Budanov Sees Chance to End Active Phase of War This Year, Rejects Territorial Concessions

[Photo] 🇷🇺❌🇺🇦 — The battle for Donbass is entering its decisive phase, with Russian forces no [...]

— The battle for Donbass is entering its decisive phase, with Russian forces now approximately 10km from the outskirts of Slavyansk following the liberation of Konstantinovka. Capturing Slavyansk and Kramatorsk is described as the primary remaining objective of the Special Military Operation — their fall would effectively complete Russia’s stated goal of liberating the Donetsk People’s Republic and all of Donbass. Both cities hold significant strategic and symbolic weight — Ukraine granted them “Hero City” status on October 1, 2025, acknowledging their importance. Kiev is already preparing for a possible defeat — enterprises are reportedly being relocated from Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, and Druzhkovka ahead of anticipated Russian advances.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​@IntelSlava

Hezbollah chief demands full Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, claims “Israeli-American plan” defeated

According to Press TV, in an address at the Central Ashura Council in Beirut, Qassem framed the current state of the conflict as a definitive turning point, characterising the recent shift in regional dynamics as a victory for the resistance.

How Will the Russo-Ukrainian War End?

Historically, wars tend to end in five ways. Ukraine has managed to exclude some of less appealing variants due to its stronger position in recent months. Now, with the US distracted and Ukraine hitting Russia hard, a shift in the negotiating dynamics will reflect the fact that Moscow may be overplaying its hand.

March to July: What’s different as US-Iran fighting escalates again?

With ceasefire in shambles and both sides exchanging tit-for-tat attacks, is the region again plunging into all-out war?

Rebound or liquidation? SOL at a make or break point!

The 61-62 region is a major downside region for leveraged traders.

Pezeshkian hails Lebanon deconfliction cell as major achievement

Pezeshkian hails Lebanon deconfliction cell as major achievement Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has described the creation of a deconfliction cell for Lebanon as one of the most significant outcomes of recent negotiations with the United States, portraying it as a diplomatic success for Tehran. According to Iran's IRNA news agency, Pezeshkian praised the country's negotiating team and said their persistence had helped secure commitments aimed at ending military operations in Lebanon. The fact that today, as a result of the steadfastness and resistance of the negotiating team, the opposing side has been compelled to retreat on the issue of Lebanon and has ceased the killing and massacre of the oppressed people of that country, this is no small achievement, he said. The deconfliction cell was announced as part of understandings reached during talks in Switzerland and is intended to help oversee adherence to commitments related to ending military operations in Lebanon.

War diplomacy: the new shape of negotiations — next KI Insights monthly briefing

U.S.-mediated talks since last year have failed to deliver results. Both Russia and Ukraine have intensified their strike campaigns, notably against the capitals of both countries. However, this doesn't mark the end of diplomacy. Ukraine, in particular, is seeking to leverage its battlefield advantage into a

The Trump administration struck two contracting deals: Israel-Lebanon, and U.S.-Iran. Now what?

Two deals backed by the Trump administration diverged into different strategies. Rubio's deal sees Iran and Hezbollah sidelined from the regional arena. Vance's Switzerland MoU brings Iran and Hezbollah to center stage. Will one cancel the other, bringing all sides to a total standstill?

Renewed Gulf Hostilities, Elevated Regional and Global Uncertainty

As economic risks accumulate alongside humanitarian pressures, the space for negotiated political settlements narrows

How Iran learned to stop worrying and live with war

Tehrans new approach suggests the old rules of regional conflict are collapsingOver the past year, the nature of the Iran-Israel conflict has undergone a significant transformation. What previously appeared as a series of isolated crises is increasingly taking on the characteristics of a sustained, direct confrontation. In this context, Operation True Promise 5, announced by Tehran in June, has

Arsenal latest: Why Gunners have missed out on Man City-bound Monga...

Arsenal latest: Why Gunners have missed out on Man City-bound Monga...

