Jul 26, 2026, 12:30 AM UTC

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Saturday that Russia is preparing to deploy 30,000 North Korean soldiers to assist its war effort in Ukraine. Zelensky noted that Russian forces are already making preparations to receive the foreign troops.

The announcement comes ahead of scheduled talks between Zelensky and US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday. The upcoming Washington summit aims to evaluate potential diplomatic paths to halt the conflict, including proposals for a mutual aerial ceasefire. Ukrainian officials believe mounting economic strain on Moscow could create leverage for negotiations, despite previous truce rejections.

The security situation remains tense following a Russian missile strike on a Kyiv region defense exhibition that killed ten people and injured nearly 100, alongside additional security incidents in NATO airspace and the Middle East.

Sources: HRT Vijesti, Vijesti.

Firefighters in France and Spain continue to battle expanding wildfires as adverse weather conditions trigger renewed evacuations across both nations.

In southwestern France, blazes in the Gironde department have destroyed an area four times the size of Paris, pushing flames toward Bordeaux. In Spain, three blazes merged west of Madrid, leading officials to declare a national emergency and warn that the situation has exceeded containment capacity. Late-night flare-ups also prompted fresh evacuations in Toledo.

Estimates of total displacement vary across reporting outlets as the situation rapidly develops. Sources report between 140,000 and at least 300,000 people evacuated overall, including over 200,000 in France and up to 63,000 in Spain's capital region.

Sources: BBC News, DW, Sweden Herald, Point

Israeli military operations and settler clashes escalated across the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip following fatal skirmishes near the West Bank village of Tal. The initial violence resulted in four Palestinian deaths and killed either two Israeli soldiers or one civilian, while overnight Israeli raids injured at least eleven Palestinians and led to dozens of detentions. Palestinian authorities blamed armed settlers for provoking the initial clashes.

In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to expand settlement infrastructure and rapidly approve unauthorized agricultural outposts. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich advocated that local villages be cleared of "terrorists."

Concurrently, Palestinian officials reported that an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City's Sheikh Radwan district killed Abdel-Nasser al-Makadma, northern Gaza's governor and Hamas police chief. Under international law, all Israeli settlements in occupied territory remain illegal.

Sources: NOS (Nederlandse Omroep Stichting), ORF, Tagesschau.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia is preparing to receive additional military personnel from North Korea. The statement coincides with ongoing coordination between Ukraine and the United States regarding revised peace proposals. Meanwhile, neighboring Romania announced it intercepted and downed a second unidentified drone over its territory.

In Southern Europe, Italian authorities are investigating allegations that arsonists used animals to deliberately spread wildfires across the country. The suspicions surface amid severe blazes affecting multiple Mediterranean nations.

Separately, Swedish defense manufacturer Saab promoted a new anti-tank munition designed to breach heavy armor.

Sources: Iltalehti.

One person has died and several others suffered life-threatening injuries after a van drove into a crowd during Berlin's Pride celebrations on Saturday evening, according to reporting by the Sweden Herald. The vehicle reportedly collided with attendees near Tiergarten park around 10:00 p.m. before hitting a tree, after which the driver fled the scene.

German authorities evacuated the area surrounding Tiergarten and the concert zone at the Brandenburg Gate as police launched a manhunt for the driver. Emergency medical personnel treated multiple victims at the site. BBC News also confirmed several injuries from the incident. Law enforcement has urged the public to stay clear of the area as investigations into the incident continue.

Sources: BBC News, Sweden Herald.