PUTIN: WAR ‘PROGRESSING ACCORDING TO PLAN’: In a series of elaborately choreographed events over the past few days, Russian President Vladimir Putin attempted to change the narrative that Russia is reeling from Ukraine’s sustained deep drone strikes against Russian refineries and energy infrastructure and supply routes into occupied Crimea.In a staged video released by the Kremlin, Putin donned military garb and appeared to be meeting with commanders in the war zone, while declaring that Russian forces were advancing on all fronts, and that the war, now in its fifth year, is “progressing according to plan.”“Enemy forces are attempting to maintain their positions, but under the pressure of our troops they are sustaining heavy losses and are being forced to withdraw,” Putin said, according to an English transcript posted by the Kremlin. “Since the beginning of this year, Russian forces have liberated 133 settlements and established control over more than 3,000 square kilometres of our territory in Donbass and Novorossiya.”
In the meeting, Putin top general Valery Gerasimov reported that Russian forces had “liberated” the town of Konstantinovka, which he called, “one of the enemy’s principal defensive strongholds,” in the conquest of the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.The Ukrainian General Staff denied that Konstiantynivka had fallen, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mocked the claim, saying “If Konstiantynivka is now under Russian control, then Putin will probably have no problem meeting with me there and finding diplomatic solutions to finally end the war.”“Of course, this is not true, it is simply yet another Russian lie designed to generate some sort of news,” Zelensky said in a July 4 call with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz,” according to the Kyiv Independent. UNRELENTING WAR IN UKRAINE SEES SKYROCKETING DEATH TOLL IN FIFTH YEARTRUMP TALKS TO PUTIN, ZELENSKY IN SEPARATE CALLS: On the Fourth of July, President Donald Trump spoke by phone to both Putin and Zelensky. Putin, as he has in the past, tried to convince Trump that a Russian victory is inevitable, and that Ukraine should cede territory if it wants a ceasefire.Russian Presidential Aide Yuriy Ushakov said the U.S. initiated the call between Trump and Putin and that the two leaders “discussed the upcoming NATO summit, the war in Ukraine, and military-political and economic issues,” according to an analysis by the Institute for the Study of War. “Ushakov claimed that Putin emphasized that Ukraine’s European partners have a false perception of the state of the front line but that Putin told Trump about the ‘real’ battlefield situation in which Russian forces are advancing across the entire theater,” the July 5 assessment read.Ushakov said Putin’s claim that Kostyantynivka had fallen was an indication that Russian forces will “certainly” seize the rest of Ukraine’s Fortress Belt, while the ISW noted “Russian forces have infiltrated into but not seized Kostyantynivka,” calling the claims of its capture “part of a wider cognitive warfare effort attempting to portray the Ukrainian frontlines as collapsing,” using “ false and fabricated evidence.UKRAINE’S 40-DAY MISSILE AND DRONE BLITZ HEAPS PRESSURE AND PAIN ON PUTINKYIV UNDER FIRE: With Crimea being strangled by Ukraine’s stepped up drone offensive — and Russians both in Crimea and major Russian cities including St. Petersburg and Moscow stuck in long gas lines caused by a successful attack on oil refineries — Putin is falling back on his strategy of inflicting as much death and destruction as he can on Ukraine’s civilian population.Kyiv came under “a massive Russian attack,” overnight Zelensky posted on X. “Russia launched 68 missiles and 351 attack drones. Damage has been recorded at more than 10 locations across the city, including residential buildings.”Initial reports are that at least 12 people were killed and 60 others wounded, as rescue workers search for survivors at two residential high-rises that suffered direct hits.“Our warriors performed well today in intercepting drones and cruise missiles, but unfortunately not Russian ballistic missiles And the reason lies in the insufficient supply of interceptor missiles,” Zelensky said, underscoring his priority request of the U.S. and NATO allies at tomorrow’s summit meeting in Turkey.In Zelensky’s phone call with Trump on July 2, he argued that with the Russian ground offensive largely stalled, and Putin facing domestic unrest, there may be “a real prospect to put an end to this war, and that America’s resolve is decisive.”