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The United States has formally removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, ending a designation that had been in place since 1979. The move, which also revoked the terrorist designation of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, is seen as a vote of confidence in President Ahmed al-Sharaa's government and aims to boost investment in the country.
During a visit to Kyiv, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced the UK will share classified technical information for the SCALP/Storm Shadow missile components with Ukraine, enabling domestic production. The Kremlin reacted sharply, accusing Britain of adding 'fuel to the fire' and threatening to destroy missile production sites. Burnham hit back, asking 'Who started the fire?' and affirming continued UK support.
A group of protesters continues its daily weekday picket outside Russia's embassy in Ottawa, 4.5 years into the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Using satirical props and signs, they aim to keep the war at the forefront of public consciousness, even as they navigate local tensions and legal boundaries.
Iceland holds a referendum on August 29 asking voters whether to resume EU accession negotiations, a process halted since 2013. The vote, pushed by the 2024 coalition government, comes amid economic concerns over fisheries and geopolitical shifts following Trump's remarks about Greenland.
South Korea's arms procurement agency has introduced formal guidelines for domestic defense firms to access NATO military standards, streamlining a previously case-by-case process. The move aims to support growing arms exports to NATO members amid European rearmament.
Multiple Turkish C-130 and A400M transport aircraft were observed making repeated flights to Pakistani military air bases between August 19 and 21, prompting speculation over possible deliveries of drones and air-defence systems. The activity occurred weeks after Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, though neither Ankara nor Islamabad has officially disclosed the cargo.
Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal arrived in Kyiv for a Nordic-Baltic summit with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, vowing continued support for Ukraine and increased pressure on Russia. The visit, coinciding with Ukraine's Flag Day, included a tour of a Kyiv district damaged by Russian strikes and remarks on NATO's strength and Russia's hybrid threats.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and five other European leaders arrive in Kyiv to mark Flag Day and Independence Day, participating in Nordic-Baltic and Coalition of the Willing summits where new defense agreements and support commitments were announced.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Russia will draft 300,000 additional troops after parliamentary elections in mid-September, potentially reaching 500,000 by 2027. He describes it as a 'peripheral mobilisation' avoiding central cities, and warns of heavy Russian losses, while also highlighting air defence shortages and funding gaps.
An explosives-laden drone discovered at Leipzig/Halle Airport has triggered widespread concern in Germany and conflicting claims about who was responsible. While US officials point to Russia, Russia's SVR suggests a 'Ukrainian trace,' and German authorities have not assigned blame.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar arrived in the UK on Sunday for an official visit from August 24-28, with meetings scheduled with UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband and other officials. A key agenda item is the fate of Pakistani crew members held by Somali pirates aboard the MT Honour 25, with Dar set to meet the IMO Secretary-General.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei said the Strait of Hormuz will stay closed until the US corrects its behavior and fulfills its commitments. Tehran also announced service fees for authorized ships and warned of penalties for non-compliant vessels, as the US prepares new economic measures.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian defends a memorandum of understanding with the US as the best path out of a stalled war, while the new head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, warns that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the US changes its behaviour. Rezaei also threatens neighbouring countries against joining US economic pressure, and the US announces an 'Economic D-Day' campaign against Iran.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar downplayed the relevance of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, questioning what it had achieved amid 'live military situations' facing each signatory. India says it will factor the pact into its security calculus, while analysts debate whether the agreement is a genuine defensive alliance or a reaction to waning US security guarantees.
Two US KC-135 tanker aircraft have left Bulgaria's Bezmer air base, Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov announced on Saturday. The departure comes nearly a month after their deployment angered Iran, which had warned of potential attacks on US assets in Bulgaria and Cyprus.
France has promised to deliver new interceptor missiles to Ukraine, and the UK will help Kyiv produce its own long-range missiles, amid a surge in Russian strikes that has pushed civilian deaths to their highest since the first months of the invasion. The pledges come as Ukraine hosts a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Kyiv on its independence day.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul made an unannounced visit to Kyiv, focusing on winter preparations and defense cooperation. He announced €3 million for Ukrainian veterans and discussed air defense and joint projects with Ukrainian officials.
Siim Kallas, an architect of Estonia's post-Soviet monetary reform and a former prime minister and European commissioner, died at 77. His daughter, EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas, announced his death; European Parliament President Roberta Metsola led tributes.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham arrived in Kyiv on Monday for his first official foreign visit, marking Ukraine's Independence Day and chairing his inaugural meeting of the Coalition of the Willing. He announced an agreement to allow the release of classified information on British components of the Storm Shadow/SCALP missile to enable local production in Ukraine, a step that drew sharp criticism from the Kremlin.
Turkey's justice minister announced Friday that Ankara is asking Interpol to issue red notices for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and another Israeli official, Afek Moskovitch, over the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla. The move has triggered a sharp exchange between Israeli and Turkish officials, amid broader tensions over Syria.