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European leaders have agreed to strengthen joint measures against Russia after ceasefire talks with Ukraine failed to yield progress, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Friday.

Following the meeting in Istanbul, where the sides held their first direct talks in over three years, Starmer and leaders from France, Germany, and Poland spoke with US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as reported by Reuters.

Although the talks led to a major prisoner exchange, no breakthrough was made on a ceasefire. “The Russian position remains unacceptable,” Starmer said from the European summit in Albania. “We are now closely aligning our responses.”

French President Emmanuel Macron added that if Russia continues to reject a ceasefire, sanctions will be escalated and are currently being revised, Reuters reported.

The United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday announced over $200bn in agreements across aerospace, energy, and advanced technology.

Etihad Airways committed $14.5bn to purchase 28 Boeing 787 and 777X aircraft with GE engines. Emirates Global Aluminum will invest $4bn in a new aluminum smelter in Oklahoma, according to Xinhua.

ExxonMobil, Occidental Petroleum, and EOG Resources will partner with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company on a $60bn oil and gas expansion. RTX will collaborate with Emirates Global Aluminum and the UAE’s Tawazun Council on a Gallium project.

President Donald Trump concluded his Middle East tour with a visit to the UAE, where the country pledged to invest $1.4trn in the US over the next decade, Xinhua reported.

Vietnam and Thailand on Friday agreed to elevate their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership during Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s visit to Hanoi.

The two countries outlined a cooperation roadmap for 2025–2030, aiming to boost regional stability and development. They committed to enhancing connectivity and tourism, particularly between Vietnam and northeastern Thailand, according to Xinhua.

Eight cooperation agreements were signed in areas including trade, law enforcement, infrastructure, and semiconductor workforce training.

President Donald Trump said Thursday that Iran has “sort of” agreed to terms in nuclear talks with the United States, signaling progress toward a possible agreement, BBC reported.

Speaking in Qatar during his Gulf tour, Trump described the negotiations as “very serious” and aimed at achieving long-term peace. He added that a military strike on Iran may no longer be necessary, saying, “We’re not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran.”

The US has demanded Iran end uranium enrichment to prevent the development of nuclear weapons. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, told that Tehran is willing to accept significant limits on its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, according to BBC.