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Through a major step to strengthen its long-term defense, the Ukrainian government has signed a preliminary agreement to purchase as many as 100 Rafale fighter jets, drones, air defense equipment and additional key gear from France. The agreement was signed by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and France's leader Emmanuel Macron during a shared news conference at the Elysée residence. The Ukrainian leader referred to the pact as “a historic deal.”

Forcibly Taken Children: Relatives Lose Communication

A number of relatives of Ukrainian minors who were forcibly deported to the Russian Federation have raised concerns about their fate, reporting that all contact has been severed. During a rare press event in the French capital, a legal guardian, who is responsible for two minors taken after Russia's widespread military action of Ukraine in 2022, said that Russian authorities are disregarding every appeal to help with the minors' return.

Drone Attack Hits Turkish-Flagged Vessel in Southern Ukraine

A drone struck a Turkish-flagged ship and set it ablaze in the southern part of the Odesa area, officials said. The incident took place just one day after Zelenskyy signed a deal to import American LNG through the area. The MT Orinda was hit while offloading liquefied petroleum gas at Izmail harbor, as stated by Turkish maritime authority. Every one of the 16 crew members aboard were safely removed and no one was hurt.

Romanian Officials Evacuate Communities After Aerial Attack

Romanian officials said they had evacuated two villages near the Ukrainian border following the aerial strike on the tanker. After invading Ukraine in recent years, Russian forces has consistently targeted Ukrainian ports in the Danube River region, triggering alerts in neighbouring the country.

United States President Trump Open to Approve Russia Penalties Legislation

The American leader Donald Trump is prepared to approve legislation to enact penalties on Russia, as long as he keeps final decision-making authority over any such actions, a senior White House official stated. Trump told journalists recently that it was “OK with me” that Republicans were working on a bill to apply sanctions on nations engaging commercially with Russia over its inability to reach a peace deal with Ukraine.

Poland's Prime Minister Describes Rail Explosion an “Unprecedented Act of Sabotage”

The Polish leader, Tusk, has labeled an blast along a section of railway line employed in shipments to the country as an “unprecedented instance of sabotage” that might have led to disaster. This statement coincided with a statement from legal authorities indicating that an investigation had opened “regarding actions of sabotage of a terror-related kind […] carried out on orders of a external intelligence agency against the Republic of the country.”

China Premier Expresses Willingness to Expand Cooperation with Russia

China is ready to deepen collaboration with Russia in the energy sector, agriculture and other financial ventures, Premier Li Qiang stated during a meeting with Russia's leader Mikhail Mishustin in the Russian capital. The Chinese premier told Mishustin that China welcomes more agricultural and food goods from Russia, as per the official media outlet. The Chinese side also desires that Moscow will make it easier for companies from China to put money and operate in Russia, the report mentioned. The Russian leader assured Li that the partnership between the two sides has consistently proven its resilience to outside pressures.