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Equatorial Guinea warns of Russian trap
Equatorial Guinea warns of Russian trap
Equatorial Guinea warns of Russian trap
Daniel Angel Masie Nchama had no idea what he was getting into when Russian recruiters sent the young man from Equatorial Guinea into battle in war-ravaged Ukraine. “I realized we were at the front when a missile struck us,” he said. Now back home at his parents’ modest house in the capital, Malabo, the 22-year-old former tech student recalled the freezing cold, hunger, fear and finally, flight — achieved with the help of his country’s diplomatic efforts. Photo: EPA Dreaming of finding a life abroad, he was convinced by a Cameroonian named “Fabrice” to head to Russia. He left in December last year, believing he was going to undergo military training, with the promise of work as a bodyguard. On arrival, he and the other prospective recruits were asked to sign documents in Russian, a language none of them spoke. “We said we couldn’t sign documents we didn’t understand. They insisted, saying it was too late to translate them,” Nchama said. When he took out his phone to try to translate them, a Russian soldier placed his weapon on the table. “It was a threat. So we had to sign,” he said. Their passports were then confiscated and never returned. After two weeks of “basic training” — instead of the eight months initially promised — his group was transferred to Ukraine. Another 45 days of intensive training followed, which ended with a late night departure in armored vehicles toward the front line. With him were “many Africans,” including “another Equatorial Guinean, but also Cameroonians, Nigerians, Libyans and also Colombians,” he said. Ukraine estimates that nearly 1,800 Africans have been enlisted in the Russian forces. In mid-February, the collective All Eyes on Wagner published the names of 1,417 Africans whom Moscow recruited between January 2023 and September last year to fight in Ukraine, more than 300 of whom have died. Egyptians, Cameroonians and Ghanaians were reportedly the most numerous among the African contingent. “I realized we were on the front lines when a missile struck our vehicle and killed two of my comrades,” Nchama said. Nchama was initially assigned to a battalion of 424 soldiers in Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine, all of whom were killed within two weeks. Nchama claims to be the sole survivor. He was then assigned to another battalion, which he led, in Volnovakha, in the Donetsk Oblast region, for one month and nine days. “Our mission was to capture six Ukrainian villages. Of the 566 recruits, only three of us were left by the end,” he said. Moscow has suffered the heaviest military losses in the war, with 400,000 to 450,000 deaths among its troops since February 2022, according to a study published early this month by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Nchama described extremely harsh living conditions characterized by cold and hunger, including one nine-day period without any food. “We killed a deer and ate it raw — that’s how hungry we were,” he said. “Everything was done under duress. If they told you, ‘Do this,’ and you didn’t do it, they could send someone to kill you,” he said. In March, he alerted his parents to his plight and they brought the matter to the media’s attention. His story went viral on social media and caused a stir throughout the country. The Equatorial Guinean government swiftly declared it would take “diplomatic steps” to secure his release. He endured a gruelling 11 more days at the front with relentless Ukrainian drone attacks that were only paused due to unexpected snowfall. Back in Murmansk, in the Russian Arctic, the military leadership decorated him and dangled the prospect of a fully-fledged position in the army and a Russian passport. “They promised me a house, a car ... I was going to be a Russian,” Nchama said, showing off the three medals he received. He eventually lied to his superiors to escape. “I said I was going to spend the weekend at a friend’s place — I even made up a name,” he said. “The Equatorial Guinean ambassador found me at the airport and took me to his home,” Nchama said. His father, declaring himself the “happiest man in the world” on his son’s return, now urges young people who want to head abroad, as well as their families, to be very careful chasing vague promises. “These promises are death guaranteed,” he said. Several major food brands in Australia are selling tomato products grown in China as domestically produced, with forensic testing showing some are sourced from the Xinjiang region, an investigation by the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) said. Supermarket chains Coles Group Ltd and budget competitor Aldi — along with widely sold brand Leggo’s — were found to be selling tomato products that independent scientific testing found had originated in China, it said. The products were labeled as being sourced from Australia or Italy, it said. The testing was commissioned by the ABC’s Four Corners and conducted by forensic laboratory Source Certain, which the broadcaster IGNORING REPORTERS: The Russian envoy had little to say other than ‘nice hairstyle’ after the meeting, in which Rubio said he planned to address the conflict in Ukraine US Secretary of State Marco Rubio yesterday met with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov in the Philippines for talks at which he was expected to renew the prospect of the US brokering an end to the war in Ukraine. The US Department of State offered few details about the meeting on the sidelines of an annual gathering of ASEAN foreign ministers in Manila. “They discussed the US-Russia relationship and the need to end the Russia-Ukraine war,” a state department spokesperson said in a statement. Russia did not immediately offer a readout and Lavrov largely ignored questions by reporters after he left ‘I’LL TAKE YOU DOWN’: Observers said there have been tensions between Ibrahim Traore and Oumarou Yabre, while the third-in-command has not been seen recently Ibrahim Traore, the head of Burkina Faso’s military junta, last week sought to stamp out speculation of a power struggle at the highest levels of government, warning that he intended to remain the west African country’s only leader. The prolonged absence of two influential junta figures has fueled rumors of a tussle within the military government, which came to power in a coup in September 2022. “There can’t be two captains on one ship,” Traore told community leaders in Ouahigouya on Thursday. “Everyone who works with me knows how I operate,” the 38-year-old captain said. “If anyone screws up, I’ll take you down Japanese mystery fiction author Keigo Higashino has died aged 68, his publisher said on Monday, triggering an outpouring of grief among fans across Asia. Since his 1985 debut, Higashino wrote more than 100 books, with his works translated and published in over 40 countries and territories, and widely adapted for film and television. "Author Keigo Higashino passed away due to colon cancer in the early morning of July 23. He was 68," publisher Kodansha said in a statement. A statement posted on Higashino's X account said that the author's "published works, from his debut novel 'After School', released in September
