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Ukraine launched one of its broadest recent drone offensives against Russia’s maritime and energy networks this week, claiming strikes on 21 vessels in three days as attacks on major refineries deep inside Russia intensified pressure on Moscow’s fuel supplies.

The wave of attacks offered a striking display of Ukraine’s growing long-range capabilities.

On Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in Ankara, where Trump said the United States would allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot air-defense interceptors and the two leaders discussed a potential drone agreement.

TRUMP SAYS US WILL LET UKRAINE MAKE PATRIOT MISSILES IN MAJOR POLICY SHIFT

Zelenskyy made air defense his top priority during the bilateral meeting and said the two governments had also begun working on a separate drone agreement.

"Air defense is the priority," Zelenskyy said. He described the emerging drone deal as "a very good beginning" and said he hoped to discuss additional details with Trump.

The timing allowed Zelenskyy to arrive at the summit with evidence that Ukraine’s domestic drone industry can threaten Russian assets far beyond the conventional battlefield.

UKRAINE’S BATTLEFIELD IS TRANSFORMING THE FUTURE OF NATO

Trump praised Zelenskyy as "very effective" and credited Ukrainian forces with successfully operating American weapons against Russia’s much larger military.

"He’s had the best equipment because he had our equipment," Trump said. "But somebody has to use that equipment. And you have a lot of brave people that are using that equipment."

Ukraine is increasingly forcing Russia to defend refineries, airfields, shipping routes and other infrastructure far beyond the front. Kyiv has not achieved a comparable breakthrough in the grinding ground campaign, and Russia continues to bombard Ukrainian cities. But repeated long-range strikes have begun disrupting fuel production and maritime logistics while imposing costs on parts of Russia that were once largely insulated from the fighting.

WATCH: FIGHTS BREAK OUT AT RUSSIAN GAS STATIONS AS PUTIN ADMITS FUEL SHORTAGES

On Tuesday, Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces said nine Russian-linked vessels were struck in the Sea of Azov on Wednesday, bringing the number targeted over 72 hours to 21.

Commander Robert "Magyar" Brovdi said the targets included 19 oil tankers, a cargo ship and a ferry operating near Russian-occupied Crimea, according to East2West news agency. He described the campaign against the fleet as reaching an "industrial scale."

Ukrainian and Russian officials confirmed that the overnight offensive targeted tankers, refineries, pipeline facilities and a military airfield across several Russian regions.

Ukraine says many of the vessels were part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet and were being used to transport fuel to Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula Moscow seized and illegally annexed in 2014.

The maritime strikes were accompanied by attacks on the Saratov refinery and energy facilities in the Russian regions of Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. Russian authorities said one person was killed in Saratov.

Ukraine also said it struck the Borisoglebsk military airfield in Russia’s Voronezh region. The base has been used by Russian combat aircraft involved in attacks against Ukraine, according to Kyiv.

The latest wave followed a Ukrainian strike Monday on the Omsk refinery in Siberia, approximately 1,700 miles from Ukrainian-controlled territory. The facility is Russia’s largest oil refinery and processed about 460,000 barrels of crude per day last year, according to Reuters.

UKRAINE LAUNCHES WHAT APPEARS TO BE ONE OF ITS LARGEST DRONE ATTACKS AGAINST RUSSIA: REPORT

Two industry sources subsequently told Reuters that the Omsk facility had halted oil processing following the attack.

The disruption comes as parts of Russia face gasoline and diesel shortages attributed in part to repeated Ukrainian attacks on refineries and fuel depots.

Long lines have formed at filling stations in several cities, while some regions have introduced purchasing restrictions. Russia announced Wednesday that it was temporarily banning diesel exports through July 31 to protect domestic supplies.

The shortages have become one of the most visible ways the war is reaching ordinary Russians.

Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the Kremlin-funded RT network, acknowledged the hardships during an appearance on Russian state television and urged Russians not to respond by challenging the country’s leadership.

"There is no petrol," Simonyan said in a translated clip distributed by regional media.

Recalling food rationing after the collapse of the Soviet Union, she said: "We endured it. And we will endure it now."

Simonyan argued that Russia’s enemies wanted the population to react as it had during the 1917 revolution and "run off to overthrow" the czar.

"Yes, it is hard, yes, very hard," she said, urging Russians to remain calm.

The pressure on Russia’s energy infrastructure formed the backdrop to Zelenskyy’s Wednesday meeting with Trump at the Beştepe Presidential Compound.

Russia continued its bombardment of Ukraine during the summit, striking Kyiv and other cities with missiles and drones. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said storage facilities were burning in the capital’s Desnyanskyi district and reported another fire in the Sviatoshynskyi district.

As Iran, Russia’s war with Ukraine and NATO’s defense spending dominate the organization's summit in Ankara — one issue that has escaped the media glare is the increasingly antisemitic rhetoric coming from Turkish leaders.

As relations between Turkey and Israel continue to hit new lows, a war of words between the two nations has erupted.

In a July 2 interview with CNN Türk, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that Israel has "become a burden that humanity can no longer bear," The Jerusalem Post reported. Fidan also said that Israel is representative of "humanity’s common problems," and asked other countries to apply pressure to the Jewish State, according to Israel National News.

ISRAELI OFFICIAL SAYS EU SANCTIONS REVEAL ANTISEMITISM HIDING BEHIND 'SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE MASK'

In a press statement, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called Fidan’s words "a clear call for genocide. The Jewish people know very well what happens when such words are allowed to go unchallenged. The first step on the road to genocide is dehumanization.

"This is a sentence that sounds very familiar to sentences from about 100 years ago," Sa’ar added. "To speak about a people as a ‘problem for humanity.’ What do you do with a ‘burden that you can no longer bear?’" he asked.

Sinan Ciddi, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and director of FDD’s Turkey program, told Fox News Digital that Fidan’s statement was "some of the vilest rhetoric to come out of any statesman since the Holocaust."

SIGN UP FOR ANTISEMITISM EXPOSED NEWSLETTER

Ciddi said that escalated anti-Israel rhetoric in Turkey "goes all the way back to 2008" when President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan "began the process of ripping apart the bilateral relationship between Israel and Turkey. But after Oct. 7, it just went into overdrive," he said. "I have never heard any Arab leader utter the words that Foreign Minister Fidan has said."

Yet Erdogan has condemned antisemitism; the Turkish Minute reported that he told Turkish religious minority representatives at an Ankara dinner in March that "just as Islamophobia is a crime against humanity, antisemitism is also a crime, an evil that cannot be considered reasonable or legitimate."

Yet despite his recent condemnation, he and other ministers have continued with their rhetoric against the Jewish state.

In June, Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ҁiftҁi said that the world would "witness the liberation of Jerusalem," according to the Times of Israel.

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In May 2021, the Times of Israel reported that Erdoğan called Israelis "murderers," claiming they were 'only satisfied by sucking their [victims’] blood." At the time, the State Department spokesperson issued a strong condemnation of Erdoğan’s "anti-Semitic comments regarding the Jewish people," calling them "reprehensible."

In May 2025, Erdoğan invoked similar language, accusing Israel of being "a terror state that feeds on the blood, lives and tears of the innocent," Israel National News reported.

Anti-Israel sentiment in Turkey has infiltrated far beyond leadership. A Pew Research poll from June found that Turkey had the highest level of anti-Israel sentiment of any polled country, with 91 percent of the population holding "very unfavorable" views on Israel, 6% holding an "unfavorable" view, and just 1% expressing any favor of Israel.

In response to questions about whether the State Department plans to respond to antisemitic statements from Turkish leadership, a spokesperson told Fox News Digital that "Türkiye is a longstanding and valued NATO Ally and we continue to engage on all aspects of our important and multi-faceted relationship."

Ciddi said there are "numerous channels" for the State Department and Trump administration to reprimand Turkey for its unchecked hatred. "The president could obviously pull aside a Turkish counterpart and demand an apology," he explained, while the State Department could address the comments or place Turkey on a watchlist.

As the two-day NATO summit winds down in Ankara, Ciddi said that Turkey "is going to try and overshadow anything else" and "promote itself as the sort of premiere NATO ally, so we need to watch out for Turkey’s whitewashing of its human rights record." Ciddi warned that "We cannot safeguard our allies’ democratic norms, rights and practices if we don’t hold member states like Turkey accountable for the threats that it presents."

The Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C. did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

As President Donald Trump voiced growing frustration Wednesday with Iranian negotiators, accusing them of lying and cheating, the latest escalation has exposed an even more fundamental problem for Washington: whether the officials at the negotiating table have the power to deliver an agreement — or whether anyone in Tehran does.

"I don’t know if we’re going to have a deal. We may just do it without a deal," Trump said at the NATO summit in Ankara. "These people, they lie and they cheat."

But Trump’s frustration with Iran’s negotiators is only part of the problem. Since the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it has become increasingly unclear who in Tehran has the authority to make — and enforce — an agreement.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN CEASEFIRE IS 'OVER' AFTER IRANIAN ATTACKS TRIGGER MASSIVE US RESPONSE

Mojtaba Khamenei succeeded his father as supreme leader after the elder Khamenei was killed in the opening U.S.-Israeli attacks on Feb. 28. But Mojtaba has not appeared publicly since the attack, and U.S. assessments cited by Reuters have described authority as dispersed among senior Revolutionary Guard commanders and powerful civilian officials.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a former IRGC commander who led Iran’s negotiating delegation, has emerged as one of the country’s most powerful surviving political figures.

