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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Cuba poses a 'national security threat' and that peaceful agreement is unlikely, while President Trump hinted at military intervention. The remarks follow charges against Raúl Castro and new sanctions, amid Cuba's fuel and food crises.
An Ankara appeals court has annulled the 2023 leadership election of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), naming Kemal Kilicdaroglu as interim leader. The ruling has sparked protests, accusations of a 'judicial coup,' and concerns about the future of Turkish democracy.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that during informal tea talks, Xi Jinping briefed Vladimir Putin on Donald Trump's visit to China, and the leaders discussed the Iran conflict and Cuba's situation. Peskov also outlined preparations for Putin's upcoming visit to Beijing, focusing on the significant expectations from the Russian side.
A Turkish court released Deutsche Welle reporter Alican Uludag from detention while his trial on charges of insulting the president and spreading misleading information continues. The next hearing is set for September 18. Uludag denies the charges, and press freedom advocates have decried the case as intimidation.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed granting Ukraine a special status as an 'associate member' of the European Union, allowing Ukrainian officials to participate in EU institutions without voting rights. The proposal, outlined in a letter to EU leaders, includes access to the bloc's mutual assistance clause and certain EU funds, with a snap-back mechanism if Kyiv backtracks on rule-of-law standards. Reactions have been mixed, with Slovak PM Robert Fico conditionally supporting the idea and French politician Florian Philippot warning of financial ruin.
UK defense officials reported that Russian fighter jets intercepted British RAF reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea in April, with one jet flying as close as six meters and another triggering emergency systems. Defense Secretary John Healey condemned the actions as 'dangerous and unacceptable,' and separately, an RAF jet carrying Healey was reportedly jammed after flying near Russia.
Belarus and Russia have conducted joint military exercises involving nuclear forces, drawing condemnation from Ukraine while officials in Minsk and Moscow insist the drills pose no threat. The exercises included the participation of both presidents via video link and live-fire tests of ballistic and cruise missiles.
US President Donald Trump said he will speak to Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te about a proposed arms deal, which would mark the first direct contact between US and Taiwanese leaders in over 40 years. China has voiced strong opposition, urging Washington to stop sending "wrong signals" to separatist forces.
Lithuania's president and prime minister were moved to bunkers and Vilnius residents were urged to shelter after a drone alert on Wednesday. The incident, the first of its kind in a NATO capital since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, has heightened regional tensions.
The UK has relaxed sanctions on Russian oil, allowing the import of jet fuel and diesel refined in third countries, as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz drives fuel prices upward. The move, aimed at shielding consumers from cost-of-living pressures, has drawn criticism from opposition figures and raised concerns among allies in Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's official visit to China underscored the strategic stability and unprecedented level of Russia-China relations, with both sides pledging closer coordination on international platforms and continued cooperation in various sectors including energy and trade. The joint statement following the talks covered bilateral relations, opposition to unilateral sanctions, and simplification of visa formalities.
Russian military officials and state media describe ongoing nuclear exercises as a direct response to perceived Western aggression, involving over 64,000 troops and joint maneuvers with Belarus. NATO says it is monitoring but not commenting, while regional officials warn of immediate retaliation against any threats to Kaliningrad. The drills, running from May 19-21, 2026, highlight escalating tensions and divergent interpretations of intent.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Italian PM Giorgia Meloni in Rome, where the two leaders visited the Colosseum, exchanged gifts, and discussed boosting trade to €20 billion by 2029. The trip, the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM to Italy in 26 years, also saw the countries elevate their relationship to a Special Strategic Partnership.
Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen reiterated that the territory is not for sale during a visit by US special envoy Jeff Landry, who met with officials in Nuuk. Hundreds of Greenlanders protested the opening of a new US consulate, and Nielsen condemned reported attempts by an American to pay locals to sign a petition supporting US annexation.
A Romanian F-16 fighter jet from NATO's Baltic air policing mission shot down a drone over Estonia, suspected to be a Ukrainian drone diverted by Russian electronic jamming. Ukraine apologized, blaming Moscow, while Baltic states investigate a series of similar incursions.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Sweden for NATO foreign ministers' talks and then visit India for bilateral discussions and the Quad meeting, his first trip to India since taking office. The visit comes amid strains over tariffs and sanctions, as both nations seek to strengthen ties.
NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich, said the planned US troop withdrawal from Germany will take several years and be synchronized with allies. The US has announced pulling 5,000 troops from Germany, with reports of additional reductions and a cancelled deployment to Poland.
Russia has launched three days of large-scale nuclear exercises involving tens of thousands of troops, as Ukraine intensifies drone strikes and Putin visits China. The drills test ballistic and cruise missiles and include cooperation with Belarus, drawing NATO's attention.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Moscow sees no conditions for strategic stability talks with the US or broader security dialogue with the West, citing Washington's approach, NATO actions, and France's nuclear umbrella plans. The remarks underscore continued deadlock amid heightened nuclear signaling in Europe.
The International Criminal Court has opened hearings against Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri, a former Libyan prison commander accused of overseeing widespread abuses at Mitiga prison. He faces 17 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes, marking the first ICC prosecution in its Libya investigation.