“The two leaders agreed to continue the discussion at the NATO Summit,” Zelenky’s office said. OPINION: AS KYIV BURNS, THE WEST SHOULD SHARE AIR DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY WITH UKRAINEGood Monday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Keely Bastow. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSEHAPPENING TONIGHT: Trump leaves late today for the NATO leaders summit in Ankara, Turkey, which begins tomorrow and ends Wednesday. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has a pre-summit press conference scheduled for this morning at 10:45 a.m. Washington Time.According to his official schedule, Trump will meet with both Zelensky and Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on Wednesday while at the summit, as well as Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is hosting the summit tomorrow. “A senior U.S. official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity on Sunday said Trump feels a sense of urgency to bring the war in Ukraine to an end, and will speak to Zelenskyy about how to do that. Trump is expected to follow up with Putin after his meeting with Zelenskyy in Ankara, the official said, according to the Associated Press.ALSO TODAY: Tens of thousands of Iranians have packed the street in Tehran for the funeral procession of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of the U.S.-Israeli attacks Feb. 28. Khamenei’s casket was paraded through the stress on the bed of the truck along with caskets of his family members who were killed at the same time.In an interview with Axios, Trump expressed surprise at the outpouring of grief from the large crowds of mourners, saying he thought people hated Khamenei. “Maybe it’s fake tears,” he said.Trump claimed the Iranians “are begging to make a deal,” Axios reported, but said both sides “decided to take a week off from the talks,” during Khamenei’s funeral.“They are all there,” Trump said, referring to the gathering of all of Iran’s current leadership, which notably did not include the new supreme leader, Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba. “One shot [and we can take them all out], but we are not going to do that because then we would have nobody to negotiate with,” Trump said.The week-long mourning period, which ends Thursday with Khamenei’s burial, has been marked by chants of “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” as well as calls for Trump’s assassination. And some of the mourners demanded retribution.IRANIANS CALL FOR TRUMP’S DEATH AT FUNERAL FOR ASSASSINATED AYATOLLAH: ‘SEEK REVENGE’THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: Airman arrested during Capitol Hill protest urging Trump and Vance’s impeachmentWashington Examiner: Iranians call for Trump’s death at funeral for assassinated ayatollah: ‘Seek revenge’Washington Examiner: Ukraine’s 40-day missile and drone blitz heaps pressure and pain on PutinWashington Examiner: Unrelenting war in Ukraine sees skyrocketing death toll in fifth yearWashington Examiner: Opinion: As Kyiv burns, the West should share air defense technology with UkraineWashington Examiner: Trump touts American exceptionalism and condemns communism in July 4 speechWashington Examiner: Netanyahu rips anti-Israel ‘woke Right,’ rebuffs Vance’s ‘only powerful ally’ remarkWashington Examiner: China test-launches a ballistic missile in the South Pacific and raises regional concernsWashington Examiner: Record fireworks show lights up DC for America’s 250th birthdayWashington Examiner: Concerns rise over Trump nomination of Oklahoma state trooper to lead ICEWashington Examiner: Hegseth praises National Guard’s DC mission despite ‘ingrate’ protesters and sweltering heatWashington Examiner: Opinion: Andy Burnham’s choice: Boost defense spending or bury the special relationshipWashington Examiner: Opinion: Weak European navies are undermining AmericaWashington Examiner: The missing half of Trump’s AI strategyAP: NATO chief faces challenge at summit as Trump demands ‘loyalty’ and not just burden-sharingWashington Post: Turkey sees its status in NATO rise, thanks to its weapons factories and TrumpDefense News: Europeans to Fill Almost All Gaps Left by US in NATO Defense Plans, Source SaysAP: Trump to meet with Ukraine’s Zelenskyy and Syria’s al-Sharaa during the NATO summitNew York Times: In Strike After