French President Macron on Iran:

Making sure that Iran will not get the nuclear weapon is very important for all of us. So for me, this is the main objective.

Having a regime change by bombing a country is not something I think feasible, and for me it’s not a good option, because it doesn’t work and we did this mistake several times in the past decades.

French President Macron on Iran:

I think after the war started at the end of February, Hormuz Strait was probably underestimated, and today we have to fix this issue.

French President Macron on Iran:

This is true that we were not there — not because we were not there for the U.S. We do respect the U.S. and we are, I think, good allies.

But when you want to engage people, you strategize with them and you ask them before launching a war.

And we decided not to join this war because we considered — and I still consider — it was not the right option.

French President Macron on Trump:

We have a very good personal relation, and he’s very energetic. Sometimes we disagree, but we’ve always been extremely frank to each other.

When I disagree, I first express this disagreement with him. I try to explain. Sometimes, perhaps, I convince him. Sometimes I don’t.

Zelensky on Russia:

If we respond on refineries, they don’t have enough diesel.

We destroyed 45% of their facilities.

Zelensky:

I think that China is using their technologies with Russia not because they are great friends, brothers and sisters. Not, of course.

Everything is very pragmatic, because they will need this experience somewhere.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis admits:

We’ve been spending so much money on defense over the past 30 years, but we don’t have much to show in terms of a domestic defense industry.

Zelensky:

We have to be strong and we have to show Putin that he's not alone on this planet, even if it's his dream. And that's why he has to respect people.

It's a pity how Russians can respect people only when you show that you are strong. They don't respect weakness.

It’s normal for people to sometimes want to be weak, to live their lives, to spend time with their loved ones, to love their children.

But no, you have to demonstrate with Russians, you have to demonstrate.

Zelensky:

Our lives are more important than the price of energy.

Zelensky:

The situation on the battlefield is not successful for Putin.

So, he’s not winning is true, and he’s not losing is also true, because for him, human losses are not considered a loss.

He’s not winning because on the battlefield almost nothing is moving — everything is moving only a little bit.

His society is losing people and money, and it’s all for nothing — just for 100 kilometers between us.

Zelensky:

I think Putin told Trump that he needs our territory and wants us to live without it. And this is the problem for us.

Because we didn’t do it on the very first day of the war.

We have been strong. Our people and our children are still strong, even though I think they are tired after a long war.

So after all these days of surviving, to just sell our independence and sell our freedom, I think it’s not about us.

Venezuela’s opposition leader Machado made three failed attempts to return to Venezuela from exile, according to her team, as interim President Delcy Rodriguez met Trump in New York.

Machado has been outside Venezuela since late last year after a period in hiding following the disputed 2024 election.

Her adviser said the attempts were among seven failed efforts to return since she secretly left the country.

Source: Reuters

📸 Polish President Karol Nawrocki gifted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a ceremonial sabre during their UNGA meeting in New York.

The gift is widely seen as reciprocating Erdogan’s personalized revolver presented to Nawrocki at the July NATO Summit in Ankara.

Türkiye's ASELSAN and ROKETSAN signed a €1.23 billion subsystem deal, the two companies jointly building Türkiye's Çelik Kubbe (Steel Dome) layered air defense system.

ASELSAN handles radars, seekers, and fire control; ROKETSAN builds the missiles.

WATCH: Argentina's President Milei danced and jumped with yeshiva students in Queens chanting "Am Yisrael Chai" after receiving a pro-Israel award during his UNGA trip.

NEW: Tigrayan forces seized Mekelle's Alula Aba Nega Airport today.

Ethiopian Airlines cancelled flights to Mekelle, Axum, and Shire.

Just two days ago, seven armed groups including the TPLF, Amhara Fano, and OLA announced an alliance to overthrow PM Abiy Ahmed.

Taking the airport gives Tigray control over its main air link to the rest of Ethiopia and signals the Pretoria framework is effectively collapsing.

Source: AFP

Diesel prices are hitting record highs globally, driving costs sharply higher across Europe.

Drivers are paying about €30 more for a 50-litre tank, adding an estimated €203 million a day in extra costs across Europe.

Source: FT

Trump has so far declined to intervene against UK-led sanctions targeting Israeli settlements in the West Bank, despite Israel asking Washington for help.

Rubio initially suggested the U.S. might respond, but two weeks later no action had been taken.

Source: The Times of Israel

Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister Prévot:

Twelve people find themselves in a forest on an island. The guide who led them there is sitting among them.

He's dead, but they don't know it yet. They are waiting for him to return.

They hear the wind, the sea, the voices around them. They know they are not alone. Yet they can barely tell where the others are.

At one point, one of the characters says: "Years and years we have been together and we have never seen each other."

That line comes back to me when I look at our world.

Netanyahu:

The Economist ranks the State of Israel — pay attention, after three years of war — as one of the three most dynamic economies in the world. It’s unbelievable.

For me, it is also divine assistance, but it is also policy — simply a policy of a free market.