to attract more US troops on its territory, with the new ruling coalition adding this into its government programme today.
Russian hardliners call for retaliation after Ukrainian drone attacks
Peter Beaumont in Pavlohrad, Warren Murray and Pjotr Sauer
Russia , the world’s third biggest oil producer and a major oil and fuel exporter, is to import fuel by sea this month as it seeks to manage a shortage after extensive Ukrainian drone attacks on its refineries.
Russian hardliners called for Moscow to retaliate, with some urging the Kremlin to consider using nuclear weapons against Ukraine .
“What else has to happen before we start fighting for real?” wrote the ultraconservative billionaire Konstantin Malofeev on Telegram. “Why aren’t we using the nuclear weapons that our ancestors created and stockpiled through the efforts of the entire country precisely for moments like this?”
Andrey Gurulyov, a retired lieutenant general and state duma deputy, called for Russia to “strike the enemy mercilessly” in response to the attack.
“We need to strengthen our air defence system, but most importantly, we need to hit the enemy,” he told RTVI. “Hit the enemy mercilessly, without overthinking it.”
Rutte needs to ‘take decision whether he wants to play ball or not’
Asked about prospects of making any progress with Russia , Rutte says Putin “one day has got to take a decision whether we wants to play ball or not.”
“In the meantime we have to do everything to make sure Ukraine stays as strong as possible in the fight, so that is what we are working on.”
He says that up to 48% of the Russian state budget is now being spent on defence. “These are crazy numbers,” he says.
“We cannot be naive about Russia,” he stresses, but also says Nato is “very strong” and “we will do everything to make sure that they understand that it will be their biggest mistake if they try” to attack the alliance.
And that ends the press conference.
Rutte gets challenged on the extent of the US commitment given Hegseth left the meeting very early.
He replies by saying he was there for nearly two hours, and listened to contributions from “many allies,” so it’s all fine.
He says he knew Hegseth would have to leave because of other commitments.
Rutte now gets asked about Hegseth’s suggestion that the US could pay less, if other allies don’t meet their targets.
He again says he is “not going to comment on everything that has been said.”
He says that “more generally, … we are working very hard” to meet targets.
“When you look at the individual countries, there are still some who need to do more,” he says.
In contrast, he praises Poland and the Baltic countries for being “really ahead.”
Rutte gets pushed a bit on Hegseth’s comments earlier calling Nato “a paper tiger.”
He essentially says “I’m not going to comment on every word every ally is saying; I never do that.”
Nato in ‘some rough water’ as it faces ‘biggest transformation in history,’ Rutte says
Rutte gets asked about his repeated praise for European allies stepping up and how it compares with Hegseth’s criticism.
He says that the spending increases are “historic,” but there are still some that are “holding back a little bit,” and Hegseth is right to “keep the pressure on.”
He says that Nato “is going through a massive transformation, probably the biggest transfomation in its history.”
“Obviously that means also there are some rough waters, it is a rocky phase. You will have these debates, these discussions, and that’s good.”
Rutte gets asked if there will be “a significantly depleted US presence” after the proposed review, and if countries get punished for their position on Iran.
His answer does not even anywhere get close to the original question.
He eventually says the US review will be “a structured process somewhere over the next six month.”
Rutte gets asked about the changes to the Nato Force Model, the alliance’s readiness force.
He says he cannot confirm anything on what is in the plan and how it’s changing – despite some media reports – as “we do not want to make Russians any wiser.”
He says it’s for planning purposes, but the US can always provide more, too.
He says changes make the plans “more realistic and therefore stronger, because there was an overreliance on the US.”
‘Ukraine is changing dynamic on battlefield,’ Rutte says
Rutte says the ministers will shortly take part in the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, joined by Ukraine’s Zelenskyy.
“ Ukraine is changing the dynamic on the battlefield and inflicting usual huge losses on Russia , but it can only keep doing this if we step up our support,” he says.
Rutte begins by hailing the progress made so far, saying more and more allies are confirming plans to meet their increased defence spending target of 5% GDP by 2035.
“Some allies will already get there this year, way ahead of schedule,” he says.
But he says that while “cash is crucial, you cannot stop a missile or a tank with a dollar or a euro.”
“We need to turn the cash into combat-ready capabilities, and fast.”
He says the priority for next month’s Ankara summit is to get more forces, more resources, and a stronger industrial base.
He says the US “expressed strong commitment to Nato very clear today,” while also expressing the need to achieve “a more equitable distribution of labour” in the alliance.
He acknowledges the US decision to review its troops presence.
He says there is a “broad agreement” among allies to “step up as the US adjusts its pledges to the Nato Force Model.”
Nato’s Rutte speaks to media after alliance’s meeting in Brussels
Rutte is here.
You can watch along below, but I will bring you all the key lines here, too.
Back to Brussels, we are going to hear from Nato’s secretary general, Mark Rutte soon, as he is expected to face the media after today’s Nato ministerial in Brussels.
Expect him to get asked about Hegseth’s comments this morning.
We will bring you his press conference live, obviously.
Meanwhile, local authorities in Moscow said that the supply of petroleum products to Moscow and the operation of petrol stations in the Russian capital is “proceeding as normal” after a major Ukrainian drone attack, Reuters reported.
Separately, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov was quoted by Interfax as saying that the latest strikes set back the prospect of any direct contacts between Russia’s Putin and Ukraine’s Zelenskyy.