Taiwan, partners must prepare for blockade: expert
Taiwan, partners must prepare for blockade: expert
Taiwan, partners must prepare for blockade: expert
Taiwan should work closely with the US, Japan and other countries to prepare for contingencies and conduct exercises to bolster deterrence against a possible Chinese military invasion or blockade, a former US assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs said on Monday. Based on how China is developing its capabilities, and how it is conducting training, Beijing is preparing for a ground invasion and a blockade of Taiwan, US-China Economic and Security Review Commission chairman Randall Schriver said in an interview with the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper) during a visit to Taiwan. Taiwan must prepare for both contingencies, he said. Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times A Chinese blockade of Taiwan is more likely, but would pose less danger, he said, adding that while a military invasion is less likely, it would pose an extremely high level of danger. The US, Japan and other nations concerned about peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait should consider all possible outcomes, Schriver said. The Institute for Indo-Pacific Security, which Schriver also chairs, has repeatedly called for the US and Japan to work with Taiwan on contingency plans for countering a blockade, he said. Such plans, reinforced with exercises, should consider how to keep the sea lanes between the Port of Keelung and Japan’s Yonaguni Island open, he said. Beijing’s “gray zone” tactics include using the China Coast Guard to “uphold the law” in waters off eastern Taiwan while keeping Chinese actions below the threshold that would trigger a military response, constraining Taiwan’s room to act and maneuver its forces, he said. Commission vice chairman Michael Kuiken added that Beijing is also shortening the time available for Taiwan, the US and other friendly nations to respond. As the US has not had a permanent military presence in Taiwan since the termination of the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty on Jan. 1, 1980, the US needs time to wade through internal politics before it can come to Taiwan’s aid, Kuiken said. Taiwan’s push for whole-of-society defense resilience is the right move, as supplies of liquefied natural gas and munitions are finite and could not be replenished if the nation were blockaded, Schriver said. Taiwan should also work with countries that could help it prevent a blockade, such as Japan and the Philippines, he said, praising Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) for visiting the Philippines after taking office. Most of the policies Taiwan is enacting are stops in the right direction, but the nation needs to allocate resources with greater urgency and focus in certain areas, he added. BRACE FOR WET DAYS: Heavy rain is expected in Hualien, Taitung and the Hengchun Peninsula, and northern areas would see localized showers, it said A tropical depression east of the Philippines is expected to strengthen into Typhoon Noul, and a sea warning was likely to be issued as early as 11:30pm last night, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The storm would be closest to Taiwan tomorrow, and bring heavy rain to Hualien and Taitung counties, as well as the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島), it said. If the storm strengthens into a typhoon, it would be the 12th this year. As the storm has maintained a steady speed, it is expected to cross the Bashi Channel relatively quickly, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said. The storm is forecast A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck New Taipei City in northern Taiwan at 8:36pm today, the Central Weather Administration said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The epicenter was about 35.8km east-southeast of New Taipei City Hall, at a depth of 95.7km, the agency said. The earthquake's intensity was highest in Yilan County, New Taipei City, Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu County, Hualien County, Taichung and Miaoli County, where it measured 3 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 2 in Keelung, Hsinchu City, Nantou County, Changhua County and Yunlin County, the agency said. Taiwanese planning trips to Morocco should carefully assess their travel plans, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said today, following reports that a travel agency had suspended its visa authorization letter application service for people visiting the country. Lion Travel yesterday said in a notice on its Web site that the Moroccan embassy in Japan had stopped accepting visa applications, prompting the company to suspend its visa authorization letter application service for people visiting Morocco. Taiwanese are required to obtain an entry visa authorization letter before traveling to Morocco, the Bureau of Consular Affairs Web site says. Applications are submitted through the Moroccan BOUNDARIES: The ALP’s decision to make it clear Taiwanese officials could stay was the right response and parties are not bound by Australia’s ‘one China’ policy, an expert said Chinese diplomats on Thursday walked out of the Australian Labor Party’s (ALP) national conference after complaining about the presence of Taiwanese officials, the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) reported. Three Chinese diplomats observing the conference approached ALP National Secretary Paul Erickson and demanded that two officials from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Australia — Taiwan’s de facto embassy — be removed from the venue, the report said. The Taiwanese officials were attending as general observers rather than as “international observers,” a category that includes foreign diplomats and representatives of political parties from many countries, it said. Erickson “made it clear” that the
Lindsey Graham's Funeral Brings Congress, World Leaders Together