Banafsheh Zand, an Iranian-American journalist and editor of the Iran So Far Away Substack, said power inside the Islamic Republic has fractured since the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, leaving the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as the country’s dominant force.

"The person who is negotiating with the U.S. is not necessarily someone who is endorsed by the others," Zand told Fox News Digital.

She described Ghalibaf as one power center competing with figures including IRGC commander-in-chief Ahmad Vahidi, Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani and former Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Vahidi controls the IRGC’s overall military structure, while Qaani oversees its external operations and relationships with Iran-aligned armed groups across the region. Zarif, by contrast, remains closely identified with the more accommodationist political camp that previously championed negotiations and sanctions relief.

"The hardliners, in terms of their political presence, have also been pushed aside," Zand said. "So really, it’s the IRGC. And within the IRGC, whoever signs the deal is not necessarily signing on behalf of everybody else. They’re signing on behalf of themselves."

Her assessment reflects a central problem facing Washington: Iran’s negotiators, political institutions and military commanders may not share the same interpretation of what was agreed — or the same willingness to implement it.

US CLAWS BACK KEY CONCESSION TO IRAN AFTER FRESH ATTACKS ON COMMERCIAL SHIPS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ

Yet Trump’s declaration does not necessarily mean diplomacy has been permanently abandoned.

Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that the clearest evidence would be the restoration of the U.S. blockade, the introduction of additional military forces or a new round of major economic sanctions.

Otherwise, he said, Trump may continue operating in the "gray zone" between negotiations and open war while keeping his options available.

The more difficult question is why Tehran would jeopardize sanctions relief and risk overwhelming American firepower when its military has already been severely degraded.

Ben Taleblu said Iran’s leaders appear to believe escalation is essential to the survival of the Islamic Republic.

"This is a regime that is weaker, but lethal, and less capable, but more confident," he said. Iran’s leadership believes its adversaries have vulnerable economic and military interests throughout the Gulf, he added, while the regime itself is more willing to accept destruction.

"Their survival and their military success and their political success runs through more, not less, escalation," he said.

Lisa Daftari, foreign policy analyst and the editor-in-chief of The Foreign Desk, agrees the escalation is deliberate, aimed at turning regional instability into leverage.

"By targeting commercial shipping and Arab states, the regime is signaling that it can hold global energy flows and America’s regional partners hostage to extract leverage, distract from its domestic crisis, and test U.S. red lines," Daftari told Fox News Digital.

She said Tehran is betting that Washington and its Arab partners will be unwilling to sustain another war and will ultimately back down first.

"The regime’s core weapon is time," Daftari said. "By escalating in the Persian Gulf and attacking ships and Arab states, they are creating rolling crises that raise the cost of confronting them while they consolidate power at home."

Daftari argued that the strategy reflects the Islamic Republic’s longstanding character rather than a temporary response to pressure.

TRUMP ENTERS FINAL NATO SUMMIT DAY AS UKRAINE, DEFENSE SPENDING TAKE CENTER STAGE

"This regime was never designed to be reformed or softened," she said. "What they are showing us now is exactly who they intend to remain: a hardline, revolutionary regime determined to stay in power."

But determining how that strategy is translated into action is more complicated. Authority in Tehran appears divided, raising questions about who is directing the escalation and whether the officials negotiating with Washington can commit the broader security establishment.

That division is already visible in the dispute over the Strait of Hormuz.

A Middle Eastern source familiar with the issue told Fox News Digital that Tehran and Washington are operating from fundamentally different readings of Clause five of the memorandum. The publicly released text says Iran will use its "best efforts" to arrange safe commercial passage through the strait without charge for 60 days, while removing military and technical obstacles and conducting demining operations. It does not expressly state that foreign vessels must obtain Iran’s approval or use routes designated by Tehran.

According to the source, Iran interprets that language as giving it responsibility — and therefore authority — to coordinate shipping and determine the routes vessels use during the interim period. Washington’s interpretation is that Iran agreed to lift its maritime blockade and fully reopen the international waterway.

When the two sides have different interpretations of a single page, how do they intend to write a treaty, the source said.

Iran views control over passage through the Strait of Hormuz as one of its last major sources of leverage over the United States, Gulf governments and the global economy, the source said, "That is the heart of the matter."

Taken together, the experts’ assessments suggest Tehran is unlikely to face a simple choice between surrendering to Trump’s pressure and returning to negotiations. Ben Taleblu said the regime believes its survival depends on "more, not less, escalation," while Daftari said it is deliberately "playing out the clock" by creating repeated regional crises. That raises the prospect that, even if Iranian officials return to the table, the IRGC could continue targeting commercial shipping, U.S. interests and American allies to preserve its leverage and strengthen its position inside Iran.

The United Nations defended its appeal for countries to keep funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) after the United States argued that donors should stop supporting an agency it claims has been infiltrated by Hamas and instead direct its money toward the Security Council-backed Board of Peace. 

Speaking at UNRWA’s annual pledging conference in early July, U.S. Ambassador Jeff Bartos accused member states of repeating a failed approach and said the agency had become a "subsidiary of Hamas."

"Doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result is the definition of insanity," Bartos said. "And yet, here we are again, another annual pledging conference for UNRWA. Same speeches … same condemnation of Israel, same failures to condemn Hamas."

HAMAS SAYS IT WILL DISSOLVE GAZA GOVERNMENT, BUT ISRAEL WARNS GROUP STILL SEEKS HEZBOLLAH-STYLE CONTROL

Bartos urged governments to stop funding UNRWA schools in Gaza, which he accused of indoctrinating children in hatred of Jews and glorifying terrorism. He also cited allegations that UNRWA employees participated in the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack against Israel.

"You can choose to fund incitement, terrorism and stagnation, or you can choose to fund the Board of Peace, giving Gazans a path to peace, prosperity and real, durable change," Bartos said.

The Board of Peace is a U.S.-led body created under President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan to oversee transitional governance, reconstruction and long-term development alongside a Palestinian technocratic administration. The administration argues it offers a better alternative to UNRWA by shifting aid away from what it says is a Hamas-infiltrated system and toward accountable governance and economic recovery.

Asked by Fox News Digital why U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres was asking countries to put additional money into UNRWA rather than support the Board of Peace, U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric defended the agency’s record and mandate.

ISRAEL SLAMS UN REPORT AS 'POLITICAL BLOOD LIBEL' FOR ALLEGING DELIBERATE TARGETING OF PALESTINIAN CHILDREN

Dujarric said Wednesday that UNRWA officials, including former Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini and acting chief Christian Saunders, had taken "strong action" when presented with facts concerning possible infiltration by people aligned with terrorist organizations.

"UNRWA doesn’t operate through a sort of immaculate conception," Dujarric said in a press briefing. "It is there because there is a mandate given to it by the General Assembly, and we continue to fulfill that mandate. It has a very important role to play on the humanitarian front."

Dujarric added that the Security Council resolution supporting the Board of Peace also calls on the United Nations to deliver humanitarian assistance and lead humanitarian activities in Gaza.

"UNRWA is part of that system," he said.

The U.S. position contrasted sharply with those of several European governments.

At the same pledging event, the United Kingdom announced £23 million in support for UNRWA. 

British Ambassador James Kariuki called the agency "indispensable" to providing essential services to Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.

France also reiterated what its representative described as "full support" for the agency, saying UNRWA continues to provide indispensable assistance despite growing obstacles. France said it had provided €123 million to UNRWA since 2023 and would announce its 2026 contribution soon.

INTERNATIONAL ‘DEEP STATE’ PRIME TARGET OF TRUMP-STYLE CANDIDATE FOR UN CHIEF

The French representative said allegations against UNRWA had been taken seriously and argued that the agency was implementing recommendations from the Colonna review intended to strengthen neutrality and transparency. France also supported an eventual, gradual transfer of UNRWA’s responsibilities to reform and strengthen Palestinian institutions as part of a broader political settlement.

The funding dispute comes as UN Watch is demanding that Guterres waive any immunity enjoyed by Lazzarini, whose term has ended, so national authorities can investigate allegations that he ignored repeated warnings about Hamas infiltration.

In a June 30 letter, the Geneva-based watchdog claimed that it had provided Lazzarini and his administration with evidence involving teachers, school principals, union leaders and other employees who allegedly supported or were affiliated with Hamas and other terrorist groups. It argued that the claims create grounds for an independent criminal investigation.

Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, told Fox News Digital that his organization told Lazzarini "that there are supporters of terrorism — in some cases, actual members of Hamas — working as teachers, working as school principals," Neuer said, "Not one bad apple, not a few rotten apples, but the problem of support for terrorism … was systematic."

Neuer said waiving Lazzarini’s immunity would not amount to a finding of guilt but would allow prosecutors to test the evidence.

