World News

Main points

• Hungary is blocking Ukraine's accession to the EU. However, the EU has options to circumvent Hungary's actions.
• Political scientist and executive director of the International Association of Small Communities Alexey Buryachenko named two options for how the EU can do this. But there are nuances there too.

Hungary is blocking Ukraine's accession to the European Union. There are options to circumvent Viktor Orban's destructive actions, but they are not without nuances.

Political scientist and executive director of the International Association of Small Communities Alexey Buryachenko told Channel 24 about this, noting that Hungary is against Ukraine joining the EU. However, the European Union can take certain steps for our country.

What can be done with Hungary

As Buryachenko noted, the European Union has two options for how to continue the process of Ukraine's European integration, despite Hungary's actions. We should not forget about Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union, which could block Orban's decision on our country's European integration.

Despite this, it is unlikely that the EU will take such a radical step. They always try to find a more or less balanced solution between the conflicting parties.

If they apply Article 7 against Hungary now, they risk destabilizing the political landscape in the EU. This option is possible to show Orban that he cannot blackmail the entire EU. But it is not worth saying that they will 100% take this step, Buryachenko noted.

There is a second option, which is increasingly being discussed in Europe. They suggest waiting for the parliamentary elections in Hungary, which will take place in 2026. It is quite possible that there will be a pro-European coalition without Orban. Then there will be no problems with negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU.

Let us add that Hungary is now blocking the start of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU. They are again saying that this decision could drag the European community into a war with Russia.

Main points

• North Korea allegedly plans to send up to 30,000 troops to Russia to fight in the war with Ukraine.
• These agreements may be connected with Sergei Shoigu’s visit to the DPRK, in which case this country will effectively enter into a war with Ukraine.
• Kim Jong-un wants his soldiers to master modern warfare techniques.

North Korea is reportedly planning to send up to 30,000 troops to fight in Ukraine. These reinforcements could arrive in Russia in the coming months.

The CNN publication, which published this information, cites a source in Ukrainian intelligence. However, as Oleksandr Musienko, a serviceman of the Troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, noted to Channel 24, there is no official confirmation of such facts.

Why is it profitable for the DPRK to give its soldiers to Russia

It is worth noting that the publication stated that the DPRK soldiers would fight in the occupied territories. That is, it is not talking about Kursk region, where they were previously involved, but about direct participation in the territory of Ukraine.

This means that North Korea is actually entering a war with us. In accordance with the norms of international law, our state should no longer be responsible, in particular, for the security of DPRK facilities that are used to launch drones and produce weapons.

The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Kirill Budanov, spoke about a serious deepening of cooperation with North Korea even earlier. It is important that South Korean intelligence also reported on the training of new DPRK soldiers to participate in the war, stressed Alexander Musienko.

Probably, certain agreements were reached after the visit of the Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei Shoigu to the DPRK. The only thing publicly known is the arrival of North Korean workers who will work at drone factories. They will also adopt the Russian side's experience in drones.

“Kim Jong-un is preparing to send soldiers because he needs to train his fighters. He wants to master the methods of modern warfare. Of course, there are high risks that not only North Korean workers but also military personnel may appear in Russia,” noted Alexander Musienko.

However, the exact number of fighters can only be determined after their arrival. Then the services will begin recording their movements and training.

Putin called the Taliban “an ally in the fight against terrorism.”

Russia's Supreme Court in April removed the Taliban's designation as a “terrorist organization,” and Moscow has stepped up efforts to normalize relations to boost regional influence.

This is discussed in the Aljazeera article.

“Russia has officially accepted the powers of the new Afghan ambassador, taking another step toward establishing friendly relations with the Taliban authorities who seized power in the country four years ago after the withdrawal of US troops,” the authors write, citing a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.

“We believe that the official recognition of the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will become an impetus for the development of productive bilateral cooperation in various areas,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Thus, Russia became the first country in the world to officially recognize the Taliban government.

“This bold decision will be an example for others. Russia has outpaced everyone in the recognition process,” Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi thanked Moscow.

Russia's move is expected to attract the attention of the United States, which has frozen billions of dollars in Afghan central bank assets and imposed sanctions on some Taliban leaders, effectively isolating the country's banking system from the global financial network.

The Taliban have been gradually establishing external contacts since seizing power in August 2021. The Kremlin, which called the US withdrawal from the country a “failure,” has since taken steps to normalize relations with the new government, viewing it as a potential economic partner and ally in the fight against terrorism.

It should be noted that Taliban representatives took part in the economic forum in St. Petersburg in 2022 and 2024, and also met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow in October 2024.

Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has called the Taliban an “ally in the fight against terrorism” – in particular against ISIS-K (Islamic State in Khorasan Province), which is responsible for a number of terrorist attacks both in Afghanistan and in Russia itself.

In April, the Russian Supreme Court officially removed the Taliban's status as a terrorist organization.

