U.S. President Donald Trump announced that a Russia-Ukraine peace deal is "closer" than ever, though reports indicated that territorial disputes remain an obstacle,
Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that the Oreshnik missile system would be integrated into the country's arsenal by year's end to preserve "the global balance of power,"
the EU agreed to provide Ukraine with a 90 billion interest-free loan financed through capital markets,and
South Africa worked to secure the return of 17 men allegedly lured into the Russian military under false pretenses.Meanwhile,
the U.S. announced an $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan, marking the largest weapons sale to the island in years,
the United Arab Emirates signed a $2.3 billion defense deal with the Israeli firm Elbit Systems, representing the company's largest contract to date,and
the M23 rebel coalition withdrew from the Democratic Republic of Congo's Uvira following intervention by U.S. mediators.This comes as
the U.S. launched further strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats, raising the total death toll from such operations to at least 104,
the U.S. deployed troops to Ecuador for a temporary joint operation with its Air Force,and
Washington launched strikes on 70 Islamic State targets across central Syria following an attack in Palmyra that killed two Iowa National Guard soldiers.In other news,
Trump designated fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction, elevating it to a national security threat on par with chemical warfare,and
the White House announced a one-time $1,776 payment for military service members with the amount symbolically honoring the year of the nation's founding.