Jul 29, 2026, 03:00 PM UTC

The US Senate has voted 86–12 to advance a major sanctions package targeting Russia's energy sector. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the Capitol vote before meeting US President Donald Trump, who pledged licenses allowing Ukraine to manufacture Patriot air-defense interceptor missiles domestically.

Concurrently, Ukraine has intensified its long-range drone campaign. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported that over 390 drones were intercepted overnight, though Ukrainian reports indicate an industrial steel mill near the capital was struck. Additional drone strikes against logistics hubs belonging to Russian online retailer Wildberries have caused an estimated $1.3 billion in economic damage.

Furthermore, Zelenskyy warned that Moscow plans to recruit 30,000 North Korean personnel for deployment in the Voronezh region, along with acquiring new ballistic missile launchers from Pyongyang.

Sources: DW, Hartpunkt, ORF, Sweden Herald.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a surprise ballistic missile attack targeting American military positions in the Middle East, ending several days of calm and threatening a fragile truce. United States Central Command confirmed that all incoming Iranian missiles were intercepted, with Jordanian forces reporting five interceptions over a US base in Jordan.

In response, US and Saudi military forces conducted joint precision strikes in Iraq against Iran-backed militants linked to the operation. The renewed hostilities occurred shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Washington. Addressing the situation, US President Donald Trump stated that American forces hold ammunition reserves "well beyond our needs." Despite the military escalation, crude oil prices fell over five percent in Asian trading as diplomatic negotiations continued.

Sources: Corriere della Sera, El Mundo, ORF, TVP info

French President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency crisis meeting as severe wildfires continue to expand across southwestern France and Spain. Firefighters reported unprecedented atmospheric conditions in France, including a pyrocumulonimbus cloud that is creating localized lightning and volatile winds, further complicating containment efforts near Bordeaux.

National authorities report that over 115,000 hectares have burned nationwide in France this year, with more than 42,000 hectares consumed in the Gironde region alone. In Spain, officials declared a national state of emergency while flames disrupted regional infrastructure and forced adjustments to the Tour de France route.

Displacement estimates vary across reporting. Le Figaro and Der Standard report 220,000 evacuations in Gironde, BBC News and France24 estimate over 250,000 displaced across both countries, while Helsingin Sanomat puts the total above 325,000.

Sources: BBC News, Der Standard, France24, Helsingin Sanomat, Le Figaro.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described a recent 90-minute closed-door meeting with the US president as "excellent," calling it one of the best discussions he has held with an American leader. Held without journalists present, the talks focused on joint strategic objectives, including a shared commitment to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Despite official statements emphasizing mutual cooperation and shared strategic priorities, observers note that concrete progress on key regional security objectives remains limited. However, both governments publicly presented a positive outcome from the session, highlighting aligned security interests.

Sources: Deník N

Thorsten Frei, former head of the German Federal Chancellery, has been elected as the new leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag. Frei secured 91.9 percent of the vote during a special parliamentary group meeting. He succeeds Jens Spahn, who resigned following controversy surrounding a surrogacy arrangement in the United States.

Prior to the vote, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier officially appointed new cabinet ministers in the transport and health portfolios as part of the wider government reorganization.

The parliamentary leadership position is traditionally regarded in German politics as a significant stepping stone toward a future chancellorship, with four previous leaders of the conservative bloc having eventually served as chancellor. In his new capacity, Frei is anticipated to assert parliamentary influence alongside the chancellery.

Sources: ORF, Tagesschau, FAZ.