"The investigation may prove there’s no evidence, and it’s over," Neuer said. "But at least you should waive immunity to allow an investigation. The U.N. said that if anyone was found involved, ‘we will cooperate.’ Now is the test."

Asked whether Guterres would consider waiving Lazzarini’s immunity, Dujarric did not answer directly.

"As far as I know, UN Watch is not a judicial authority," he said. "We have always, as a matter of principle, cooperated with investigations by national authorities."

UN Watch’s letter argues that immunity exists to protect the interests of the United Nations rather than provide a personal benefit to an official, and that it should be waived where it would obstruct justice without harming the organization.

Fox News Digital contacted UNRWA for comment but did not receive a response.

Cuba’s foreign minister accused the United States of committing an "act of war" by restricting fuel shipments to the island Tuesday, prompting U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz to deliver a forceful response blaming Cuba’s communist government for years of blackouts, repression and economic collapse.

The confrontation unfolded at the U.N. General Assembly one day after Cuba’s national electrical grid collapsed, leaving nearly 10 million people without power. It was the third nationwide grid failure this year and the eighth since October 2025, Reuters reported.

Cuban officials had restored electricity to parts of central Cuba and roughly one-third of Havana by Tuesday morning, although large areas remained offline or faced unstable service, according to Reuters.

CUBA PLUNGES INTO THIRD MAJOR BLACKOUT THIS YEAR AS POWER CRISIS WORSENS

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez told delegates that the Trump administration was carrying out a "multidimensional, non-conventional war" against Cuba that had grown "more cruel and ruthless in the last seven months."

Rodríguez described U.S. efforts to restrict fuel deliveries as the imposition of "an energy collapse, equivalent to a naval blockade, which is an act of war," according to a UNTV transcript.

Waltz rejected the claim that the United States had established a naval blockade around Cuba.

"There is no ring of Navy warships, U.S. Navy warships sitting around this island blocking trade or humanitarian aid going into Cuba," Waltz said. "It’s fake. It’s false. It’s a lie. Period."

Waltz argued that the real embargo was the one Cuba’s government imposed on its own citizens.

HAVANA REGIME IN SUSPENSE AFTER CASTRO INDICTMENT WITH TRUMP PRESSURE ON, SAYS CUBAN-BORN GOP REP.

"There’s a lot of talk today of an embargo. And indeed there is one," he said. "It’s the embargo the Cuban regime mercilessly imposes on its own people decade after decade after decade."

He called on Havana to "change your ways" and "turn the lights back on for your people," while accusing Cuba’s leaders of ensuring that government compounds and propaganda operations had power even as families worried about spoiled food, hospitals losing electricity and phones running out of charge.

Waltz noted that Tuesday’s meeting came days before the fifth anniversary of the July 11, 2021, demonstrations, when thousands of Cubans took to the streets amid shortages of food, medicine and electricity and demanded greater freedom.

As Waltz spoke, a member of the Cuban delegation pounded on the table, prompting the ambassador to respond.

"This is not Havana. This is the United States of America. This is the United Nations," Waltz said. "And we will speak, we will be heard, and we will not be silenced like your own people. So, pound away."

Waltz displayed photographs and read the names of several jailed Cuban artists, musicians and activists, including Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, Maykel Castillo Pérez and Duannis Dabel León Taboada.

MILLIONS LOSE POWER ACROSS CUBA AS TRUMP SANCTIONS CONTINUE TO FUEL ONGOING ENERGY CRISIS

"They’re not armed. They’re not violent," Waltz said. "They carry flowers, and write poems and write music. And for that, the regime beats them, detains them and tries to break them."

Waltz also said GAESA, Cuba’s military-run conglomerate, controls approximately half of the country’s economy and holds $18 billion in assets.

Reuters has reported that estimates of GAESA’s economic reach range from approximately 40% to 70%, while Cuban officials dispute the U.S. government’s $18 billion figure.

Waltz said that despite Cuba’s blockade claims, humanitarian assistance had recently arrived from countries including China, Russia, Mexico, Canada and Spain, as well as from the European Union and the United Nations.

He also said the United States had provided more than $100 million in aid this year and approximately $500 million annually in commodities.

"The answer is simple: because blaming the United States is the only economic plan Havana has left," Waltz said of Cuba’s decision to bring the issue before the General Assembly.

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Before the wider debate, U.S. Representative for U.N. Management and Reform Jeffrey Bartos objected to reopening the agenda item and called for a vote on whether the proceedings should go forward.

Bartos said the three-hour meeting would cost approximately $84,000, money he argued could instead provide food, emergency medical supplies and solar lanterns to Cuban families.

"Right now, Cuba is in darkness — again," Bartos said. "I urge the Cuban regime: turn the lights back on for your people."

Members of the Cuban delegation also interrupted Bartos several times by pounding on the table. Bartos at one point paused and responded, "Keep banging away. It’s very effective," before continuing his remarks.

Bartos accused Havana of seeking "another propaganda clip" rather than solutions and pointed to what he said were more than 800 political prisoners held by the government.

Independent organizations have produced varying estimates. Human Rights Watch said in April that more than 700 people remained imprisoned for political reasons, while Prisoners Defenders reported more than 1,200 political prisoners in Cuba in the spring of 2026. Cuba denies holding anyone for political reasons.

"That is the real Cuban embargo," Bartos said. "It is the embargo the regime imposes on its own people: on speech, on faith, on enterprise, on dissent, on political rights and hope — and now, quite literally, on light."

Rodríguez accused the U.S. delegation of offering "worn-out lies" and attempting to prevent the General Assembly from debating the effects of American policy.

Cuba’s electricity crisis has been driven by severe fuel shortages and an aging, poorly maintained power system that has struggled to meet demand. The Cuban government primarily blames U.S. restrictions, while Washington attributes the island’s broader economic crisis to communist economic policies, corruption and repression.

Reuters contributed to this report.

A French appeals court upheld the embezzlement conviction for conservative former presidential candidate Marine Le Pen on Tuesday, but shortened a ban on her running for elected office, clearing her path to run for president in 2027, albeit mandating she wear an ankle monitor for a year.

France's Paris Criminal Court originally found Le Pen guilty of embezzlement in 2025, accusing her and other members of her conservative National Rally party of using millions of dollars in EU funds to pay aides for domestic French political work. Le Pen denies any wrongdoing.

Le Pen was originally sentenced to five years in prison, with two years suspended and three years on house arrest. In the French system, the two suspended years would serve as a warning, while Le Pen would be expected to serve the three years on house arrest. Her sentence also carried a five-year ban from running for political office, barring her from running in France's 2027 presidential election.

However, an appeals court ruled Tuesday that Le Pen's sentence would be reduced to three years, with two suspended and the remaining year to be served as house arrest, according to a court statement obtained by Fox News Digital.

MUSK SLAMS LE PEN RULING, SAYS IT WILL 'BACKFIRE' LIKE TRUMP'S AS SOME ON GLOBAL RIGHT FACE LEGAL TROUBLES

The ruling also shortened her ban from running for office to 45 months, 30 of which are considered to be suspended. Given that the court considered her suspension active starting from initial sentencing in March 2025, the ruling means Le Pen is eligible to run for office effective immediately.

However, if she were to decide on a presidential run, she would have to do so while serving the house arrest sentence, a prospect she has already cast doubt on.

"If I'm allowed to be a candidate but am effectively prevented from campaigning freely, then you understand that wouldn't be possible," she told French media Wednesday.

Le Pen, along with 11 other associates, were found guilty of a litany of crimes related to the misuse of public funds. Le Pen herself was found guilty on charges of misappropriating public funds and complicity in the misappropriation of public funds.

"The court found that an organization had been set up to allow the European Parliament to cover the remuneration of parliamentary assistants for National Front (which became Rassemblement National) MEPs, whereas their activities had no connection with the mandate of their MEP and they were actually working for the national political party," a press release from the Paris Court of Appeals read.

The release claimed the defendants misappropriated €2.8 million, which the court ordered them to pay back in restitution.

Le Pen, for her part, admitted that some staff paid as EU staffers were relegated to domestic French work, but she claimed it was simply a mistake and not, as alleged, part of a scheme to divert E.U. funds to her National Rally party.

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Le Pen, according to The Associated Press, immediately went from the courthouse to National Rally headquarters to strategize the party's future plans. She is expected to address the country in a news conference or interview Tuesday night.

Her legal team at the courthouse said, "We ⁠are considering the decision as a whole. We will issue a further statement. We are partially satisfied," according to Reuters.

Fox News Digital contacted representatives for National Rally and the Paris appeals court for further comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Hamas announced Monday that it was dissolving the emergency committee overseeing Gaza's civilian government, a move that could clear the way for a new U.S.-backed administration to take over civilian affairs.

The proposed body, known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), is a U.S.-backed committee intended to oversee civilian affairs in Gaza after the war. 

Hamas, which the U.S. designates as a foreign terrorist organization, has ruled Gaza since seizing control of the territory in 2007. The group led the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that triggered the war, and Israel has insisted Hamas can have no governing or military role in post-war Gaza.

