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In a significant move to strengthen its long-term defense, the Ukrainian government has signed a preliminary agreement to acquire as many as 100 Rafale jets, unmanned aerial vehicles, air defence systems and other essential equipment from France. The agreement was signed by Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French president Emmanuel Macron during a shared press briefing at the Elysée residence. The Ukrainian leader referred to the pact as “an unprecedented deal.”

Against Their Will Deported Minors: Families Lose Communication

A number of families of Ukraine's children who were taken against their will to the Russian Federation have raised concerns about their well-being, stating that all contact has been cut off. At a rare news conference in Paris, a legal guardian, who cares for two minors taken after Moscow's full-scale military action of the country in recent years, said that Russian authorities are disregarding all requests to facilitate the children's repatriation.

Unmanned Aerial Attack Hits Turkey-Registered Tanker in Southern Ukraine

An unmanned aerial vehicle hit a Turkish-flagged ship and caused a fire in the southern part of the Odesa area, authorities reported. The incident took place just a day after Zelenskyy signed a deal to bring in US LNG through the area. The MT Orinda was hit while offloading liquefied petroleum gas at Izmail harbor, as stated by Turkish maritime authority. All 16 crew members on board were safely removed and not a single person was hurt.

Romanian Officials Evacuate Villages Following Aerial Attack

Romanian officials announced they had relocated two villages close to the Ukraine border following the aerial strike on the MT Orinda. After entering Ukraine in recent years, Moscow has repeatedly attacked Ukrainian harbors in the Danube River area, triggering alerts in adjacent the country.

United States President Donald Trump Willing to Sign Russia Sanctions Bill

The American leader Trump is prepared to sign legislation to impose penalties on Russia, provided that he retains final decision-making power over these actions, an high-ranking U.S. administration representative said. The U.S. president informed reporters late on Sunday that it was “acceptable to me” that GOP members were working on legislation to impose restrictions on nations doing business with Moscow over its failure to negotiate a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine.

Poland's Leader Calls Railway Blast an “Never-Before-Seen Case of Sabotage”

The Polish leader, Donald Tusk, has labeled an blast along a section of railway line employed in shipments to the country as an “unprecedented act of sabotage” that might have resulted in catastrophe. This statement coincided with a statement from public prosecutors indicating that an inquiry had opened “concerning actions of sabotage of a terrorist kind […] committed on behalf of a foreign intelligence agency against the Republic of Poland.”

Chinese Leader Expresses Willingness to Expand Cooperation with Russia

China is prepared to strengthen collaboration with the Russian Federation in the energy sector, farming and other financial ventures, Leader Li Qiang said during a discussion with Russian prime minister Mikhail Mishustin in Moscow. The Chinese premier told his counterpart that the country welcomes more farm and food-related goods from Russia, according to the official media outlet. The Chinese side also hopes that Moscow will facilitate for Chinese enterprises to invest and operate in Russia, the report mentioned. Mishustin assured Li that the cooperation between the two sides has consistently proven its strength to external challenges.