#Ukraine

Russia’s vast defense-industrial complex, once considered a backbone of its global power projection, is showing signs of systemic failure under the combined weight of war, sanctions, and internal dysfunction.

In what could become one of Europe’s largest modern fighter jet procurements, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced plans to purchase 100 French-made Dassault Rafale multirole jets, Le Figaro reported on November 17, citing France’s Élysée Palace.

In a landmark move to strengthen Ukraine’s long-term air power, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron signed a 10-year defense agreement in Paris that paves the way for Ukraine to receive Rafale multirole fighter jets, SAMP/T air-defense systems, missiles, and anti-drone technology.

“Following the 2022 invasion, non-coordination was an impossibility.” When Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine, Ukrainian Americans mobilized with speed and passion. Churches held prayers, solidarity rallies erupted across cities, and diaspora leaders lobbied Congress for aid. But behind this surge of unity lies a complicated story. The Ukrainian diaspora in the United States has long been divided—by history, faith, and politics.