Today, I had a short conversation with the European Union Ambassador to New Zealand, Lawrence Meredith, and asked him a couple of questions about the war in Ukraine.

He believes that there are three main factors that will determine the outcome of the war.

Firstly, the Russian economy is a major player, and the future of the war depends on if it can maintain the war effort. Secondly, Ukraine needs the ability to fight, and they have fought longer than anyone expected. And thirdly, there is Trump’s decisions on Ukraine in regard to arms supplies and future support.

Additionally, he believes that Trump’s recent statements make the situation very difficult for Ukraine, but that it is important to remember that EU member states (presumably plus the UK) have collectively supplied as much aid to Ukraine as the U.S.

“We aren’t in panic mode yet,” he told me, in regard to Trump’s recent statements and decisions.

The U.S. has officially designated the Houthis, officially known as Ansurallah, as a foreign terrorist organisation.

"The Houthis' activities threaten the security of American civilians and personnel in the Middle East, the safety of our closest regional partners, and the stability of global maritime trade,” the department of state said in a statement.

They also cited their campaign against commercial and military vessels sailing in the waters of the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea as another reason behind it.

It's possible that there will be an Iskander Ballistic attack on Odesa Oblast in the coming hours.

Over the past few hours, Israeli forces, accompanied with military vehicles, moved deeper into the Quneitra countryside of southern Syria, occupying the village of Swisah, and the surrounding areas.

Ukrainian HIMARS GMLRS strike on a Russian 2S43 Malva utilizing two different warheads. The first a M31A1 HE and the second a M30A1 which disperses tungsten balls.

No fire but there is definitely damage.

The IDF blew up a family home in Hebron, West Bank, which was owned by a Palestinian who reportedly took part in a stabbing and shooting attack in Tel Aviv in October 2024 which killed 7 Israelis.

🇦🇿🇦🇪⚡- The Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and UAE spoke over the phone, discussing the possibility of raising relations between the two countries to a 'strategic partnership'.

Egypt's reconstruction plan for Gaza was accepted by the Arab League during the Gaza summit in Cairo. The European council also accepted the plan, however - according to the Times of Israel - The White House has opposed it.

The plan involves 53 billion being allocated to reconstruction efforts, without displacing Palestinians. This is partially aimed at countering U.S. President Donald Trump's displacement proposal.

The plan envisions a six-month administrative committee, made up of independent technocrats, to oversee Gaza under the Palestinian government (Palestinian authority), therefore paving the way for full Palestinian leadership of the strip. Egypt and Jordan will also train Palestinian police in preparation for deployment to Gaza.

Hamas expressed support for this plan, but did not mention the part about Palestinian Authority administration over the strip.

Al-Akhbar, citing "sources close to the Houthis" reported that the decision for the Houthis to resume naval and air operations against Israel "has already been made", and that the group is awaiting the go-ahead from Palestinian armed factions.

They also added that this second stage of operations will include targets such as American coalition military bases in the military east, if the U.S. participates in the fighting against Hamas or the "Axis of resistance".

According to the Daily mail, the leaders of the UK and France, Kier Starmer and Emmanuel Macron, are ready to travel to Washington next week with Zelensky to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Macron is expected to address France at 8pm local time (roughly 10 hours from now).

The RSF has withdrawn from their last positions east of the Blue Nile River, just before the SAF was about to cut the last remaining bridge across the river that connected their troops in east bank Khartoum to the city centre.

They will now hold a final defence in the city centre and southern suburbs.

Threat of Iskanders from Crimea

Iskander on Mykolaiv