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Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu stated that current military exercises in Europe are openly directed against Russia and Belarus, with seven drills underway. He also accused NATO of practicing strike scenarios against the Union State and warned of resurgent Nazi ideology in Europe.
At a meeting of CIS security and intelligence chiefs in Irkutsk, Russia's FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov warned that Western countries' rapid push for digital innovations in the Commonwealth's strategic sectors may hide manipulative intentions. He also cited looming threats in cybersecurity, biological weapons, and information warfare, urging closer cooperation among member states.
Tens of thousands of protesters rallied in Belgrade against Serbia's government, leading to clashes with riot police. The student-led movement, sparked by the 2024 Novi Sad rail disaster, is demanding early elections and accountability. President Aleksandar Vucic has offered a possible September-November ballot while condemning the protests.
Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Prime Minister Robert Fico have called for renewed dialogue between the EU and Russia to prevent escalation following a drone crash in Romania. Fico also claimed to be the only EU leader maintaining direct contact with both Moscow and Kyiv, urging a diplomatic path to end the conflict in Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump and Iranian officials signaled progress toward a framework agreement to end the war in the Middle East, with Iran finalizing a 14-point memorandum of understanding. However, key issues remain, including nuclear guarantees, sanctions relief, and the Strait of Hormuz, and some reports suggest the pace of negotiations has slowed.
Russian officials have accused Western media outlets and the EU of ignoring a deadly drone attack on a vocational college in Starobelsk, Lugansk People’s Republic, which Moscow attributes to Ukrainian forces. Russian authorities invited international journalists to the site, with over 50 reporters from 19 countries reportedly attending, while the BBC declined and CNN did not respond. Casualty figures vary across reports, and the EU has not issued a formal statement on the incident.
A Ukrainian drone attack on a college dormitory in Starobelsk, in the Russia-controlled Luhansk region, killed at least 21 people, including many students, and injured dozens. Russia has warned of systematic retaliatory strikes on Kyiv's military-industrial sites, while the Kremlin and Iran have condemned the attack, and Poland has said it will not evacuate its diplomats from the Ukrainian capital.
US President Donald Trump is reportedly considering fresh military strikes against Iran, citing frustration with stalled negotiations. Multiple sources confirm he convened his national security team on Friday to discuss scenarios if diplomacy fails, while diplomatic efforts, including a visit by Pakistan's army chief to Tehran, continue.
US President Donald Trump stated he will not attend his son Donald Trump Jr.'s wedding in the Bahamas, citing government business and his love for the United States. The wedding took place over the weekend, with the couple already legally married in Florida.
Russia has requested an extraordinary UN Security Council meeting following a drone strike on a college dormitory in Starobelsk, which Moscow says was a deliberate Ukrainian attack. Russian officials accuse Western countries of supplying intelligence for the strike, while China has expressed concern and Denmark has said it cannot independently confirm the circumstances.
The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz is entering a dangerous new phase as US and Iranian forces trade fire, negotiations stutter, and Tehran's oil exports fall to a six-year low. US intelligence assesses Iran can withstand the blockade for months, while diplomatic efforts, including Pakistan-led mediation, struggle to gain traction.
A Qatari negotiating team has arrived in Tehran in coordination with the United States to help secure a deal to end the war with Iran, according to multiple sources. Qatar's involvement comes as it has previously been attacked by Iranian missiles and drones, and as Pakistan continues its official mediatory role.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says negotiations between Moscow, Washington, and Kiev are not currently happening, though the US remains prepared to mediate if conditions change. Russian officials, meanwhile, insist they have received no signals from Kiev about readiness for talks and reiterate their conditions for progress.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the US and its NATO allies of expanding military infrastructure in Asia at an accelerated pace, warning of destabilizing effects on regional security. He also raised concerns about nuclear elements in US-South Korea-Japan exercises and efforts to militarize groups like QUAD.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is campaigning to scale up European defense production and secure deals to purchase more American weapons, aiming to reassure US President Donald Trump ahead of a July NATO summit in Ankara. Reports from Politico and the Financial Times detail a meeting in Brussels with European defense industry leaders and discussions on air defense and long-range missiles.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev criticise Western policies, accusing the West of aggressive, boundless tactics, including sanctions and military intervention, and of undermining international platforms.
NATO foreign ministers gathered in Helsingborg, Sweden, as US President Donald Trump announced sending 5,000 additional troops to Poland—a move welcomed by NATO chief Mark Rutte but that also caused confusion among allies over US troop shifts. Germany's foreign minister stressed Berlin's readiness to take on greater leadership within the alliance.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Nuuk, Greenland's capital, to protest against the growing US presence on the Arctic island, carrying banners reading 'We are not for sale' and 'Go Home USA'. The protest came as the US opened a new consulate and after a visit by US special envoy Jeff Landry, who advocated for a stronger US military footprint. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen reiterated that only Greenlanders can decide the territory's future.
As China and Pakistan mark 75 years of diplomatic ties, the relationship faces new strategic dilemmas amid a changing global order. The upcoming Beijing summit, with PM Shehbaz Sharif and CDF Asim Munir, is set to advance CPEC into its second phase and sign multi-billion dollar agreements, while security concerns and differing counterterrorism approaches add complexity.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope for progress in ending the war with Iran, as Pakistani mediators prepare to travel to Tehran for talks. A ceasefire has held since April 8, but negotiations have yet to yield a lasting agreement, with the future of the Strait of Hormuz remaining a key sticking point.