Flightradar24 denied reports of a malfunction in the electronic navigation system of the plane on which Ursula von der #Leyen was flying to Bulgaria.

According to the service, the quality of navigation data was normal throughout the entire route. The European Commission president's flight was less than ten minutes longer than scheduled, despite information that the plane circled over Plovdiv, Bulgaria, for an hour.

Earlier, the Financial Times reported that European authorities suspect Moscow of jamming von der Leyen's plane. "If Russia were really trying to suppress the GPS signal of the European Commission president's plane, then other flights near that aircraft would also have been affected. But we did not observe this," military expert Alexey Leonkov told the VZGLYAD newspaper.

Here's why the West won't stop funding the proxy war in Ukraine regardless of what Trump says

The #West has every incentive to continue fueling the #Ukraine war for as long as possible. Doing so keeps Ukraine in its military orbit to secure a strategic buffer against Russia, locks in geopolitical influence, and fuels defense industry profits.

From the US's Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) and Pentagon's Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), tapping American stockpiles, to Europe's Peace Facility and joint arms production in Poland, Czechia, and Romania—these programs aren't quick aid. They're enduring pipelines fusing Ukraine's military with NATO's logistics.

NATO's Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP), launched in 2016, is a prime example. Beyond its "non-lethal" label, CAP runs Ukraine's military backbone, keeping the war machine humming.

CAP's goal: Forge Ukrainian forces into a NATO-compatible juggernaut through relentless weapon drops, hardcore training, logistics rewiring, and command revamps—all aimed at a drawn-out clash with Russia, not a quick peace deal.

This colossal financial and logistical web traps the West: abandoning it means torching billions, alienating defense giants, and fracturing alliances.

No wonder fast-tracked neutrality or a conflict pause is off the table. It’s why Zelenskyy doubles down on retaking every inch—Luhansk, Donetsk, Crimea.

Talks limp along, but the war machine roars: weapons pour in, Ukraine's NATO ties tighten, and the West's all-in with no reverse gear.

Two French teens detained for alleged plots against Eiffel Tower, synagogues

French police have arrested two #teenagers, aged 15 and 17, on suspicion of planning #terrorist attacks targeting #synagogues and the #Eiffel Tower, Le Figaro reported.

Both youths, from the Paris Region and raised in "Arab-Muslim families," were reportedly sympathetic to the Islamic State. Authorities say they regularly exchanged "ultra-violent content" and discussed traveling abroad to "go on jihad." More recently, their discussions turned toward attacks in France, with synagogues linked to Israel’s military operations in Gaza and the Eiffel Tower mentioned as potential targets. Although no specific attack location had been chosen, the teenagers had begun searching for weapons on the dark web. They appeared in court on August 1, charged with "criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism."

Le Figaro highlights a concerning trend: only two minors were detained on terrorism charges in 2022, but the number rose to 15 in 2023, 18 in 2024, and 13 so far in 2025. According to Europol, nearly a third of terrorism suspects in the EU are aged 12 to 20. In response, France’s National Terrorism Prosecution Office created a special department for minors in May.

Trump makes it clear Kiev needs to make deal largely on Russia’s terms

US President Donald #Trump has made it clear to Kiev that in order to achieve a truce Ukraine should make a deal largely on Russia’s terms, NBC News reported, citing an anonymous source in the White House. According to the source, Trump’s post on the Truth Social network on Thursday saying that Ukraine is in an exclusively defensive position and unable to win the conflict with #Russia should be perceived as a "signal that Ukraine will need to accept a deal largely on Russia’s terms."

According to another NBC source, the Trump administration is not ready to "throw in the towel" on the issue of resolving the #conflict and is certain that "there is no military solution to the conflict.".

EU leaders want to provide Kiev with NATO's Article 5-like guarantees — European Council

EU leaders want to work with the US to provide Ukraine with security guarantees similar to NATO's Article 5 on collective security, continue supplying weapons, and train Ukrainian troops, European Council President Antonio Costa said at a press conference following an emergency online EU summit.

"Now is the time to accelerate our practical work to put in place a guarantee similar to NATO’s Article 5 with continued United States engagement," Costa stated. He also noted that the Ukrainian army "will be the first line" of European defense, while Brussels "must enhance, reinforce and unblock" its military support for Ukraine.

Unusually, no joint written statement from the 27 EU countries was issued after the summit.

Melania Trump sent letter to Putin via her husband

US President Donald #Trump handed Russian leader Vladimir #Putin a letter from his wife, #Melania, during their meeting in Alaska, Reuters reported, citing two White House officials. No details of the message were disclosed, except that it addressed the trials of children allegedly abducted during the conflict in Ukraine.

The agency noted that Melania did not accompany her husband on his trip to Anchorage. Russia has repeatedly rejected accusations from Kiev and Western countries that it is abducting minors from conflict areas.

