Russia-Ukraine war: The Trump administration has reportedly cleared its first weapons aid packages for Ukraine, marking a shift in how US arms reach Kyiv. Two initial packages worth up to $500 million each have been approved under the new "Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List" (PURL), where NATO allies cover the costs of US military stockpiles. In total, the push could send as much as $10 billion in arms, including urgently needed air defence systems. The decision follows President Trump’s envoy meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, where Ukraine again stressed its defence needs. Meanwhile, US officials made a rare appearance in Belarus to observe joint Russia-Belarus drills, as Poland shot down Russian drones in its airspace. The region now faces heightened uncertainty.