The economic restrictions are “painful” for Moscow and “represent a powerful lever,” according to the European Commission president

The EU will not lift its sanctions against Russia for as long as the Ukraine conflict continues, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said.

During talks in Saudi Arabia on Monday, Russia and the US agreed to move towards reviving the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which, according to the Kremlin, should include the removal of Western restrictions against Russian Agricultural Bank and other financial institutions involved in the international sale of food and fertilizers.

In her interview with French broadcaster LCI on Friday, von der Leyen made it clear that Brussels will not support the idea of a maritime truce between Moscow and Kiev put forward by the administration of US President Donald Trump.

“The sanctions are very significant; they are painful; they have an impact on the Russian economy, and they represent a powerful lever,” she said when asked about the possibility of the EU fulfilling Russian demands to lift some of the curbs.

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According to the head of the European Commission, the restrictions “will remain in effect until a just and lasting peace is established in Ukraine.”

However, she noted that “when the war is over, the sanctions might be removed.”

Von der Leyen also said that for the conflict to end, “security guarantees for Ukraine” are needed as well as “a solid defense industrial base and a deterrent force” in the EU.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, originally brokered in July 2022 by the UN and Türkiye, envisioned the safe passage of Ukrainian agricultural products in exchange for the West lifting its restrictions on Russian grain and fertilizer exports.

Moscow withdrew from the deal a year later, citing the West’s failure to uphold its obligations. The Americans and Russians now see its revival as a step towards settling the Ukraine conflict altogether.

Earlier this week, President Vladimir Putin asserted that the Russian economy has become the fourth largest in the world in purchasing power parity terms after those of China, the US and India, despite a record 28,595 sanctions being placed on it by Washington, Brussels and their allies. According to the Russian government’s data, the country’s economy grew 4.1% in 2024, surpassing the official forecast of 3.9%.

READ MORE: Trump assesses Ukraine conflict settlement

Putin previously urged the Russian business circles against expecting the sanctions to be fully lifted, describing them as a mechanism of strategic systemic pressure on the country that the West intends to keep using.

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Boris Johnson has urged European nations to increase defense spending

Europeans should not be “deluded” that there is an alternative “defense pillar” to NATO, former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said. In an article in the Daily Mail on Friday, he argued that European countries should allocate more funds to defense.

The Atlantic reported this week, citing a conversation in the encrypted messaging app Signal, that US Vice President J.D. Vance said he hated “bailing out Europe again” by launching military action against Houthi rebels, ostensibly to protect European trade. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly also slammed “pathetic European free-loading.”

In his article, Johnson pointed out that the US defense budget “is the thick end of a trillion dollars a year, more than 12 times the UK defense budget, even though the US population is only about five times bigger than ours.” He added that “the US allocates about 3.5 per cent of its GDP to defense while the UK spends about 2.3 per cent.”

Just prior to taking office in January, US President Donald Trump called on European NATO allies to increase their military spending, calling on each member state to spend 5% of GDP on defense. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that British defense spending would rise to 2.5% by 2027, three years earlier than planned. Meanwhile, EU countries have announced their own defense strategy aimed at breaking security dependency on the US.

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Johnson opined in the Mail that there is no candidate for replacing America’s role on the continent. “We must not be deluded into thinking we can create some European alternative defence pillar, as a substitute for Nato. Who would lead such a thing? France? Britain? Germany? You only have to ask the question to see the problem,” he wrote. The former conservative PM hailed the defense budget boost announced by London, but called it “only a start, and nothing like enough.”

America should be “the hegemonic power of the Western world” to stick up “for freedom and democracy, especially in Ukraine,” Johnson claimed.

According to Kiev, it was Johnson – then still prime minister – who convinced Ukraine to keep fighting and derailed its 2022 peace talks with Moscow. Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin recalled that episode, saying that “Western handlers... arrived and persuaded the Ukrainian leadership to continue armed resistance to the end, essentially to the last Ukrainian, with the goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia.” Currently, Moscow and Washington are engaged in talks aimed at finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

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Tehran is capable of retaliating against any enemy, according to IRGC Navy head Alireza Tangsiri

Iran will not bow to US pressure to resume talks over its nuclear program, a top naval commander has said, stressing that Tehran is ready to strike back in the event of an American attack.

In an interview with al-Mayadeen TV channel on Saturday, Alireza Tangsiri, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy, pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s recent ultimatum urging the country to enter new nuclear talks.

“I have no knowledge of Trump’s message, nor do I care to analyze it,” Tangsiri said. “I hear his threats, I observe his actions, and I prepare myself to counter them. We have the capability to strike all enemy bases, wherever they may be… No one can strike us and escape. Even if we have to chase them to the Gulf of Mexico, we would.”

Tangsiri also rejected any negotiations over Tehran’s missile arsenal or its backing of groups in the region. “Iran will never negotiate over its missiles or the capabilities of the Resistance Front,” he said. He also emphasized that the Islamic Republic seeks peaceful relations with its neighbors: “We always extend a hand of friendship to the countries in the region. As Muslims, we do not pose any threat to our neighboring countries.”

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The remarks came in response to Trump’s comments on Friday, in which he confirmed sending a letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, seeking to negotiate a nuclear deal.

“You’re gonna have to make a decision one way or the other,” Trump said. “We’re gonna either have to talk and talk it out, or very bad things are gonna happen to Iran. And I don’t want that to happen.” He added that if the US has “to go in militarily, it’s going to be a terrible thing.”

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said that while the letter seemed threatening, it still contained “some opportunities” for Tehran.

The standoff follows years of tension over Tehran’s nuclear program. In 2015, Iran signed a deal with the US, the EU, Russia, and other world powers in which it agreed to limit its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. However, in 2018, Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the landmark agreement, calling it “a horrible one-sided deal” that had failed to achieve its goals.

Iran has not ruled out indirect talks on the matter but has refused to do so under duress. It also maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

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The autonomous Danish territory is threatened by “Russian aggression” and “Chinese expansion,” according to a clip posted by Donald Trump

A video shared by US President Donald Trump on Friday has promised to defend Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, from both Russia and China. Moscow has not expressed aggressive intentions towards the island and has repeatedly denied Western claims of planning to attack NATO countries.

Trump has talked about making Greenland a part of the US since winning the presidential election in November, arguing that it is needed for security purposes. He has offered to buy the resource-rich Arctic territory from Copenhagen, but also does not rule out the use of force to bring it under American sovereignty.

The video – also shared by other White House figures such as JD Vance and Pete Hegseth – assured the 56,000 people living on the island that “America stands with Greenland.”

It recalled the cooperation between Washington and territory during the Second World War, stating that “Americans and Greenlanders stood as sentinels at the top of the world.”

pic.twitter.com/i1rW9HroWn

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 28, 2025

“But today Greenland faces new threats from Russian aggression and Chinese expansion,” the clip claimed, consisting of archive WWII videos, images of Greenland’s landscape and footage of modern-day US military hardware.

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The partnership between Greenland and the US “is not just history. It is destiny,” the video on Trump’s channel said. “Now is the time to stand together again – for peace, for security, for the future,” it added.

The post followed a visit to Greenland by US Vice President J.D. Vance earlier this week, during which he told some 150 US servicemen stationed on the island that Washington would be “investing in additional military icebreakers, investing in additional naval ships that will have a greater presence in Greenland.”

Vance blamed the Danish government for failing the people of Greenland, calling the island “extremely vulnerable right now,” and insisting it would be much safer “under the US umbrella.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that “Russia has never threatened anyone in the Arctic.” He said that the region’s “enormous potential” provides an opportunity for international cooperation in economic development, resource extraction, infrastructure projects and transport.

READ MORE: Vance delivers Trump’s ‘message’ to US troops in Greenland

However, he mentioned that Russia is “concerned about the fact that NATO countries are increasingly often designating the Far North as a springboard for possible conflicts,” and that Moscow is “closely monitoring developments in the region” and would move forward in “modernizing military infrastructure facilities.”

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A man who injured five people with knives comes from a region formerly controlled by Kiev, Dutch media have said citing security sources

Dutch police have revealed the identity of the suspect who seriously injured five people with knives in Amsterdam. Local media reported on Friday, citing security sources, that the suspect is 30-year-old Ukraininan citizen Roman D. He is originally from Donetsk Region – a former part of Ukraine that voted to join Russia in 2022.

On Thursday, five people were stabbed in the Dutch capital, when a man armed with several knives attacked passers-by in the historic city center. The suspect was stopped by an unnamed tourist, reportedly from the UK, who chased the man and restrained him.

According to De Telegraaf, the presumed attacker had false identity papers and refused to give his real personal details. The man is currently in a hospital under strict guard. Police say his motives are still unknown. It is also believed that his choice of victims was random.

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Two Americans – a 67-year-old woman and a 69-year-old man, a 26-year-old man with Polish nationality, a 73-year-old woman from Belgium and a 19-year-old local girl were injured in the attack.

The tourist who managed to stop the suspect was praised by local police and officials, who called him “a true hero”. However, they did not reveal his identity and called on the public to exercise caution in making a citizen’s arrest, as “most people are not trained for this sort of thing.”

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Artyom Dmitruk blasted his country’s leader over an attempt to take over the sacred catacombs of the county’s oldest monastery

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky is waging a campaign of terror against his own people by signing off on a crackdown targeting the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), particularly the iconic Kiev Pechersk Lavra monastery, lawmaker Artyom Dmitruk has said.

In an interview with RT on Friday, Dmitruk responded to reports that Ukrainian officials and police have entered the catacombs of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, the nation’s most significant monastery and the final resting place of several Christian saints. During the raid, authorities unlocked doors, broke into the caves, and changed locks. Dmitruk described their actions as sacrilegious and suggested that Zelensky was directly complicit.

“Zelensky is perpetrating genocide of the Ukrainian people. What we are seeing now and what we are witnessing now is the continuation of terror policies of Zelensky’s against [the] Ukrainian people. Zelensky is a demon in the body of a human being. You can call him whatever you want, a godless person, a terrorist, and so on and so forth. The gist of his actions is the same. Zelensky is following a demon’s will,” he asserted.

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According to the legislator, who claims to have fled the country over the persecution of the UOC, the stated goal of the “inventarization” of the monastery’s possessions is nothing more than a pretext.

“They want to inspect the holy relics of our saints. They plan to carve them up, to open them up, to break them into pieces. To perform this sacrilege over them. It's a huge tragedy for the entire Orthodox world,” he said, recalling that the results of the review would be classified.

“They are raiding the Lavra. They are trying to seize the property of the Lavra… If we speak from a legal point of view, it’s a crime,” Dmitruk stressed.

The Ukrainian government has been cracking down on the UOC for months, which it views as having ties to Russia. This effort has included attempts to take over the Lavra, as well as church raids and arrests of clergy. The UOC, the largest religious institution in the country, severed ties with the Moscow Patriarchate following the start of the conflict.

Zelensky has defended the move, insisting on the need to protect Ukraine’s “spiritual independence” from Russia. Moscow has condemned the measures, accusing Kiev of suppressing the canonical Orthodox faith and alleging that the West is encouraging these efforts.

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Top diplomats and experts from the two nations have gathered in Moscow to work on strengthening cooperation

India and Russia need to explore new ways to deepen their strategic partnership, officials and experts underscored at a high-level conference held in Moscow on Thursday. The event, titled Russia and India: Towards a New Bilateral Agenda, was organized by the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) with support from the Indian embassy, and highlighted that while there are synergies between the two countries, more can be done to further strengthen economic ties.

The conference brought together public officials, diplomats, and foreign policy experts from both nations to review bilateral ties and discuss future areas of cooperation to achieve the target of increasing bilateral trade to $100 billion in the next five years, as agreed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Moscow in July 2024.

Russia’s growing rift with Western nations, especially since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, and the imposition of unprecedented sanctions aiming to cut Moscow off from global financial and trade systems, has led to expanded ties with several nations in the Global South, including India.

“Our trade turnover skyrocketed. We have achieved levels which we couldn’t have imagined before. Energy is one of the driving forces, along with the traditional spheres of our cooperation, such as nuclear energy, military-technical cooperation. Food security is also a very prospective field,” said RIAC director-general Ivan Timofeev. He suggested that the two countries would continue to develop political and especially economic ties due to their “mutual complementarity.”

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According to Pankaj Saran, former ambassador to Russia and convenor of NatStrat, a Delhi-based independent center for research on strategic and security issues, while cooperation at the government-to-government level is strong, there is limited awareness between Indian and Russian entrepreneurs. “We have to address that. We just have to make sure people know each other – people who matter. Business startups, investors, academics – so much more people-to-people exchange, many more flights, more exchanges. That’s how awareness will grow,” he told RT.