The announcement could therefore become a key test of President Donald Trump’s Gaza framework and broader regional diplomacy. A genuine transfer of power could help advance the establishment of a post-war administration. But Israel and Hamas’ critics say the group is offering to relinquish the burdens of civilian government while retaining its weapons, security apparatus and real influence on the ground.

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The Trump-led Board of Peace responded cautiously, saying its assessment would be "guided by actions, not promises." The technocratic committee, which is currently based outside Gaza, has said it is prepared to begin operating once conditions allow.

But the announcement did not include a commitment by Hamas to disarm, the central demand from Israel and a core element of Trump’s post-war framework.

Alaa Abo Naddi, a Gazan teacher and political activist, said that the committee Hamas is dissolving was never the source of its real authority.

"I believe this is simply an attempt by Hamas to buy time," Abo Naddi said. "The real question has always been whether Hamas is willing to give up its weapons and dismantle the armed groups and militias under its control." AJS: I'd move this up to maybe fourth graph. 

He said Gaza’s civilian officials have long operated without independent authority and remain subordinate to Hamas’ security apparatus.

"In reality, even a low-ranking Hamas security officer can overrule them or have them arrested," he said. "As long as Hamas retains its arms, this looks like an attempt to preserve its control and gain more time."

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Hadeel Oueis, editor-in-chief of the pan-Arab media outlet Jusoor News, similarly described the announcement as a "performative step" likely encouraged by one of Hamas’ regional backers.

Oueis said the move appeared intended to send Trump a message that Hamas had fulfilled its obligations and that Israel was now responsible for blocking the next phase of his plan.

"This is just a show and doesn’t change anything on the ground in reality," Oueis told Fox News Digital. 

She noted that technical employees are expected to remain in place during the transition, arguing that Hamas would therefore remain the de facto authority unless its security and military structures were removed.

Michael Milshtein, head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at Tel Aviv University’s Moshe Dayan Center, also characterized the dissolution as largely symbolic but said its timing could signal a broader diplomatic effort.

Milshtein said Egypt, Qatar and Turkey have been working with Hamas to develop a compromise that could move the stalled post-war arrangement forward, particularly on the issue of disarmament.

Rather than demanding the immediate and complete surrender of Hamas’ weapons, he said the mediators may be pushing for a gradual and partial process that Hamas could accept.

"I assess that the step Hamas took today is part of a move coordinated with Turkey, Qatar and Egypt, intended to begin advancing the broader arrangement," Milshtein told Fox News Digital.

He said Hamas had effectively thrown the ball into Israel’s court and could now argue that it had agreed to relinquish formal government control.

HAMAS INFLUENCE LOOMS OVER GAZA ELECTIONS AS EXPERTS WARN VOTE COULD BACKFIRE

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar rejected that distinction Tuesday, accusing Hamas of trying to reproduce the model used by Hezbollah in Lebanon, where an armed organization maintains military dominance while civilian institutions handle government services.

"They don’t care if others collect the garbage, provide municipal services and administer civilian affairs, if Hamas will remain the dominant military force," Sa’ar said during a meeting with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.

Sa’ar said Israel would continue to insist on the "disarmament of Hamas and all other terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip, and its full demilitarization."

Wadephul backed that position, saying Hamas must relinquish both its weapons and its de facto control of Gaza.

The United Nations also offered a cautiously positive response.

 U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the organization had taken note of Hamas’ announcement concerning the dissolution of the Government Emergency Committee and the proposed transfer of administrative responsibilities to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.

"We welcome any step that contributes to the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and advances the objectives reflected in relevant Security Council resolutions, including the full implementation of the ceasefire, the protection of civilians, and the unhindered provision of humanitarian aid," Dujarric said.

He added that the U.N. continued to support "efforts toward unified Palestinian governance under the Palestinian Authority."

Milshtein said the real test would be whether the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza is allowed to enter Gaza, operate independently and exercise genuine authority, while Hamas gives up not only its civilian role but also its security and military control.

A pair of explosions rocked the Syrian capital of Damascus near the downtown Four Seasons hotel, where French President Emmanuel Macron was staying during a state visit, Syrian state media reported Tuesday.

Eighteen people, including four police officers, were injured by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on Tuesday, Syria's interior ministry reported through state outlet SANA.

According to the ministry, both bombs exploded after security forces had discovered them, "while preparations for the disposal operation were underway."

BRIEF ALCOHOL BAN IN DAMASCUS SPARKS CONCERNS ABOUT PRESIDENT AL-SHARAA'S VISION FOR SYRIA

The bombs were placed inside a car and a garbage can near the hotel where Macron was staying during his visit, the first Syrian state visit by the leader of a Western country since Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa took over for the now-deposed former President Bashar al-Assad in 2025.

A spokesman for Élysée Palace said Macron was not in his hotel during the explosions and didn't even hear them. He continued his visit with al-Sharaa, according to both Élysée Palace and SANA.

While not commenting on the explosions directly, Macron posted a statement on X shortly after the incident.

ISRAEL FORTIFIES BORDER WITH JORDAN AS IRAN SEEKS NEW TERROR PATH

"Nothing can smother the aspiration of Syrian women and men to live in a fully sovereign, safe, pluralistic, and united Syria. This morning I met Syria in all its diversity. I saw dignity, courage, and determination. My visit continues," he wrote.

Syria's Ministry of the Interior confirmed the explosions but stressed that they were outside the security perimeter designated for Macron.

"We confirm that the explosion site is outside the security perimeter designated for the French president’s residence. It posed no direct threat to the residence or the official visit program, which is proceeding as planned," the ministry announced through SANA.

'PARCEL BOMB' EXPLODES IN MONACO RESIDENTIAL AREA, LEAVING 2 CRITICALLY INJURED: REPORTS

Macron is the first Western leader to meet with al-Sharaa in Damascus since he became the country's president in 2025. Some have criticized Western leaders, including President Donald Trump, who hosted al-Sharaa in the White House in November, for normalizing relations with al-Sharaa given his past as a fighter for the al Qaeda terrorist group.

Tuesday's explosions in Damascus were also the second and third major blasts in Damascus in less than a week.

On Monday, France's government condemned what it called a "terrorist attack" after an explosive device killed at least nine people in a Damascus cafe on July 2.

Syrian authorities are still investigating the attack and have not publicly ascribed it to any group or individual, according to The Washington Post.

Fox News Digital contacted the Syrian Foreign Ministry and Élysée Palace for confirmation and further details.

Reform UK leader and British Member of Parliament (MP) Nigel Farage announced he was resigning from Parliament on Tuesday. 

Farage claimed he was resigning to force a by-election in his Clacton district and claimed he would run in it.

"Today I will resign as a Member of Parliament for Clacton-on-Sea, thereby forcing a by-election, which will happen, I hope in short order," he said in a press conference broadcast from the Reform UK YouTube channel.

"This will be a people vs. the establishment by-election. It's a chance to stick two fingers up to the entire establishment, to frankly tell them where to go, and that is why I will be putting my name forward to stand in this by-election," he said.

FARAGE SAYS MASS MIGRATION HAS CHANGED THE UK ‘LITERALLY BEYOND RECOGNITION,’ BELIEVES PARTY CAN WIN ELECTION

Farage's resignation followed a series of scandals surrounding gifts he received from wealthy donors while out of office.

Farage denied any wrongdoing, stating: "Let me be absolutely clear. I have done nothing wrong. I have not broken the law in any way at all. I have not misused public money."

An investigation into Farage's conduct by Parliament's Commissioner for Standards is ongoing. 

In May 2024, weeks before the July election that would return him to Parliament, Farage received a $5 million gift from cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne. 

Farage and his allies have denied that the gift was improper at all, with Farage calling it "unconditional" and claiming it did not violate Standards rules as it came only during his time as a private citizen between his 2021 exit from Parliament and his 2024 return to the body. 

He also claimed that the security funding was necessary due to an elevated intensity in the nature and frequency of threats to his life.

REFORM UK PROPOSES DEPORTING 600,000 ASYLUM SEEKERS IN SWEEPING NEW IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN

"I am going to need security for the rest of my life and I cannot even tell you how grateful I am to Christopher Harborne, because now I will never ever need to worry about whether I've got the resource."

Citing years of abuse, Farage said "over the last years it's gotten worse," citing an attack on his home and "literally, daily online calls for me to be murdered." 

Farage said he's repeatedly asked the Home Secretary for help but was ignored, leading him to incur substantial bills on security. 

He also revealed that, days after Charlie Kirk was murdered, Farage's own security funding was reduced by 70%. 

By abdicating his seat, Farage opens up a by-election, a Parliamentary snap-election resulting in a direct referendum for the seat. 

By-elections for vacated MP seats typically happen within three to four weeks of Parliament issuing a writ of certification, likely placing the snap-election for some time in early August.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

An island-wide blackout plunged Cuba into darkness Monday as the country’s deepening energy crisis continues to strain its fragile power system. 

The outage affected roughly 10 million people before limited electricity service was restored in some areas. 

"A total disconnection of the National Electric Power System is occurring," Cuba’s state-run Electric Union said Monday morning. "The causes are being investigated."

