United States

UNIFIL Mandate Renewal Underway: Role Assessment and Downsizing

Deliberations are ongoing among the permanent members of the UN Security Council regarding the renewal of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mandate for another year. However, the debates remain centered between the United States and Israel on one hand, and France on the other. According to French diplomatic sources, “the renewal of ...

Zaki Conveys Arab League Support for Lebanese Sovereignty

President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed, on Thursday, to Arab League Deputy Secretary-General Ambassador Hossam Zaki Lebanon’s commitment to implementing the arms control resolution in a way that safeguards the interests of all Lebanese citizens. He emphasized the necessity for Israel to fulfill its obligations to create the conditions required for ...

Trump, Putin and the Future of Europe: A Deal that Could Redraw the Map

On August 18, 2025, the White House became the stage for a meeting that may be remembered as a turning point in modern geopolitics. US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a cadre of European leaders gathered to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war. Europe’s top leaders crammed into the Oval Office, listening in silence ...

Trump Raises Pressure on Fed With Call for Governor To Resign

President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on the US central bank Wednesday with a call for Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook to step down, as he repeatedly criticizes Fed Chair Jerome Powell for not lowering interest rates. "Cook must resign, now!!!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, sharing a Bloomberg news report on how the ...

US Signals Conditional UNIFIL Extension Amid Lebanese Security Concerns

A US State Department source overseeing the UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) mission said Wednesday that the one-year extension for the peacekeeping force is not open-ended, but comes with a clear timeline to end its role. Speaking to MTV Lebanon, the official emphasized that the naval component will remain until the mission’s ...

US Targets More ICC Judges Including over Israel

The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on four more International Criminal Court judges or prosecutors, including from allies France and Canada, in a new effort to hobble the tribunal particularly over actions against Israel. "The Court is a national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare against the United States ...

Iran says Will Deploy New Missiles if Israel Attacks Again

Iran said Wednesday it was prepared for any new Israeli attack, announcing it has developed missiles with greater capabilities than those used during their recent 12-day war. "The missiles used in the 12-day war were manufactured... a few years ago," Defense Minister Aziz Nassirzadeh said, quoted by the official IRNA news agency. "Today, we have ...

Top Officers Hold Ukraine Talks After Trump Rules Out US Troops

    Top US and European military officers met in Washington Tuesday to discuss the mechanics of a possible Ukraine peace deal, after President Donald Trump ruled out sending American troops to back an agreement but suggested air support instead. In a flurry of diplomacy aimed at ending the war, Trump brought Ukrainian President ...

Putin and Zelensky Set for Peace Summit After Trump Talks

Russian and Ukrainian presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky looked set for a peace summit after fast-moving talks Monday between Donald Trump and European leaders that focused on the key issue of long-term security guarantees for Kyiv. Hopes of a breakthrough rose after Trump said he had spoken by phone with Russian counterpart Putin ...

UN Debates Future Withdrawal of Lebanon Peacekeeping Force

The United Nations Security Council began to debate Monday a resolution drafted by France to extend the UN peacekeeping force in south Lebanon for a year with the ultimate aim to withdraw it. Israel and the United States have reportedly opposed the renewal of the force's mandate, and it was unclear if the draft text has backing from Washington, ...

Trump Floats Ukraine Security Pledges in Talks with Zelensky and Europeans

US President Donald Trump said Monday that Russia would accept security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a peace deal, as he hosted Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders in an extraordinary show of unity at the White House. Trump expressed optimism over the chances of ending Russia's invasion and said he was ready to hold a three-way ...