Kanwal Sibal, former Indian foreign secretary and ambassador to Russia (2004–2007), said India is closely following the ongoing talks between Moscow and Washington on a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict. He added that once a solution is achieved and ratified by the United Nations, India could play a credible role as a peace monitor in Ukraine.

Russian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrey Rudenko, speaking to RT on the sidelines of the conference, said Moscow appreciates India’s position on the Ukraine issue. “It is a well-balanced and calibrated position. India calls for a peaceful resolution with the involvement of all parties and proposals. We are very grateful,” he said.

Rudenko also welcomed progress in India-China relations and said Russia supports reviving the Russia-India-China (RIC) dialogue format. “It is a very important platform where India and China, with Russia’s participation, can discuss global and regional issues,” he said.

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India’s government has dispatched urgent humanitarian assistance to its neighbor

India has provided aid to Myanmar in the wake of a series of devastating earthquakes which struck the neighboring country on Friday.

As part of ‘Operation Brahma’, an Indian Air Force cargo plane carrying approximately 15 metric tons of relief supplies landed in Yangon amid calls to support the millions affected by the disaster, government officials said.

The series of earthquakes struck Myanmar and neighboring Thailand on Friday, leaving over 1,000 people dead and 1,600 injured, according to an AFP report, as well as causing widespread destruction and leaving many homeless amid the rubble of their collapsed buildings

Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswan said that their first tranche of 15 tons of relief material, including tents, blankets, sleeping bags, food packets, hygiene kits, generators, and essential medicines had landed in Yangon.

India quickly responded to the disaster, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing that his government is prepared to provide all necessary assistance. He took to social media, expressing his concern and offering prayers for the safety and well-being of those affected by the earthquakes.

#OperationBrahma gets underway.

First tranche of humanitarian aid from India has reached the Yangon Airport in Myanmar.

?? ?? pic.twitter.com/OmiJLnYTwS

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 29, 2025

Following the quake, Myanmar implemented a state of emergency in six severely affected regions. A major hospital in Naypyidaw reported hundreds of casualties; the entrance to its emergency department had collapsed, trapping a car underneath.

Prime Minister of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing cautioned on Friday that the number of casualties is expected to increase as the situation continues to unfold. “I would like to invite any country, any organization, or anyone in Myanmar to come and help,” he said in a televised speech, after visiting a hospital in the capital Naypyidaw on the morning of March 29.

Several other countries have also offered to assist after a call for help from Myanmar’s authorities, including Russia, which has dispatched two aircraft from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, along with a group of 120 rescuers, canine units, anesthesiologists, and psychologists, as well as equipment. The flights took off from Zhukovsky Airport near Moscow on Friday night.

In Thailand’s capital Bangkok, which was hit by the quake, an emergency zone was established, resulting in the suspension of certain metro and light rail services. At least 6 died in Bangkok, according to media reports.

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The billionaire’s xAI artificial intelligence startup has acquired the social media platform

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has announced that his artificial intelligence startup, xAI, has acquired the social media platform X, which he also controls. The acquisition was confirmed in a Friday post on X, where Musk stated, “@xAI has acquired @X in an all-stock transaction.”

“Since its founding two years ago, xAI has rapidly become one of the leading AI labs in the world, building models and data centers at unprecedented speed and scale,” the tech mogul said. He described X as “the digital town square where more than 600M active users go to find the real-time source of ground truth.”

In late 2022, Musk acquired Twitter, now known as X. Following his takeover, he implemented cost-cutting measures, including far-reaching staff cuts and the renegotiations of contracts, while also relaxing some content restrictions and reinstating certain banned accounts.

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Musk noted that X has been transformed into one of the most efficient companies globally, highlighting its potential for scalable growth. He has stated that “xAI and X’s futures are intertwined,” emphasizing the advantages of combining their resources: “Today, we officially take the step to combine the data, models, compute, distribution and talent.”

AI development is one of the priorities of the government of US President Donald Trump, where Musk leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). According to analysts, the billionaire has been focused on establishing himself as a leader in the AI industry.

Earlier this year, he attempted to lead a group of investors to purchase OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, for nearly $100 billion. The company’s CEO Sam Altman, however, rejected the offer. Musk had co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but departed before it gained significant traction, and subsequently launched xAI in 2023.

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Security in South Sudan could deteriorate “rapidly and unpredictably,” London has warned

The UK has advised its nationals to leave South Sudan, where escalating tensions have sparked widespread fears that the East African nation is on the verge of renewed civil war.

The British Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) issued an updated travel advisory on Thursday, warning that security in Africa’s youngest country “could deteriorate rapidly and unpredictably.”

“If you are in South Sudan and judge it safe to do so, you should leave now. If the unstable security situation deteriorates, routes into and out of South Sudan may be blocked. Juba airport may close or be inaccessible,” the foreign office stated.

The alert comes a day after the British embassy in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, announced that it has temporarily reduced its staff and suspended in-person consular services due to security threats. The US has taken similar measures, ordering non-emergency US citizens, including government personnel, to depart the volatile country. Germany and Norway have also temporarily closed their embassies in South Sudan. Berlin has said the African country, which gained independence from war-torn Sudan in 2011, is “once again on the brink of civil war.”

The landlocked country has remained unstable since the end of a five-year civil war that erupted in 2013 over a feud between its president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, and his current first vice president, Riek Machar.

READ MORE: Germany shuts embassy in African state over civil war fears

Tensions have been growing between President Kiir and Machar since several Sudanese soldiers were recently killed when a UN helicopter came under attack while attempting to evacuate them from the troubled Upper Nile state, where clashes erupted in March. The South Sudan People’s Defense Forces are fighting the White Army militia, which is primarily made up of Nuer people, the vice president’s ethnic group.

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On Wednesday, Machar’s party reported that over 20 heavily armed vehicles “forcefully” entered the vice president’s residence, disarmed his bodyguards, and issued an arrest warrant for him “under unclear charges.”

Later on Thursday, the opposition group said authorities had placed Machar under house arrest, adding that the action has effectively collapsed a 2018 peace agreement that ended the 2013 civil war.

The UN has also warned that the vice president’s arrest “takes the country yet one step closer to the edge of a collapse into civil war and the dismantling of the peace agreement.”

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The number of victims is expected to rise as rescue operations continue

The death toll from the 7.7-magnitude earthquake which rocked Myanmar on Friday has reached 1,002, the state-run broadcaster MRTV has reported.

The updated figures are from “all the earthquake-affected areas nationwide,” the broadcaster said on Saturday.

According to an earlier report by Myanmar Now, at least 2,400 additional people have been injured across the Southeast Asian country.

The authorities said earlier that the number of victims is expected to keep climbing as rescue operations are continuing.

Earlier in the day, the country’s prime minister, Min Aung Hlaing, arrived in the city of Mandalay, which was heavily damaged by the quake. During his meeting with local officials, he “instructed them to carry out search and rescue operations as soon as possible and to take necessary measures” to assist those affected, according to MRTV.

??Myanmar Earthquake Death Toll Reaches 1002, 2,376 Injured - Officials #Earthquake #Myanmar #Bangkok pic.twitter.com/Ee9T5J2pZE

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) March 29, 2025

The broadcaster had said earlier that 1,591 homes, 670 monasteries and 60 schools had been damaged in and around Mandalay, which is located some 17 kilometers from the epicenter of the quake.

Myanmar in ruins! A 7.7M earthquake leaves many dead and injured — Hospital collapse causes mass casualties as rescue efforts continue pic.twitter.com/AZpHavavNC

— RT (@RT_com) March 28, 2025

Russia’s Emergencies Ministry said on Saturday that it has dispatched two planes carrying some 120 rescuers to assist Myanmar in dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake.

The tremors reached neighboring Thailand, where a skyscraper under construction collapsed in Bangkok. The city’s authorities have said that at least 10 people were killed, 16 were injured and 101 remain missing as a result of the natural disaster.

The Chinese embassy in Myanmar announced that a team of 37 rescue workers had been flown to the country. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said on X that New Delhi has dispatched a plane loaded with emergency personnel, paramedics and humanitarian aid to Myanmar.

READ MORE: Powerful earthquake hits Myanmar with tremors felt in Thailand (VIDEOS)

On Friday, President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to the country’s leadership, saying that “Russia shares the grief of the friendly people of Myanmar.” He expressed his sympathy for those who have lost loved ones in the quake and wished a speedy recovery to all the injured, according to the Kremlin.

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The push for peace is yielding progress but “there’s a lot of ill will between the parties,” according to the US president

US President Donald Trump has said that diplomatic efforts to end the Ukraine conflict are gaining ground but warned that the opposing sides view each other with deep resentment.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, the US leader stressed the desire to put an end to hostilities, claiming that Ukraine and Russia are “losing 2,500… young men… every single week.”

“I think we're making progress, but there's a lot of ill will between the parties,” he said.

US Vice President JD Vance echoed the remarks during his visit to Greenland, stating, “we’ve obviously got this energy infrastructure ceasefire [between Russia and Ukraine]; we’ve got a Black Sea commercial ceasefire that I think is almost done, and once we get there, we’ll work on the next stage of the ceasefire.”

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His comments come as Russia and the US have engaged in active talks aimed at restoring bilateral ties and halting hostilities between Moscow and Kiev. On March 18, Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed a potential ceasefire and agreed to a 30-day pause in strikes targeting energy infrastructure.

However, Russia has accused Ukraine of violating the deal on numerous occasions. Moscow has signaled that it plans to adhere to the moratorium but warned of a potential symmetrical response to Kiev if it continues to breach the agreement.

Additional negotiations between Russian and US delegations took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this week. The meetings focused on restoring the 2022 grain deal, which secured Ukrainian food exports via the Black Sea.

While Moscow has agreed to this in principle, it will only accept a maritime ceasefire if the West lifts its sanctions on Russian Agricultural Bank and other financial institutions involved in the sale of food and fertilizers, which would entail reconnecting them to the SWIFT payment system.

The EU, however, has rejected the demand, maintaining that sanctions will remain in place until Russia withdraws its troops from all territories claimed by Ukraine. In this vein, European Commission Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Anitta Hipper stressed that “the EU’s main focus remains to maximize pressure on Russia, using all tools available.”

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The Cabinet Committee on Security has greenlit a $7.3bn order for 156 light combat helicopters for the army and air force

India has greenlit the procurement of 156 Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) along with training and other associated equipment worth over 620 billion rupees ($7.3 billion). The country’s biggest-ever defense deal was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security on Friday and later signed by the Ministry of Defence, according to an official statement.

The helicopters will be supplied by the state-run defense manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The Indian Army will receive 90 helicopters, while 66 will be delivered to the country’s air force (IAF).

The LCH Prachand is reportedly the only attack helicopter in the world capable of taking off and landing at an altitude of 5,000 meters (16,400 ft). This feature makes it well-suited for operations in the sensitive areas bordering Pakistan and China, including regions such as the Siachen glacier and mountainous Eastern Ladakh.

Additionally, the Prachand can fire various air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles, enabling it to effectively neutralize enemy air defense systems. The helicopters are equipped to carry out both air-to-air and air-to-ground operations. They can also support network-centric warfare with advanced communications and data-sharing systems.

Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for supply of 156 Light Combat Helicopters (LCH), Prachand, along with training and other associated equipment worth Rs. 62,700 crore. The first contract is for supply of 66 LCHs to the Indian Air… pic.twitter.com/XZhDWNAFkX

— ????? ?????? ????????/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) March 28, 2025

The formal induction of the light combat helicopter into the air force took place in October 2022. Before this new deal, the government had approved the production of 15 LCHs. Of those, 10 were for the IAF and 5 were for the army.

The LCH project was started after the Kargil conflict in 1999, which exposed the need for a combat helicopter capable of operating at extreme altitudes. HAL developed the helicopter to meet this requirement, and the latest deal would be the biggest order for the company far. The warbirds would be built at their plants in Bengaluru and Tumkur in Karnataka.

The new order is seen as a major boost for domestic defense manufacturing under the “Make in India” initiative promoted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

READ MORE: Boosting firepower: India shifts towards private defense manufacturing

India’s Defense Acquisition Council has earlier this month granted initial approval for arms and equipment purchases exceeding 540 billion rupees ($6.26 billion), aimed at strengthening the country’s military capabilities. The proposed acquisitions include upgraded engines for the Indian Army’s Russian-made T-90 battle tanks, additional anti-submarine torpedoes for the Navy, and airborne early warning and control systems for the Air Force. India’s Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has also recently approved a $823 million deal to buy over 300 domestically-developed 155mm howitzers, or Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems (ATAGS).

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As New Delhi accelerates its nuclear program, a legacy of cooperation with Moscow should remain key to its strategy

In an era of shifting geopolitics and global climate imperatives, India and Russia stand at the forefront of a nuclear energy revolution. New Delhi has announced that it is planning to build five indigenously-manufactured small modular reactors (SMR) – named Bharat nuclear reactors – in the next few years with the help of private participation. The ambitious plan to generate 100 gigawatts (GW) by 2047 is functional with a 170% increase in the nuclear energy budget in the last decade.

