Ukraine's government has reportedly been organizing a significant operation over the past few months to reclaim territories under Russian control, using tanks, artillery, and armored vehicles supplied by its Western allies.
In a conversation with the media, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba refrained from commenting on whether the Ukrainian military had already launched a counteroffensive. Instead, he underscored that the crucial outcome would be the success of Ukrainian forces, which he suggested would pave the path for Ukraine's entry into NATO.
Kuleba emphasized, "Being part of NATO may not stop this conflict but would prevent future. Hence, facilitating Ukraine's admission to NATO would be the most effective way to guarantee security in this region." He suggested that Ukraine could consider the opportunity of joining the military alliance only after the cessation of active military conflicts.
After agreements were made to train Ukrainian pilots to operate F-16 fighter jets, Kuleba noted that the next key objective for Ukraine is joining NATO.
"We've mobilized all available weaponry. We've got nothing left to fight for," Kuleba announced.
On June 4, Russia's Defense Ministry alleged that the Ukrainian military initiated an assault towards the South-Donetsk region, near the administrative boundary of Donetsk and Zaporozhye regions in Ukraine, adjacent to Ugledar. It was reported that the Russian military thwarted this attack. Meanwhile, the office of Ukraine's President clarified that a widespread attack hasn't yet been initiated.
On June 5, Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister, Anna Malyar, confirmed that Ukrainian forces have launched an offensive "in certain directions", indicating the Bakhmut region as the epicenter of conflict and reporting localized clashes occurring in southern Ukraine.