Ukraine Air Defense Boost: The U.S. State Department cleared a potential $2.68B Foreign Military Sale to Ukraine for air-defense development upgrades, including S-300 clone missiles, counter-drone radars, and mobile launcher kits, with funding via European contributions plus U.S. FMF and subject to congressional review. AI Policy Push: President Trump announced plans to create an “AI Force” and appoint an “AI czar,” arguing the U.S. won’t “stifle” AI and that existing criminal and civil justice can handle “bad” actors. Middle East Shipping Security: CENTCOM said U.S. forces helped more than 1B barrels of oil transit the Strait of Hormuz in recent months, citing coordinated protection for 2,000+ commercial ship transits and rising traffic volumes. Readiness and NATO Coordination: Bulgaria’s chief of defence called for higher readiness and faster capability development amid rising tensions at a NATO Military Committee conference in Copenhagen, while NATO leaders emphasized deterrence, innovation, and support for Ukraine. U.S.-Ukraine Drone Demand: The U.S. Army awarded a $10.64M contract for Ukrainian Raybird reconnaissance drones and services, reflecting continued reliance on long-range unmanned ISR. North Korea Military AI: Kim Jong-un ordered expanded AI and automation use across offensive and defensive weapon systems while inspecting drone and artillery production. Uganda-Türkiye Rift: Uganda’s UPDF suspended all defence and military cooperation with Türkiye pending resolution of outstanding issues.