The country’s federal budget for the 2025 financial year has laid the groundwork for a nuclear renaissance. This includes a substantial 200 billion rupees ($2.3 billion) allocation for SMR development – India aims to operationalize at least five indigenous SMRs by 2033, the document states. The budget also proposed reforms to attract private investments, signaling India’s decisive shift towards energy independence.

A crucial aspect of this vision is deepening ties with Russia, India’s most enduring nuclear partner. For Russia, India’s nuclear push presents an opportunity to further cement its position as a pivotal partner in India’s energy future, leveraging decades of successful collaboration.

Technology partnership

India and Russia’s nuclear partnership dates to the late 1980s, culminating in the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP), a testament to their shared commitment to peaceful nuclear energy. Rosatom built the 2,000 MW Kudankulam units, with four more reactors under construction, reinforcing Russia’s reputation as a reliable partner.

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Russia’s Rosatom, already a key player in India’s nuclear landscape, has shown interest in developing SMRs for India’s diverse energy needs, particularly for powering remote regions and decarbonizing heavy industries. With Rosatom’s expertise in floating SMRs like the Akademik Lomonosov, Russia can help India fast-track SMR deployment, bringing flexible and scalable nuclear power to underserved areas.

The Indian government’s push for SMRs aligns seamlessly with Russia’s technological leadership. Russia has pioneered lead-cooled fast reactors and floating nuclear plants, technologies that can address India’s geographic and industrial energy challenges.

India’s key nuclear research body, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), based in Mumbai, is actively developing Bharat Small Reactors, and Russian design expertise could enhance these efforts. By partnering with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), Rosatom can ensure safe, efficient reactor deployment while providing training and operational support.

Sectorial reforms

Development of India’s nuclear sector has been plagued with a host of regulatory barriers, liability concerns, and geopolitical pressures. The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA) – enacted in 2010 with a view to provide prompt compensation to the victims for damage caused by a nuclear incident through a no-fault liability regime – deterred private investment. However, New Delhi is now revising liability norms to attract foreign investors.

The CLNDA’s impact on India-Russia collaboration has been limited so far due to the government-to-government (G2G) nature of the projects being implemented. For instance, the KNPP continued under a sovereign framework, with liability provisions addressed through bilateral agreements. This G2G structure shields Russian state entities like Rosatom from direct liability, enabling ongoing cooperation even under existing regulations. However, the reforms could unlock Russian private capital and expedite SMR rollouts.

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Furthermore, achieving 100 GW nuclear capacity will require nearly $450 billion investment over the next two decades. To address this, India is exploring public-private partnerships, foreign direct investment, and Sovereign Green Bonds. Russia, with its state-backed nuclear financing models, can help mitigate financial risks, offering concessional loans like those provided for KNPP.

Certainly, Russia is not the only global nuclear industry leader competing for the opportunities in the Indian marker. The US and France are both eager to offer India SMR solutions, with firms like NuScale and EDF actively promoting their technologies. Yet, concerns over the CLNDA have historically strained negotiations with Western firms, as they sought greater liability protection. Russia’s ability to bypass this hurdle through G2G frameworks gives it a comparative edge in securing long-term nuclear cooperation with India.

Additionally, given public skepticism over nuclear energy projects and potential resistance like in cases of the proposed Jaitapur project, Russia’s exemplary safety record and proactive public engagement strategies can serve as a model. By collaborating on transparency initiatives and public outreach programs, India and Russia can jointly build confidence in nuclear energy’s safety and sustainability.

Russia’s approach to post-Fukushima safety enhancements, including passive safety systems and next-generation reactor designs, can inform India’s nuclear policy, ensuring public concerns are addressed with cutting-edge safety protocols.

Scope for innovation

India’s leadership in thorium-based reactors and Russia’s advancements in fast neutron reactors create immense potential for joint R&D. The 2025 budget’s $2.31 billion nuclear sector R&D pledge could be amplified through deeper Indo-Russian collaboration, accelerating the development of molten salt reactors and high-temperature gas-cooled reactors.

READ MORE: Terminal velocity: Why the EU’s gas holes are testing India’s energy policy

Additionally, Russia’s expertise in spent fuel reprocessing can help India manage nuclear waste more efficiently, closing the fuel cycle and enhancing long-term sustainability.

Beyond technology and financing, nuclear cooperation strengthens India-Russia geopolitical ties. As BRICS+ nations navigate a multipolar world, energy security becomes a strategic pillar of their partnership. By jointly developing advanced nuclear technologies, India and Russia can lead the Global South’s transition to clean energy, reducing reliance on Western-dominated energy systems.

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Brussels would do anything to avoid accountability for the billions of euros sent to Kiev, the Hungarian foreign minister has said

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has accused Brussels bureaucrats of clinging to a “failed pro-war policy” in a desperate attempt to delay the moment when European taxpayers begin asking where the money spent on bankrolling Kiev has gone.

The European Union recently advised its 450 million inhabitants to stockpile essential supplies for at least 72 hours, with EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib warning on Wednesday that the Ukraine conflict threatens the bloc’s overall security.

Szijjarto said he initially thought the warning was some kind of joke or “trolling,” after Lahbib posted a bizarre video showing Europeans what to pack in a 72-hour survival kit.

READ MORE: France and UK rebrand possible military deployment to Ukraine

“But why, in the 21st century, should EU citizens prepare a survival kit? There’s only one explanation: Brussels is preparing for war,“ Szijjarto wrote in a post on X on Friday. “At a time when there’s finally a real chance for a ceasefire and meaningful peace talks with [President Donald Trump’s] return to office, Brussels is going in the opposite direction, clinging to a failed pro-war policy.”

Why? Because as long as the war continues, pro-war European politicians can avoid taking responsibility for three years of failure, and avoid answering an extremely uncomfortable question: where is the money that was sent to Ukraine?

EU institutions in Brussels and individual member states have spent over €132 billion over the past three years supporting Kiev, and have pledged an additional €115 billion that has yet to be allocated, according to data from Germany’s Kiel Institute.

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Since taking office, US President Donald Trump has pushed for a diplomatic resolution and sought to recoup what he estimates to be over $300 billion in US taxpayer money that his predecessor “gifted” to Kiev. Washington recently brokered a limited ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, placing a moratorium on attacks on energy infrastructure. Kiev, however, has repeatedly breached the ceasefire terms, according to Moscow.

Despite the ongoing peace process, the EU has continued to push a hawkish agenda. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently unveiled an €800 billion plan to ramp up military spending through loans.

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Meanwhile, France and the UK continue to advocate for the deployment of a military contingent to Ukraine. Speaking after a summit in Paris on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that a so-called “coalition of the willing” will seek to deploy a “reassurance force” to Ukraine after a peace deal with Russia is reached.

The proposal to send troops has already been rejected by several EU members. The “coalition of the willing” – a phrase originally coined by the US in 2003 to describe countries backing the invasion of Iraq – now mostly refers to states that have pledged to continue supporting Kiev militarily, without necessarily committing to troop deployments.

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All remaining staff have reportedly received notices of imminent elimination

The US State Department has formally notified Congress of its intent to “undertake a reorganization” that would effectively dissolve the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Washington’s primary funding channel for political projects abroad.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Friday that while foreign assistance can serve national interests, the high costs and limited benefits associated with USAID-backed programs had prompted the decision to eliminate the majority of its initiatives.

“Unfortunately, USAID strayed from its original mission long ago… Thanks to President Trump, this misguided and fiscally irresponsible era is now over. We are reorienting our foreign assistance programs to align directly with what is best for the United States and our citizens,” Rubio said.

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Rubio promised that truly “essential lifesaving programs” aligned with the administration’s America First priorities would be absorbed and carried on by the State Department, while the rest would be discontinued by July 1, 2025.

President Donald Trump launched the process of dismantling USAID shortly after taking office in January. Since then, thousands of employees have been fired or placed on leave, and billions of dollars in aid contracts have been frozen or canceled altogether, as part of Trump’s broader federal waste-cutting initiative led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The remaining staff were reportedly notified on Friday that “all non-statutory positions at USAID will be eliminated,” and that they would soon receive a termination date, either July 1 or September 2. A memo from Jeremy Lewin – the DOGE staffer-turned-deputy administrator of USAID – also warned personnel that they would not be automatically transferred to the State Department without “a separate and independent hiring process.”

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The move to dismantle USAID and transfer its remnants to the State Department has faced legal challenges, including a temporary freeze imposed by a federal judge last week. However, on Friday, the US Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that DOGE had acted within its authority in reviewing and restructuring foreign aid programs. The court rejected arguments that the executive branch had overstepped its bounds by altering a congressionally authorized agency, stating that Congress had not explicitly barred such reorganization.

Trump had previously accused the organization of being run by “radical lunatics” and facilitating corruption “at levels rarely seen before.” His federal government efficiency tsar, Elon Musk, referred to USAID as a “criminal organization” and claimed that it had funded bioweapons research, among scores of other controversial programs.

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The revelations about USAID’s links to secretive initiatives and “ financing radical elements throughout the world” validate concerns long expressed by Russia, Moscow’s ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said last month.

Other foreign leaders have also questioned USAID’s role in their domestic affairs. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico voiced concerns over what he described as potential “ gross interference” in his country’s political landscape. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban similarly emphasized the need to “ eliminate these foreign networks” that interfere in domestic politics.

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The vice president has defended the US commander-in-chief’s plan to bring the “extremely vulnerable” Arctic island under American “protection”

US Vice President J.D. Vance delivered a forceful address to American service members at Pituffik Space Base in northwest Greenland on Friday, emphasizing the Trump administration’s determination to expand its permanent foothold on the Arctic island.

The vice president’s visit came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin outlined Moscow’s Arctic policy and warned that US annexation plans – dating back to the 1860s – should be taken seriously and not dismissed as “extravagant talk.”

“I want to bring a message from President Trump,” Vance told the assembled airmen and guardians. “He’s grateful for your service, grateful for what you do up here... because the mission that you guys do is so important for the United States.”

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While insisting that there are no “immediate plans” to expand the US military presence with new bases, Vance announced that Washington would “absolutely” increase investment – including “investing in additional military icebreakers, investing in additional naval ships that will have a greater presence in Greenland.”

The vice president stressed that the US supports Greenlandic “self-determination,” but made it clear that Washington envisions a future in which the island ultimately aligns with America.

“I think that you’d be a lot better coming under the United States security umbrella than you have been under Denmark’s,” he said. Vance accused the Danish government of failing the people of Greenland, claiming the island is “extremely vulnerable right now.”

We do not think that military force is ever going to be necessary… Because we think the people of Greenland are rational and good, we think we will be able to cut a deal, Donald Trump style, to ensure the security of this territory.

Vance justified the administration’s increasingly assertive approach by pointing to rising Chinese and Russian activity in the region, describing Greenland as a geopolitical flashpoint in a new era of strategic competition.

READ MORE: Trump has ‘gone too far’ – Danish defense minister

“We know that Russia and China and other nations are taking an extraordinary interest in Arctic passageways, in Arctic naval routes, and indeed in the minerals of the Arctic territories. We need to ensure that America is leading in the Arctic – because we know that if America doesn’t, other nations will fill the gap where we fall behind,” he said.

He also highlighted Greenland’s critical role in US missile early warning systems, describing the base’s function as a vital shield “if a missile was fired from an enemy country.”

READ MORE: US has been plotting to annex Greenland since the 1860s – Putin

In his Thursday speech, President Vladimir Putin countered the US narrative, stressing that “Russia has never threatened anyone in the Arctic,” and emphasizing the region’s “enormous potential” for joint economic development, resource extraction, infrastructure projects and transport.

“But at the same time, of course, we are concerned about the fact that NATO countries are increasingly often designating the Far North as a springboard for possible conflicts,” Putin added, noting that Moscow is “closely monitoring developments in the region” and “modernizing military infrastructure facilities.”

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The US president wants Ukraine to repay all of Washington’s aid with interest, Hugh Tomlinson has said

US President Donald Trump is both contemptuous of Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky and assured of Kiev’s weakness in its conflict with Moscow, The Times’ Washington reporter Hugh Tomlinson suggested in an op-ed published on Friday.

In light of this, Trump aims to get back all the funds the US has spent on the Ukraine conflict during his predecessor Joe Biden’s term, Tomlinson wrote.

“Convinced of Ukraine’s weakness, contemptuous of Zelensky, and enraged by the billions of dollars in aid given to Kiev by Joe Biden’s administration, Trump has set out to get it all back, and more,” he said.

Last month, Trump demanded that Kiev reimburse what he claimed was hundreds of billions of dollars in US aid via Ukraine’s mineral wealth, originally focusing on “rare earths.”

