July 7, 2025. International news round-up / last 24 hours

The war between Russia and Ukraine is the most important item on the international political agenda - the continuing Russian offensive and the regional political implications of the conflict continue to generate fears among European states. At the same time, Russia's attempt to influence the electoral process in the Republic of Moldova is seen as a new step in the political conflict between the European Union and Moscow. The volatile situation in the Middle East, where attacks on the Gaza Strip continue, is increasingly discussed from a humanitarian perspective. Houthi rebel attacks on ships again raise the spectre of significant problems in international maritime traffic.

The war in Ukraine

• Russia has launched attacks in Donetsk, resulting in at least four deaths, and claims to have shot down 120 Ukrainian drones.
• Volodimir Zelensky says his latest talk with Donald Trump was the most productive yet.
• The Ukrainian president has welcomed agreements between Ukraine and several European states on drone production, stressing that the partnerships will allow his country to significantly increase production.
• Mark Rutte warns: China could encourage Russia to attack NATO to divert attention from Taiwan.

The situation in the Middle East

• Israel announces it will send 54,000 conscription orders to ultra-Orthodox Jews, a decision that has the potential to amplify anti-government protests.
• Israel has launched fresh attacks on targets in theGaza Strip, amid a UN report claiming that more than 600 people have been killed in aid centers since late May.
• An Hamas official tells the BBC that 95% of the group's leaders have been killed, pointing to staffing problems facing the organization.
• Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei has appeared in public for the first time since the truce with Israel, in a symbolic gesture to reassert his authority.
• A Greek ship was attacked off Yemen with speedboats, grenades and sea drones, and later abandoned due to a fire.

BRICS summit

• Putin declares that the "era of liberal globalization" is over, calling for a future dominated by emerging markets.
• BRICS leaders' final statement denounces military actions in Iran and Gaza and promotes multilateralism.
• The absence from the event of the Russian and Chinese leaders, respectively, suggests that beyond rhetoric, the organization is not the most important diplomatic tool for Russia and China.

Republic of Moldova

• Ilan Șor is organizing a congress of pro-Russian parties in Moscow, promoting the idea of Moldova's union with Russia through the "Victory" bloc.
• The bloc announces its participation in the elections, with Evghenia Gut at the head of the list, counting on the support of the pro-Russian electorate.
• Maia Sandu warns that Moldova's European future depends on September's vote, as the EU pledges €1.9 billion in investment.

Other topics

• Elon Musk launches a new political party - the Party of America - sparking criticism from President Trump, who calls the billionaire's move "ridiculous".
• Flooding in Texas has left at least 82 people dead; dozens are missing, and local authorities are managing a growing humanitarian crisis.
• Thousands are protesting the adoption of the euro in Bulgaria, demanding a referendum and the resignation of the government.
• China is reacting to its exclusion from €60 billion worth of European tenders by imposing restrictions on imports of medical devices.

Top entities mentioned

• Israel
• Russia
• Elon Musk
• Donald Trump
• Republic of Moldova

*****Summary compiled using a monitoring feed provided by NewsVibe Romania. The top international topics are identified from the automated monitoring of impactful media sources in Romania, as well as from the tracking of foreign policy topics in mainstream media sources and the pages of the main influencers. The analysis, data and images presented were enhanced with the help of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence tools.