“The new government in Kabul is a reality,” Lavrov said at the same time.

He also called for a “pragmatic, not ideological, policy” on Afghanistan.

It has also already been said that the Kremlin has reached an agreement with the Taliban to bring Afghans to the occupied Donbass. Currently, one hundred Afghan citizens are already working at construction sites in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Tatarstan. Now the workforce is being brought to the territory of occupied Ukraine.

Read also

The law, among other things, calls for increased spending on border security and the military, continued tax breaks and an increase in the debt ceiling.

The US House of Representatives has finally passed the “big beautiful” bill submitted by President Donald Trump. It was the bill that the US leader's former ally, billionaire Elon Musk, called “a disgusting abomination”, starting a bitter war with Trump on social media that ended in a break in relations.

Reuters reports this.

The law, which includes increased spending on border security and the military, extended tax cuts, and raised the debt ceiling to $4 trillion, passed with a narrow majority of 218 of the 435 members of Congress.

House Speaker Mike Johnson signed the bill immediately after it passed the House. Now it must be signed by the US president, but since Trump himself introduced it, the final step is perceived as a formality.

The White House said Donald Trump would sign his bill into law on the evening of Independence Day, July 4.

Trump's initiative has received much criticism from both Democrats and Republicans in the United States.

One of the most vocal opponents of the law is billionaire Elon Musk, who claims that Trump's law will drive the country into debt. Musk's criticism of the law has led to an exchange of insults between him and Trump.

Let us recall that the conflict began with Elon Musk publicly criticizing Trump's fiscal law, calling it a “disgusting abomination” that “will increase the deficit to $2.5 trillion.” In response, the US president called the businessman “crazy.”

The head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Beijing will not allow Russia to lose, writes an authoritative publication from Hong Kong.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told European diplomacy chief Kaja Kallas that Beijing cannot afford to lose to Russia in Ukraine because it fears the US would then turn its full attention to Beijing.

This was reported by Hong Kong's oldest English-language newspaper, South China Morning Post (SCMP), citing its own sources.

The comment, addressed to EU envoy Kaja Kallas, confirms what many in Brussels believe to be Beijing’s position, but contradicts China’s public statements. China’s Foreign Ministry regularly insists that China is “not a party” to the war. Some EU officials involved were surprised by Wang’s candor.

However, sources said Wang rejected accusations that China was materially supporting Russia's war effort, either financially or militarily, insisting that if Beijing were doing so, the war “would have ended long ago.”

According to the publication, Wang Yi gave Callas “several history lectures.”

To sum up what the Chinese minister said, and although China did not ask for war, its continuation may meet Beijing’s strategic needs if the US remains involved in events in Ukraine.

Why China is unhappy with the EU

The sources said Wang hinted to Kallas that Beijing was unhappy with the European Union, which is set to blacklist two Chinese banks for violating sanctions against Russia. Wang has repeatedly vowed to take retaliatory measures if the creditors are eventually added to the list.

The publication claims that the EU is almost entirely dependent on Chinese supplies, without which it cannot produce anything – from aircraft and advanced weapons to cars and refrigerators.

Earlier, The New York Times learned that the FSB, in internal documents, calls China a serious threat to the security of its country.

Main points

• Unknown drones attacked Udmurtia in Russia, the village of Borok with the Rosrezerv oil depot was probably damaged.
• Officially, the authorities reported only an attack by two drones on “technical structures”.

UAVs likely attacked the Rosrezerv oil depot / Collage 24 Kanal, photo rosSMI

On Thursday afternoon, July 3, unknown drones attacked the Udmurt Republic of Russia. The village of Borok, where the Rosrezerv oil depot is located, was probably damaged.

This is reported by propaganda media, 24 Kanal reports. However, the authorities officially reported only an attack by 2 drones on “technical structures”.

What was the target of the attack?

Residents of the region are complaining on social networks about an attack by several drones on an oil depot in the village of Borok in the Kambarsky district, near Sarapul.

According to Yandex.Maps, the settlement contains an “important strategic facility” (previously, the resource began blurring defense enterprises on maps and hiding their names).

Enterprise on maps: see photos

Local history publications write about the FKDU base of the Gorizont (Priority) Rosrezerv plant, which was designed as a tank farm for storing oil.

Air raid alarm sounds in Udmurtia: watch video

Interestingly, earlier the Kambarsky District Telegram channels warned residents about the responsibility for publishing a video of a UAV attack.

Let us recall that Ukrainian forces recently attacked the Russian military airfield Khalino in the Kursk region, damaging the complex for storing aviation equipment and, probably, the Pantsir-S1.

The Romanian politician promoted a populist ultra-nationalism based on Christian mysticism.

The criminal case against former Romanian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu for promoting fascist ideas has been sent to court.

The Prosecutor General's Office of Romania reported this.