Lindsey Graham's Funeral Brings Congress, World Leaders Together US lawmakers and senior administration officials remembered the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham at a memorial in the US Capitol Tuesday morning ahead of a funeral later in the day at Washington National Cathedral. (Bloomberg) — US lawmakers and senior administration officials remembered the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham at a memorial in the US Capitol Tuesday morning ahead of a funeral later in the day at Washington National Cathedral. The memorial for the hawkish South Carolinian, who died at 71 earlier this month, comes at a critical time for two of his key legacies — the war against Iran and his fight to secure fresh sanctions targeting Russia as the war in Ukraine persists. tap here to see other videos from our team. Back to video And it has brought world leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to Washington to pay their respects and discuss urgent business with lawmakers and President Donald Trump. Graham had a unique role in Washington given his relationship with Trump — honed in numerous games of golf and behind-the-scenes meetings — as well as his global Rolodex built over decades of frequent travel and his relationships in the Capitol with top lawmakers in both parties. “It was impossible not to like Lindsey Graham,” said Vice President JD Vance at a memorial service in the Capitol Rotunda, where Graham’s flag-draped casket was flanked by an honor guard. Vance recalled their relationship remaining friendly despite an intense disagreement over funding Ukraine’s war effort against Russia when Vance served as a senator from Ohio, and Graham’s earlier help fundraising for Vance in a Fox News appearance. Trump, who will speak at the National Cathedral later in the day, said in a Fox News interview that Graham “was born to be a politician” and was “a very powerful force when he got behind something.” He noted Graham’s hawkish nature. “I said ‘you’re a nice guy. How come you like war so much?’ He was a guy that liked war. I jokingly say, and it’s nothing funny about it, but he’s never seen a war that he didn’t like.’” Graham’s out-sized influence in Trump’s White House and global capitals included years of agitating for action against Iran’s theocratic leadership, ultimately winning a behind-the-scenes struggle against other presidential advisers counseling against the war earlier this year. But the war in Iran raised global energy prices and dragged on without end, as Trump’s early boasts about a quick end turned out to be wrong and a ceasefire spearheaded by Vance to reopen the Strait of Hormuz unravelled earlier this month. The Trump administration now appears stuck in the sort of Middle East military quagmire its officials had warned against, with the prospect of more economic pain to come just before the midterm elections. Documentary footage released over the weekend on CNN by filmmaker Alex Holder showed Graham talking in a celebratory way about convincing Trump to start the war. “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done,” Graham said in the clip. Agriculture - News Posthaste: Canadians' biggest source of wealth is losing ground and that's dragging down the economy - Advertisement 1Story continues below News Personal Finance Retail & Marketing On Russia sanctions, last year he forged a coalition of 85 senators including both party leaders. It took him a year to get Trump on board with a revised package just before he died after returning to Washington from a trip to Ukraine. The Senate is set to vote Tuesday night on the first procedural step to pass Graham’s legislation, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune hoping to pass the bill in the coming days. If it becomes law, Trump could use it to impose massive tariffs on the top buyers of Russian oil. Graham’s sister, Darline Graham, was appointed to serve out the remainder of his term. She is also running in the Aug. 11 Republican primary to replace her brother on the ballot in November.
Lindsey Graham's Funeral Brings Congress, World Leaders Together
Lindsey Graham's Funeral Brings Congress, World Leaders Together
'I have no confidence in him anymore!': Senator Tillis torches Hegseth as Iran conflict drags on
'I have no confidence in him anymore!': Senator Tillis torches Hegseth as Iran conflict drags on
'I have no confidence in him anymore!': Senator Tillis torches Hegseth as Iran conflict drags on
Business News›News›International›World News›'I have no confidence in him anymore!': Senator Tillis torches Hegseth as Iran conflict drags on 'I have no confidence in him anymore!': Senator Tillis torches Hegseth as Iran conflict drags on A growing rift seems to be emerging within the Republican Party as War Secretary Pete Hegseth faces sharp criticism over the handling of the Iran war. Republican Senator Thom Tillis reportedly said that he has lost confidence in Hegseth, accusing Hegseth of poor leadership, micromanaging the Pentagon, and driving out respected military leaders.Show more Read more on - 11:05 - 10:46 - 12:14 - 08:04 - 11:53 - 11:08 - 08:47 - 13:49 - 09:58 - 13:43 - 08:43 - 09:11 - 12:28 - 13:22 - 13:51 - 10:02 - 12:05 - 10:19 - 09:46 - 09:33 - 11:58 - 10:56 - 09:20 - 11:28 - 08:23 - 10:28 - 10:48 - 10:04 - 12:32
Ukraine and Iran Wars Are Merging Into One Big Crisis for Trump in This Sea
Ukraine and Iran Wars Are Merging Into One Big Crisis for Trump in This Sea As U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington on Tuesday, the two foreign leaders’ conflicts are joining into one major challenge for the White House. The point of convergence is the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest lake that spans some 143,000 square miles-roughly 1.5 times the combined size of the United States’ five Great Lakes-at a crossroads of Asia and Europe. It’s an often-overlooked maritime theater, crucial for trade but not host to any major hostilities for more than 100 years. But a century of relative calm in the Caspian has come to an end. First, Ukraine conducted strikes against Russian oil rigs in the Caspian Sea in December. Over the weekend, the Ukrainian military expanded operations to strike what it said were Russian commercial vessels in the sea, while Iran said one of its cargo ships was hit and a sailor killed. But Ukraine is not the only party taking the fight to the Caspian. Israel targeted Iran’s Caspian naval presence in March, weeks into the joint U.S.-Israel war launched against the Islamic Republic. Now, Russia and Iran both vow retaliation to the latest strikes; the world’s largest lake is quickly becoming the most dangerous as two volatile conflicts intersect at the heart of Eurasia, threatening even further chaos for international trade and stability. “Ukraine’s recent strike on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea should be very concerning to U.S. policymakers,” Jennifer Kavanagh, senior fellow and director of military analysis at Defense Priorities, told Newsweek. “There is little evidence of Israeli-Ukrainian cooperation, but Zelensky understands that the only way he can win his war is by expanding it, dragging the United States and Europe more directly into the conflict.” “The strike on the Iranian vessel and his repeated statements about Russia sharing intelligence with Iran are transparent efforts to link the two conflicts together,” Kavanagh said. “If he is a combatant in the U.S. war on Iran, he hopes the U.S. will do the same in Ukraine.” Why the Caspian Sea’s Location Matters The Caspian Sea’s shores include not only Russia to the north and Iran to the south, but also Azerbaijan to the west and Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to the east. Russia holds the keys to the landlocked Caspian’s ocean connectivity via the Volga-Don canal, which links the Caspian to the Black Sea, and has been at the center of the Russia-Ukraine war since February 2022. Conflict is not new to the Caspian. The last major combat came during the Russian Civil War that established the foundations of the Soviet Union after World War I. A century earlier, it was a