An earlier iteration of the deal was reportedly set to be signed in early March, only to be derailed by Zelensky’s public shouting match with the US president and vice president in the Oval Office. Following the altercation, Trump temporarily froze all military aid and intelligence sharing with Kiev.

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However, Washington reversed the decision after Kiev agreed to a 30-day partial ceasefire following US-Ukrainian talks in Jeddah earlier this month.

Moscow has since accused Ukraine of multiple strikes on its energy sites, which are off-limits under the truce.

After Monday’s separate talks with the US in Saudi Arabia, both Russia and Ukraine have said they’re willing to broaden the partial ceasefire to encompass a naval truce on the Black Sea.

“For days, White House officials have insisted that an agreement on the minerals deal was close. Now a possible reason for the delay and the price of a ceasefire may be becoming clearer,” Tomlinson wrote, adding that “US negotiators have apparently been working to extract even greater concessions from Kiev.”

The latest version of the minerals deal proposed by the Trump administration is far harsher than earlier iterations, Reuters wrote on Thursday, citing a draft of the agreement.

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Under the newest terms, the US will recoup all aid money given to Ukraine since the escalation of its conflict with Russia in 2022 and charge a 4% annual interest rate on the sum before Kiev can access the fund’s profits.

Zelensky has confirmed that he has received a fresh proposal from the US but insisted that the funding Kiev has received from Washington was a donation and not a loan.

The US has allocated more than $123 billion to Ukraine in military and financial aid since 2022, according to data from Germany’s Kiel Institute. Trump maintains that Washington has spent more than $300 billion on supporting Kiev.

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The EU should put its “entire toolbox on the table” in response to new US tariffs, Annalena Baerbock has said

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has proposed introducing a fee on iPhone software updates as a response to new US tariffs on EU goods, according to the newspaper Der Tagesspiegel.

The proposal follows an announcement by US President Donald Trump this week of an additional 25% tariff on hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of imported cars and auto parts from the EU, expected to take effect next week. Trump warned of further measures if the bloc responded with its own levies.

Speaking at the Berlin European Conference on Thursday, Baerbock cited the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), adopted in 2022, which includes mechanisms for responding to external trade pressure.

“If others … propose a 25% tariff, then we can put our entire toolbox on the table,” Baerbock said.

She suggested one option could be a levy on digital services: “How often do we update our iPhone? Add ten cents to it – that would bring a lot of money for Europe, though others might not like [it] so much.”

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The report, however, questioned whether European consumers – who might ultimately bear the cost – would support the German foreign minister’s proposal.

According to German daily NOZ, citing data from Statista on Thursday, there are approximately 165 million iPhone users in the EU. With iPhones typically receiving six to ten software updates per year, a €0.10 levy per update could generate around €165 million ($178 million) annually. Apple reported a global net profit of $36.3 billion in the first fiscal quarter of 2025, according to company filings.

The US has long accused the EU of unfair trade practices, including high tariffs on American goods and regulatory hurdles affecting American companies.

In February, Trump said he would impose 25% levies on all imports from the EU, claiming the bloc was created to “screw” America.

The latest tariffs could hit the German auto industry hardest, with carmakers like Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz facing significant challenges in the US market, analysts say. Rising production costs and factory closures have already put pressure on parts of Germany’s manufacturing sector.

Trump’s 25% tariff hike on steel and aluminum supplies from the bloc took effect on March 12, following the expiration of previous exemptions, duty-free quotas, and product exclusions. In response, the EU announced it would impose counter-tariffs on €26 billion worth of US goods beginning in April.

A similar trade dispute unfolded during Trump’s first term, when he slapped tariffs of 25% on European steel and 10% on aluminum, prompting retaliatory measures from Brussels. The measures impacted more than $10 billion worth of transatlantic trade.

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A known critic of the country’s leadership, Yevgenia Gutsul has been accused of campaign financing violations dating from her 2023 election

A court in Moldova has ordered Governor Yevgenia Gutsul, who heads the autonomous region of Gagauzia, to be held in custody for 20 days. Prosecutors had asked for her to be remanded for one month. Gutsul is a vocal critic of the country’s pro-Western government.

The official was first detained on Tuesday at Chisinau International Airport, with the Moldovan authorities saying she was on a wanted list. On Friday, prosecutors said the governor stood accused of complicity in illegal campaign financing in the 2023 election. The politician won the governor’s post in Gagauzia that year.

She was also charged with falsifying documents. Law enforcement officials did not provide any further details about the charges, citing a pending investigation.

Gutsul herself maintains her innocence. Her lawyers have denounced the court decision as “absurd” and vowed to appeal. “When there are no legal arguments [in favor of such a court decision], there are other arguments. I believe they are political in this case,” one of the politician’s lawyers, Sergiu Moraru, told journalists after the hearing.

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The governor herself labeled the investigation a “political case” linked to her role as Gagauzia’s leader. She has accused Chisinau of pursuing a plan to dismantle the region’s autonomy through lawfare targeting her administration.

The Gagauz are a Turkic-speaking, predominantly Orthodox Christian ethnic group living in southern Moldova. Their region has been granted broad rights to self-government.

On Thursday, Gutsul appealed to both Russia and Türkiye to apply pressure on Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s administration in defense of Gagauzia’s rights. The Kremlin responded that it had “reviewed” Gutsul’s request. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the actions of the Moldovan authorities are at odds with the democratic principles proclaimed by the West.

Chisinau claims that Gutsul is part of a Russian influence operation aimed at disrupting the country’s attempts to become a member of the EU. Moscow has accused Moldova of cracking down on politicians and journalists who advocate closer ties with Russia.

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The bloc is guilty of hypocrisy for its differing treatment of the court’s rulings on Russia and Israel, a political scientist has told RT

EU officials have demonstrated hypocrisy in how they have treated arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Russian and Israeli leaders, a political sciences professor at Birzeit University in the West Bank has told RT.

Saad Nimr commented with regard to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas’ recent visit to Israel, during which she expressed support for the Jewish state but did not address the issue of the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) alleged war crimes in Gaza.

The professor slammed the fact that the EU’s top diplomat appeared to have taken the Israeli side in the conflict by failing to meet with Palestinian prisoners or those injured in the IDF’s fight against Hamas.

Nimr particularly criticized Kallas for ignoring ICC warrants for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for violations of international law.

The professor noted that when the Hague-based court issued a similar warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine conflict, EU officials hailed the decision. Kallas specifically stated that the decision was a “reminder that no one is immune, not even heads of state.”

“This shows the double standards and hypocrisy of the Europeans, especially concerning the issues related to other countries,” Nimr said.

Watch the full interview with Saad Nimr below.

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Peacekeepers are now a “reassurance force”, rearming is now “readiness”, and citizens should stock up on emergency supplies

I guess calling Ursula von der Leyen’s €800 billion defence spending plan, “ReArm Europe,” as she did initially, didn’t test well – probably because Europeans are too busy wondering why there’s no money for literally anything else that isn’t a weapons buying bonanza.

So, what’s with this new name, Readiness 2030, that they’ve suddenly started using as a replacement term? And why 2030?

Turns out that’s the magic number that European intelligence agencies, notably Germany’s, have cooked up for when Russia will supposedly be all set to roll into Europe. You know, the same intelligence outfits that just now decided that the EU is a sitting duck and could really use desperate measures now that its economy is circling the drain. Like, for example, the new proposal for French citizens to invest their personal savings of a minimum €500 euros, for at least 5 years, to help mitigate the dwindling public support for military over social spending, as the French economy minister just announced.

That 2030 date definitely has nothing to do with the fact that politicians need a solid five years of blank checks from taxpayers to funnel cash into the defense industry, conveniently boosting GDP after tanking their own economies with their self-inflicted crises.

To really hammer home the “readiness” vibe while European leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron riff nonstop about war with Russia, the EU is now mass-marketing a self-assembled emergency kit to all member state citizens.

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“Today, the EU launches its new #Preparedness Strategy. ‘Ready for anything’ — this must be our new European way of life. Our motto and #hashtag,” wrote EU Crisis Management commissioner Hadja Lahbib on social media. She also posted a video that she called a “what’s in my bag — survival edition” and started pulling out of her purse things like a Swiss Army Knife, something that looked like a can of tuna, playing cards “for distraction”, and a radio. “Everything you need to survive the first 72 hours of a crisis,” she said.

After that? Well, maybe the Russian soldiers who have invaded Europe will have just gotten their fill of selfies with the locals (courtesy of the go bag’s backup phone charger) – #TanksForTheMemories – and their travel chess set matches – and will be on their way. Because it’s not like the EU is going to get anything under control in 72 hours. As if that was the point anyway.

Oh, and Queen Ursula’s EU Commission isn’t stopping at just one dumb rebrand. The bloc is also giving a fresh coat of paint to what was once known as “fiscal responsibility.” EU rules used to cap member states’ deficits at 3% of GDP – now, that little restriction is being rebranded as a “National Escape Clause”. As in, congratulations! You’re finally free from the oppressive burden of not bankrupting your country.

Not long ago, a stunt like yanking off national debt brakes would have just gotten member states a spanking from her. Now? It’s “spend whatever you want – as long as it’s on weapons.”

And let’s talk about the official name for this giant spending spree: SAFE – as in, “Security Action For Europe.” Because nothing screams “SAFE” like blowing your savings together, like a group of teenagers maxing out their credit cards at the mall. Except instead of Sephora lip gloss or Louis Vuitton bags, it’s missiles and drones. And speaking of drones – all this rebranding of the defense spending spree was sparked by objections from some folks like Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, who was like, hey, we should at least pretend this is about dual use – you know, the drones we’re cranking out for Putin’s completely hypothetical invasion could also fight wildfires.

Italy’s Prime Minister Georgia Meloni also brought up the fact that if this is all supposed to be about security, then why is the focus on just making weapons and not also on improving essential service that are also kind of important if this is really about an emergency. Well, because that won’t make defense shares go up, will it, silly?

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These latest attempts to sprinkle glitter on a raging dumpster fire are right on schedule. Europe isn’t getting “ready”; citizens are just getting robbed. Again. At this point, you have to wonder how long it’ll be until someone rebrands inflation as “Freedom Pricing.” They almost have already, arguing that sacrifices are needed in the European way of life to really own Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Oh wait, here we go again! Already! Barely a few days later, yet another rebranding has emerged!

A “reassurance force” is what French President Emmanuel Macron is now calling potential European boots stomping into Ukraine after Thursday’s big gathering of Ukraine-allied Western nations in Paris. Before that, he was pitching British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s “coalition of the willing” cerebral faceplant, because, hey, if it worked out so well for Iraq 20 years ago, why not give it another spin?

And before that, Macron floated the idea of “peacekeepers,” which didn’t exactly land because, well, that was just NATO troops in Ukraine with a fancy new label – and Russia wasn’t buying it.

But will Moscow notice that the “reassurance force” isn’t there to offer Ukraine emotional support and free therapy sessions, despite how the name sounds? Seems that all the ginning up for war that’s been going on here in Europe to wash every euro they can into the defense industry hasn’t escaped Moscow’s attention. “The leadership of the European Union has adopted the propaganda techniques of the Third Reich to intimidate the European man in the street with the Russian ‘threat.’,” noted Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service. ”The Directorate General of the European Commission for Public Relations has drawn up a plan for a centralized campaign to introduce stable Russophobic narratives into the public consciousness.”

Well, that certainly would account for the frantic spinning.

Just last month, Macron insisted that the fighting in Ukraine had to stop before so-called European peacekeepers could roll in. Now? He’s apparently totally fine with the fact that there’s still zero peace to keep before forging ahead. He just won’t call them peacekeepers. There, all fixed!

“The reassurance forces is a Franco-British proposal. It is not universally agreed upon today, but we do not need unanimity to do this,” Macron said. “The two defence chiefs, British and French, will set up a team to work with Ukrainians, who will tell us exactly what their needs are.”

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Macron’s partner in strategic brilliance, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, also doesn’t seem too fussed that the US hasn’t exactly rushed to offer air cover for these troops – something he himself said, just weeks ago, would be a deal-breaker for British troop presence in Ukraine.

But Macron now says that he “wishes” the US would be involved. “I wish the US were engaged alongside us and provided meaningful support. It would be good for Europe, good for NATO, good for all of us,” he said. “But we must prepare for a situation where perhaps they might not join us and that we would be required to act entirely alone. It’s an exit from geopolitical minority status. It’s a good thing for Europe.”

He sounds like a guy sending a dramatic “I’m about to do something crazy” text to an ex, hoping they rush over to hold their hand. But unfortunately for him, Washington is busy trying to negotiate peace. Also, some members of Trump’s cabinet, including the Vice-President and Defenыe Secretary, just basically called Western Europe a bunch of pathetic freeloaders in a leaked chat on the Signal app. So good luck with that.