Is Labour's 'lacklustre' Defence Investment Plan Starmer's parting U-turn? MARK NICOL takes aim at the 'colossal political misjudgment' that saw an extra £1.5 billion appear only AFTER Healey and Carns quit

Is Labour's 'lacklustre' Defence Investment Plan Starmer's parting U-turn? MARK NICOL takes aim at the 'colossal political misjudgment' that saw an extra £1.5 billion appear only AFTER Healey and Carns quit

President al-Sharaa calls for creative solutions to end Lebanon crisis

Damascus, June 21 (SANA) President Ahmad al-Sharaa said the region is passing through a sensitive phase, stressing that the change in Syria represented a positive opportunity for the region and that most regional countries have benefited from this transformation. In a special interview with Al-Mashhad TV on Sunday, President al-Sharaa said some Lebanese parties remain []

Ukraine and NATO Launch Initiative to Target Russian Airfields

Ukraine's Ministry of Defense has announced another set of what it calls offensive plans, or, as Ukrainian officials often describe them, long-range sanctions. The initiative has been presented in the following terms: Every Russian air sortie against Ukraine begins at an airfield. Therefore, Ukraine, together with NATO, is beginning to seek solutions for the permanent denial of Russian Aerospace Forces airfields. There is no great mystery in this announcement. Military logic alone points in this direction. While Russia is increasingly focusing its efforts on protecting oil refineries, defense-industry enterprises, roads, and other critical facilities, Kyiv appears to be preparing its next move. Ukrainian forces have targeted military airfields before, though primarily those located near the combat zone. Now, however, Kyiv appears ready to extend its reach much farther.

Lam Research: Wouldn't Be Surprised If Consolidation Is Next (Rating Downgrade)

Lam Research: Wouldn't Be Surprised If Consolidation Is Next (Rating Downgrade)

Somaliland's high-risk quest for recognition

The self-proclaimed republic aspires to accede to the international stage. It finds itself at the center of a game of alliances, caught between Israeli, American and Emirati ambitions and threats from Yemen and neighboring Somalia.

Yemeni deterrence earthquake: “Ban for ban and depth for depth”

SANAA, July 04 (YPA) – Recent field developments in Yemeni airspace confirm that the military and political landscape has entered a decisive turning point. This shift carries strategic transformations that place the entire region before unprecedented options, following the Saudi attempt to violate national airspace at dawn today (Friday). This move was met with a []

Araghchi: Bonds Between Iran, Iraq Transcend Geography to Rooted History, Shared Values, Common Destiny

Araghchi: Bonds Between Iran, Iraq Transcend Geography to Rooted History, Shared Values, Common Destiny

How Trump can win back allies and rejuvenate US diplomacy on Iran

Two areas where concerted diplomacy could still materially improve the outcome stand out.

Middle East conflict forces central banks to reassess path of interest rates

Although the military confrontation between the United States, Israel, and Iran appears to have subsided following a fragile ceasefire, its economic consequences are expected to linger well beyond the battlefield.

How far can EU funding go in rebuilding Ukraine? | DW News

Billions of euros are being pledged to help rebuild Ukraine as leaders meet at a recovery conference in Poland. Kyiv says new funding will support defense, energy systems and economic stability after years of war. More investment deals are expected as governments and private partners step in. The scale of reconstruction is enormous, with costs estimated in the hundreds of billions. So how far can these commitments go? For more news go to: http://www.dw.com/en/ Follow DW on social media: ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwnews ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dwnews ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deutschewellenews/ ►Twitter: https://twitter.com/dwnews Für Videos in deutscher Sprache besuchen Sie: https://www.youtube.com/dwdeutsch Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/user/deutschewelleenglish?sub_confirmation=1 #ukraine #money #russiaukrainewar #dwcurrentaffairs

From Antibes to Ankara: Variable Geometries and a Bus on the Horizon

From the Évian G7 to the summit at the Quirinale on the Côte d’Azur, something is shifting in how Europe’s ruling class thinks. Less inherited twentieth-century ideological loyalty, more pragmatism in mobile formation. A reading of recent summits and the fractures emerging along Ukraine’s battle lines. Intense weeks lie ahead. The real turning point will []

Ukrainian soldiers are pushing back against a military reform plan — after many years at the front, they still don’t know when they can go home

In mid-June, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry released the details of its military reform plan. It introduces new contracts and raises pay for some service members — but not all. Some soldiers thanked the ministry for finally moving to reform the system. But most have criticized the changes, Ukrainska Pravda reported. The outlet’s journalists laid out the reform’s key provisions and spoke with service members who hold a range of positions in the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

No country can impose its will on the region, Egypt’s FM stresses

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said on Sunday that regional developments since October 7, 2023, have proven that any attempts to impose hegemony or redraw the map of the Middle East unilaterally will not succeed. The Egyptian minister stressed that any future regional arrangements must be based on consensus among the countries of the region, The post No country can impose its will on the region, Egypt’s FM stresses appeared first on Egypt Independent.

