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Through a major step to bolster its long-term defense, the Ukrainian government has signed a letter of intent to acquire as many as 100 Rafale fighter jets, unmanned aerial vehicles, air defence systems and other key gear from France. This deal was formalized by Ukrainian president Zelenskyy and French president Emmanuel Macron during a shared news conference at the Elysée presidential palace. Zelenskyy referred to the pact as “an unprecedented agreement.”

Forcibly Taken Minors: Relatives Lose Contact

A number of families of Ukrainian minors who were forcibly deported to Russia have sounded the alarm about their well-being, stating that every line of communication has been severed. During a uncommon news conference in the French capital, a legal guardian, who cares for two children removed after Russia's full-scale military action of the country in 2022, said that officials in Russia are disregarding all requests to help with the children's repatriation.

Unmanned Aerial Strike Targets Turkish-Flagged Tanker in Odesa

An unmanned aerial vehicle struck a Turkish-flagged ship and caused a fire in the southern part of the Odesa area, officials said. The incident took place just a day after the Ukrainian president approved a agreement to import US liquefied natural gas through the area. The MT Orinda was hit while unloading LPG at Izmail port, as stated by Turkish Directorate for Maritime Affairs. All 16 crew members on board evacuated and not a single person was injured.

Romanian Officials Evacuate Communities After Aerial Incident

Romanian officials announced they had evacuated two villages close to the Ukrainian border following the aerial strike on the MT Orinda. Since invading the country in 2022, Moscow has consistently attacked Ukrainian ports in the Danube region, causing alerts in adjacent the country.

US Leader Donald Trump Open to Sign Russian Sanctions Bill

The American leader Donald Trump is willing to approve a bill to enact penalties on the Russian Federation, as long as he retains final decision-making power over these actions, a senior White House representative said. The U.S. president told reporters late on Sunday that it was “OK with me” that Republicans were working on a bill to apply restrictions on nations doing business with Moscow over its inability to reach a peace deal with Ukraine.

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

Poland's leader, Donald Tusk, has described an blast along a part of railway line employed in deliveries to Ukraine as an “unprecedented instance of sabotage” that could have led to disaster. This statement coincided with a statement from legal authorities indicating that an inquiry had opened “regarding acts of sabotage of a terrorist kind […] committed on orders of a foreign spy agency against the Republic of Poland.”

China Premier Expresses Willingness to Expand Partnership with Russian Federation

The Chinese government is ready to strengthen cooperation with the Russian Federation in energy, farming and other investments, Leader Li said during a meeting with Russia's leader Mishustin in the Russian capital. Li informed his counterpart that China is open to more agricultural and food products from the nation, as per the official media outlet. China also hopes that Moscow will facilitate for companies from China to put money and do business in Russia, the report mentioned. Mishustin assured his counterpart that the partnership between the two sides has repeatedly demonstrated its resilience to external challenges.