NATO member states have pledged to provide Ukraine with at least €70 billion in military equipment, assistance and training support next year.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte made the announcement at the closing ceremony of the Alliance leaders’ summit.

He said NATO would continue supporting Ukraine while also pursuing efforts to achieve peace.

“NATO will continue its efforts to achieve peace. As Ukraine shows initiative on the battlefield, our support must also continue,” the secretary general said.

The United States will grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot missile systems.

As reported by Reuters, U.S. President Donald Trump made the announcement during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ankara.

“We will give you a license to produce Patriots. That way, you won’t complain that we’re not providing enough Patriots,” Trump said.

Iran said one serviceman was killed after U.S. military strikes targeted coastal bases and civilian facilities in several parts of the country overnight on July 8.

The information was announced by the Iranian Armed Forces.

According to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), one soldier was killed by shrapnel in the southeastern city of Bandar Mahshahr.

The Fars news agency reported that two facilities in the southwestern province of Bushehr were struck by U.S. forces.

Strikes were also reported in the port city of Sirik, as well as on Kharg and Qeshm islands.

According to the U.S. Central Command, precision strikes targeted more than 80 Iranian sites in response to Iran’s targeting of three vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran, in turn, said it had struck 85 U.S. military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait and had also shot down a U.S. MQ-9 drone.

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran with further military action later on July 8 while speaking to reporters alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara.

The remarks were reported by the BBC.

“We hit them very hard last night, very, very hard,” Trump said.

He added that the United States would most likely launch another round of powerful strikes against Iran later in the evening.

“I gave them a little warning: we’re going to hit them hard again tonight,” Trump said.

U.S. forces overnight on July 8 struck around 80 targets in Iran in response to the recent targeting of three vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, in turn, launched retaliatory strikes targeting 85 U.S. military facilities across the region. The United States also cancelled plans to ease oil-related sanctions on Iran.

Against the backdrop of the latest escalation, Trump said the ceasefire with Iran was no longer in effect and that Washington no longer intended to hold negotiations with Tehran.

Tehran has suspended negotiations with Washington on reaching a final settlement, citing threats from the United States, a senior Iranian source told TASS.

“Due to direct threats made by U.S. President Donald Trump against the Iranian people and Washington’s repeated violations of its commitments, Iran has suspended negotiations with the United States on concluding a final agreement,” the source said.

According to the source, any U.S. military aggression against Iran would be met with a broader and more decisive response than before.

“While continuing to violate its obligations, the United States launched attacks on Iran’s southern islands. In response to this aggression, which constitutes a gross violation of the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, Iran carried out large-scale retaliatory strikes against U.S. positions in the region. Iran has issued a firm warning that any further U.S. military action will be met with a more decisive, broader and harsher response than previously,” the source said.

Earlier on July 8, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran while speaking to reporters alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara.

“We hit them very hard last night, very, very hard,” Trump said.

He added that the United States would most likely launch another round of powerful strikes against Iran later in the evening.

“I gave them a little warning: we’re going to hit them hard again tonight,” Trump said.

U.S. forces overnight on July 8 struck around 80 targets in Iran in response to the recent targeting of three vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, in turn, launched retaliatory strikes targeting 85 U.S. military facilities across the region. The United States also cancelled plans to ease oil-related sanctions on Iran.

Against the backdrop of the latest escalation, Trump said the ceasefire with Iran was no longer in effect and that Washington no longer intended to hold negotiations with Tehran.

Israel is strongly opposed to the sale of U.S.-made fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with CNN on July 7.

“Türkiye has aggressive ambitions… This is not a force for peace and stability… I wouldn’t do it,” Netanyahu said.

The Israeli prime minister again warned that supplying F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye would “destroy the balance of power in the Middle East,” according to CNN.

Netanyahu also cautioned that selling Washington’s most advanced fighter aircraft to Türkiye would not make Ankara a friend of the United States.

“He is not an exemplary ally of the United States. He threatens to destroy my country, the only Jewish state,” Netanyahu said.

Days earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in an interview with CNN Türk that Israel had “become a burden humanity can no longer bear.”

Netanyahu also said he and U.S. President Donald Trump agree on almost all issues, although some differences remain.

“He is the president of the United States. He does what is good for the United States. I am the prime minister of Israel, I do what is important for Israel, and most of the time those things overlap,” Netanyahu said.

During a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on July 7, Trump said he planned to lift restrictive measures against Ankara and did not rule out the sale of U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye.