Cuba has faced increasingly frequent power outages in recent years as the country struggles with chronic fuel shortages and deteriorating electrical grids. The crisis worsened when President Donald Trump imposed additional sanctions in January and threatened tariffs on countries that provide oil to the island. 

MILLIONS LOSE POWER ACROSS CUBA AS TRUMP SANCTIONS CONTINUE TO FUEL ONGOING ENERGY CRISIS

During Monday’s blackout, public transportation was largely halted, and officials said tens of thousands of surgeries were canceled nationwide, according to The Associated Press (AP).

Authorities later said one generating unit had resumed operations roughly two hours after the collapse. 

"Microsystems are already operational throughout the country, to ensure protection for vital services," the Electric Union said. 

RUSSIAN ‘DARK FLEET’ TANKER BELIEVED TO BE DELIVERING OIL TO CUBA, DETECTED OFF US COAST AMID TRUMP BAN

The energy minister said officials were working to restore power while accusing the U.S. of contributing to Cuba’s energy struggles. 

"Vital services continue to be protected, amidst this complex situation exacerbated by the energy blockade we face," Vicente de la O Levy said.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel also blamed U.S. policies, describing the energy blockade as a "genocidal" measure imposed by Washington. 

"While the U.S. tries to induce a social explosion through asphyxiation by blocking fuel access to #Cuba, the UNE mobilizes to reverse the SEN outage," Díaz-Canel said, referring to Cuba’s National Electric Power System. 

"What the electrical workers are doing in the midst of a genocidal energy blockade is heroic."

Cuba’s energy crisis intensified earlier this year after a U.S. military operation captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and halted Venezuelan oil exports, cutting off a key source of fuel for the island. 

While Cuba produces only about 40% of the fuel it needs, a Russian tanker delivered roughly 730,000 barrels of oil to the country in March, supplies that were depleted by the end of April, according to The AP.

To conserve fuel, the Cuban government has imposed scheduled power outages that have lasted more than 24 consecutive hours in some areas, the outlet said. 

A blackout in early March affected Cuba’s western provinces, while a separate outage in mid-March plunged the entire island into darkness. 

JORDAN VALLEY: After Hamas’ terrorist invasion of Israel’s southern border on Oct. 7, 2023, the Jewish state created the 96th army division to thwart new security threats along its border with Jordan.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) granted Fox News Digital exclusive access to military bases that are on the frontlines in the fight against Iran’s regime, terrorism, narcotics and weapons smuggling, as well as illegal entry of Palestinians seeking work in Israel.

While the "Jordanian border is a peace border," an Israeli military official told Fox News Digital, "There is a strategic competition over Jordan. The other side [Iran’s regime] understands it is a peaceful border and a strategic advantage for any of our enemies who want to be there." Jordan and Israel reached a peace agreement in 1994.

JORDAN REMAINS ‘LAST HOLDOUT’ AS IRAN LOOKS TO CREATE NEW ‘TERROR FRONT' ON ISRAELI BORDER

The longevity of Mideast peace is at stake in the oppressive heat of the biblically rich history of the Jordan Valley, where Joshua led the Jews into Israel.

The Jordan Valley frequently appears in Scripture. John the Baptist led his ministry and baptisms, including Jesus’, in the Valley. "Tourists come to explore it [Jordan Valley region]," said the military official. As a result of the origins of Christianity and Judaism, the Jordan Valley has been labeled the "Original Bible Belt."

During Israel’s seven-front war against Iran and its allies, Fox News Digital reported that the regime and Hamas sought to destabilize Jordan, according to Mideast experts.

US ALLY JORDAN ROCKED BY PRO-HAMAS, MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD PROTESTS OVER GAZA WAR

In 2024, Jordan experienced protests in support of the Hamas terrorist organization.

After Hamas slaughtered over 1,200 people on 10/7, including more than 40 Americans, the IDF is reactivating 45 military bases spread out between Israel and Jordan. The IDF said the bases were built after the 1967 Six-Day War and their operation was" discontinued in the late 1990s. IDF Division 96 oversees the sprawling bases filled with bunkers in the Jordan Valley.

A military official told Fox News Digital that "Since the beginning of the year, Division 96 has thwarted more than 20 smuggling attempts involving weapons and narcotics."

According to the military official, "All walks of life come here [Jordan Valley]. The army’s job is to make sure that everybody can live here in peace." Division 96 covers 250 air miles and approximately 242.3 miles of territory, said the military official. The IDF created Division 96 a little more than a year ago.

The military official said that a critical piece of its multilayered defense is to build a new wall. "The army took everything we learned from 10/7 and revamped the wall." The military official added the construction of the wall helps to explain why Palestinians are seeking to illegally enter Israel for employment: "They see the wall and realize that their time is now up to come in."

ISRAEL DEFENSE CHIEF WARNS STRIKES ON IRAN COULD RESUME SOON, SIGNALS CAMPAIGN NOT OVER

He stressed there are legal entry points into Israel from the Jordanian side.

The multipronged new Israeli border system in the Jordan Valley is demarcated by three layers. The first layer is a military outpost, like the facility Fox News Digital toured. Named "European Goldfinch," it is situated across from the defunct historical Adam Bridge, where two Jordanian military outposts are within eyesight.

The second layer of defense is the construction of a wall. And the third line of defense is the military bases that lodges Division 96. The IDF official said that the army also increased the number of reserve soldiers.

The Israeli army built another five battalions of soldiers who were never engaged in service or finished their service and wish to return to duty. The reservists "understood the point of history we are in" and their "love for Israel," said the Israeli military official.

During Israel’s war with Iran, the clerical regime’s forces fired missiles into the Jordan Valley. The bunkers located in the outposts served as a refuge from Iran’s rockets.

The military bases inspected by Fox News Digital are located in Area C in the disputed West Bank territory, referred to by many Israelis by the region’s biblical names as Judea and Samaria. Nearly 500,000 Israelis and around 300,000 Palestinians live in Area C, which makes up 60% of the total area of Judea and Samaria. The Oslo Accords, which were signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1993, stipulated military and civilian control over Area C was absorbed by the IDF.

The miltiary official said that "We have the same agenda as Jordan: To keep the border peaceful."

As President Donald Trump heads to Ankara, Turkey, for the upcoming NATO summit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is again at the center of alliance politics. 

Trump has praised Erdoğan as "a friend" and "a respected leader," underscoring a relationship that could shape defense talks between Washington and Turkey, including Turkey’s long-running effort to restore deeper military cooperation. 

The moment highlights the remarkable position Erdoğan occupies today: Once regarded as one of NATO’s most troublesome allies after taking delivery of the Russian S-400 missile defense system in 2019, Turkey has become increasingly difficult for the alliance to sideline as the war in Ukraine drags on, instability grips the Middle East and the Black Sea grows more strategic. 

For many, however, Erdoğan remains an enigma. Rather than being driven by a fixed worldview, experts argue, Erdoğan repeatedly has reinvented himself politically, adopting whichever ideology best serves his overriding objective: remaining in power. 

TURKEY DETAINS OVER 200 SUSPECTS, INCLUDING ALLEGED ISIS MILITANTS, IN SWEEPING RAID AHEAD OF NATO SUMMIT

Erdoğan has ruled Turkey for more than two decades, evolving from an Istanbul mayor with Islamist roots into a pro-European reformer, then a nationalist strongman, and now a pivotal NATO power broker courted by Trump. 

To supporters, he restored Turkey's global stature. To critics, he hollowed out its democracy while jailing rivals, journalists and activists. But Erdoğan's most defining trait, experts say, may be less ideology than survival.

Is he an Islamist? A nationalist? A Western ally? A Russian partner? An authoritarian?

Perhaps the most important thing to understand about Erdoğan is that he has been all of those things — at different moments, according to Gönül Tol, founding director of the Middle East Institute's Turkey Program and author of "Erdoğan's War: A Strongman's Struggle at Home and in Syria." 

"He's not an ideological man," Tol told Fox News Digital. "He's very pragmatic, first and foremost a populist."

SIX KURDISH FIGHTERS KILLED IN IRGC AMBUSH AS CLASHES SPREAD ACROSS WESTERN IRAN

Erdoğan’s roots lie in Turkey’s Islamist political movement. Educated at an Imam Hatip religious school, he entered politics through National Outlook, a right-wing Islamist movement founded by Necmettin Erbakan, and eventually became mayor of Istanbul as a member of Erbakan’s Welfare Party.

But after founding the AKP, or Justice and Development Party, in 2001, Erdoğan abandoned the Islamist label, presenting himself instead as a "conservative democrat" committed to economic reform and closer ties with Europe — a shift that experts say marked the first of several political reinventions.

When Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party first swept to power in 2002, Turkey was seeking membership in the European Union, military influence over politics was shrinking, and Erdoğan promised democratic reforms, economic modernization and closer ties with the West.

Many liberals and centrists initially supported him.

"He often said, 'I'm not an Islamist anymore. I'm a conservative democrat,'" Tol said. "And that brand really served him well."

Those early years transformed both Turkey's economy and Erdoğan's popularity.