Steven Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy for the Russia talks, made it clear in a recent interview with journalist Tucker Carlson that Washington isn’t interested in babysitting European troops while they run military obstacle courses with their Ukrainian counterparts in an active war zone. America is quite clearly focused on a peace deal that would make this whole circus unnecessary.

But hold up! it’s not like French and British troops are strapping on their helmets and marching into battle tomorrow. No, they’re just heading over for a fact-finding mission – you know, to figure out what it might look like if the rest of the EU ever decides to join them. Which is totally happening any minute now. That’s why France and Britain are the only ones even talking about these troops.

But don’t worry – Macron swears all of the EU will jump in once peace magically breaks out. Because nothing prevents war like sending troops into an ongoing conflict zone. Don’t think that’s exactly what this would be? Ask Zelensky, who keeps insisting that what Ukraine really needs is soldiers who can actually fight, not a bunch of peacekeepers, which he makes sound like glorified hall monitors.

So again, the latest buzzword is “reassurance force”. Try to keep up, as there will probably be even more whitewashing coming down the pipe again shortly.

Macron’s out here naming military plans like they’re self-care retreats. Next up from Camp Reassurance: the ‘mindfulness missile strike’ and the ‘holistic artillery barrage.’ Only the optics-obsessed, directionally-challenged EU would try giving war a glow-up at a time at a time when peace has never seemed closer.

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The US and Russia have committed to advancing the defunct deal as a step towards settling the Ukraine conflict

Türkiye is ready to help revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the Kremlin said on Friday, following a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Originally brokered in July 2022 by the UN and Türkiye, the agreement envisioned the safe passage of Ukrainian agricultural exports to the global markets in exchange for the West lifting restrictions on Russian grain and fertilizer trade. Moscow withdrew from the deal in 2023, citing the West’s failure to meet its obligations under the deal.

According to the Kremlin, Erdogan “voiced support for Russian-American dialogue and reaffirmed Ankara’s willingness to help facilitate progress on the Black Sea agreement.”

On Monday, US and Russian officials agreed to restart the initiative, following 12 hours of talks in Saudi Arabia. Russia requested that its agricultural bank, Rosselkhozbank, and other institutions involved in food and fertilizer sales, be reconnected to the SWIFT international payments system, which had been agreed as part of the original Black Sea Grain Initiative.

Moscow cited the West’s failure to follow through on that commitment, along with Kiev’s alleged misuse of the arrangement for military purposes, as reasons for not renewing the rolling annual agreement in 2023.

US President Donald Trump confirmed on Tuesday that his administration is considering lifting some sanctions on Moscow.

READ MORE: White House reveals details of US-Russia talks in Riyadh

The Kremlin said Moscow and Washington had also discussed steps to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea, including pledges to avoid the use of force and prevent commercial vessels from being used for military purposes. Proposed measures also include ship inspections.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Channel 1 on Tuesday that Moscow would need firm guarantees from the US to renew the deal. Russia’s position now “is simple: We cannot take anyone’s word at face value,” Lavrov said.

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The US president has warned Ottawa and Brussels not to provoke their “best friend” by retaliating with their own duties

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose additional tariffs on the European Union and Canada if they collaborate to “do economic harm” to the United States.

Trump’s warning comes after the newly-installed Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, said the old relationship with Washington was “over” and that it was important for Canada to strengthen ties with “reliable partners” in Europe.

“If the European Union works with Canada in order to do economic harm to the USA, large scale Tariffs, far larger than currently planned, will be placed on them both in order to protect the best friend that each of those two countries has ever had!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Trump announced plans to impose an additional 25% tariff on hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of imported cars and auto parts beginning next week. The EU’s biggest economies and Canada have threatened to retaliate.

In early March, the US imposed a 25% tariff on most Canadian goods, citing a trade imbalance and drug trafficking concerns.

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In February, Trump announced plans to introduce a 25% levy on goods imported from the EU, which is set to come into force next week. Both Ottawa and Brussels have responded with their own duties.

The escalating dispute with Canada follows a spate of comments from Trump claiming that the country would be better off as the 51st state of the US. Canada has categorically rejected becoming part of the US.

Washington has long accused the European Union of unfair trade practices, including high tariffs on American goods and restrictive regulatory barriers that disadvantage US companies.

READ MORE: Meloni backs Vance’s attack on EU

The Ukraine conflict has also driven a wedge between Brussels and the new administration in Washington. Trump has adopted a more conciliatory approach toward Russia and has initiated peace talks, while the EU has insisted on continuing the supply of lethal aid to Kiev and has considered deploying troops.

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The president has set the goal of enlarging the national nuclear submarine fleet and roster of surface vessels

President Vladimir Putin has announced plans for the future development of Russia’s Navy.

The president made the comments on Thursday in Murmansk, during a meeting with the crew of the Arkhangelsk nuclear submarine, a Yasen-M class vessel that equipped with Zircon hypersonic missiles.

Moscow sees its Navy as a cornerstone of the country’s security and a key counterweight in the global strategic balance, Putin said.

He announced plans to build five more vessels of the same class, three more smaller Borei-A class submarines as well as a number of surface ships by 2050.

Here is Putin’s speech in full:

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Comrades, good evening.

I am glad to see you all. It is a pleasure for me to once again visit a missile cruiser like this, or any missile ship. This is my first time on a missile-carrying submarine of this kind. I have visited other submarines, as you probably know, and taken part in their exercises. But your submarine is special since it is our latest model.

You see, we launched its construction in 2015, launched it in 2023 and the cruiser was handed over to the Armed Forces and joined the Navy in 2024. This, I must say, is a very solid timeframe for complex units like this one. This is a state-of-the-art vessel.

We saw another submarine of this kind today and took part in its launch. It is quite similar, while adding the capability to carry and launch the Zircon missiles, which is something we can be proud of. After all, to some extent, the Zircon missiles can be viewed as strategic weapons.

Considering how effective, precise and fast this weapon is, it can certainly be considered a strategic system.

We are aware of the role of the Navy. Russia has been a major naval power for centuries, and we will do our utmost to maintain this status, building new naval surface vessels and submarines and improving their performance. They must meet modern requirements while remaining combat-ready and effective in the immediate – in every sense of the word – historical perspective, because these weapons that should serve our country for decades, form the basis of our strategic security.

We will do everything towards this, just as we will do everything necessary to train professionals like you. These are one-of-a-kind men, if I may say so. Their jobs call for a special character and readiness to implement any tasks to ensure national security. You are such people. I have no doubt about that.

The traditions of our Navy were established long ago, and you continue to honor them. There is a special bond in the brotherhood of naval officers, especially in the submarine fleet.

I would like to congratulate you on being appointed to serve on this warship, our most modern vessel armed with the latest equipment and capable of fulfilling a wide range of missions. You know this better than many, but it is an extremely important issue. You can work against surface and submerged targets, as well as stationary ground targets. It is difficult to name the tasks which our missile carriers or similar warships cannot fulfill. They can do anything, and we will continue to improve all their capabilities. I have just now spoken with the commander-in-chief, your commander. Everything must be adjusted to modern and future requirements. We must look to the future.

I am happy to see you. I congratulate you on being appointed to serve here. As I have said when we were outside, I also congratulate all our naval personnel on today’s event, the launch of the Perm, a new submarine of the same class.

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It is our belief that the Navy is one of the main guarantees of Russia’s state security and global strategic stability, because there is a certain strategic balance between Russia and the United States, and we will treat this balance with the utmost care. We will act in a measured and timely manner.

Historically, Russia has faced certain challenges at all times. Being a land power, with a huge territory, there is still a reason that Russia began shaping its traditions of shipbuilding and the Navy under Peter the Great. In fact, some of them existed even before that, but Peter the Great created a solid foundation to rely on, which was new. We, in turn, will make every effort to preserve this major component of the Russian Armed Forces, and to strengthen it.

We have just witnessed the launch of the fifth Project Yasen-M cruiser. Plans are in place to build five more such ships and three more Borei-A ships. However, our plans for the development of the Armed Forces and the Navy are not limited to this. Other plans call for building surface ships and strategic missile carriers.

I will not go into details now. There are different opinions and different approaches to achieving our ambitious plans. Still, disputes and debates among researchers, designers, the Armed Forces, and various enterprises are part of a positive process aimed at choosing the best, optimal ways to develop the Navy. This is what we need to do.

I will not go into details now, although I am deeply immersed in them. The commander knows – we do not meet as often as we should, but this discussion is ongoing nonetheless, and decisions are also made eventually. This is not just about adjusting our respective stances – these discussions lead to decisions on the development of the Navy. We made long-term, future-oriented decisions, for decades to come – until 2050 and beyond.

In response to my instructions, a strategy for the development of the Navy is currently being drafted, along with a program for the construction of surface ships and submarines until 2050. You will be part of this work as well.

There was no irony in what I just said. I meant it seriously, because feedback from those who operate the equipment – ships in this case – drives our future development plans. I hope that during your service, if you notice something or have an idea, please share it. We will be glad to hear your practical comments.

To put it briefly, we are gradually moving towards achieving all the objectives we set for ourselves at the start of the operation. Some would have liked these advances to happen at a quicker pace, but we have gathered steady momentum and have been confidently advancing our positions. But I would like to frame this question in a different way.

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What I want to say is that we were not the ones who started or launched hostilities. It all started in the wake of the 2014 coup d’etat in Ukraine. Western countries supported it, and this was how hostilities broke out in southeastern Ukraine.

We tried to resolve these issues by peaceful means for eight years. Taking Crimea and its people, as well as the people of Sevastopol under our wing was something we had to do. And we went to great lengths and were unrelenting in our efforts to resolve all matters concerning Donbass and Lugansk by peaceful means.

It turned out, and everyone knows this today, that both the Ukrainian authorities and their Western curators were unfortunately misleading us and trying to trick us. Former leaders who used to stand at the helm of several leading Western nations, including former President of France Hollande and Ms Merkel, the former German Chancellor, stated openly that they needed these Minsk agreements merely to deliver more weapons to the Ukrainian regime and to prepare it for a military confrontation with Russia. However, during these eight years, the people in Donbass, Lugansk and Donetsk faced outright genocide, and I mean real genocide. But the Ukrainian regime’s Western curators preferred to turn a blind eye to these developments, forcing us to try to stop the war which started in 2014 by military means. We were not the ones who started it.

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By the way, even when the armed conflict escalated into open confrontation in 2022, we were still offering to settle all the outstanding issues by peaceful means. Moreover, as I have said many times, we reached an agreement with Ukraine during our talks in Istanbul. I must mention that we had an agreement on matters that are being raised all the time these days and are viewed as something impossible. I am referring to de-Nazifying and demilitarizing efforts. In fact, we had a deal on these issues, and it was all set forth in the agreement, I mean its draft. Ukraine’s head negotiator initialed a summary of this document. They initialed and signed this document, which means that it was acceptable to them.

We know what happened next. After that, their European curators arrived, including former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who convinced the Ukrainian leadership to keep fighting until there are virtually no Ukrainians left and to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia.

He probably forgot that we have crews like the one you are in, and that we have means like this submarine. He probably forgot, or maybe they ignore altogether what the Russian people represent, what they stand for and what they have in their hearts and souls when it comes to defending their Fatherland.

Overall, we can clearly see what is happening right now. Our troops have the strategic initiative along the entire contact line. Only recently, I said that we would squeeze them into a corner, but now we have reason to believe that we are set to finish them off. I think that people in Ukraine need to realize what is going on.

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Our Armed Forces have been gathering momentum and acting increasingly effectively. Major General Mikhail Gudkov, who took part in combat action, can tell you about it.

He commands the Pacific Fleet’s 155th Naval Infantry Brigade. I believe that this is one of the best brigades in our Armed Forces. The Defense Minister and the Chief of the General Staff believe that Major General Gudkov’s achievements must be replicated across our Armed Forces, primarily by the naval infantry units, which have been quite effective in combat. They are actually very good. It would not be an exaggeration to say that these are elite units within the Armed Forces, just like the paratroopers and the special operations units.

Although I should note that earlier today, just before arriving here, I received another report from the Chief of the General Staff. Other units of the Armed Forces have gained significant momentum.

Regarding the marines, I have already stated that they are performing superbly. Since both the Defense Minister and the Chief of the General Staff believe that your experience should be replicated across other units, I have decided to transfer you to a new position, elevating your level of responsibility. You are hereby appointed Deputy Commander of the Navy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Your area of responsibility will include command over all Marine Infantry of the Navy, as well as all missile and artillery coastal forces.

The task is straightforward yet extensive: despite the fact that all marines are demonstrating exemplary performance, these units must be brought to the same level of combat readiness and effectiveness that you have achieved with the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade of the Pacific Fleet.

