Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he is awaiting White House approval for a major drone production agreement proposed by Kyiv last year. Speaking on Thursday, Zelenskyy said the deal would cover various types of drones and air defenses to protect against swarms of Iranian-designed Shahed drones. Countries are scrambling to modernize their air defenses after the Iran war exposed shortcomings. Russia has fired tens of thousands of Shaheds at Ukraine since it invaded its neighbor just over four years ago. Iran has responded to joint U.S.-Israeli strikes by firing the same type of drones at targets in the Middle East.
By BEN FINLEY and KONSTANTIN TOROPIN Associated Press
The Pentagon says U.S. military forces have boarded a third sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking it from the Caribbean Sea in an effort to target illicit oil connected to Venezuela. U.S. Southern Command said Tuesday in a post on X that U.S. forces boarded the Bertha overnight. President Donald Trump had ordered a quarantine of sanctioned tankers near Venezuela in December to pressure then-President Nicolás Maduro before his capture. Venezuela faced U.S. sanctions on its oil for several years, relying on a shadow fleet of falsely flagged tankers to smuggle crude into global supply chains.
By KONSTANTIN TOROPIN and MICHAEL BIESECKER Associated Press
U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela. It's part of a broader U.S. effort to take control of the South American country's oil. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday the tanker named Veronica had previously passed through Venezuelan waters and was operating in defiance of President Donald Trump's "established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean." The Veronica is the sixth sanctioned vessel seized by U.S. forces as part of Trump's effort. A video Noem posted online shows helicopters hovering over the deck of a ship while armed troops drop down on the deck by rope.
By KONSTANTIN TOROPIN, JOSH BOAK, JILL LAWLESS and MICHAEL BIESECKER Associated Press
President Donald Trump's administration is seeking to assert its control over Venezuelan oil, seizing two sanctioned tankers transporting petroleum and announcing plans to relax some sanctions so the U.S. can oversee the sale of Venezuela's petroleum worldwide. The Trump administration intends to control the distribution of Venezuela's oil products globally following its ouster of President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid. The seizures of the tankers in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea on Wednesday reflect the Republican administration's determination to enforce an existing oil embargo on Venezuela as Trump has pledged the U.S. will "run" the country. Venezuela's press office hasn't responded to a request for comment on the seizures.
By AAMER MADHANI, REGINA GARCIA CANO and EMMA BURROWS Associated Press
President Donald Trump is gathering with top national security officials. Monday's meeting comes as the U.S. Coast Guard is stepping up efforts to interdict oil tankers in the Caribbean Sea as part of an escalating pressure campaign on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro's government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and others are scheduled to join Trump, who is vacationing at his Mar-a-Lago resort, for what the White House calls a "major announcement." Trump is expected to announce plans to build a new, large warship that Trump is calling a "battleship" as part of a larger vision to create a "Golden Fleet." That's according to people familiar with the matter who were not authorized comment publicly.
The European Union has heaped more economic sanctions on Russia, adding to U.S. President Donald Trump's new punitive measures the previous day against the Russian oil industry. Russian President Vladimir Putin responded by warning that the measures were an "unfriendly act" by Washington that could backfire against the U.S. by fueling oil prices. The American and European sanctions are intended as part of a broadened effort to choke off the revenue and supplies that fuel Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, compelling Putin to negotiate an end to the war. Speaking to reporters in Moscow, Putin said the new U.S. sanctions were serious but will not significantly impact its economy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the new restrictions.
By JOSH BOAK, RAJESH ROY and FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press
Trump has signed an executive order to place an additional 25% tariff on India for its purchases of Russian oil. That brings the combined tariffs imposed by the United States on its ally to 50%. The tariffs would go into effect 21 days after the signing of the order Wednesday, meaning that both India and Russia might have time to negotiate with the administration on the import taxes. Trump's moves could scramble the economic trajectory of India, which until recently was seen as an alternative to China by American companies looking to relocate their manufacturing. China also buys oil from Russia, but wasn't included in the order.
By CHRIS MEGERIAN and ILLIA NOVIKOV Associated Press
President Donald Trump has announced new measures targeting Russia over its ongoing war in Ukraine, threatening steep tariffs if a peace deal isn't reached within 50 days. Trump also revealed plans for European allies to buy U.S. weapons and transfer them to Ukraine. Patriot air defense missiles are a top priority for the besieged country. Monday's announcement marks a shift in Trump's stance, as the Republican president previously criticized Ukraine's leadership but now expresses frustration with Vladimir Putin's continued aggression. Meanwhile, Ukraine faces intensified Russian attacks, with June recording the highest civilian casualties in three years.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said he has not discussed resolving the conflict in Ukraine in detail with President Donald Trump. Putin also said Monday that Russian and American negotiating teams did not discuss it when they met last week in Saudi Arabia. In remarks broadcast on state television, Putin added that Russia does not rule out European countries participating in a peace settlement. Earlier in the day, Trump said he believed Putin would accept European peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of a potential deal to end the war and said he had asked Putin that question. Putin and senior Russian officials had previously indicated they will not accept Western forces in Ukraine.
