Trump Administration Threatens Newark Airport International Travel Shutdown Over Immigration Dispute 
Iran-U.S. Nuclear Talks Remain Unresolved as Strait of Hormuz Risks Keep Markets on Edge 
US Tightens Ebola Controls as Congo Outbreak Sparks Global Concern 
Trump Signs Executive Order to Expand Access to Federal Lands in the U.S. 
DOJ Opens Criminal Investigation Into E. Jean Carroll Over Alleged Perjury 
U.S. Sanctions Iran’s Strait of Hormuz Authority as Global Oil Markets Face Turmoil 
China Expands Nuclear Defense Network in Remote Desert 
UN Blacklists Israel and Russia Over Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Claims 
U.S. Reinstates Sanctions on U.N. Expert Francesca Albanese Amid Legal Battle 
US Condemns Russia’s Oreshnik Missile Strike, Warns Against New Attacks on Kyiv 
US Imposes Fresh Iran Oil Sanctions Despite Progress on Ceasefire Talks 
Trump Nears Decision on Iran Ceasefire Extension as Key Disputes Remain 
U.S.-China Taiwan Conflict Could Trigger Nuclear Escalation, IISS Warns 
US Designates Brazil’s PCC and Comando Vermelho as Global Terrorist Entities Ahead of FTO Listing 
US-Iran Ceasefire Extension Near as Strait of Hormuz Shipping Deal Advances 
Russia Prepares New Large-Scale Attack on Ukraine, Zelenskiy Warns 
The European Union’s foreign policy chief announced this week that the bloc’s defense ministers agreed to start working on an EU military assistance mission. The agreement comes as Russia continues to wage war on Ukraine for the seventh month this year.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Tuesday that the defense ministers of the bloc agreed to set up a military assistance mission for Ukraine. Borrell made the comments following the meeting among the bloc’s defense ministers in Prague.
“There are many training initiatives on the way but the needs are enormous and we need to ensure the coherence of these efforts,” said Borrell. “I can say that all members states agree clearly on that and on launching the work necessary to define parameters for a EU military assistance mission for Ukraine.”
Aside from starting on the work needed to set up an EU military assistance mission, diplomats also said Tuesday that the bloc’s foreign ministers likely agree with tightening visas for Russians.
The measure would suspend a visa facilitation agreement with Russia and make Russians pay more and wait longer for their visas to be issued.
This comes as the bloc remains divided over whether or not to issue a widespread visa ban for Russians, which Ukraine has called for. Some EU member countries have also backed a widespread visa ban for Russians.
Some countries, such as Germany and France, have cited that dissidents must be allowed to leave Russia. German foreign minister Anna Baerbock said a visa ban would only punish dissidents who seek to flee Russia.
“We caution against far-reaching restrictions on our visa policy, in order to prevent feeding the Russian narrative and trigger unintended rallying around the flag effects and/or estranging future generations,” said the two countries in a joint memo.
Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia fought a war with Georgia and illegally annexed Crimea in 2014 since obtaining easier EU visas in 2007. Kuleba said travelling to Europe has no transformative effect on Russians.
Eastern and Nordic European countries have supported such a ban, with some saying they may resort to a regional one if no agreement is reached at an EU level.