Additionally, the General Staff of the Defense Ministry has approved a program to reorganize the Marine Infantry. We will gradually transition brigades into Marine Infantry divisions. This year, two divisions, including the 155th Brigade, will be established; next year, two more divisions; and the following year, another division.

This is a major undertaking that requires, first and foremost, the organization of combat training, informed by your experience in commanding the 155th Marine Infantry Brigade of the Pacific Fleet during active operations. Consideration must be given to structural changes as brigades transition into divisions, as well as to weaponry, communications systems, and other matters. In essence, this constitutes a substantial endeavor.

I will shortly outline further immediate steps. The Commander has endorsed this proposal, and I am confident that you will succeed. I wish you good luck.

As regards the situation along the line of contact, let me reiterate, emphasize: across the entire frontline, the strategic initiative lies unequivocally with the Russian Armed Forces.

The Lugansk People’s Republic has been 99 percent liberated, while the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions stand at over 70 percent. Our forces, our troops, are advancing daily, liberating territory after territory, area after area.

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I understand that everyone in the world and in our country is closely following [negotiations between Russia and the United States]. In this regard, I would like to state – first and foremost – that, in my view, the newly elected President of the United States sincerely wishes to end this conflict for a number of reasons – I will not list them now, as they are numerous. But in my opinion, this aspiration is genuine.

It is clear that the conflict I have just mentioned and briefly characterized in terms of recent developments, remains complex and requires thorough discussion and consideration.

We stand for resolving all these issues by peaceful means, as I have just stated, reinforcing the measures we have taken from the very beginning – first, second, and third.

Therefore, we advocate resolving these issues through peaceful means, but with the elimination of the root causes that have led to the current situation. We must undoubtedly ensure Russia’s security from the long-term historical perspective. Any step taken to achieve this objective will be welcomed by us, and we will work with any partners who strive towards this goal. This includes not only the United States but also the People’s Republic of China, India, Brazil, South Africa, all BRICS nations, and many others, such as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, with which we have a signed treaty. Article 4 of this treaty outlines in detail our mutual obligations for support. Cooperation with this country is also progressing in both military-technical and defense spheres.

We are prepared to work with Europe as well, despite their inconsistent behavior and constant attempts to lead us up the garden path. Nevertheless, we have grown accustomed to this. I trust we will avoid making mistakes rooted in excessive trust towards our so-called partners.

But in general, they have a problem over there, which is never highlighted, just mentioned in passing. I am highlighting it. What is it? Ultranationalists have had considerable influence in Ukraine from the start, in fact, since the collapse of the Soviet Union. These people hold openly neo-Nazi views, and they even use the term in Ukraine, so we were not the ones who invented it. Curiously, few people mention this now, either.

In 2017, the United States Congress added a provision to the government spending bill that prohibited financing or having any relations with units like the Azov militia unit. An American lawmaker directly described that paramilitary group as terrorist and anti-Semitic.

Moreover, although the amendment was not supported by the Senate at that time, in a year or two, its sponsors, including the oldest member of the US Congress, supported that legislation, and it was adopted by Congress. The US Congress recognized Azov as a terrorist, anti-Semitic, and neo-Nazi organization.

Has anything changed since then? No. Essentially, Azov has not changed. It has remained the same. However, in 2022, the State Department decided that US military aid could go to that controversial unit because it had been integrated into the Armed Forces of Ukraine – apparently, the bill allowed this interpretation. The fact that it was integrated into the official armed forces changed nothing. Their views and actions remained the same as they were at the start.

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If anything, it has become worse, because now they plan to strengthen these units, including Azov, and elevate them to divisions. This means that such people now have even more weapons at their disposal. They have more supporters, people they have persuaded to fight for them by implanting their views.

What happens next? As a result, the current civil authorities in Ukraine have no legitimacy in accordance with the country’s constitution. Ukraine has held no presidential election, while according to the constitution, all key officials are to be appointed by the president, including regional government bodies, governors and so on. So, if the president is illegitimate, so are all the others.

So, under these circumstances of de facto illegitimacy, neo-Nazi formations receive additional weapons and recruit new personnel. What does this lead to, what could it lead to? It results in de facto power being in their hands. This, in turn, means that it is already unclear with whom to sign documents and what effect such documents might carry, for tomorrow new leaders may come to power through elections and declare: “We do not know who signed those papers, so goodbye.”

The issue is not just this uncertainty; it is that these neo-Nazi formations, such as Azov, among others, are effectively beginning to run the country. This raises the question: how is it possible to conduct negotiations with them?

In such situations, international practice follows a well-established path. Within the framework of the United Nations peacekeeping operations, there have been several cases of what is termed external governance or temporary administration. This occurred in East Timor, I believe in 1999, in parts of the former Yugoslavia, and in New Guinea. In short, such precedents exist.

In principle, it would indeed be possible to discuss, under UN auspices with the United States and even European countries – and certainly with our partners and allies – the possibility of establishing a temporary administration in Ukraine. To what end? To conduct democratic elections, to bring to power a competent government that enjoys public trust, and only then to begin negotiations on a peace treaty and sign legitimate agreements that would be recognized worldwide as consistent and reliable.

This is just one option; I do not claim that others do not exist. They certainly do. At present, there is no opportunity – and perhaps no possibility – to lay out every detail, as the situation is evolving rapidly. But this remains a viable option, and such precedents exist within UN practice, as I have already noted.

Ultimately, we advocate for the resolution of all conflicts, including this one, through peaceful means. But not at our expense.

As you know, the economy and finance of our state can be described, thankfully, as satisfactory, to put it mildly. The situation is stable in terms of government finances and the economy as a whole.

Of course, there is never enough money. I do not remember in my current capacity over the past years anyone in charge of the economy and finance saying, “We have money to spare.” This never happens. On the other hand, when oil prices were high, we had enough money to keep it in a reserve fund. It had a different name, but this does not matter.

Overall, even when we had enough money to keep in reserve, it was never sufficient. Here is what I mean: if you do not keep money in reserve, you will have macroeconomic problems, including inflation. You must have a reserve fund, using the rest to devise programs connected with budget spending.

The situation is the same now. It is stable and normal. With a 4.1 percent economic growth rate, Russia is the fourth largest country in the world in terms of the size of its economy and purchasing power parity. The top three are China, the United States and India, then Russia. All the other economies, including Japan and Germany, are smaller.

I am not talking about Great Britain, which is pouncing at us and otherwise behaving aggressively, while its economy is only the ninth or tenth largest. This explains the size of its armed forces, which 170,000 or 180,000 personnel. This is the armed forces Great Britain has.

What did I say? I said that you are always short of something. The commander-in-chief [of the Navy] attended a meeting today. As for the development of closed towns, the Closed Administrative-Territorial Unit, I believe that we have allocated over 39 billion rubles over the past two or three years for this purpose, for the development and improvement of these closed towns.

Today I listened to what your commander-in-chief reported on the development plans for these closed towns in light of the growing size of our armed forces and navy, as well as the build-up of our ground forces.

That is why I have issued instructions for the Government and the Finance Ministry, which will implement them, to approve the allocation of at least ten billion rubles annually over the next few years.

I hope that our achievements are visible to all. I mean spending on kindergartens and schools, on the improvement of housing and utility services, your streets and courtyard spaces, etc. I hope this is something you can see.

In short, we will do it. We have a program, and the funds will be earmarked for it.

Thank you.

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The strike violates the ceasefire deal and negates the possibility of quickly restoring service to the EU, according to Moscow

Ukraine has “destroyed” a key border energy facility in Kursk Region, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. The Sudzha gas metering station was part of a major pipeline, which for decades had delivered fuel to EU customers.

Here is what happened and the possible consequences of the attack.

Ukraine finishes off Sudzha station

According to the report by the Russian military, Ukrainian forces used US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems to strike the Sudzha gas pipeline facility on Friday, causing a blaze. The defense ministry in Moscow claimed that the metering station is no longer operational.

Last week, Moscow accused Kiev of sabotaging the same site using planted explosives. Ukrainian forces seized the station last August as part of their incursion into Kursk Region, but have been largely pushed out over recent weeks.

The Russian military said the Ukrainians had damaged the station during their retreat, as they could no longer use it for military logistics.

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Ceasefire violation

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin accepted a proposal from his US counterpart, Donald Trump, to suspend attacks against Ukrainian energy infrastructure; Kiev agreed to the mutual moratorium.

The Russian military has since reported multiple violations by Ukraine, which it said demonstrates Kiev’s duplicity. Moscow claims it is honoring its obligations under the deal as part of an effort to normalize relations with Washington.

However, commenting on the destruction of the Sudzha station on Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow reserves the right to withdraw from the agreement, since “it would be illogical for us to observe it, when every night we face attempted strikes on our energy infrastructure.”

End of EU transit

The Sudzha station was part of an energy route connecting gas fields in Western Siberia with Uzhhorod, a city on the Ukrainian border with Hungary, feeding the fuel to gas pipelines in the EU.

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Originally built by the USSR with German help in what the press dubbed “the deal of the century,” the pipeline provided Europe with access to cheap fuel for decades. Last year, over 15 billion cubic meters of Russian gas was delivered through Ukraine, despite the two nations engaging in an armed conflict. Kiev has received hundreds of millions of dollars in transit fees annually under the scheme.

Kiev, however, refused to renew the contract with Russia that expired at the end of 2024, claiming that it wanted to deny Moscow the opportunity to sell gas to the EU.

The decision caused a crisis in the EU, as Hungary and Slovakia called on Brussels to apply pressure on Ukraine and secure continued supplies. Friday’s attack will delay the restoration of gas flows to the continent if a peace agreement between Moscow and Kiev is reached.

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Kiev’s move backfires

The end of transit backfired on Ukrainian forces in Kursk Region this month, as Russian troops infiltrated behind their defensive positions by traveling through the unused pipeline.

‘Operation Flow,’ as Moscow dubbed it, hastened the collapse of the Ukrainian incursion and led to the liberation of the town of Sudzha, which had previously served as the linchpin of Kiev’s attempts to seize Russian territory.

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Kiev’s push to inventory the UNESCO site’s sacred relics is “blasphemous,” a UOC bishop has said

Ukrainian government officials and police have broken into the catacombs of the country’s most important monastery, the Union of Orthodox Journalists (UOJ) has reported. The caves of Kiev Pechersk Lavra are the final resting spot of some of the country’s earliest Christian saints.

The Lavra, which was founded in around 1050, has been the epicenter of religious and political turmoil in recent years. The government of Vladimir Zelensky supports the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), which was created in 2018 and has been trying for months to wrest control of the monastery and countless other church properties from the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).

The Ukrainian culture ministry had set up a special commission tasked with creating an inventory and evaluating the sacred relics kept at the monastery’s Near and Far Caves. The commission is expected to complete its work by the end of May and the results will be classified.

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The UOJ said on its Telegram channel on Friday that the representatives of the ministry and police officers “have begun the takeover” of the caves at Kiev Pechersk Lavra. They used an angle grinder to cut down the padlocks which had been placed on the doors of the underground facilities by UOC monks.

Bishop Gedeon Makarovsky of the UOC told RIA Novosti that Kiev’s push to make an inventory of the relics is “blasphemous.”

“Why would they make a list of the relics? In order to be able to take them out, hide them, steal them, move them and so on,” the cleric insisted.

When asked to comment on the actions of the Ukrainian authorities, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told RIA Novosti: “The Viy has returned to Kiev.” The Viy is a demonic creature from a classic 1835 story of the same name by Ukrainian-born Russian writer Nikolay Gogol which is depicted as rampaging through a church.

The persecution of the UOC by the Ukrainian authorities intensified after the conflict between Moscow and Kiev escalated in February 2022. Zelensky justified the clampdown by alleging that the religious organization retained ties to the Moscow Patriarchate, despite it declaring full independence in May 2022.

Zelensky has asserted the need to protect Ukraine’s “spiritual independence” and deprive Russia of an opportunity to “to manipulate the spirituality of our people.”

READ MORE: Russia will ‘finish off’ Kiev’s forces – Putin

Several churches have been seized by force from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church since the conflict escalated, and criminal cases have been opened against its clerics. A law banning the activities of the UOC in Ukraine officially came into force last September.

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LG Electronics suspended production at its manufacturing facility near Moscow in March 2022 due to Western sanctions

South Korea’s LG Electronics has confirmed it has carried out a test restart of its Russian plant, which has been idle since operations were suspended in 2022 due to Ukraine conflict-related Western sanctions.

LG halted all deliveries to Russia and suspended operations at its plant in Ruza, near Moscow, shortly after the escalation of the conflict.

On Friday, South Korean media reported a partial resumption of operations at the facility, which previously produced washing machines and refrigerators.

The move is aimed at “preventing equipment corrosion,” an LG official told RIA Novosti on Friday, adding that only existing on-site materials are currently being used.

