The European Union on Friday reached an agreement to impose its 18th round of sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine after Slovakia ended its protest.

Europe’s top human rights court delivered damning judgments on Wednesday against Russia, finding Moscow responsible for widespread violations of international law in Ukraine and the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in 2014.

President Trump on Wednesday said he would be sending letters to over 150 countries as he plans a barrage of duties to take effect Aug. 1, including levies on pharmaceutical imports and semiconductors.

Ukraine and Russia have escalated their shadow war of espionage, sabotage, and assassinations, with both countries claiming a growing list of captured agents, intercepted plots, and cross-border attacks.

Russia demands harsh terms at Ukraine peace talks Russia demanded two new chunks of Ukrainian territory as its price for an end to the 3-year war.

Mikhail Yevgenyevich Gudkov, deputy commander of the Russian Navy, was killed on Wednesday, in what the Defence Ministry described as "combat work" in the Kursk Region near Ukraine. Gudkov's death marks one of the highest-profile losses for Moscow since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. and Russia have exchanged new ideas for Ukraine peace talks after he met with his Russian counterpart in Malaysia on Thursday

Europe's top human rights court said on Wednesday (July 9, 2025) that Russia has violated international law in Ukraine, the first time an international court has found Moscow responsible for human rights abuses since the full-scale invasion in 2022.

The EU Commission has offered money and legal aid to Slovakia in return for agreeing to new Russia sanctions, but foreign ministers in Brussels were unable to clinch a deal on Tuesday.

President Trump announced that the United States would not only be selling Patriot missile batteries and other weaponry to NATO to help bolster Ukraine's defense against ongoing Russian attacks, but he threatened to impose 100% secondary tariffs "if we don't have a deal in 50 days.

President Vladimir Putin has replaced Russia's transport minister amid significant challenges for the sector due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Roman Starovoit, dismissed after a year in the job, is succeeded by Andrei Nikitin,