The State Department on Wednesday approved a potential $180 million arms sale for Taiwan amid heightened tensions with China over US support for the island. The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said the deal was for vehicle-launched Volcano...
Zelensky Says Ukraine Has Helped the West ‘Find Itself’
In an address to Ukraine's parliament on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in 10 months of the war, his country has helped the West "find itself again" and provided a "historic opportunity." "In 10 months of this year, we helped everyone. We...
Zelensky, Blackrock CEO Agree to Coordinate on Ukraine’s Reconstruction
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and CEO of the US investment management company Blackrock, Larry Fink, held a video meeting on Wednesday and agreed to coordinate the reconstruction of Ukraine. Zelensky's office said that he and Fink "agreed to focus in the near...
Gantz Says Israeli Pilots Might Attack Iran in ‘Two or Three Years’
Outgoing Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz told a graduating class of Israeli Air Force Pilots that they might be bombing Iran in "two or three years" as Israel has been preparing for strikes on the country. "Israel has significantly increased its preparedness in...
Iran Says Window Still Open for Nuclear Deal Talks as US Prepares New Sanctions
Iran said Wednesday that it's still open to talks to revive the nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, but such negotiations are unlikely as the US says it is preparing more sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that...
Turkey, Syria Defense Ministers Hold First Meeting Since 2011
The defense ministers of Syria, Turkey, and Russia held talks in Moscow on Wednesday in a sign of thawing relations between Ankara and Damascus. The conversation between Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and his Syrian counterpart, Ali Mahmoud Abbas, is believed to...
Netanyahu’s Incoming Israeli Government Makes West Bank Settlement Expansion a Top Priority
Incoming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new hardline government released a policy paper on Wednesday that puts the expansion of West Bank settlements as a top priority. The new government is set to be sworn in on Thursday and is made up of a coalition of...
Kremlin Says Ukraine Peace Plan Must Include Annexed Regions Joining Russia
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday said that any "peace plan" for the war in Ukraine must involve the territories Russia has annexed joining the Russian Federation. "There can be no peace plan for Ukraine that does not take into account today's realities...
Lavrov Says Pentagon Threatening ‘Decapitation Strike’ Against Putin
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday said that statements made to the media by anonymous Pentagon officials amount to threats against Russian President Vladimir Putin's life. "There are some 'anonymous officials' from the Pentagon who have actually...
Netanyahu Appoints Iran Hawk to Lead Israel’s National Security Council
Incoming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday appointed a major Iran hawk to lead Israel's National Security Council under the new government. Tzachi Hanegbi is a veteran Likud lawmaker and a longtime ally of Netanyahu who has repeatedly threatened in...