The ICC has reportedly issued a warrant of arrest against Philippine Senator Bato dela Rosa over his involvement in Duterte's drug war, but official confirmation is pending. Dela Rosa, a key figure in the drug war, faces potential international legal action, with authorities and his legal team awaiting official details. The situation highlights ongoing international scrutiny of the Philippines' human rights record during Duterte's presidency.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Kyrgyzstan for his first known international trip this year, where he will meet with Eastern European leaders. Meanwhile, NATO defense ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss the damage to critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. A coalition led by the United States, Denmark, and the Netherlands plans to establish F-16 fighter jet capacity in Ukraine and build a full-scale Ukrainian air force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced Putin and Hamas during his visit to NATO, and the US announced a $200 million security assistance package for Ukraine. Efforts are being made to use frozen Russian central bank reserves to help Ukraine, but legal challenges and financial risks remain. In battleground updates, Russian forces advanced toward Avdiivka, a Ukrainian drone downed in Russia killed three people, and Ukraine identified two traitors who gave intelligence to Russia for a missile attack. A Russian assault struck a school in southern Ukraine, killing four people.
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the expiring Black Sea grain deal and the upcoming BRICS summit with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Ramaphosa, as the host of the summit, faces an awkward situation due to an arrest warrant issued against Putin by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The warrant obliges ICC member states, including South Africa, to arrest Putin if he enters their territory. The Kremlin has not yet confirmed if Putin will attend the summit. The phone call also touched on an African peace initiative for Ukraine and the need for a permanent solution to the movement of grain from Russia and Ukraine. Putin reiterated that commitments to remove obstacles to Russian food and fertilizer exports had not been fulfilled, casting doubt on the renewal of the grain deal.