battleground for the Russian and Persian Empires. More recently, however, the Caspian has emerged as a shared lifeline for two nations hit by international sanctions. But Moscow and Tehran are not the only potential losers in the event that the Caspian falls to full-on conflict. Two major global trade routes count the Caspian Sea as a critical node: the International North-South Transit Corridor (INSTC) and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), otherwise known as the Middle Corridor. The INSTC connects India and Iran through the Persian Gulf to land rail routes in Azerbaijan and Russia, including a cross-Caspian shipping route. The Middle Corridor, which runs East to West and is often seen as a competitor to the INSTC, depends even more heavily on the Caspian Sea, tying stops from China and Kazakhstan across Caspian waters to Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, thus bypassing both Russia and Iran to reach European destinations. The latter choice, endorsed by the U.S. and Western Europe, gained momentum in the wake of sanctions rocking Russia since 2022. But its feasibility is now under renewed scrutiny due to insecurity in the Caspian. “In addition to its role as a conduit for arms between Iran and Russia, the Caspian also is a key node in the multimodal Middle Corridor trade route,” Elizabeth Wishnick, senior research scientist at the Center for Naval Analyses, told Newsweek. “The EU and the U.S. are pinning their hopes on this route as a way of exporting strategic minerals from Central Asia, reducing China’s leverage and circumventing Russia.” “For Caspian states like Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, developing this trade route provides a welcome diversification of trade-there are many logistical obstacles already and recent security threats only add to the mix,” she said. The global nature of the crisis is further compounded by the disruption of traffic through the Persian Gulf’s crucial Strait of Hormuz chokepoint and a new campaign by the Iran-aligned Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthi movement, in the Red Sea, which serves as the gateway to the Suez Canal, forcing vessels to instead transit around South Africa. What’s become “clear,” according to Wishnick, “is that the war in Ukraine doesn’t stay there-it has wide ripple effects, including in the Persian Gulf, where Ukraine has seen an opportunity to share its defensive technologies for combating Iranian drones and expand its circle of supporters.” But if Washington and Kyiv’s strategy is to respond to trade route disruptions by cutting off other international links, the risks could outweigh the benefits. Ahmad Kazemi, a professor of international law and senior researcher of Eurasia in Tehran, warned this approach, as further evidenced by U.S. strikes earlier this month targeting an Iranian bridge that connected the nation to China and Russia via Central Asia, would “constitute a miscalculation and could inflict strategic losses on European and American interests.” “This is because, following the war in Ukraine and the blockage of the northern corridor from Russia to Europe, the importance of the Caspian region in supplying Europe’s natural gas needs has increased dramatically,” Kazemi told Newsweek. “Indeed, the Republic of Azerbaijan currently supplies gas to 16 European countries at varying rates.” “Therefore, insecurity in the Caspian Sea could not only hinder Europe’s energy supply from the Caspian region but also undermine its future prospects-since Baku alone does not possess sufficient gas reserves to meet Europe’s needs, and in the future Europe will require oil and gas from Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan,” Kazemi said. He also warned, “the spread of hostilities to the Caspian region would severely weaken the security of the ‘Middle Corridor’ from Central Asia to the Caucasus, which is both supported by and necessary for Europe.” Safe embed will be rendered here Service URL: https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/owP3Q/1/ Bringing Russia and Iran Together There is another way in which an effort to sever the Moscow-Tehran link could ultimately backfire. The two countries have a history of direct security cooperation, especially in their shared support for former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad before his downfall in December 2024, and in Iran’s licensing Russia’s production of the infamous Shahed line of suicide drones now dominating battlefields in both Eastern Europe and the Middle East. But their strategic partnership, formalized in an agreement that went into effect last October, does not include any mutual defense pact. This contrasts with the strategic partnership signed between Russia and North Korea in June 2024, which was followed by the latter’s troops becoming directly involved in the Ukraine war. While Russia and Iran’s partnership has been plagued by disappointment in the past, particularly from Tehran’s side, the two nations have more common ground than ever, with China also heavily invested in both countries’ survival. If the trend continues, Russia and Iran will likely explore new options to bolster their collaboration, potentially complicating U.S. efforts to bring an end to both wars on favorable terms. Even prior to the Caspian strikes, Russia and Iran’s interests had met in the Caspian region. Both nations viewed with suspicion the U.S.-backed “Trump Pathway for International Peace and Welfare,” to link Azerbaijan to its exclave Nakhchivan province via Armenian territory, bypassing a route proposed by Iran through its own soil. “Therefore, Ukraine’s provocative actions in the Caspian Sea-carried out as a proxy on behalf of NATO-will not only further regional convergence to punish Kyiv but will also redouble Tehran‑Moscow cooperation to strengthen Caspian security,” Kazemi said. “This is because Iran and Russia are direct neighbors across the Caspian Sea, especially given that, under the 2018 Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, the middle waters of the Caspian are considered shared/common waters.” “Consequently,” he added, “Ukraine’s move to extend attacks to commercial vessels in the Caspian Sea could not only usher in a new phase of military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow in this sea but also result in intensified strikes against Kyiv’s interests in the Black Sea.” Kavanagh, the Defense Priorities expert, pointed out how Russia and Iran’s longstanding cooperation has already “increased over the course of the two wars,” but also argued that “the support they provide each other is far less than what the United States and Europe do for Israel and Ukraine.” Nor, she said, have Russia and Iran “tried to tie the two conflicts together” in such a direct manner. “Escalation in the Caspian Sea will not, however, advance U.S. interests,” Kavanagh said. “Washington can and should push Zelensky to avoid widening his war in this way.” Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Sam Wilson. 2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC. This story was originally published July 28, 2026 at 12:58 PM.