The indictment alleges that from 2020 to 2025, the Romanian politician publicly promoted the following ideas, concepts and doctrines:

Prosecutors cite interviews, statements and online posts by Georgescu in which he reaffirmed his commitment to the Legionary Movement and its figures, particularly Romanian dictator Marshal Ion Antonescu, the sole ruler of a country that was an ally of Nazi Germany during World War II.

As reported by Digi24, the crime Georgescu is charged with is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 3 months to 3 years and deprivation of certain rights. However, due to the fact that the crime was long-term, the judge may increase the punishment by another 3 years.

At the same time, prosecutors are investigating other charges against the former presidential candidate, including an attempt to overthrow the constitutional order.

Who is Calin Georgescu

Former Romanian presidential candidate Calina Georgescu is known for his pro-Russian views . He called Ukraine a “fictional state” and claimed that its territories would be divided between neighboring countries.

In the first round of the presidential elections in November 2024, Georgescu won first place with 22.94% of the vote. However, the elections were marred by a fraud scandal. On December 6, a court overturned the results of the first round amid declassified intelligence data on Russian interference in the electoral process.

After the interference was revealed, criminal proceedings were opened against Georgescu, accusing him of “incitement to actions against the constitutional order,” supporting fascist groups and providing false information about the financing of an election campaign.

Let us recall that in the repeat presidential elections in Romania, which took place in May 2025, a fierce rivalry was waged between the pro-Russian candidate George Simione, who is a supporter of Georgescu, and the pro-European Nicusor Dan, who ultimately won.

The attacker was detained before the police arrived.

On Thursday, July 3, a man armed with an axe attacked four passengers on a train traveling between Hamburg, Germany, and Vienna, Austria, leaving them with minor injuries.

The tabloid Bild reports this.

According to the publication, the attacker was a 20-year-old Syrian who, in addition to the axe, had a hammer in his other hand.

During the attack, one of the passengers pulled the emergency brake and stopped the train.

The attacker was detained before the police arrived. However, he himself was seriously injured. Due to the injuries he sustained, he had to be urgently hospitalized by air ambulance.

Four passengers were also injured in the collision. Three of the injured passengers were also Syrians, aged 15, 24 and 51. The nationality of the fourth victim, a 38-year-old passenger, was not disclosed.

“The authorities are currently investigating the circumstances of the incident,” public rail company Deutsche Bahn (DB) said in a statement.

Let us recall that earlier at the central railway station of the German city of Hamburg, a 39-year-old woman stabbed people who were standing on the platform waiting for a train.

Main points

• Putin and Trump ended their telephone conversation, and the Kremlin announced continued contacts.
• Yuri Ushakov said that the presidents can communicate at any time, but have not yet discussed a personal meeting.
• The topics of conversation were immigration and tax laws in the US, Iran, the war in Ukraine; Putin assured that Russia's goals would be achieved.

Putin and Trump to continue phone conversations / Collage by 24 Kanal, photo by Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have completed their telephone conversation. The Kremlin has already announced that telephone contacts between the leaders of the countries will continue.

The Wongs can start a conversation at any time during the day, Channel 24 reports, citing Russian propaganda media.

The Kremlin announced the continuation of contacts between Trump and Putin

Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov said that Putin and Trump will continue to communicate with each other.

He said presidents can pick up the phone at any time during the day if they need to talk.

At the same time, he added that Putin and Trump did not discuss a personal meeting today, but “the idea is in the air.”

Recall that Ushakov noted that the leaders' conversation “was on the same wavelength and was frank, businesslike and concrete.” Among the topics were new immigration and tax laws in the United States, Iran and the war in Ukraine. Putin assured the American president that Russia would achieve its “own” goals and would not back down from them.

Main points

• On July 2, a passenger car exploded in the center of Moscow, allegedly carrying an 80-year-old KGB veteran and his daughter.
• They got out of the vehicle and survived; the incident occurred on Staropimenovsky Lane.

A car carrying a KGB veteran exploded in Moscow / Collage by Channel 24, photo by Russian media

On Wednesday afternoon, July 2, a passenger car exploded in the center of Moscow. An 80-year-old KGB veteran and his daughter were allegedly in it.

They got out of the transport and survived. This is reported by propaganda media, 24 Kanal reports.

What is known about the incident

According to eyewitnesses, the incident took place on Staropimenovsky Lane – there were several explosions, and at least two cars burned down.

A car was on fire in the center of Moscow: watch the video

In one of them were an 80-year-old veteran of the KGB of the USSR and his daughter, the owner of the transport. In the past, she allegedly served in the Russian special services.

Firefighters put out the fire: watch the video

Let us recall that on June 30, a fire started in the Perovo Plaza Hotel in Moscow due to a diesel boiler explosion. The 15-square-meter fire was extinguished, and there were no casualties.

In addition, forest fires are raging again in Russia, with Transbaikalia suffering the most from them.