Syria

British Foreign Secretary David Lammy visited Syria on July 5, restoring diplomatic relations after 14 years. The visit took place eight months after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's regime, where Lammy met with the transitional president and foreign minister.

A Flixbus bus, en route to Vienna, veered off the A19 highway near Röbel and overturned. 31 people were injured, one of them seriously, and Ukrainians are among the casualties.

As of July 4, 2025, there are no enemy Russian ships in the Black and Azov Seas. In the Mediterranean Sea, there are two Russian ships, one of which is a carrier of Kalibr cruise missiles with a total salvo of up to 4 missiles.

In Germany, a 20-year-old Syrian citizen attacked passengers on an ICE train traveling from Hamburg to Vienna with a hammer, injuring four people. The attacker was neutralized by passengers, after which he was detained by the police.

A Russian Iskander missile hit the pier of Odesa seaport on June 3. Two people were killed, six were wounded, including Syrian citizens. Port infrastructure was damaged.

US President Donald Trump, effective July 1, lifted sanctions against Syria, as well as a number of Russian banks, institutions, and individuals, including former FIDE head Kirsan Ilyumzhinov. Among the companies from which restrictions have been lifted is "Rosoboronexport," the sole state intermediary for arms exports in Russia.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to terminate the Syria sanctions program to support stability, but restrictions against Bashar al-Assad and other violators have been preserved. Earlier, Switzerland and the EU also lifted some economic sanctions against Syria.

Syria will insist on the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Golan Heights, regardless of future peace agreements. Israel doubts that Syrian leader al-Sharaa would agree to any deal without this withdrawal.

The German parliament has approved a law to suspend family reunification for two years for migrants with subsidiary protection status. The restriction will affect approximately 380,000 people, mainly Syrian citizens.

The White House proposes to stop funding programs that investigate war crimes in various countries, including Ukraine. This also applies to the Global Rights Compliance project, which collects evidence of crimes such as sexual violence and torture.

Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, believes that Russia created problems for Iran amidst Tehran's conflict with Israel, as it cannot provide additional air defense systems. He noted that Russia is unable to save its allies and is experiencing difficulties in Africa and post-Soviet republics.

An American military base in Hasakah province, Syria, came under mortar fire. After the attack, security measures at the facility, which is not the first time it has been targeted by pro-Iranian groups, were strengthened.

20 people were killed and 60 wounded in the terrorist attack at St. Elijah's Church near Damascus. The Islamic State terrorist organization claimed responsibility for the attack.

On June 22, 176 people, including 133 Ukrainians, were evacuated from Israel due to the worsening security situation. The operation was carried out by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on behalf of President Zelenskyy; the plane with passengers landed in Moldova.

A suicide bombing at the Mar Elias Church in Damascus has left at least 20 dead and over 50 injured. The suicide bomber, a member of the 'Islamic State', opened fire and detonated explosives.

A suicide bomber carried out an explosion in the crowded St. Elijah Church in the Dwelaa district of Damascus. Syrian security forces surrounded the incident site.

The Syrian Ministry of Interior has detained Wasim al-Assad, a cousin of the overthrown president Bashar al-Assad, who is considered one of the biggest drug traffickers and war criminals. He is accused of involvement in drug trafficking and support for the regime, which led to sanctions from the US and EU.

On June 20, 2025, Switzerland lifted several economic sanctions against Syria, including restrictions on financial services and trade in precious metals. This decision follows the actions of the European Union on May 27, 2025.

For the first time since 2011, Syria has made an international bank transfer via SWIFT, opening the door for similar operations. This marks a significant step towards the country's reintegration into the global financial system amid the lifting of EU sanctions.

Israeli officials are considering options other than airstrikes on Iran, including a special forces raid on the uranium enrichment facility in Fordo. While US President Donald Trump doubts the effectiveness of bombs against fortified targets, Israel is preparing to act alone.

Copenhagen has overtaken Vienna as the world's most livable city, receiving perfect scores for stability, infrastructure, and education. Vienna lost its lead due to a decline in its security score.

The Israel Defense Forces withdrew the main forces from Gaza, leaving four divisions. The borders with Jordan and Egypt have been reinforced due to threats.

Israeli soldiers destroyed the head of intelligence of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and his deputy, as well as the heads of intelligence of the "Quds" forces. The liquidation dealt a blow to Iran's ability to carry out terrorist attacks.

The Trump administration is considering expanding the list of countries whose citizens will be banned from entering the United States. The reasons are problems with document security and migration cooperation.

On June 15, Ukraine celebrates Father's Day and World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. It also honors the Day of Medical Worker, the Day of Prophet Amos, and the Day of St. Jerome.

After Iran's missile strike on Haifa, Syria, Jordan and Iraq closed their airspace. Flights in Lebanon have been canceled due to Iranian shells in the sky over Beirut.

The UK is deploying additional military assets, including fighter jets, to the Middle East. Preparations began on Friday due to the deteriorating situation in the region.

Due to the escalation of the situation in the Middle East, caused by Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Ukrainians are advised to refrain from traveling to certain countries. Recommendations are published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Russian mercenaries from the Wagner PMC have created a network of secret prisons in Mali, where civilians are tortured and kidnapped. From 2023 to 2025, 668 people went missing.

The European Union has added Monaco to the list of countries with a high risk of money laundering and terrorist financing. Russia was again not included in the updated list.