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In a significant move to strengthen its future security, the Ukrainian government has signed a preliminary agreement to purchase as many as 100 Rafale fighter warplanes, drones, air defense equipment and other key gear from the French Republic. The agreement was signed by Ukraine's leader Zelenskyy and French president Macron during a joint press briefing at the Elysée presidential residence. Zelenskyy referred to the pact as “an unprecedented deal.”

Forcibly Taken Children: Families Lose Contact

Several relatives of Ukraine's children who were taken against their will to the Russian Federation have raised concerns about their fate, reporting that every line of communication has been severed. During a rare press event in the French capital, a legal guardian, who is responsible for two children taken after Russia's full-scale military action of Ukraine in recent years, stated that officials in Russia are ignoring all requests to facilitate the minors' repatriation.

Drone Attack Targets Turkey-Registered Tanker in Southern Ukraine

A drone hit a Turkey-registered tanker and set it ablaze in the southern part of Ukraine's Odesa area, officials said. The incident occurred just one day after Zelenskyy signed a deal to bring in US liquefied natural gas via the region. The vessel was struck while offloading liquefied petroleum gas at Izmail harbor, as stated by Turkey's maritime authority. All 16 crew aboard were safely removed and no one was injured.

Romanian Authorities Evacuate Communities Following Drone Incident

Romanian authorities said they had evacuated two villages close to the Ukraine border after the drone attack on the MT Orinda. After entering the country in recent years, Moscow has consistently targeted Ukraine's ports in the Danube area, triggering alerts in adjacent Romania.

US President Donald Trump Willing to Approve Russian Sanctions Bill

US president Donald Trump is willing to approve a bill to impose sanctions on Russia, as long as he keeps final authority power over these actions, a senior U.S. administration official said. Trump told reporters recently that it was “OK with me” that GOP members were drafting a bill to apply sanctions on nations doing business with Moscow over its inability to reach a peace deal with Ukraine.

Polish Prime Minister Calls Railway Explosion an “Never-Before-Seen Case of Disruption”

Poland's prime minister, Donald Tusk, has described an blast along a section of rail track employed in deliveries to the country as an “unprecedented instance of sabotage” that could have led to disaster. This statement coincided with a announcement from legal authorities indicating that an inquiry had opened “regarding actions of disruption of a terrorist kind […] carried out on behalf of a external intelligence agency against the nation of Poland.”

Chinese Leader Shows Readiness to Deepen Cooperation with Russian Federation

The Chinese government is ready to strengthen cooperation with the Russian Federation in the energy sector, agriculture and additional investments, Leader Li Qiang said during a meeting with Russian prime minister Mishustin in Moscow. Li informed his counterpart that the country welcomes more agricultural and food-related products from Russia, as per the official news agency. China also hopes that Russia will make it easier for Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Russia, the report mentioned. Mishustin assured his counterpart that the partnership between the both nations has repeatedly demonstrated its resilience to external challenges.