Kyiv burns again as Starmer flies east on what Belgian media call one of his last trips as UK premier
A fresh wave of Russian strikes set parts of Kyiv alight overnight, Flemish daily De Morgen reported, as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer travelled to Ukraine on Saturday in what the paper framed as one of his final visits in office.
In 30 seconds
- De Morgen reported on Saturday that a new wave of Russian attacks left parts of Kyiv on fire.
- UK PM Keir Starmer travelled to Ukraine, described by De Morgen as one of his last trips as British premier.
- The EU institutions and NATO headquarters that coordinate Western support for Ukraine are based in Brussels.
- Belgium has pledged F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine and joined successive EU support packages.
This is a developing war story with two linked strands. First, a new wave of Russian missile and drone attacks reportedly caused fires in Kyiv overnight. Second, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer travelled to Ukraine on Saturday in what Flemish daily De Morgen described as one of his final visits in office, signalling a British political transition. Key entities: Ukraine and its capital Kyiv; the Russian Federation as attacker; the United Kingdom and Starmer; and — as the coordinating framework — the EU institutions (European Commission, Council) and NATO headquarters, both based in Brussels, of which Belgium is a member and host.
Background
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then Kyiv has endured repeated waves of missile and drone attacks targeting energy infrastructure and residential areas. Visits to the Ukrainian capital by Western leaders — frequently arriving by overnight rail — have become a recurring symbol of solidarity and of continued military and financial commitment. Belgium joined EU sanctions and aid packages from the outset and later pledged F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.
What to do
Belgium-based readers — citizens, expats and EU-institution staff — should expect the continuity-of-support debate to play out in Brussels through EU and NATO channels, with implications for further aid decisions and the security posture the city helps coordinate.
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- Published:
- 25 Jul 2026, 02:00
- Retrieved by ODIN:
- 25 Jul 2026
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