Ukraine and Iran Wars Are Merging Into One Big Crisis for Trump in This Sea
Ukraine and Iran Wars Are Merging Into One Big Crisis for Trump in This Sea
Zelensky has a ‘good meeting’ with Trump as he seeks more cooperation with US
Zelensky has a ‘good meeting’ with Trump as he seeks more cooperation with US The Ukrainian president, who met Trump at the White House on Tuesday, discussed ways for Ukraine to produce its own powerful weapons US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met on Tuesday ahead of Senator Lindsey Graham’s funeral, with the two leaders discussing ways for Ukraine to produce its own powerful weapons and “other ideas that could help” in its continuing war against Russia. The sit-down in the Oval Office, which was closed to the media, followed a consequential meeting at the Nato summit earlier this month in Ankara, Turkey, where Trump announced that the US will give Ukraine a licence to make Patriot defence systems – a long-running request from Kyiv to counter Russian missile attacks. In a post on social media after the meeting, Zelensky thanked Trump for the “good meeting” and the Republican administration’s efforts to aid Kyiv in the long-running war, which began more than four years ago when Russia invaded Ukraine. “The President and I discussed licences for Patriot interceptor production and several other ideas that could help,” wrote Zelensky, who also noted that he offered condolences to Trump for the death of Graham, a close ally. “We also spoke about diplomacy – it’s important that the diplomatic process be reinvigorated.” The White House did not immediately return a request for comment on the meeting. Trump welcomed Zelensky to the White House as the Ukrainian leader travelled to Washington to honour Graham, whose final act as a public official was visiting Kyiv and securing an agreement on a package of sanctions that seek to punish countries that purchase Russian oil, gas and other exports.
Oil prices fall 5% to two-week low on hopes for US-Iran conflict easing | Reuters
A settlement in the Ukraine war could result in the lifting of ... Russia was the world's third-biggest crude oil producer behind the U.S. ...
Oil prices fall 5% to two-week low on hopes for US-Iran conflict easing | Reuters
Oil prices fall 5% to two-week low on hopes for US-Iran conflict easing | Reuters
Europe Intelligence Brief — Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Europe Intelligence Brief — Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Europe Intelligence Brief — Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Europe Intelligence Brief — Tuesday, July 28, 2026 Executive Summary Europe Intelligence Brief July 28 — Europe confronts a day of escalatory war moves, government instability in France, and social shocks. Our intelligence Rio Times · Europe Intelligence Brief July 28 Europe Intelligence Brief July 28 — Key Facts —Ukraine Strike Ukraine launched over 100 drones into Russia, hitting strategic bomber bases in the largest such attack of the war. —France Budget Prime Minister Lecornu forced the 2026 budget into law without a vote, triggering immediate no-confidence motions. —Germany Missiles Chancellor Merz agreed to station US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles in Germany, upgrading NATO’s long-range strike capacity. —Russian Bombardment Russian overnight strikes across five Ukrainian cities killed at least 14 people and wounded more than 80. —AfD Leadership The national-conservative AfD party re-elected its co-leaders at a congress met by large public protests. —Mount Etna Sicily’s Mount Etna erupted with huge ash clouds, prompting civil protection alerts and possible flight disruption. Europe Intelligence Brief July 28 — A mood of heightened anxiety grips the continent as the war in Ukraine sees its most escalatory day yet and France stares down a government collapse. From a tragic train crash in Belgium to a deadly shooting in Ireland, the day’s events paint a picture of a region on edge. Ukraine launched its largest-ever drone strike deep into Russia, while Germany announced a historic missile deal with the United States. Underneath these security tremors, social and political orders are fraying from Paris to Sicily. Ukraine/Russia — Escalation and Pain Kyiv’s Historic Deep Strike Ukraine launched its biggest long-range drone attack of the war, sending over 100 drones deep into Russian territory to hit strategic bomber bases. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed it was the ‘biggest long-range attack of the war so far,’ marking a defiant new chapter. The symbolic and military impact is immense, bringing the conflict home to Russia and demonstrating a painstakingly developed long-range capability. It arrives as a second round of ceasefire talks in Turkey collapsed without a political settlement. Russian Barrages Hit Home Russia retaliated with mass bombardments using a new intermediate-range missile, the ‘Orechnik’, striking Ukrainian cities overnight. The weekend’s barrages killed at least 14 people and injured over 80 across five cities, including four dead in Kyiv alone. The grim arithmetic of dead and wounded is fuelling a mood of defiance mixed with profound grief in Ukraine. A prisoner swap was agreed, a small diplomatic ray in an otherwise dark and escalatory security landscape. France — A Government on the Brink Budget Power-Play Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu forced part of the 2026 budget through the National Assembly without a vote, using special constitutional powers. The move immediately exposes his government to no-confidence motions that could topple it. The decision creates a feeling of deep political instability in Paris, with lawmakers accusing the executive of bypassing democratic debate. It reflects a fragmented parliament where passing a budget through normal channels has become nearly impossible. Deadly Football Riots The jittery national mood was compounded when celebrations of PSG’s Champions League victory turned violent, leaving two people dead and hundreds arrested. President Emmanuel Macron condemned the disorder and pledged punishment for those responsible. The post-victory euphoria shattered into scenes of chaos, adding to a sense of fraying social order. It is a painful reminder that public safety risks can bubble up even during moments of national pride. The relentless Russian overnight strikes and Ukraine’s historic deep strike into Russia make the war feel closer and more escalatory than ever. Germany — A Break from the Past The Tomahawk Deal Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced a landmark deal with the United States to purchase and station American-made Tomahawk cruise missiles on German soil. This significantly upgrades Germany’s long-range strike capability within NATO’s deterrence posture. The announcement signals a historic break from Germany’s traditionally cautious defence stance, bracing the country for a long confrontation. It adds to a continent-wide feeling of preparing for an uncertain and potentially dangerous future. AfD Solidifies Leadership At a party congress, the national-conservative Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) re-elected Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla as co-leaders. The event drew large protests outside the venue, underscoring the deep societal divisions in the country. The re-election signals continuity for a movement that capitalises on national identity fears, even as it remains politically isolated from power. Germany today appeared as a nation split between a new muscular defence policy and a roiling internal culture war. Italy — Nature’s Warning Mount Etna Roars to Life Mount Etna in Sicily erupted with huge plumes of smoke and ash, triggering civil