TRUMP BETS ON FORMER NATO TROUBLEMAKER AS TURKEY'S STRATEGIC VALUE SURGES

After consolidating power, Erdoğan began another political transformation.

Following the Arab Spring in 2011, he increasingly portrayed himself as a champion of political Islam, backing Islamist movements across the Middle East while presenting himself domestically as the defender of Turkey's conservative religious majority.

"He wanted to inject more Islam into public life, into education," Tol said. "He was using this more Islamist narrative... the goal was always to acquire more power."

That anti-Western turn went beyond rhetoric. 

In 2016, Erdoğan accused the U.S.-led coalition of supporting terrorist groups in Syria, including ISIS and Kurdish militias that Turkey considers terrorist organizations— an allegation the State Department dismissed as "ludicrous," according to Reuters.

His increasingly vocal support for Hamas and sharp criticism of Israel became defining features of his foreign policy. 

"The perpetrators of the massacre and the destruction taking place in Gaza are those providing unlimited support for Israel," Erdoğan said in 2023, adding that Israel's attacks and those backing them amounted to "murder and mental illness," according to Reuters.

Tol cautions against viewing those positions alone as evidence that Erdoğan remains primarily motivated by Islamism. 

"Anti-Israel sentiment cuts across ideological lines in Turkey," she said, arguing that Erdoğan's foreign policy has consistently reflected political calculation more than religious doctrine.

TRUMP'S TURKEY ARMS SALE PROPOSAL SPARKS CONGRESSIONAL QUESTIONS BEFORE NATO SUMMIT

As Turkey's economy slowed and regional ambitions faltered, Erdoğan pivoted once again.

He embraced Turkish nationalism, built alliances with hardline nationalist parties and cultivated the image of an indispensable strongman capable of restoring Turkey's historical influence.

Supporters credit him with transforming Turkey into a regional power.

"He does have genuine support," Tol said, estimating his support at roughly 35%.

Some supporters depend on government assistance and patronage networks built under his rule. Others believe Erdoğan restored dignity to conservative religious Turks who long felt marginalized by the country's secular establishment.

Still others view his increasingly assertive foreign policy as proof Turkey has reclaimed its place on the world stage.

"They think, 'We have become a world-class nation,'" Tol said. "'Everyone is praising our president. Turkey is a big player.'"

While Erdoğan continues to command a loyal political base, critics say the price has been Turkey's democratic institutions.

Authorities increasingly have used courts and criminal investigations to sideline political opponents, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, whose arrest earlier in 2026 triggered nationwide demonstrations, according to Human Rights Watch.

The organization says the government has intensified efforts to weaken Turkey's main opposition party despite its strong performance in the 2024 municipal elections.

TRUMP'S PERSONAL FEUDS WITH ALLIES FROM ITALY TO ISRAEL REVEAL HOW PERSONALITY DRIVES HIS FOREIGN POLICY

Today, Erdoğan finds himself in another political transformation.

After years of anti-Western rhetoric and disputes with Washington, Turkey has worked to repair relations with the United States and Europe.

That rhetoric was once central to Erdoğan's posture. 

He accused the U.S.-led coalition in Syria of supporting terrorist groups, blasted Washington's sanctions over Turkey's purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system, calling them a "hostile attack" on Turkey's sovereign rights and defense industry, and repeatedly accused Western governments of enabling Israel's war in Gaza.

The shift comes as Turkey's strategic importance has grown dramatically.

The S-400 purchase remains at the center of one of the biggest unresolved disputes between Washington and Ankara. After Turkey took delivery of the Russian system in 2019, the U.S. expelled Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program and later imposed sanctions on Turkey's defense procurement agency.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffrey recently told Fox News Digital that restoring Turkey to the F-35 program remains far more complicated than other defense deals because operating the Russian-made S-400 alongside America's most advanced stealth fighter could expose sensitive U.S. technology.

"The F-35 is a different issue," Jeffrey said, arguing that the problem is technical, not merely political.

Turkey controls the Bosporus and Dardanelles, fields NATO's second-largest military and plays a critical role in the Black Sea following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Jeffrey said that Turkey has been "essential to Ukraine staying in the fight," pointing to Turkey's enforcement of the Montreux Convention, a 1936 treaty that gives Turkey control over naval passage through the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, its early delivery of Bayraktar drones to Ukraine, and its role as a mediator between Kyiv and Moscow. 

"You can't contain Russia in the Black Sea without Turkey," Jeffrey said.

For Tol, however, Erdoğan's latest embrace of NATO is simply another example of his political flexibility.

"There was a time when he was very anti-Western, very critical of NATO, very critical of the United States," she said.

"And now look at him."

Human Rights Watch argues Erdoğan has used Turkey's growing importance to NATO as political cover while expanding pressure on journalists, activists and opposition figures.

Freedom House says Erdoğan has become "increasingly authoritarian" over the past decade, consolidating power through constitutional changes and the imprisonment of political opponents, independent journalists and civil society figures.

Turkey's prisons held more than 420,000 inmates — far exceeding their official capacity of roughly 304,000, according to a June 2026 report citing Turkish Justice Ministry figures.

 NATO allies have grown quieter on Turkey's rights record as Ankara's strategic value has risen, Reuters reported ahead of the summit, with former U.S. Ambassador David Satterfield saying it remains important for the West to speak publicly about the "degradation of democratic institutions in Turkey."

Tol believes Erdoğan's domestic agenda can be understood through a single principle.

"Everything is designed to keep him in power," she said. "Beyond that, I don't see a binding ideology that brings together all his policies."

As Trump heads to Turkey, that may be the key to understanding one of NATO's most consequential — and unpredictable — leaders.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Turkish government for comment.

Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips and Reuters contributed to this report.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pressuring the U.S. and Europe to provide more missiles to help Ukraine defend against Russian attacks.

"Last night, Kyiv came under a massive Russian attack. Russia launched 68 missiles and 351 attack drones," Zelenskyy noted in part of a Monday post on X.

President Donald Trump is slated to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Ankara, Turkey, this week.

Zelenskyy is calling for the U.S. and European allies to emerge from the meeting "with strong decisions in support of" Ukraine's "air defense."

TRUMP CALLS OUT NATO AHEAD OF SUMMIT, CALLING IT 'RIDICULOUS' FOR US TO PERSIST ON 'ONE SIDED PATH'

"Our warriors performed well today in intercepting drones and cruise missiles, but unfortunately not Russian ballistic missiles. And the reason lies in the insufficient supply of interceptor missiles. It is critically important that the world – first and foremost the United States and our European partners – come out of the NATO Summit in Ankara with strong decisions in support of our air defense, and thus the protection of ordinary people’s lives," he noted in the post.

WORLD LEADERS, DIGNITARIES PAY TRIBUTE TO AMERICA ON HISTORIC 250TH BIRTHDAY

"As long as Patriot missiles remain in our allies' stockpiles, Russia is only encouraged to keep 'vanquishing' residential buildings. The United States and Europe have enough strength to stop this terror," he asserted.

Zelenskyy's comments come amid the ongoing, years-long war between Russia and Ukraine.

RUSSIAN GENERALS' ASSASSINATIONS EXPOSE GROWING RIFT INSIDE PUTIN'S SECURITY APPARATUS

Reuters reported that Zelenskyy, new South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, European Council President Antonio Costa ​and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are expected to have dinner with NATO leaders on Tuesday.

Leah Stewart, an Australian mother and teacher who lost an arm after a shark attack at Sydney’s Coogee Beach, has been reading messages from supporters around the world during sleepless nights as she continues her long recovery, her family said.

"We’ve been sharing some of the beautiful messages we’ve received with Leah and she’s loved them, finding inspiration from the care and love you’ve all shared," her brother, Joshua Stewart, wrote in a GoFundMe update on Sunday.

"Leah has had some challenging days but has found real strength from your kindness and support," he added.

Leah Stewart has struggled with sleep in her recovery and has leaned on the wave of support from family, friends and strangers.

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"Since the incident Leah has had difficulty sleeping, and on those nights she’s been reading back through your messages, not only from her family and community in Australia and her whānau in New Zealand, but also from people all across the world," he wrote, using the Maori word for family. "They’ve given her real comfort and strength."

Stewart, mother to a 1-year-old daughter and passionate teacher, was attacked June 13 while on a morning swim close to shore and within the flags at Coogee Beach, according to her family. She suffered life-threatening injuries, including multiple bites across her arms and legs, lacerations, fractures and extreme blood loss.

She was placed on life support, put under a medically induced coma and underwent multiple surgeries in the days after the attack. Her treatment required the amputation of one arm, and the family said more surgeries were scheduled as doctors worked to save her life and stabilize her condition.

Stewart, who woke up from her 10-day coma after doctors reduced her sedation, told her mother and partner, Fernando, "I love you." Her brother said at the time that her first thoughts were with her young daughter, August.

SHARK ATTACK SURVIVOR WAKES FROM 10-DAY COMA AND SHARES FIRST WORDS WITH FAMILY AT HER HOSPITAL BEDSIDE

"Leah has a long road ahead," Joshua Stewart wrote after she briefly woke, calling the moment a hopeful first step in her recovery.