LG CEO Cho Joo-wan, quoted by Korea Times on Friday, said the company remains “cautious, as the conflict is not yet over,” and is closely monitoring the situation. Full operation could resume once sanctions are lifted, he added.

Several major Korean firms, including LG, Hyundai Motor Group and Samsung, are reportedly evaluating a return to the Russian market amid ongoing Ukraine peace negotiations.

An LG representative noted the company’s situation differs from Hyundai’s, the carmaker announced plans in 2023 to sell its Russian plant, and completed its exit from the country under pressure from Western sanctions.

President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said sanctions had inadvertently strengthened Russia’s economic and technological base and that any potential return of foreign companies must be carefully managed to protect domestic companies.

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Russia “never closed its doors or expelled anyone,” Putin said recently, adding that confidential talks with some foreign businesses are already underway. However, he noted that future decisions will depend on market conditions, and no special incentives will be granted if sectors are already occupied.

According to Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, a special government commission will assess each company’s case individually.

This week, Italian appliance maker Ariston announced it would resume operations in Russia after Putin signed a decree removing its Russian unit from a list of companies under temporary state control.

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The court should demonstrate that no one is above the law, an international relations expert has told RT

The international Criminal Court has lost its legitimacy by serving the political interests of certain powers, international relations expert Ali Hammoud has told RT.

The Hague-based institution has faced criticism in recent years for allegedly failing to prosecute individuals from more powerful nations and instead going after those from Asian and African states.

In an interview on Thursday, Hammoud, who is a professor of international relations and economics at the Paris-based Center for Diplomatic and Strategic Studies (CEDS), claimed that the ICC applies double standards and serves global powers rather than justice.

READ MORE: ICC ‘weaponized’ in Philippines political feud – expert

”For the ICC to restore its legitimacy it must demonstrate that no one individual regardless of nationality and political connection is above the law,” Hammoud said.

In November, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, charging him with responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the conflict in Gaza.

Despite this, Israel has continued its offensive in the enclave and intensified strikes earlier this month after the collapse of a truce with Hamas. Despite the accusations, the Israeli leadership has the support of the European Union, which was manifested during a visit to Israel by the bloc’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas earlier this week.

Watch the interview with Ali Hammoud below.

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Multinationals are reportedly looking to re-access the country’s market amid Ukraine ceasefire talks

Foreign firms that exited Russia due to sanctions linked to the Ukraine conflict are now seeking to return, according to President Vladimir Putin’s special economic representative, Kirill Dmitriev.

Dmitriev, who is also the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), was responding to Korea Times report on Friday that South Korean companies are looking to resume operations in Russia, given US-led ceasefire talks between Moscow and Kiev.

“Global companies are lining up to return to Russia, signaling renewed confidence and fresh opportunities in one of the world’s largest markets,” Dmitriev wrote on X on Friday.

More than 1,000 Western firms – from well-known retail firms to car giants – have exited the Russian market in the past three years. But as Ukraine conflict ceasefire talks gain momentum, major South Korean companies are reportedly stepping up feasibility studies on resuming operations in Russia. The push reflects Russia’s strategic importance for the country as a market, particularly in light of mounting tariff pressure from the US, the outlet said.

LG Electronics is reportedly among the first, and recently partially resumed operations at its home appliance plant in Moscow, which produced washing machines and refrigerators, the outlet said citing industry sources.

“The move is aimed at preventing deterioration of production facilities that have been idle,” an LG official told the Korea Times.

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Hyundai Motor Group, which along with Kia held the top two spots among car brands in Russia in 2021, is also closely assessing the prospect of re-entering the Russian market. The group sold its St. Petersburg plant for just 10,000 rubles ($120) with a two-year buyback option 2023. It means the group must make a decision on restarting production at the facility before the end of 2025.

Earlier this week, Italian household equipment manufacturer Ariston announced its return to Russia after exiting the market in 2022.

The development seems to reflect an emerging trend of potential comebacks and buybacks by major foreign brands amid a US pivot on relations with Russia.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin stated on Wednesday that each company’s case will be evaluated on an individual basis. Foreign firms that exited Russia “under government pressure” but maintained “jobs, contacts, and technologies,” along with a buy-back option, could be permitted to return, he said.

Mishustin added that companies possessing unique expertise would also be welcomed— so long as they adhere to localization and investment conditions.

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British specialists set coordinates for a Ukrainian missile system that struck a gas metering station, the Foreign Ministry has said

France and the UK actively aided Kiev in a strike on the Sudzha pipeline infrastructure in Russia’s Kursk Region on Friday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has told journalists. Earlier the Russian Defense Ministry said that a metering facility was “de facto destroyed” in a Ukrainian HIMARS attack.

“[We] have reasons to believe that targeting and navigation were facilitated through French satellites and British specialists input [target] coordinates and launched [the missiles],” Zakharova said, commenting on the strike.

“The command came from London,” she said, branding the attack part of a Ukrainian “terror” campaign targeting Russian energy infrastructure. The spokeswoman added that such actions demonstrate that Kiev is “impossible to negotiate with.”

Although Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky “publicly supported” a temporary suspension of strikes on energy infrastructure agreed by Moscow and Washington, he “did nothing to observe it,” according to Zakharova.

Moscow ordered that attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure cease on March 18, following a phone call between presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. Russia and the US also agreed on a list of energy facilities that should not be targeted as part of a truce earlier this week. The list included gas facilities.

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Kiev also agreed to a US-proposed 30-day partial ceasefire following talks between Ukrainian and American delegations in Saudi Arabia on March 15. Zelensky hailed the development and even described it as a diplomatic “victory” for Ukraine, but did not publicly mention any relevant orders to the Ukrainian military.

The Russian Defense Ministry has regularly reported on Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy infrastructure over the past few weeks. Earlier on Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that the strike suggested that the Ukrainian military no longer follows Kiev’s orders due to a “total lack of supervision.”

Paris and London have emerged as the staunchest supporters of Ukraine in the face of a gradual shift in Washington’s position under the new Trump administration. In early March, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron said that their nations were ready to lead a “coalition of the willing”—a group of pro-Ukrainian countries prepared to support Kiev with troops and aircraft.

Russia has vehemently rejected any possibility of NATO-aligned European troops deploying to the conflict zone. It has accused France and Britain of hatching plans for “military intervention in Ukraine,” which could lead to a direct armed clash between Russia and NATO.

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Ukrainian forces continue to attack Russian energy infrastructure in violation of the US-backed ceasefire, according to Dmitry Peskov

Kiev’s troops are apparently refusing to take orders from its political leaders, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Friday. While Ukraine publicly supported the 30-day partial ceasefire which Russia brokered with the US, its airstrikes continue, he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a halt to attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on March 18 following a phone call with his US counterpart Donald Trump. The two leaders discussed the initiative put forward by Washington and Moscow said it supported the idea at the time.

“Russia can state that the [Ukrainian] leadership has no control over its Armed Forces that do not follow its orders when it comes to attacks on the energy infrastructure facilities,” Peskov said, adding that attempts to strike Russian infrastructure “take place on a daily basis.”

Russia and the US also agreed on a list of energy facilities that should not be targeted as part of the truce earlier this week. The list included nuclear power plants, oil and gas facilities, and hydroelectric power plants. However, it is unclear if the Ukrainian government gave any orders to its troops afterwards.

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The Kremlin then said that it intended to maintain the 30-day partial ceasefire as a gesture of goodwill to Washington, even if Kiev fails to honor it. The Russian Foreign Ministry has warned that Moscow reserves the right to withdraw from the agreement.

“If Ukraine had joined the [ceasefire] and gave relevant orders to its Armed Forces, they are apparently not being followed,” Peskov said on Friday, calling it a sign of Kiev’s “total lack of supervision” over the military’s actions.

Earlier on Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that Kiev’s troops had attacked the country’s energy infrastructure in three separate regions, in violation of a US-mediated moratorium. The incidents, recorded over the past 24 hours, took place in Russia’s Belgorod, Kursk, and Saratov Regions, according to the ministry, which has published some video showing the aftermath of one of the attacks. The Russian military has been reporting similar violations among Ukrainian troops regularly since the agreement was made.

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The American AI model provides “harsh, ideological” answers, Valery Fadeyev has said

Popular artificial intelligence model ChatGPT is Russophobic, the head of the Russian Human Rights Council, Valery Fadeyev, has claimed.

Speaking at the XV Saint Petersburg International Educational Forum on Thursday, Fadeyev said he and his colleagues had tested the chatbot from US company OpenAI as part of an experiment and had received concerning results.

“We asked a number of questions: ‘Who won the Second World War?’, ‘Why does the Russian liberal community hate their country?’ and so on. We got harsh, ideological answers,” Fadeyev said.

According to the human rights chief, the replies by ChatGPT “felt like they were written not by artificial intelligence, but by natural intelligence in the central committee of a political party from another country.”

Fadeyev mentioned the decision by US President Donald Trump earlier this month to terminate government funding for Voice of America (VOA), with Trump accusing the state-run international broadcasting network of “spreading radical propaganda” for the Democratic Party at home and abroad.

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The Russian human rights chief suggested that the authorities in Washington do not actually need VOA and similar outlets “when they now have a colossal ideological tool in the form of AI.”

“It is unclear how to regulate this,” Fadeyev said, referring to ChatGPT.

“If we do not educate our schoolchildren, do not create a reasonable, noble, patriotic worldview in kids, then we will have no tools to counter this weapon,” he warned.

In contrast, NewsGuard, a self-proclaimed disinformation watchdog, has accused ChatGPT and other AI models of advancing a pro-Russian agenda.

“Massive amounts of Russian propaganda – 3,600,000 articles in 2024 – are now incorporated in the outputs of Western AI systems, infecting their responses with false claims and propaganda,” it claimed earlier this month.

According to NewsGuard, the ten leading AI assistants repeated Russian narratives more than 33% of the time during its study.

READ MORE: Chinese AI rival spending 2% of ChatGPT’s budget – industry pioneer

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently called on the UN to keep discussions on artificial intelligence in check, and to ensure that countries “work transparently [and] honestly, and do not create any [AI] schemes directed against other members of the international community.”

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The NGO was allegedly involved in staging multiple false flag chemical weapons attacks during the Syrian civil war

The administration of US President Donald Trump has cut off most of the funding Washington had been providing to the controversial ‘White Helmets’ volunteer organization in Syria, CNN reported on Thursday, citing internal documents and the organization.

The Syrian Civil Defense, popularly known as the White Helmets, was created in 2014 at the height of the country’s civil war, and billed itself as a volunteer rescue force dedicated to helping civilians injured by the government of former President Bashar Assad. It received funding from Western governments.

During the protracted struggle, the White Helmets were praised in the Western media as heroes. Extensive evidence, however, suggests that at least some of its media content was staged. On several occasions, members of the group were filmed participating in apparent executions by jihadists.

Its US Agency for International Development (USAID) funding has been terminated as part of the Trump administration’s broader curtailing of foreign aid contracts. The spending cuts affect programs related to firefighting, search and rescue, and so-called “community resilience” work, according to the outlet. Despite ongoing scrutiny of the group’s activities and affiliations, a smaller contract from the US State Department to fund what is described as “accountability work” reportedly remains in place.

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In a letter to Congress, a USAID official said 5,341 awards had been terminated as of March 21, including a nearly $30 million White Helmets contract that began in February 2023, CNN said. Some of the funds have already been spent. A separate $1.4 million State Department contract reportedly remains active.

Upon taking office, Trump suspended most US foreign aid for a three-month review to assess its alignment with his “America First” agenda, freezing tens of billions in USAID-approved grants.

Farouq Habib, the deputy general manager of the organization, told CNN that the White Helmets have had a “great partnership” with USAID – the NGO’s major backer for nearly a decade. According to him, US support during Syria’s transition following Assad’s ouster is very important “in the absence of a functional, strong government.”

The White Helmets, co-founded by the late British mercenary and presumed former intelligence officer James Le Mesurier, rose to international notoriety amid the years-long conflict in Syria.

During the war, the group operated exclusively in areas controlled by assorted jihadist groups opposing Assad’s government. The White Helmets have allegedly been involved in multiple false flag ‘chemical incidents’, which it blamed on government troops. These were used by Western nations to justify strikes against the Syrian military and its allies.

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Moscow and Beijing intend to cooperate on a number of entertainment projects, Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova has said

Moscow and Beijing are aiming to agree a plan on joint film production, Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova has said. The plan was discussed during a meeting in Beijing between Lyubimova and Shen Haixiong, the general director of the China Media Group, the ministry stated in a press release on Friday.

The statement noted that Russian delegates had presented a number of projects to Chinese partners this week, including full-length feature and documentary films and series, as well as animation. Additionally, the two sides discussed cooperation with China Film Group and the potential release of the Russian movie ‘The Wizard of the Emerald City: Part 1’ in Chinese cinemas.

