2 July 2026
NATO
European NATO members will announce at next week’s NATO summit in Ankara that they have filled the gaps left by the American force restructuring. The main gap will be strategic bombers, where the US has said it will make only one aircraft available instead of two. This may seem inconsequential, but NATO defence planning is very intricate.
US-Iran
US envoys met in Doha, but did not meet the Iranian delegation. The envoys met with mediators. The Iranian delegation did the same for the first US-Iran technical negotiation over the MoU.
Iran and the US agreed to future talks after the funeral of the previous Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His funeral will occur over four months since he was killed on 28 February.
Iran’s defence minister Majid Ebn al-Reza stated that Iran’s military capabilities are non-negotiable. Iran’s position means that its missile and drone programs are off the table. It would have been difficult to limit Iran’s military capabilities, but it also means that there is an erosion of what can be discussed.
Iran announced that it will not cooperate with a multi-nation mission to demine the Strait of Hormuz. According to Iranian authorities, under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, responsibility for mine clearance in the Strait of Hormuz will be borne solely by Iran. Earlier, French President Macron stated that France and Oman agreed to work jointly with partners to clear the Strait.
Germany
A 50-year-old Ukrainian soldier from Kyiv has been charged with the 2022 Nord Stream blasts. Known only as Serhii K., he was extradited from Italy on a German arrest warrant in August 2025. K. is accused of attacking civil energy infrastructure, considered a war crime under international law, as well as causing an explosion and destroying infrastructure. K. was in command of the sailing vessel Andromeda, and traces of military explosives HMX and RDX were found on board.
Ukraine
Russia launched hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles at Kyiv in the early hours of Thursday morning. The attack killed at least 13 people. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 74 missiles and 496 drones during the attack. Despite air defence, 25 ballistic missiles and 12 drones struck 33 locations.
With all of these Ukrainian drone deals, there has not been a clear legal procedure for exports until now. The Ukrainian government approved “the first transparent mechanism” for weapons exports and set uniform rules for the state, manufacturers, and partners. This will clear up any ambiguity and provide a transparent legal process for Ukrainian industry to conduct its business.
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha claimed that Russia proposed to hand over thousands of Ukrainian civilians in Moscow’s custody for the North Korean POWs. The two North Korean POWs in Ukraine have expressed their wish to defect to South Korea. By revealing this, Sybiha has made it a politically sensitive matter in Ukraine as the handover to South Korea will bolster ties between the two countries, but will demonstrate the cost to Ukrainian civilians at home. It also illustrates the importance of Russia’s ongoing relationship with North Korea for them to offer such a concession.
Sudan
Fighting in Sudan has intensified as the Sudanese army and the RSF skirmish across several fronts in the western Darfur region. Both sides are reinforcing their positions around El Obeid, and there are reports that the army is advancing toward El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur.
Democratic Republic of Congo
A new UN Group of Experts report outlines that there were 14,000 and 18,000 Rwandan soldiers deployed across North and South Kivu as of late December 2025. The report estimates that the AFC/M23 alliance commands around 30,000 fighters. The UN report also suggests that AFC/M23 is preparing for a new political phase. The movement’s expanding military capacity, its stated constitutional ambition and its intention to cement itself as a political force as well as a military force.
Social Media Wires
Ground footage of the aftermath of the “Rubin” strategic communication system strike
Russia shot down something, but it may not be the new FP-9 ballistic missile
Featured Photo: “M23 troops in Bunagana” – Wikimedia Commons, 2026
The Wires Brief is a daily breaking news report incorporating wire service news and social media updates. DefRep cannot verify the authenticity of social media reporters nor the accuracy of social media updates. Feature photos are altered with grayscale.