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Through a major step to bolster its future defense, Ukraine has signed a preliminary agreement to purchase up to 100 Rafale fighter warplanes, drones, air defence systems and other key equipment from the French Republic. The agreement was formalized by Ukraine's leader Zelenskyy and France's leader Macron during a joint press briefing at the Elysée presidential residence. The Ukrainian leader referred to the arrangement as “an unprecedented deal.”

Against Their Will Deported Children: Relatives Lose Contact

Several relatives of Ukrainian minors who were forcibly deported to the Russian Federation have sounded the alarm about their fate, stating that all contact has been cut off. During a rare press event in the French capital, a legal guardian, who is responsible for two minors taken after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in recent years, said that officials in Russia are ignoring all requests to help with the minors' repatriation.

Unmanned Aerial Strike Hits Turkish-Flagged Tanker in Odesa

An unmanned aerial vehicle struck a Turkey-registered ship and caused a fire in southern Ukraine's Odesa area, officials said. The incident took place just a day after Zelenskyy signed a agreement to bring in US LNG through the region. The vessel was struck while offloading LPG at Izmail port, as stated by Turkey's Directorate for Maritime Affairs. Every one of the 16 crew on board evacuated and no one was hurt.

Romanian Authorities Evacuate Villages Following Drone Incident

Romanian authorities said they had relocated two communities close to the Ukraine frontier following the aerial strike on the MT Orinda. After entering the country in 2022, Moscow has consistently targeted Ukrainian harbors in the Danube River region, triggering alerts in neighbouring the country.

United States President Trump Willing to Sign Russia Penalties Bill

The American leader Trump is prepared to approve legislation to enact penalties on Russia, provided that he keeps final authority power over any such actions, an high-ranking U.S. administration official stated. Trump told journalists recently that it was “acceptable to me” that GOP members were drafting legislation to impose sanctions on nations doing business with Moscow over its failure to reach a peace deal with Ukraine.

Polish Prime Minister Calls Railway Explosion an “Never-Before-Seen Act of Sabotage”

The Polish prime minister, Tusk, has described an explosion along a section of rail track used for deliveries to the country as an “unprecedented instance of disruption” that might have resulted in catastrophe. These remarks coincided with a announcement from public prosecutors indicating that an inquiry had opened “concerning actions of disruption of a terror-related kind […] carried out on orders of a external spy agency against the Republic of the country.”

Chinese Leader Shows Willingness to Deepen Cooperation with Russia

The Chinese government is prepared to deepen cooperation with the Russian Federation in the energy sector, farming and other investments, Premier Li Qiang stated during a discussion with Russia's leader Mishustin in Moscow. Li informed Mishustin that the country is open to more agricultural and food-related goods from Russia, as per a state-run news agency. China also hopes that Moscow will facilitate for companies from China to invest and do business there, the report mentioned. The Russian leader assured his counterpart that the cooperation between the two sides has consistently proven its strength to outside pressures.