protection measures across the region. The activity is threatening to disrupt air traffic, shifting the focus from summer leisure to emergency readiness. The eruption is a stark reminder of Europe’s volatile natural landscape, demanding constant vigilance. Local authorities are on high alert, coordinating a response to protect communities and vital transport links. Bracing for Disruption Officials are monitoring wind patterns to predict where ash clouds will travel, while residents wear masks to cope with the falling debris. The sense of alertness is palpable, a collective pause in the rhythm of island life. The economic impact on local agriculture and tourism could be significant if the eruption continues. Italy feels the weight of managing a natural disaster on top of the continent’s broader security anxieties. Ireland — A Day of Shock Fatal Shopping Centre Shooting A rare fatal shooting at the Fairgreen Shopping Centre left one man dead and a child injured, puncturing a sense of everyday safety. Police swiftly closed the centre and urged the public not to share graphic footage online. The incident is deeply shocking for a community unaccustomed to such public violence. The investigation is active, with authorities working to protect the victims’ families and preserve the integrity of the case. A Community in Mourning The presence of an injured child has amplified the sense of horror and vulnerability across the nation. Ireland is now grappling with a moment that feels like a departure from its normal, peaceful public life. Support services are being mobilised for witnesses and the affected families. The country stands in a state of collective mourning, holding onto the hope for a swift and just resolution. Belgium — Infrastructure Tragedy Train and School Bus Collision A train collided with a school bus in Belgium, causing at least four deaths in a horrifying accident. The mournful atmosphere has enveloped the nation, raising immediate and hard questions about infrastructure safety. Emergency services worked into the night to secure the scene and assist survivors. The tragedy is a devastating blow, turning a routine journey into a moment of national grief. Hard Questions Ahead An investigation is underway to determine how such a catastrophic collision could have happened. Belgium is now entering a period of painful reflection on rail crossing safety and transport protocols. The human cost is the central focus, with a feeling of collective sorrow for the young lives lost. It is a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the critical importance of robust public infrastructure. Azerbaijan — A Diplomatic Break Threat to Leave Council of Europe President Ilham Aliyev hinted that Azerbaijan may leave the Council of Europe after its voting rights were suspended in the Parliamentary Assembly. The move signals a deepening rift with Europe’s top human rights body. The threat reflects a broader trend of autocratic-leaning states pushing back against Western institutional pressure. It would mark a significant retreat from the continent’s post-war architecture of shared legal norms. Strained Relations The suspension of voting rights was a response to concerns about the rule of law and human rights in the country. Baku’s defiant reaction is being watched cautiously from Brussels as a new diplomatic challenge. Europe now faces the prospect of a further unraveling of its institutional reach in the South Caucasus. The mood is one of concern over the erosion of a framework designed to uphold democratic standards. EU — Relief and Long Shadows Millions in Disaster Relief The European Parliament voted to provide €144.1 million in relief funding to Spain, Romania, and Cyprus for natural disasters suffered in 2025. This act of solidarity reflects the bloc’s mechanism for collective recovery from extreme weather events. The funding is a practical lifeline for communities still rebuilding, but it also casts a long shadow. It underscores the recurring and costly impact of climate-driven disasters on European soil. Watching a Polarised Continent From a ceremonial Polish presidency scrutinised for its stability to a Portuguese court ruling on abandoned children, the day’s lighter-impact stories add texture to a polarised political dynamic. A feeling of institutional fatigue is palpable across Central and Southern Europe. The confluence of events leaves a picture of a continent managing multiple, simultaneous crises. The atmosphere is one of holding one’s breath, waiting to see which pressure point will require immediate attention next. The Bigger Picture Europe is concluding a day of sharp contrasts: military escalation in the East, political brinkmanship in the West, and profound social shocks in communities from Ireland to Belgium. The psychogram of the region is one of heightened anxiety, where each headline feels like a new tremor. Ukraine’s historic drone strike and Russia’s deadly reply make the war feel closer, amplified by Germany’s decision to host long-range US missiles for the first time. This militarisation of the security landscape is happening in lockstep with a fraying of social and political order within the EU’s core. From the forced French budget to the AfD’s re-election and the grief of a train crash, the day’s events are a composite of a continent bracing for a long confrontation, both externally and with itself. The watch list for the coming months is dense with defence summits, sanctions packages, and a growing demand for stability amidst relentless change. Europe Intelligence Brief July 28: What We Are Watching - Today — A public hearing in the EU debates the role of civil society in the bloc’s new security and peace corps. - Early September 2026 — The EU tables its 19th sanctions package against Russia, aiming to tighten Moscow’s economic pressure. - Q2 2026 (ongoing) — The EU Anti-Poverty Strategy rollout addresses the rising cost-of-living crisis hitting households across all member states. - Q4 2026 — A Fair Labour Mobility Package is expected to update rules for millions of workers moving within the European Union. - December 2026 — The Quality Jobs Act, part of the Commission’s social agenda, is set to improve working conditions across the continent. - 2026 — COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, shapes global climate action with direct consequences for European environmental and industrial policy. - 2026 — The sixth European Defence and Security Conference focuses on boosting EU military production capacity in the shadow of the Ukraine war. - This week — France watches for the no-confidence motion that could topple the government, as investigators in Belgium and Ireland begin the search for answers. Go Deeper The full Europe Intelligence Dossier — the interactive risk dashboard, the six people who matter and the downloadable PDF — is updated daily by the Rio Times Intelligence Desk. The Europe Intelligence Brief July 28 returns tomorrow morning. Frequently Asked Questions What did Ukraine do that made this the most escalatory day of the war? Ukraine launched its biggest long-range drone attack of the war, sending over 100 drones deep into Russian territory to hit strategic bomber bases. Why might the French government collapse soon? Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu forced part of the 2026 budget into law without a vote, which immediately triggered no-confidence motions that could topple his government. What is the landmark defence deal Germany just announced? Chancellor Friedrich Merz agreed to purchase and station American-made Tomahawk cruise missiles on German soil, significantly upgrading the country's long-range strike capability. LatAm Markets: Live Signals → — real-time movers, turnover leaders and FX across Latin America.
