This week saw a potential thaw in relations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and former US President Donald Trump, marked by a productive call focusing on air defenses and joint arms production.

Meanwhile, intense military activity continued on both sides: Ukrainian drones successfully struck Russian airfields and energy infrastructure, while Russia launched large-scale drone and missile attacks across multiple Ukrainian regions, causing civilian casualties and widespread damage.

On the diplomatic and strategic front, Ukraine expanded its drone manufacturing capabilities through new partnerships and increased domestic production, even as concerns arose over security appointments within Ukraine’s anti-corruption watchdog. And Russia reported a significant increase in drone production, aided by Chinese technology, which has fueled its ongoing aerial assaults.

This and more in this week’s summary of the week.