**Zelensky Appoints New Head of Ukraine’s Mission to NATO**
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Aliona Hetmanchuk as the new head of Ukraine’s mission to NATO. This appointment comes at a critical time for Ukraine, NATO, and Ukraine’s future in the alliance.
Hetmanchuk, a leading Ukrainian foreign policy expert, has a background in journalism and is the founder and director of the New Europe Center. She replaces Nataliia Halibarenko, who held the position previously.
“I realize the responsibility,” Hetmanchuk said on her Facebook page. “As for this moment, we will be fully immersed in preparations for the summit in The Hague.”
The upcoming NATO summit is set to take place in the Netherlands on June 24 and 25, with Ukraine participating. This appointment comes as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has stated that the political commitment to Ukraine’s future membership remains unchanged.
**Ukraine’s Future in NATO**
Ukraine applied for alliance membership in September 2022, several months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion. While NATO has repeatedly affirmed that Kyiv will eventually join, it has yet to extend a formal invitation.
Rutte’s comments follow reporting that this year’s summit communique may exclude references to Ukraine. This would mark a notable departure from previous gatherings, where Kyiv’s future in NATO took center stage.
**Other Developments**
In other news, Iran launched over 100 drones against Israel, all of which were intercepted outside of Israeli airspace. Moscow condemned the attack as an “unprovoked aggression.”
Ukraine has received another 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in macro-financial assistance from the European Union as part of a G7 loan.
The price spike threatens to undermine Western efforts to choke off a vital revenue stream for Russia, which relies heavily on oil profits to sustain its war in Ukraine.
**Russia’s War Efforts**
According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia targeted the country with 55 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as four Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles launched from Russian territory.
Russian forces suffered over 1,220 casualties just over the past day, according to reports.
**International Support**
Germany will deliver new IRIS-T air defense systems to Ukraine under a three-year supply plan. Ylva Johansson, former European Commissioner for Home Affairs, has been appointed as the European Union’s new special envoy for Ukrainians, overseeing long-term strategy for Ukrainian refugees in the bloc.
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