Hi Global Recap readers,
We've got a ton to get through today, and there's one question I've been dying to ask you all for the past few days.
So let's jump right in. 👇🏼
👀 This Week So Far
Quick Catch-Up
🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran-US: The ceasefire stays technically alive while US forces hit Iranian sites near Hormuz; Iran fires at Kuwait and Bahrain, and Kuwait says Iranian drones and missiles damage Terminal 1 at its international airport.
🇷🇺🇺🇦 Russia-Ukraine: Russia pounds Kyiv and Dnipro after warning of new attacks; Then, Ukrainian drone strike sends smoke over the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal as Russian President Putin opens his big economic forum.
🇮🇱🇺🇸 Israel-US: US President Trump reportedly rips into Israeli PM Netanyahu over planned Beirut strikes, then publicly says Netanyahu agrees to hold off while the Iran deal track stays alive.
🇮🇷🇰🇼 IRAN & KUWAIT
”It Wasn’t Us”
Now, Iran's Revolutionary Guard is claiming that damage at Kuwait International Airport's T1 terminal didn't come from them.
Then what hit it? Failed US Patriot interceptor, they say.
However, Kuwait says Iranian drones hit the civilian terminal, and US Central Command called Iran's version false.
What We Know:
However, Kuwait says Iranian drones hit the civilian terminal, and US Central Command called Iran's version false.
Airport footage appeared to show a delta-wing drone hitting the terminal, with debris consistent with Iranian drones.
Kuwait said it intercepted 13 ballistic missiles and 17 drones from Iran over residential areas, with debris falling in some locations.
Trump's Response
“We've been hitting them pretty hard, a little bit, so there is a reason for certain things, and there's usually a reason that sometimes makes sense. Some, but they did something, not a big deal."
After the strike on Kuwait International Airport, President Trump brushed off the damage, saying it wasn’t “a big deal” and that negotiations were “going very well."
Equally notable was Trump’s definition of a “ceasefire.” When asked about it, he said, “In that part of the world, a ceasefire is when you’re shooting in a more moderate manner.”
🇮🇷🇺🇸 IRAN & US
Iranian Spy
Federal prosecutors arrested dual US-Iranian national Jamshid Ghomi in California, an Iran-based tech CEO.
He is accused of spending years buying US networking, security, and encryption gear for Iranian military and nuclear customers.
What prosecutors allege:
Ghomi ran Tehran-based Faraz Pardaz Rayaneh Co. (FPR), routed US-origin equipment through UAE intermediaries, and supplied Iran's Atomic Energy Organization and Ministry of Defense.
He allegedly moved more than $15 million into US accounts and helped fund a Newport Coast mansion with sanctions-evasion proceeds.
The House Vote
Meanwhile, after trying many times, the US House of Representatives finally passed a 215-208 War Powers Resolution to push President Trump toward ending hostilities with Iran.
4 Republicans joined Democrats: Thomas Massie, Brian Fitzpatrick, Tom Barrett, and Warren Davidson.
However, the practical effect is limited (for now). The House version faces a hard Senate path, which would almost certainly draw a Trump veto.
📊 POLL
How is the Iran-US War
Being Handled?
This is one of many posts from Trump supporters who seem increasingly frustrated and confused by Trump’s handling of the Iran-US war.
What's notable is that the supporters don't seem to oppose Trump's actions against Iran. They're criticizing the way he's handling it.
For my part, I've been pretty consistent on this:
If Trump had never encouraged the Iranian protesters, his restraint today would be perfectly understandable and consistent with his “no foreign wars” campaign message.
But he did get involved. He urged them to “KEEP PROTESTING” because “HELP IS ON ITS WAY.”
And now, the admin’s initial maximalist posture (and the old “we don’t negotiate with terrorists” doctrine) seems to have given way to an impulse to strike a “deal” wherever possible.
I've always tried to give any administration the benefit of the doubt because there's inevitably a lot happening behind the scenes that I will never see.
But most people’s frustration seems to come from watching it get slowly chipped away by more and more evidence to the contrary.
But if I had to chip in: I would personally choose “Mixed feelings.” 👇🏼
(If you’re commenting and feel comfortable sharing, please let me know whether you’d consider yourself a “Trump supporter.” I’m just trying to gauge the makeup of the audience!)
How do you view Trump’s handling of the Iran-US war?
🇩🇪 GERMANY
Germany Gets Voted Down
Germany lost its bid for a 2027-28 UN Security Council seat, finishing behind Portugal and Austria in the General Assembly vote.
📌 Significance. This was Germany's first failed Security Council candidacy in its modern UN history. It had served 6 previous terms.
What We Know:
Portugal won 134 votes, Austria 131, and Germany 104. The threshold is 127 votes.
The loss stings because Germany framed the bid around UN funding, peace missions, and Security Council reform.
Austria and Portugal had much longer campaigns, while Germany entered the race after the regional group had already lined up behind them.
🇪🇺🇺🇦 EU & UKRAINE
Two Doors Open
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (left) and Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar (right).
Ukraine just got its clearest EU opening in 2 years after Hungary signaled it would lift its veto on the first cluster of accession talks.
The EU Track
Hungarian PM Magyar said Ukraine agreed to expand language, education, cultural, and political rights for roughly 100,000 ethnic Hungarians in Transcarpathia.
EU states moved toward opening the fundamentals cluster for Ukraine and Moldova, the rule-of-law-heavy start of accession.
However, Ukraine has not publicly confirmed every term, and Magyar still opposes fast-track membership.
This is still a major shift from former Hungarian PM Orbán's stance on Ukraine.
The US Track
The US side is smaller, yet quite significant.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said news on a long-stalled $400m Ukraine aid package would come "fairly soon."
This package was authorized by Congress last December, but the Pentagon delayed its disbursement for several months.
