Overview

• President Trump has trimmed his 50-day ultimatum to President Putin to an unspecified shorter period, warning of up to 100 percent secondary tariffs on Russian energy imports if the Ukraine war continues.
• After months of haggling, the US and EU activated a trade accord that applies 15 percent US duties on EU exports to resolve their steel and aluminum dispute.
• Germany dispatched two A400M transport aircraft to Jordan to begin humanitarian air drops into Gaza, and Chancellor Merz publicly warned Israel of measures if aid restrictions persist.
• Britain’s Labour government has threatened to recognize Palestine at the UN if Israel fails to allow specific humanitarian steps, and France is pressing the EU to step up pressure for a two-state solution.
• Fresh Russian strikes on a Zaporizhzhia prison killed 16 inmates and injured 35, Germany revealed a €172 billion medium-term budget gap, a Bundeswehr helicopter crash in Saxony claimed two lives, and former biathlete Laura Dahlmeier was confirmed dead after a mountain accident in Pakistan.