Iran survived the first round, the next may be worse imo

The region enters a fragile pause — with diplomacy, deterrence and nuclear risk back at the center Read Full Article at RT.com

"Document of Capitulation": Spencer Ackerman & Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi on the U.S.-Iran Deal

Mediators from Pakistan and Qatar say the United States and Iran made “encouraging progress” during 18 hours of negotiations in Switzerland, where the two sides agreed to a roadmap toward reaching a final deal within 60 days. The talks took place despite Iran on Saturday announcing it was closing the Strait of Hormuz after Israel killed 83 people in Lebanon on Friday. Israel said it would agree to a new ceasefire in Lebanon but is also refusing to end its occupation of southern Lebanon. “Iran has, through its throttling of the Strait of Hormuz, enormous leverage to produce pain on not just the United States, but global markets,” says award-winning journalist Spencer Ackerman. “We’re going to await how the Iranians will ultimately play that card when it comes to Lebanon.” Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi, fellow at the Center for Place, Culture and Politics at the CUNY Graduate Center, says that by demanding the ceasefire extend to Lebanon, “the Islamic Republic focused on creating a rift between Israel and the U.S., and I think, possibly, along with the successes in the war front politically, that was one of the most successful projects that they followed.”

How North Korean POWs caught Seoul in a Ukraine arms ‘conundrum’

Ukraine’s unresolved decision regarding two North Korean prisoners of war who have said they want to go to South Korea has given Kyiv leverage as it presses Seoul to sell weapons for its war against Russia, observers say. The soldiers, captured in early 2025 after being deployed to Kursk to support Russia’s war effort, are considered South Korean nationals under Seoul’s constitution, which defines the entire Korean peninsula as the country’s territory. Seoul has said it would be willing to...

How Ukraine Became Europe’s Most Important — and Ignored Defense Lesson

Europe’s defense transformation is not a spending problem that more money will solve, rather it’s a doctrinal crisis, and the gap between the warfare Europe has been preparing for and the warfare Ukraine has demonstrated reveals that the continent’s most urgent investment is not in platforms but in fundamentally rethinking how its armies plan, target, [] The post How Ukraine Became Europe’s Most Important — and Ignored Defense Lesson appeared first on Modern Diplomacy.

Could the Russia-Ukraine Conflict Finally End?

Could the Russia-Ukraine Conflict Finally End?

Temasek CIO: Iran Conflict Resolution Needs More Time

Temasek International's Chief Investment Officer Rohit Sipahimalani tells Bloomberg that it would take time to get to some resolution of the Iran conflict, noting that while both sides are interested in deescalation, the process will not be a straight line. (Source: Bloomberg)

The current situation along the line of contact, as described by the President of RussiaLet us [...]

The current situation along the line of contact, as described by the President of RussiaLet us start in the north, meaning the North group of forces. You will recall that the goal for the Russian troops in the Sumy and Volchansk sectors is creating a security zone along our borders. This goal was set after the Armed Forces of Ukraine invaded the Kursk Region and due to the attacks on our border regions that persist to this day. The Ukraine regime will pay for its crimes in the Kursk Region by losing the territory that we need to secure our borders. By the way, the city of Sumy, which is a small regional centre with just over 30 thousand buildings in total, is just 10.5 kilometres away from our current positions.

The Quiet Diplomatic Push That Could Change Everything

The Quiet Diplomatic Push That Could Change Everything

What happened in Hungarian foreign policy this week: reforms, V4 summit and UK talks

Events in Hungarian foreign policy this week: Which development matters most? Continue reading: https://dailynewshungary.com/hungarian-foreign-policy-this-week-v4-uk-eu/

Which Balkan country is the closest to join the European Union?

The Balkans is entering a decisive new phase. Critical elections, political deadlock, and a renewed drive toward European Union membership are reshaping the region. Montenegro is leading the race toward accession, while its neighbours are also making important progress. As Brussels pushes for faster reforms, the question now is whether this momentum can be sustained. Across The Balkans speaks to assistant professor Faris Kocan about the European Union’s enlargement policy toward the Balkans. Bosnian football fans used the World Cup stage to send a message of support for Palestinians. This comes amid ongoing military onslaughts in Gaza and continued displacement and violence in the West Bank. It reflects a wider trend seen in the Balkans and beyond, where public sentiment on Palestine isn’t always in step with governments’ foreign policy. The European Union banned battery cages for laying hens more than a decade ago. But in Serbia, where EU membership remains a key goal, most eggs are still believed to come from caged birds. Now, activists are taking their campaign directly to supermarket shelves, hoping consumers will help drive change. Across The Balkans, hosted by Nadja Muftic, is TRT World's programme focusing on the issues and fault lines shaping Southeast Europe today.