Washington imposed sanctions on Türkiye and removed it from the F-35 program after Ankara purchased Russia’s S-400 air defense system in 2019. The U.S. Congress also passed legislation barring any F-35 sale to Türkiye as long as Ankara retains the S-400 system, saying the Russian system poses a security risk to U.S.-made combat aircraft.

Turkish National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler met with Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov and Romanian Defense Minister Radu-Dinel Miruță.

According to Anadolu Agency, citing a statement by Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense, the meeting took place at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on the sidelines of the 36th NATO Summit.

Following the talks, the three defense ministers signed a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of the MCM Black Sea (Mine Countermeasures Black Sea) joint task group, aimed at strengthening mine countermeasure cooperation and enhancing maritime security in the Black Sea.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has cancelled a planned visit to Israel scheduled for July 8 following the latest exchange of strikes with Iran.

The Times of Israel reported the development, citing an unnamed Israeli official.

The official confirmed that Hegseth had been expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the visit, but did not elaborate on the reason for its cancellation.

The BBC also reported that the visit had been cancelled.

Hegseth is currently in Türkiye with U.S. President Donald Trump for the NATO summit taking place on July 7-8. Neither the United States nor Israel had officially confirmed the planned visit.

Israeli media had earlier reported that Hegseth’s visit was intended to ease Israeli concerns over the possible sale of F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously warned that supplying advanced aircraft to Ankara would “disrupt the balance of power in the Middle East” by weakening Israel’s military advantage.

In response, Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry described Netanyahu’s remarks as a “disinformation campaign” aimed at undermining Türkiye’s defence requirements and diverting attention from regional conflicts.

This article is published under the cooperation agreement between Armenpress and Moldpres.

The European Parliament on July 8 adopted its annual report on the Republic of Moldova, calling for the immediate opening of accession negotiations on all remaining chapters that have yet to be launched, Moldpres reported.

The report was adopted with 505 votes in favour, 115 against and 45 abstentions.

Member of the European Parliament Siegfried Mureșan said the vote demonstrated the European Parliament’s full support for Moldova’s European path.

“We, the European Parliament, consider the Republic of Moldova to be the frontrunner in the accession process, and we believe this progress should be rewarded by accelerating the negotiation process,” he said.

According to Mureșan, the report also “condemns the Russian Federation’s repeated attempts to destabilise the Republic of Moldova, including efforts to influence the outcome of democratic elections.”

He added that the European Parliament had called for increased financial and technical assistance from the European Union to enable Moldova “to become more secure, withstand external threats and continue on its European path.”

During a debate in the European Parliament on July 7, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos called for opening all remaining negotiating chapters with Moldova “as soon as possible,” stressing that the country had implemented reforms at an impressive pace and that supporting its European integration was an investment in a stronger, safer and more united Europe.

The Republic of Moldova opened the first cluster of its EU accession negotiations, Fundamentals, on June 15, 2026, during the second EU–Moldova Intergovernmental Conference held in Luxembourg.

This article is published under the cooperation agreement between Armenpress and BTA.

Bulgaria’s General Directorate for Combating Organised Crime will be empowered to order the removal of terrorist content and block access to it online under amendments to the Interior Ministry Act adopted at second reading by parliament on July 8.

The information was reported by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).

Under the amendments, the directorate will be required to prepare an annual report in accordance with the relevant EU regulation. The report will be published on the Interior Ministry’s website, while a separate report must be submitted to the European Commission by March 31 each year.

The Directorate for International Operational Cooperation has been designated as the single point of contact for the exchange of information between the competent law enforcement authorities of EU member states for the purposes of preventing, detecting and investigating criminal offences.

By March 1 each year, the Interior Ministry will provide the European Commission with statistical data on information exchanges carried out by the directorate with other member states during the previous calendar year.

The amendments also expand the powers of the Border Police in addressing threats posed by unmanned aerial vehicles in border areas by enabling enhanced border control and special security measures in the public areas and perimeters of airports.

“In view of the functional responsibilities of the Border Police, it is necessary for its authorities to have the legal powers to counter this type of threat by using technical means to block electronic communications services and electronic communications,” the explanatory note to the amendments states.

The Border Police will also be authorised to request information from Bulgaria’s Passenger Information Unit. The stated purpose is to prevent, investigate and detect offences related to human trafficking, irregular migration, smuggling and other border-related crimes.

The amendments further introduce the right to paid parental leave for Interior Ministry employees who are fathers or adoptive parents raising a child under the age of eight.