Joshua Stewart said the family wanted to apologize for delays in responding to supporters, explaining they have had issues with the GoFundMe messaging system.

"Leah is beyond overwhelmed at the amazing support she has received and that her story has resonated with so many people," he wrote. "Thank you!"

The fundraiser was launched to help Stewart, her partner and their young daughter through what her family described as a heartbreaking situation. The money will support her recovery, prosthetics, rehabilitation, ongoing care and the major adjustments she will need as she works toward returning to life as a mother.

Her family also thanked the lifesavers, first responders, helicopter crew and medical team at St. Vincent’s Hospital who helped care for Stewart after the attack.

"As a family we are shocked and devastated that this could happen to our beloved partner, daughter and mother who is so full of life and energy," Joshua Stewart wrote.

Tens of thousands of far-left protesters flooded the streets and clashed with police in the Germany city of Erfurt on Saturday as they protested the conservative Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Videos showed police beating back agitators with batons and deploying anti-riot ordnance as the demonstrators chanted against the country's conservative Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in a massive political rally.

Police said over 30,000 people attended the demonstrations, according to the Associated Press (AP), and people could be seen carrying signs reading "Stop AfD Nazis" and "For Diversity, Against Nazis."

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Despite the tense clashes caught on video, police told news outlets the demonstrations have been "mostly peaceful," and claimed they've recorded approximately 100 law violations, mostly due to graffiti.

The protests coincided with AfD's party conference and leadership elections during which the party, the second largest parliamentary group in Germany's Bundestag parliament, re-elected Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla as the party co-leaders.

The mass demonstrations delayed AfD's vote, prompting Chrupalla to criticize the method in which agitators expressed their dissatisfaction.

THE OLDEST HATRED IS BACK: HOW IT’S CONSUMING EUROPE AND CROSSING THE ATLANTIC

"There are no peaceful seated blockades. There are no democratic roadblocks. Nor are there any gangs of thugs who deserve the harmless label ‘civil society.’ These troublemakers are the last resort of our political rivals," Chrupalla said, according to the AP.

Chrupalla also accused the protesters of acting anti-democratically. "They believe they have a monopoly on democracy. To these demonstrators I say: this democracy is just as much our democracy as it is yours."

A spokesperson for local antifascist group widersetzen explicitly claimed that the group's intention was to block AfD's party convention.

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"The AfD pursues fascist policies: It wants mass deportations and terror on the streets. At the same time, however, it doesn’t solve a single real problem," widersetzen spokesperson Lena Raupach told the AP. "It pursues policies that benefit the rich, not ordinary citizens. And we at widersetzen want a society in which all people have equal opportunities and equal security. We want a society based on solidarity."

AfD, while fighting accusations of extremism from citizens and center-left and center-right politicians in the country's ruling coalition, rejects the notion that it is extreme, arguing it is "being used as a political instrument by mainstream parties," according to the AP.

The party has been experiencing a historic surge in popularity in recent years, grabbing over 20% of the national vote in federal elections in 2025 with an eye on capturing even more in the next election. Some federal polls have the party ranked as the most popular in the country today.

"We will win. Maybe we’ll be able to govern alone soon," Chrupalla said Saturday. "That would send the right message to the enemies of democracy out there who wanted to prevent our party convention from taking place."

Partygoers widely support the conservative moment fashioned by President Donald Trump and the party shares similar stances on social, cultural and domestic issues as the Trump administration, particularly on immigration. Perhaps inspired by Trump's trademark slogan, one party conference attendee Saturday could be seen sporting a "Make Germany Great Again" hat.

America's role in world affairs and its special relationships with allies and partners were on full display Saturday as world leaders offered congratulations and praise while the U.S. celebrated its 250th birthday.

"This year marks a truly historic milestone and a moment of great celebration for Americans everywhere," The United Kingdom's King Charles III wrote in a statement . "It offers an opportunity to pause and reflect on the remarkable journey of the United States over the past two and a half centuries, and to honour all that has been achieved since 1776."

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Pope Leo XIV, leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, extended his "heartfelt congratulations" to the American people on the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

"In marking this anniversary, it is important to recognize that freedom of religion has long been central to the American promise, protecting both individual dignity and the peaceful coexistence of a diverse people," Leo wrote in a statement.

In France, authorities illuminated the Eiffel Tower in red, white and blue in what Paris described as a "heartfelt tribute to America's 250th anniversary" and "a powerful reminder that the friendship between our two nations dates back to the 18th century."

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized that the United States was "founded on freedom, democracy, and responsibility.

"Germany and the USA have always enjoyed a close friendship. Especially in challenging times, our transatlantic partnership remains indispensable," he wrote on X.

AS AMERICA TURNS 250, A RARE 1790 EXCHANGE BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND BISHOP CARROLL TAKES ON NEW RELEVANCE

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote that July 4th marks "one of humanity's brightest, strongest, and most influential dreams – the American Dream of an independent, free, and prosperous nation that defends people's freedom, faith, and the pursuit of happiness."

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry shared a statement from President Vladimir Putin to his American counterpart: "Donald, I wish you and your loved ones health, well-being and every success, and I wish all citizens of the United States happiness and prosperity."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday spoke with President Trump to congratulate him and the United States.

MIKE PENCE: THE NEXT GENERATION NEEDS FAITH IN GOD AND CONFIDENCE IN THE AMERICAN IDEAL

"The prime minister said in their conversation that the U.S. is a guarantor of global freedom, and Israel greatly values the close ties between nations," according to a statement from Netanyahu's office.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee at the American embassy in Jerusalem on Friday.

"I am extremely moved and happy to be here at the American Embassy in Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel, at the Embassy which was launched by President Trump in his historic recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital," said Herzog. "American Independence is one of the greatest moments in history, and it has changed the fate of humanity."

AMERICA AND ISRAEL: A COVENANT, NOT A CONTRACT

In a letter to Trump, Herzog wrote, "This is also a time to express our deepest appreciation for the unique and unbreakable partnership between the United States of America and Israel. Our two nations draw from the same wellsprings of the Bible, and we share the same fundamental values of freedom, democracy, and human dignity."

Argentina’s President Javier Milei attended the U.S. Embassy in Argentina’s Independence Day celebration, which included the national anthems of both countries, live music, and celebrity lookalikes.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi noted that her country had gifted America 250 cherry trees . "Going forward, Japan and the United States will continue to work together to further strengthen the bonds between our two countries," she wrote on X.

Hsiao Bi-khim, vice president of Taiwan, threw the first pitch at an American Institute in Taiwan baseball event celebrating America’s founding. "Our countries share beliefs in freedom & democracy, & baseball is loved by both our peoples. Congrats and Happy July 4," she wrote.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates, said the "journey of the United States’ founding is one of determination and resolve , values that continue to underpin the enduring partnership and mutual trust our countries share today."

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud sent a cable of congratulations to Trump, wishing the president "continued good health and happiness, and the government and people of the US steady progress and prosperity."

Pakistan , which is acting as a mediator in ongoing talks between Washington and Tehran, extended "warmest congratulations and best wishes to the United States of America and its people on its 250th Independence Day."

Qatar, another mediator in the talks with the Iranian regime, released a statement from HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani who sent a cable of "congratulations to HE President of the United States of America Donald Trump on the anniversary of his country's Independence Day."

Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said the Declaration of Independence "gave birth to a new nation founded on the ideals of liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

"For 250 years, our transatlantic partnership has been shaped by our shared values and family bonds. And, at times, it has been strengthened by the immense bravery and lives lost in the defence of freedom," she added.

Keiko Fujimori, the conservative politician and daughter of the former president, was declared the winner Friday of Peru's presidential runoff election.

Fujimori, 51, will take office later this month as Peru's ninth president in 10 years. This was her fourth bid for the position, following years of political instability in the country.

Fujimori thanked her supporters in a post on X announcing the conclusion of the election.

STATE DEPARTMENT CONGRATULATES KEIKO FUJIMORI AS PERU'S PRESIDENT-ELECT FOLLOWING RAZOR-THIN VOTE COUNT

"I receive with profound gratitude the trust that millions of Peruvians have placed in me. A new stage begins. We assume it with responsibility, humility, and a deep sense of duty," she wrote. "Each day of this transition process is an opportunity to listen, engage in dialogue, and arrive prepared at the start of the new government. Through these accounts, we will share the progress of this stage and the work we have been carrying out. I invite you to join us."

Peru's top election authority certified the results Friday. Fujimori received 9,223,000 votes, or 50.14% of the total, while nationalist congressman Roberto Sánchez earned over 9,173,000 votes, or 49.87%, the Associated Press reported.

She made it to the runoff after defeating 33 other candidates in April.

TRUMP ADMIN BACKS BOLIVIA STATE OF EMERGENCY AS LEFTIST EX-LEADER'S LOYALISTS FRACTURE NATION

Her election came amid concerns from voters about surging crime, especially extortion by violent organized crime gangs. Fujimori has pledged to act tough on crime with an "iron fist."

She is the daughter of the late Alberto Fujimori, the former president whose government in the 1990s defeated the Shining Path extremist rebel group but also took an authoritarian turn.