Trump, Zelenskyy hold talks on strengthening Ukraine's defense industry
U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met on Tuesday to discuss expanding Ukraine's domestic weapons production and other measures to bolster Kyiv's defense against Russia, ahead of attending Sen. Lindsey Graham's funeral. The sit-down in the Oval Office, which was closed to the media, followed a consequential meeting at the NATO summit earlier this month in Ankara, Turkey, where Trump announced that the U.S. will give Ukraine a license to make Patriot defense systems - a long-running request from Kyiv to counter Russian missile attacks. In a post on social media after the meeting, Zelenskyy thanked Trump for the "good meeting” and the Republican administration's efforts to aid Kyiv in the long-running war, which began more than four years ago when Russia invaded Ukraine. "The President and I discussed licenses for Patriot interceptor production and several other ideas that could help,” said Zelenskyy, who also noted that he offered condolences to Trump for the death of Graham , a close ally. "We also spoke about diplomacy - it’s important that the diplomatic process be reinvigorated.” The White House did not immediately return a request for comment on the meeting. Trump welcomed Zelenskyy to the White House as the Ukrainian leader traveled to Washington to honor Graham, whose final act as a public official was visiting Kyiv and securing an agreement on a package of sanctions that seek to punish countries that purchase Russian oil, gas and other exports. In a Fox News Channel interview on Tuesday, Trump recalled Graham's hawkishness and said the Republican South Carolina senator's support for Ukraine never wavered. Trump said Graham had suggested it was time to make a deal with Iran but had no similar suggestion for the Russia-Ukraine war . "Ukraine, he's very militant about,” Trump said on "Fox & Friends." "I mean, Lindsey liked war, to be honest with you." The Trump administration's embrace of Zelenskyy comes as a far-right activist with the U.S. president’s ear had a recent, widely publicized change of heart on Russia’s war against Ukraine. Laura Loomer , known primarily for her incendiary social media posts and her influence with Trump, has been traveling through Ukraine, witnessing Moscow’s barrage firsthand and interviewing Zelenskyy while admitting she was "bamboozled by Russian propaganda.” Loomer said she spoke to Trump after she met with Zelenskyy in Ukraine last week and she expects to meet with the U.S. president once she returns from her trip. "It’s looking good for Ukraine, right?” Loomer said during an interview with The Associated Press. "Going into this meeting next week at the Oval Office is looking pretty good.” Ahead of the meeting, Zelenskyy also warned that Russia has been aiding Iran as the war persists by capturing satellite imagery of U.S. bases in the Gulf region that later appear in Iran. The Ukrainian president also asserted that there was a "clear correlation” between Russia’s images and subsequent Iranian strikes. "The purpose is clear,” Zelenskyy said earlier this month. "None of us in the world should turn a blind eye to one very simple fact: Evil always seeks ways to make things worse and spread further.” But on Monday, Trump downplayed any impact of potential Russian assistance for Iran. "I don’t think they’ve been doing it, certainly not at a high level,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One as he traveled to Michigan . "And if they have, it has been very un-impactful.” Still, he said he would raise the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelenskyy has a busy itinerary during his latest visit to Washington. Besides his White House meeting, Zelenskyy will head to the Capitol to meet with senators on Tuesday evening after Graham’s funeral at Washington National Cathedral, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting who was not authorized to discuss it publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. Republican leadership is hoping to advance Graham’s sanctions legislation this week, although the Senate is juggling several other priorities before lawmakers leave Washington for their August recess. The bill has dozens of backers from both major political parties and is seen as the main policy tribute to Graham, who died unexpectedly this month from a tear in his aorta. It imposes tariffs on goods from the world’s top five purchasers of Russia oil or natural gas, including China and India. The legislation also includes sanctions against Putin; senior Russian political and military leaders; and Russian financial institutions and energy projects.
