Hungary has lifted its veto on Mark Rutte becoming the next head of NATO. The move came after the Dutch prime minister gave written guarantees that he would not force Hungary to take part NATO's new plans to provide support to Ukraine. Rutte’s assurances remove a major obstacle to him becoming the next NATO secretary-general. It could also allow NATO to put on a major show of unity and demonstrate solidarity with war-ravaged Ukraine next month. U.S. President Joe Biden and his counterparts are meeting in Washington on July 9-11 mark NATO’s 75th anniversary. Current Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg steps down in October. Rutte's last hurdle is a final candidate, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.
Military Times interviewed more than a dozen military experts, including current and former U.S. military officials, about how a conflict might begin and how it could play out. This is what they said could happen:
Israeli-Arab security overtures have grown since the Pentagon switched coordination with Israel from U.S. European Command to Central Command last year.
PLA Gen. Li Zuocheng told U.S. Gen. Mark Milley on Thursday that China had “no room for compromise” on issues affecting its “core interests,” which include self-governing Taiwan.
Lithuania will present a combat drone to Ukraine that was donated by the Turkish manufacturer after a private crowdfunding campaign among ordinary Lithuanians, who raised nearly $6.1 million for the purpose within days.
Russia said it withdrew its forces from the island as a “goodwill gesture.” Ukraine said the Russians fled following a barrage of artillery and missiles.
Biden announced the permanent basing of a U.S. military garrison in Poland. He also said the U.S. is sending two additional F-35 fighter jet squadrons to the U.K. and more air defense and other capabilities to Germany and Italy.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted Sweden and Finland to abandon their long-held nonaligned status and apply to join NATO. But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had blocked the move, insisting the Nordic pair change their stance on Kurdish rebel groups that Turkey considers terrorists.
The attack on the suspected militant is the latest in a series of strikes over the past years targeting al-Qaida-linked militants in northwestern Syria.