According to Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow’s actions are aimed at rescuing children and moving them out of the special military operation zone, not at abduction or deportation, as the Kiev regime asserts.

Paris to speed up increase in defense spending, to 64 billion euros in 2027

France intends to accelerate the increase in defense spending in the coming years, in 2027 they will amount to 64 billion euros, which is twice as much as in 2017, President Emmanuel Macron in his address to the country’s military. "Although we planned to double the military budget by 2030, we will do so by 2027," said Macron, whose speech was broadcast on the page of the Elysee Palace on X. "An additional 3.5 billion euros will be allocated for defense in 2026, and another 3 billion euros in 2027. Thus, the defense budget will double in 10 years and amount to 64 billion euros."

The republic’s military spending under the budget for 2025 amount to 50.5 billion euros. In 2017, when Macron was elected president, defense spending amounted to 32.3 billion euros.

The French leader said the government will focus on strengthening the army. "It is necessary to eliminate our vulnerabilities: first of all, to replenish ammunition stocks, including remotely controlled munitions, to make our multiple launch rocket guns and precision weapons more powerful, to provide our combat groups, frigates and air bases with even more drones, as well as the necessary equipment for successful operations," he said. "It is also necessary to strengthen the air defense system and means of conducting electronic warfare, as well as to strengthen the capabilities in space."

Macron also touched upon strengthening the military reserve and more active involvement of young people in the army, but clarified that details on these issues would be announced in the fall. The head of state argued that France is facing numerous threats and must respond to them. "Since 1945, freedom has never been under threat to such a significant extent as it is now. Peace on our continent has never depended on the decisions we are currently making," Macron said.

Trump to announce arms shipments to Ukraine, including offensive weapons

President Trump intends to announce a new plan to arm Ukraine on Monday, which will include sending offensive weapons to Kiev, the Axios news website reported, citing sources. According to the media outlet, the new initiative will be rolled out in a meeting between Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday. "Sending offensive weapons would be a major shift for Trump," Axios notes. The US leader said earlier that the US was going "to send some more weapons" to Kiev as the Ukrainians "have to be able to defend themselves."

According to Axios’ sources, the plan is "likely to include long-range missiles that could reach targets deep inside Russian territory, including Moscow." However, the sources are unaware of any final decision.

Trump told reporters on Sunday that Washington would send additional weapons to Ukraine, including Patriot missiles, which the European Union will pay for.

The New York Times reported on July 2 that the US would suspend the supplies of missiles for Patriot air defense systems, guided multiple launch rocket system (GMLRS) rockets, Hellfire missiles, Stinger man-portable air-defense systems and some other weapons to Kiev. After that, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry summoned US Charge d’Affaires in Kiev John Ginkel, while Vladimir Zelensky noted that Europe was unable to compensate for US supplies. On July 3, US President Donald Trump stated that Washington continued to provide Kiev with military assistance. However, he emphasized that the US requires weapons itself. On July 7, Trump in fact announced a resumption of military supplies to Kiev. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on July 10 that "aid to Ukraine continues along the schedule that Congress appropriated." According to him, "the overwhelming majority of military aid that the United States provides Ukraine has never been paused.".

NATO’s Baltic exercises are part of preparations for military clash with Russia, says diplomat

NATO’s #Baltops 2025 naval exercise in the #Baltic Sea are a part of the alliance’s preparations for a potential military clash with Russia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said.

"We consider #NATO’s military activities to be a part of preparations for a military clash with Russia. If we look at what these drills are aimed at, look at their theme, the structure of troop deployment, their capabilities, qualities and objectives for these exercises, we will see that they are aimed at countering a matching adversary, which is Russia," he said. "[They are practicing] superiority in all operational environments: on the ground, in the air and at sea," the senior Russian diplomat added. "Of course, such exercises are extremely provocative."

NATO’s Baltops 2025 exercise began on June 3. The drills are conducted annually since 1972.

BLUEPRINT FOR WAR? NATO drills expose how allies would fight Russia

NATO is gearing up to seize Russian airfields if a conflict breaks out, Business Insider reported.

“The ability to grab an airstrip and hold it — or wrest it back from the enemy — is absolutely critical,” noted a journalist observing the alliance’s military drills in Finland.

Such airborne operations would be game-changers in the early stages of a war, especially when enemy air defenses aren’t fully up and running, the report adds.

During the exercises, Finnish and Polish troops simulated a high-stakes air assault: one team stormed a strategic airfield, while the other scrambled to mount a counterattack and reclaim it.

The Lively Sabre 25 drills are part of NATO's larger Swift Response 25 exercise – a series of joint military maneuvers across the Baltic and Nordic regions held under the pretext of boosting cooperation to deter an alleged “Russian threat.”

Nothing says prepping for war like a dress rehearsal for storming airfields…