Trump, Zelenskyy hold talks on strengthening Ukraine's defense industry
Trump, Zelenskyy hold talks on strengthening Ukraine's defense industry
When righteous calls to end the war become warmongering
When righteous calls to end the war become warmongering
When righteous calls to end the war become warmongering
When righteous calls to end the war become warmongering Russian tanks roll across Red Square during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow, Russia, on May 9, 2025. (Stringer / AFP) Andrew Chakhoyan Academic director at the University of Amsterdam Russia's war on Ukraine has yet to end because Russia keeps waging it. It is shocking, though regrettably unsurprising, that in the fifth summer since the 2022 escalation by the aggressor, and 12 years since Russia first invaded Ukraine, pundits, scholars, and unscrupulous politicians still offer "solutions" to resolve a "conflict," pointing up and calling it down while ignoring basic facts and laundering the Kremlin's lies in plain sight. To offer blood, sweat, and tears would be decidedly out of fashion and no way to make friends these days, so why not call for "diplomacy," always a safe choice? Is not talking better than killing? This rhetorical misdirection invites agreement with a claim no one disputes while quietly smuggling in insidious manipulations. Moscow plants false premises in seemingly innocuous language, and these enter public debate through either careless repetition or deliberate amplification. Russia's invasion becomes a "war in Ukraine." Moscow's neo-imperial bid for a sphere of influence, where neighbors are to be murdered until they give up sovereignty, becomes "security interests." Ukraine's refusal to be massacred morphs into an obstacle to peace. A few carefully chosen narrative threads can make Russian occupation, torture chambers, and mass graves sound humane, and self-defense appear reckless. Two recent examples stand out. A Russian oligarch, Andrey Melnichenko, whose ammonia plants feed the aggressor's military-industrial complex – a supply chain culminating with Russian missiles hitting Ukrainian homes – is presented to us by The Economist as an "industrialist." A calculated choice for everyone knows that an oligarch in today's Russia is a billionaire who is allowed to keep his fortune at Vladimir Putin's pleasure. Melnichenko's guest essay is full of "fresh" ideas; The Economist bills it as an act of courage to speak up. But engage with the four scenarios he lays out: humiliation, Chinese vassalage, fragmentation, and permanent siege, and you will have tacitly legitimized the premise-setting fraud. To contest Melnichenko's asinine take on sovereignty comes at the cost of giving credence to the big lies on which the whole argument rests.' Moscow's war of choice, an attempt to recolonize Ukraine, is surreptitiously repainted as a struggle between "the West" and Russia. Neither Ukraine's suffering, as the only country spilling blood in defense of freedom, nor the agency of the Ukrainians, embodied in the valor of the bravest nation on Earth, resisting its destruction, gets a mention. In fact, both are dismissed in absentia. The proxy-war sleight of hand is nearly invisible, yet it undergirds the Melnichenko "info op," with The Economist cast as a patsy. The tired fabrication "Russia under siege" is deployed to justify the unjustifiable. In 1942, Joseph Goebbels addressed a crowd in Berlin beneath a giant banner that read, "Never forget that England forced the war on us." In an eerie echo of that logic, Putin, and now Melnichenko, blame Russia's war of choice on NATO. Negotiations are among the instruments through which Moscow delays accountability, disguises aggression, and seeks to legitimize gains achieved through violence. The second example comes from the pages of the FT, where Samuel Charap, an American scholar who studies Russia but appears to understand nothing about it, pleaded for diplomacy “to bring this bloody, destructive war to an end.” Could anyone possibly object to such a noble pursuit? Except that this righteous call for "action" (read: inaction) recursively attributes the war to itself. The horrors must end! Such comfort-giving language sounds so much more agreeable than saying that the aggressor must be confronted and punished if Moscow's appetite for warmaking is ever to be curbed. Charap appears blind to the Kremlin's use of diplomacy as an instrument of war, not too different from the weaponization of energy through Gazprom, information through Russia Today, lawfare, and dark money, as documented by Catherine Belton in Putin's People. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, who has firsthand experience with Russia's war, explained that negotiations are among the instruments through which Moscow delays accountability, disguises aggression, and seeks to legitimize gains achieved through violence. Charap's own examples give away the weakness of his case. He points to Korea and Colombia as success stories in diplomacy. South Korea has no peace treaty with its belligerent and now nuclear-armed neighbor, only an armistice. Colombia's settlement has left a country where former FARC territory is now contested by many armed groups, and cocaine production has climbed to record levels. If these are the models Charap reaches for, he has made the case against himself. The more pertinent examples, Germany and Japan in 1945, are nowhere to be found. In both cases, the aggressor's capacity to wage war was destroyed first. Reparations, war-crimes tribunals, atonement, and diplomacy followed. "You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor, and you will have war," said Churchill, addressing Neville Chamberlain, who believed he had secured peace in Munich in 1938 by striking a deal with Hitler. Russia's revanchism has already reached Western Europe: the radioactive poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko in London, the Novichok attack in Salisbury that ultimately killed British citizen Dawn Sturgess, Russian drones entering Polish and Romanian airspace, and information warfare poisoning political discourse and weaponizing Western institutions against its citizens. Calling it a hybrid war works like magic – Europe feels safe and secure, while talking heads on Russian state TV threaten to incinerate London, Berlin, and Paris. "Без надії сподіваюсь" ("Without expectations, I still hope") are the immortal words of Ukrainian poet Lesya Ukrainka. She meant hope as an act of defiance, sustained by will when circumstances offered no comfort. What we see in parts of the old continent is its inversion: hope emptied of will and detached from action. Opinion leaders and people in positions of authority entertain the baseless expectation that peace awaits only a breakthrough summit, a more skilled mediator, or a negotiated pause that will automatically lead to something better. As Chatham House reminded in a recent study, ceasefires with Moscow, in Moldova, in Georgia, and twice at Minsk were a cynical farce on the side of Russia and an exercise in obfuscation, or self-betrayal to be more precise, on the part of Europe. Instead of abandoning its predatory ambitions, Moscow doubled down on malice and violence. Each attempt to skip past peace-through-strength has left Europe worse off than before. "Ending the war" sounds morally unimpeachable. In practice, it manifests as warmongering when such calls leave the aggressor rewarded, armed, and undeterred from striking again. Ukrainians know the difference. The guns never truly fall silent unless aggression fails. Editor's note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent.
Zelenskyy Arrives At White House As Ukraine Looks To Build On Momentum With Trump – Analysis
Zelenskyy Arrives At White House As Ukraine Looks To Build On Momentum With Trump – Analysis