He was convicted in 2009 of human rights abuses in the fight against the rebels, and later on corruption charges. His legacy within Peru remains deeply divisive.

On Tuesday, the State Department congratulated the younger Fujimori.

"The Trump administration looks forward to deepening collaboration with the Fujimori administration to advance security cooperation and to strengthen bilateral cooperation on investment and trade in our region," the statement read.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz scolded Iran during this week's UN Security Council meeting, saying Tehran "will not silence" the body following claims by the Islamic Republic's representative that council members were spreading falsehoods about its recent attack targeting neighboring Gulf states.

"Let me remind you where you are," Waltz told Iranian diplomat Amir Saeid Iravani. "This is the United States of America. This is the United Nations Security Council. You will not silence this body."

Waltz's remarks came during an emergency meeting of the council in response to drone and missile attacks targeting Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday following new U.S. airstrikes against Iran.

GULF COUNTRIES STRONGLY CONDEMN IRAN'S DRONE ATTACK ON BAHRAIN AS RISING TENSIONS THREATEN MOU

During his remarks, Iravani argued that the council should not have met, while accusing the U.S., Bahrain and other members of lying.

"Once again, the representative of the United States has resorted to lies and disinformation against Iran in a desperate attempt to justify the US's unlawful acts of aggression," Iravani said.

He also rejected the "unfounded accusations made by certain Western members of the Council and the representative of Bahrain."

IRAN HARDLINER BEHIND US DEAL WARNS TEHRAN WON’T HONOR AGREEMENT IF TRUMP FAILS TO DELIVER

"Instead of addressing the root cause of the current crisis, they have ignored the unlawful aggression committed against Iran and sought to shift blame onto the victim," he added. "Their double standards and hypocritical behavior have deprived them of any credibility to lecture others," Iravani stressed.

In a post on X, Waltz reiterated his position.

"Iran will not silence us on our own soil," he wrote. "That might work in Tehran, but not in the UN Security Council. We will tell the truth."

HOW IRAN ATTACKS ARE FORCING THE PENTAGON TO RETHINK ITS DECADES-OLD MIDDLE EAST BASE STRATEGY

During the exchange, Waltz held up what he said were images of the aftermath of the Iranian attacks, including a family whose home in Bahrain was destroyed by a Shahed drone, a hotel full of tourists that was also hit, and a building used by first responders that Waltz said was deliberately targeted.

"Are they lying?" Waltz said of the victims of the attack. "Is this hypocrisy? Is this what this council is here to denounce today? I ask the representative, are these lies? … I'd say not."

Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Bahrain's minister of foreign affairs, said that since Feb. 28, the island nation has been subjected to a total of 808 attacks, comprising 203 ballistic missiles and 605 armed drones.

"These attacks deliberately targeted civilian facilities, critical infrastructure and residential areas, resulting in the deaths of three innocent civilians and injuries to 465 others," he said, disputing Tehran's claim that its aggression is directed solely against military objectives.

Washington and Tehran have repeatedly accused each other of violating a fragile ceasefire agreement. On June 27, President Donald Trump said U.S. forces struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, after Iran violated the deal.

The exchanges of fire began when an Iranian drone struck a merchant vessel off Oman last week and the U.S. military retaliated, officials said.

"It is very possible that they will never learn! There may come a point when we are no longer able to be reasonable, and will be forced to militarily complete the job that we very successfully started," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!"

One of the leading American institutes devoted to research on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program sounded the alarm this week over the regime's uninspected underground site in the Zagros Mountains. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have not been allowed to visit the secret site, known as Pickaxe Mountain.

The highly fortified facility is casting serious doubt on Iran’s willingness to abide by the terms of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) reached with the Trump administration. The United States, together with Israel, launched Operation Epic Fury on February 28, 2026, targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities.

Experts from the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) argue that halting work at Pickaxe Mountain and allowing IAEA inspectors access would be a key good-faith measure to test whether Iran is prepared to abandon its pattern of deception.

OBAMA-ERA INSPECTION FLAWS IN IRAN COULD PERSIST AS EXPERTS WARN OF NUCLEAR BLIND SPOTS

Spencer Faragasso, a senior fellow with group who covers Iran, North Korea, illicit trade, and nuclear issues, wrote on X: "Important update by us at @TheGoodISIS. The ongoing work at Pickaxe Mountain is deeply concerning. This work has continued steadily since at least 2020. In my view, this is a hedge by Iran in case negotiations fail — they will then have a nuclear facility in a late stage of construction. We assessed that Pickaxe is likely large enough to hold an enrichment plant."

Iran has used facilities at Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan to enrich uranium, the key material for a nuclear weapons program.

Faragasso added, "If Iran is serious about negotiating, it should halt construction at Pickaxe Mountain as a token of good faith. But what can be expected from a regime as brutal and conniving as Iran’s?"

The institute posted a detailed analysis of new satellite imagery from late June 2026 showing continued activity at Pickaxe Mountain. 

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION UNVEILS SWEEPING TERMS OF PROPOSED IRAN AGREEMENT

The institute wrote that "at Pickaxe Mountain, vehicle activity can be seen on the roads leading to the open set of Western tunnel portals, indicating that construction inside the tunnel complex, as well as hardening of the tunnel entrance, are ongoing. The MOU signed between the United States and Iran requires that Iran maintain the status quo, which should prohibit construction at any nuclear-related facility, including Pickaxe Mountain."

In late June, the IAEA declined to answer a detailed Fox News Digital query on whether it would seek access to the Pickaxe Mountain facility. According to the satellite imagery obtained by the institute: "At Natanz, little activity can be seen. The access points to the below-ground enrichment halls have not been repaired. The personnel entrances remain destroyed and vehicle entrances remain severely damaged. A single vehicle can be seen on the road outside of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP), which was destroyed in June 2025 but was later covered by Iran."

The institute also reported: "As of June 29, 2026, there is no observed activity at Esfahan. The tunnel portals remain backfilled with dirt." ISIS tracked developments at the Fordow site, buried inside a mountain north of the holy Islamic city of Qom.

"At Fordow, as earlier reported by the Institute, between May 10 and May 18, Iran added passive defensive measures in the form of earthen/rocky mounds and other objects on the roads leading to the tunnel entrances. The alternating placements of the piles/objects are very precise, which creates a series of chicanes, indicating they are not intended as obstructions but rather to prevent rapid ingress and egress by any vehicle toward the tunnels."

The institute added, "The June 21 Vantor image shows that the objects along the road remain there. The tunnel portals also remain backfilled with dirt," at Fordow.

Fox News Digital sent questions to the State Department and the Iranian Mission to the United Nations.

The International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) issued a red notice Friday for Anastasiia Berezovska, a 39-year-old Ukrainian national suspected of bombing a Monaco apartment building that reportedly targeted a Russian-linked Ukrainian oligarch.

The June 30 apartment building explosion, according to numerous media reports, injured Vadym Yermolaiev, a Ukrainian-born construction magnate.

While declining to identify any of the victims by name, Monaco public prosecutor Stéphane Thibault also revealed the explosion injured a woman and a 13-year-old child in the apartment who media reports widely claim to be members of Yermolaiev's family.

'PARCEL BOMB' EXPLODES IN MONACO RESIDENTIAL AREA, LEAVING 2 CRITICALLY INJURED: REPORTS

Berezovska, according to Interpol, is now wanted on charges of attempted murder, depositing an explosive device on a public highway with criminal intent and criminal association.

Interpol identified the Ukrainian national as a dark-haired German-speaking woman who possibly has a tattoo of a snake on her arm.

The 39-year-old suspect was initially believed to be a heavy-set man. Monaco Deputy Prosecutor Morgan Raymond even initially referred to the suspect in masculine terms.

"He stood up a few meters ahead of the victims, placed an explosive device taken from his shopping bag on the entrance steps of the building, then turned to confirm the presence of the three victims before triggering the explosion using a remote control," Raymond said at an initial news conference after the incident.

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Prosecutors reviewed footage of the days leading up to the explosion, finding that a man wearing a fishing hat repeatedly cased the apartment building and surrounding area. However, on June 28, the man was absent from security footage. Instead, a woman — who prosecutors now believe to be Berezovska — followed the same patterns as the man.

"The repeated reconnaissance operations and the pauses made in front of the building clearly demonstrate the intention to specifically target the three victims," Raymond said.

Investigators tracked her escape across the Monaco-France border, through Italy and into Germany, where authorities are now actively looking for her. They raided her Frankfurt apartment Thursday.

Raymond noted that the sophistication of her explosive device gives prosecutors reason to believe she did not act alone.

"The relative sophistication of the explosive device and the modus operandi appear to indicate that the person who placed the device was not acting alone," Morgan said.

Though authorities have provided no motive, Yermolaiev's status as a sanctioned former Ukrainian is notable.

The 58-year-old construction tycoon renounced his Ukrainian citizenship in 2017, Ukrainian media reported, and has been a citizen of Cyprus since 2019. 

In 2023, the Ukrainian government sanctioned him for allegedly continuing to engage with Russia, paying taxes to Moscow and facilitating business transactions through his liquor business in Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula which Russia annexed in 2014.