Strike, Ukraine Is Bringing the War to CrimeaWall Street Journal: A Sudden Glut of Oil Threatens to Weaken Iran’s Hand in TalksWashington Post: U.S. warned Iran about Israel’s aims to assassinate leadersAP: Khamenei’s Other Sons Appear at His Funeral in Iran as New Supreme Leader Remains in HidingThe Telegraph: Russia’s new jet-powered drones outpace Ukrainian interceptorsNew York Times: Even as It Bombards Kyiv, Russia’s Wider Military Campaign Has Largely StalledWashington Post: Kyiv’s most-bombed neighborhood just won’t quitThe Atlantic: Putin Is Slipping Into DelusionAP: NATO commander says Europe has backfilled most gaps from US cutbacks on military equipmentThe War Zone: Navy’s New ‘Doomsday Plane’ Delayed as Watchdog Says Developmental Concerns Are Now RealitiesDefense News: Multibillion-Dollar Contract Secures ‘Major Step Forward’ for GCAP Fighter JetWall Street Journal: Trump Wants a New Air Force One in His Presidential Library. It’s Not a Done Deal.Foreign Affairs: Charles Q. Brown: The Military and the RepublicWall Street Journal: Former Top General Warns the Military Is Being PoliticizedTask & Purpose: US Withdraws Combat Troops from Nigeria After Counterterrorism MissionAir & Space Forces Magazine: Flu Outbreak Sickens Hundreds at Air Force Basic Military TrainingDefenseOne: These Light-Weight Power Cells Run on Nuclear Waste and Could Power Next-Gen DronesBreaking Defense: Pentagon Continues to ‘Struggle’ with Key Weapons Development Timelines: GAOAir & Space Forces Magazine: Guardians, Airmen Use AI in Experiment to Supercharge Battle ManagementDefenseScoop: Navy Seeks New Radar-Killer MissilesAir & Space Forces Magazine: Air Force Taps Industry to Study Active Defenses for Tanker FleetAir & Space Forces Magazine: F-15EX Flies with CCA Drone in the PacificAP: Supreme Court declines to halt $800-a-day fine for ex-Fox News reporter refusing to divulge sourcesTHE CALENDAR: MONDAY | JULY 6 10 a.m. — Brookings Institution virtual discussion: “A rebalancing NATO gathers in Ankara,” with Matthew Kroenig, vice president of geostrategy and fellows, Atlantic Council and senior director, Atlantic Council Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security; Linas Kojala, CEO, Geopolitics and Security Studies Center; Asli Aydintasbas, fellow, Brookings Foreign Policy Program and Brookings Center on the U.S. and Europe and director of the Brookings Turkey Project; and Constanze Stelzenmuller, director, Brookings Center on the U.S. and Europe https://www.brookings.edu/events/a-rebalancing-nato-gathers-in-ankara/10 a.m. — Politico virtual discussion: “Uneasy alliance: What to expect at this week’s NATO summit,” with Esther Webber, senior foreign and defence correspondent, Politico; Megan Messerly, reporter covering the White House for Politico; and Jan Cienski, senior defense editor for Politico https://www.politico.eu/event/pro-briefing-uneasy-alliance10:45 a.m. Ankara, Turkey — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte holds a pre-summit press conference ahead of Tuesday’s NATO Leaders Summit being held that the Beştepe Presidential Compound https://www.nato.int/en/news-and-eventsTUESDAY | JULY 7 4 a.m. EDT Ankara, Turkey — President Donald Trump attends the two-day NATO Leaders Summit at the Beştepe Presidential Compound in Ankara https://www.nato.int/en/news-and-events/6:45 a.m. EDT Ankara, Turkey — NATO Secretary-General’s Mark Rutte delivers keynote speech at the NATO Defence Industry Forum along with the Vice-President and the Minister of National Defence of the Republic of Turkey https://www.nato.int/en/news-and-events8 a.m. EDT Ankara, Turkey — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky deliver short remarks https://www.nato.int/en/news-and-eventsWEDNESDAY | JULY 8 9 a.m. EDT Ankara, Turkey — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte holds press conference at conclusion of NATO Leaders Conference https://www.nato.int/en/news-and-events 10:15 am. EDT Ankara Turkey — President Donald Trump holds post-summit news conference before departing Ankara for WashingtonQUOTE OF THE DAY: “We’re celebrating freedom’s triumph over tyranny, liberty’s conquest over oppression, and the enduring victory of the American spirit from July 4th, 1776, to July 4th, 2026. Big dates. That’s big dates. Two big ones. And tonight, our country is stronger, freer, richer, safer and prouder than ever before.” Trump said in his Independence Day remarks delivered on the National Mall Saturday night.
