US President Trump said the US sent weapons to Iranian protesters but intermediaries kept them instead. He warned that those responsible would “pay a big price” for diverting the weapons.Trump also claimed that access to arms would allow Iranian civilians to quickly challenge the authorities.
❗️Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar said that if he wins the upcoming election, his government would take a pragmatic approach to Russia based on non-interference, while aiming to reduce dependence on Russian oil and gas via diversified EU supplies.
Zelensky arrived in Damascus on an official visit, with Turkey’s FM Hakan Fidan also present. He is expected to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa for talks on defense and the Middle East war.
US forces evacuated a second F-15E pilot from Iran after a complex multi-day rescue operation involving aviation and ground units, US President Trump said. Two C-130 aircraft were destroyed to prevent capture during the mission.
❗️Slovak PM Robert Fico called on the EU to lift sanctions on Russian oil and gas and restore flows through the Druzhba pipeline, urging dialogue with Moscow and criticizing EU energy policy as “suicidal.”
❗️Presidential Office Head Budanov announced that Witkoff and Kushner, possibly joined by Senator Lindsey Graham, might visit Kyiv after Easter as part of a US delegation, with security guarantees from the US being a key issue for Ukraine.
❗️President Zelensky arrived in Turkey for a working visit to meet with President Erdoğan to discuss the export of interceptor drones to Turkey and military cooperation in air defense.
President Zelensky calls for Ukraine to receive THAAD and other advanced air defense systems available in the Middle East. He says such systems could eliminate the threat of Russian guided bombs within a 200 km radius and prevent enemy aircraft from approaching.
❗️Zelensky spoke with Pope Leo XIV, discussing the negotiation process, cooperation with the American team, and thanking him for assistance in returning abducted children and humanitarian aid. They also discussed the situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region.
❗️US War Secretary Pete Hegseth is forcing US Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to step down, seeking leadership aligned with President Trump’s military vision, CBS reports.
❗️Donald Trump fired Attorney General Pam Bondi, naming Todd Blanche as acting replacement, while also consulting advisers on potentially replacing intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard over disagreements on Iran policy.
❗️Hungarian PM Viktor Orban calls for immediate lifting of sanctions on Russian energy, warning Europe faces a major economic and energy crisis. Kremlin envoy Kirill Dmitriev backs his stance, calling Orban a “voice of reason,” highlighting divisions within Europe over Russia policy.
US President Trump sparks widespread backlash in France after mocking Emmanuel Macron and his wife, drawing criticism from across the political spectrum. French officials, including opposition figures, condemn the remarks, while Macron calls them “neither elegant nor appropriate.”
❗️Slovak President Peter Pellegrini proposed introducing a “state of threat” after a drone crash near the border exposed gaps between peacetime and wartime authorities. The incident involved a drone targeting infrastructure near Ukraine’s Perechyn, about 10 km from Slovakia.
❗️Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is set to publish an “important letter” addressed to the American people within hours, according to his office, ahead of Trump’s planned address on the ongoing war with Iran.