“Our goal is to approve specific ideas for joint films that will not only attract a large audience in Russia and China, but will also be distinguished by high-quality, highly artistic content,” Lyubimova said. She added that the plan would be implemented with administrative support from the relevant authorities and would contribute to the creation of new films and the expansion of commercial and state exchanges.

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Shen, who also serves as deputy director of China’s Publicity Department, stated that movie imports and exports between Russia and China should increase significantly, and that Beijing “highly values the open dialogue” on the matter with Moscow.

The Russian Culture Ministry noted that the two nations previously engaged in joint film projects, including the historical movie ‘Red Silk’, which had a successful premiere in Russia in February and earned over 500 million rubles ($5.9 million) within the first month. The ministry added that the film is expected to be released in China soon.

In addition, Lyubimova invited Chinese representatives to take part in the presentation of the Eurasian Film Academy and the Open Eurasian Film Award in Moscow in April. The joint movie action plan is part of broader efforts to strengthen cultural ties between Russia and China, the ministry added.

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The US is right to call out European elites for democratic backsliding, Italy’s prime minister has said

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has thrown her weight behind US Vice President J.D. Vance and his scathing criticism of Washington’s European allies last month.

In a keynote address at the annual Munich Security Conference, Vance charged that the UK and several EU nations are failing to uphold free speech and democratic principles.

“I have to say I agree,” Meloni told Financial Times. “I’ve been saying this for years… Europe has a bit lost itself.” She added that the believed the vice president’s ire was directed at a “ruling class,” that imposes its ideology on ordinary citizens.

The article in the British newspaper on Friday underscored Meloni’s ideological parallels with Trump and her lack of alignment with other European leaders on crucial matters.

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have marked out a position apart from US President Donald Trump, in particular on the Ukraine conflict, where the White House is pushing hard for a truce. The duo is spearheading efforts to bolster the Ukrainian military, and has proposed that a “reassurance force” be stationed in the country. Russia has warned against any NATO military presence in Ukraine, regardless of the form it takes.

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Meloni said that in contrast to Macron and Starmer, she is not keen to position herself as a “protagonist” on the global stage. While she did not directly contest claims that Russia poses a threat warranting Europe-wide military expansion, she emphasized that Rome recognizes “threats can come from 360 degrees.” She was referring to illegal migration across the Mediterranean, which is a pressing issue in Italy.

”If you simply think that you can defend yourself, taking care of the eastern flank, and you don’t consider for example what happens in the southern flank, you will have a problem,” the prime minister explained.

Russian officials deny any aggressive intentions toward NATO, viewing the Ukraine conflict as a proxy war instigated by the bloc. Moscow has accused European leaders of undermining Trump’s mediation efforts and preferring the continuation of hostilities.

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The remarks from Washington’s mission are in response to reports that Trump has nominated a pro-Israel media activist as envoy to Pretoria

The US Embassy in Pretoria has issued a statement clarifying that Leo Brent Bozell has not yet been officially appointed as the US ambassador to South Africa, countering claims made in recent reports.

The embassy emphasised that no individual could assume the role of ambassador until the nomination process is completed by the US Senate.

In a statement from the embassy issued on Friday, the embassy noted: “We are aware of recent media reports regarding the nomination of a new US Ambassador to South Africa and would like to clarify the process.”

The statement goes on to outline the constitutional procedures that govern the nomination of a US ambassador, emphasising that the process involves multiple steps before a nominee can officially take office.

READ MORE: Trump envoy nomination provokes South Africa – MP

The steps in the nomination process are as follows:

Presidential Nomination: The President formally submits the nominee’s name to the US Senate.

Senate Review: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee reviews the nomination and may hold hearings to assess the nominee’s qualifications.

Full Senate Vote: If the committee approves, the nomination proceeds to a vote by the full Senate.

Official Appointment: Upon Senate confirmation, the nominee is officially appointed and may present credentials to the host country.

The embassy reiterated, “Until this process is complete, the nominee does not yet serve officially.”

The statement comes in the wake of heightened interest in the potential nomination of Bozell, known for his role as a prominent media critic and founder of the Media Research Centre.

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His nomination has generated a mix of reactions, with supporters arguing that his extensive experience in media could enhance US-South Africa relations. At the same time, critics voice concerns over his controversial views on the Israel-Gaza conflict.

As the nomination process continues, the US Embassy stated it will provide updates to ensure clarity and transparency regarding its diplomatic appointments.

First published by IOL

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“Elevated” football figures are reportedly willing to reinstate the country to competitions “tomorrow,” according to the outlet

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is reportedly taking steps to lift a ban on Russian participation in international competition, The Independent reported on Thursday, citing a senior source in the organization.

A number of international sports organizations, including UEFA and its global counterpart FIFA, banned Russian teams from participating in tournaments following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

According to The Independent, however, the issue of lifting the UEFA ban could come up during the organization’s congress scheduled for the Serbian capital Belgrade next week.

“Moves are currently happening to get Russia back into football,” the British outlet quoted one senior UEFA source as saying, adding that there are “elevated football figures who would ‘have them back tomorrow.’” Other figures within UEFA have reportedly insisted that the ban shouldn’t have been imposed in the first place.

According to The Independent, senior UEFA officials are already setting out a roadmap for Russia’s return, which would appear especially likely once a ceasefire is established in the Ukraine conflict.

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A source further claimed that “Zurich-based politics” means that the International Olympic Committee would be the first to “normalize” Russia once a truce between Moscow and Kiev is agreed, followed by the International Hockey Federation and football organizations.

Earlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump, agreed during a phone call that they aim to normalize relations between the two countries and continue discussions on global security, economic, and cultural cooperation.

Following the talks, the Kremlin reported that both leaders had expressed support for organizing hockey matches between the US and Russia involving players from the National Hockey League (NHL) and Russia’s Continental Hockey League (KHL). The idea has since been approved by the Russian Olympic Committee and the Russian Ministry of Sport.

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Nqobile Mhlongo has accused the US of an attempt to undermine Pretoria’s stance on Israel

Pretoria’s diplomatic tensions with Washington have worsened following the nomination of a new ambassador by US President Donald Trump, a South African legislator has said.

Speaking to RT, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party commissar Nqobile Mhlongo stated that the timing of Trump’s nomination of Leo Brent Bozell III – just days after South African ambassador Ebrahim Rasool was expelled from Washington – signals a strategic attempt to pressure Pretoria into compliance.

“He’s doing it to provoke South Africa, but also to assert his authority,” she said.

READ MORE: The ghosts of apartheid triggered South Africa’s case against Israel in The Hague

In December 2023, Pretoria filed a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, citing decades of occupation, a maritime blockade, and systemic human rights violations in Gaza. Mhlongo argued that Trump’s move was a direct response to South Africa’s pro-Palestinian stance.

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“He [Trump] wants to assert his authority, but also he wants to use the new ambassador, Bozell, to come to our soil and use the platform given to him as an ambassador to undermine the stance of South Africa when it comes to genocidal Israel,” the South African politician stated.

According to Mhlongo, tensions escalated when Trump issued executive orders demanding that South Africa reverse key domestic policies, including “the appellate bill, which is the basic education bill, ... the national health insurance bill, [and] the expropriation bill, which seeks to address injustices of the past in terms of land dispossession that happened during apartheid and colonialism in South Africa.”

She added that the US expects South Africa to surrender its sovereign policy decisions to Washington’s influence – something the EFF rejects outright. “We are not a satellite state of the US,” Mhlongo said. “South Africa is a sovereign state.”

READ MORE: South Africa dismisses ‘white genocide’ claims

The US president recently halted all federal funding to South Africa over a controversial expropriation law, which Pretoria claims is intended to address historical racial disparities in land ownership. Trump has accused the government of seizing agricultural property belonging to white South Africans. People of European descent still own the majority of the country’s farmland, despite constituting only about 7% of the population.

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A sightseeing submersible with 45 passengers onboard encountered distress 1km off the coast

At least six Russian citizens have died in Egypt following the sinking of a tourist submarine, Russian officials have confirmed.

The tragedy unfolded on Thursday morning in the resort city of Hurghada when a submersible owned by a local hotel and manned by five crew members was taking 45 predominantly Russian tourists for a sightseeing trip at a coral reef. The emergency occurred approximately 1km from the shore.

Among the six victims identified by the Russian consulate general in Hurghada, two were minors. Several individuals remain unaccounted for, Consul Viktor Vorpaev informed journalists. Egyptian media reports indicate that the total death toll may be as high as nine. Seven survivors required hospital treatment in the aftermath of the incident.

The cause of the sinking remains unclear. Witnesses suggested that the submersible began its descent before all passengers had boarded from a pontoon moored near the reef, leading to widespread panic. A video shared by Russian media captured the chaos as people screamed while the vessel’s top hatch remained open.

Red Sea Governor Amr Hanafi, who visited the survivors, stated that the submersible’s license and documentation were in order and promised full transparency in the investigation. He said citizens from India, Norway, and Sweden were also among the passengers.

Most tourists were reportedly accommodated at three hotels: the submersible’s owner, Sindbad Club, along with Mercure Hurghada and Titanic Beach. The watercraft was ten years old, according to the company that organized the excursion.

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The president has urged sustainable development of the region and addressed the global implications of the US claim to Greenland

Russian President Vladimir Putin has detailed the country’s priorities for the future development of the Arctic region.

Moscow sees huge potential for resource extraction and transportation, which requires major infrastructure investments and careful consideration for the environment, Putin said on Thursday in a speech at the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk. He also addressed the military aspects of Russian plans and US President Donald Trump’s bid to acquire Greenland from Denmark.

Here is Putin’s speech in full:

The International Arctic Forum is a key platform to discuss current issues regarding the comprehensive development of Arctic territories, establishing effective mechanisms for the joint use and exploration of the Arctic region’s abundant resources at various levels.

In 2025, the forum’s events are being held in Murmansk on March 26–27 under the motto “To Live in the North!”

* * *

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues, friends, ladies and gentlemen.

I welcome the participants and guests of the 6th International Forum, The Arctic: Territory of Dialogue. For the first time, it is being hosted by Murmansk – the capital of the Russian Arctic, a Hero City, which is developing dynamically today, as are our other northern cities and regions, while launching landmark projects for the entire country.

Russia is the largest Arctic power. We have consistently advocated for equitable cooperation in the region, encompassing scientific research, biodiversity protection, climate issues, emergencies response, and, of course, the economic and industrial development of the Arctic. We are prepared to collaborate not only with Arctic states but with all who, like us, share responsibility for ensuring a stable and sustainable future for the planet and are capable of adopting balanced decisions for decades to come.

Regrettably, international cooperation in northern latitudes is currently facing significant challenges. In the past few years, numerous Western nations have opted for confrontation, cutting off economic connections with Russia and ceasing scientific, educational, and cultural exchanges. Discussions on safeguarding Arctic ecosystems have come to a standstill. Politicians, party leaders, and even the so-called greens in some Western countries address their citizens and electorates about the significance of the climate agenda and environmental conservation, yet in practice, their policies are entirely contradictory.

As a reminder, the Arctic Council was set up to cooperate in addressing environmental issues, to prevent emergencies above the Arctic Circle and to jointly respond to them if they emerge. However, this tool has degraded by now. Meanwhile, Russia did not refuse to communicate in this format – it was the choice of our Western partners, Western nations. As they say in such situations: Don’t do it if you don’t want it. We will work with those who want it.

Meanwhile, the role and importance of the Arctic for Russia and for the entire world are obviously growing. Regrettably, the geopolitical competition and fighting for positions in this region are also escalating.

Suffice it to say about the plans of the United States to annex Greenland, as everyone is aware. But you know, it can surprise someone only at first glance. It is a profound mistake to treat it as some preposterous talk by the new US administration. Nothing of the sort.

In fact, the United States had such plans as far back as the 1860s. As early as that, the US administration was considering possible annexation of Greenland and Iceland. However, the idea did not enjoy support in Congress then.

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Let me remind you, by the way, that by 1868, the purchase of Alaska from Russia was ridiculed in the American press – it was called “madness,” “an ice box” and “President Andrew Johnson’s polar bear garden.” Therefore, the Greenland proposal failed.

But that acquisition, I mean the purchase of Alaska, is probably viewed very differently in the United States today, just as President Andrew Johnson’s actions are.

Thus what is happening today is not really surprising, particularly since this story only began back then, and it went on and on. In 1910, for example, a trilateral land swap deal was negotiated between the United States, Germany and Denmark. As a result, Greenland would have gone to the United States but the deal fell through then.

During World War II, the United States stationed military bases in Greenland to protect it from Nazi takeover. After the war, the United States suggested Denmark should sell the island. This was quite recently in terms of world history.

In short, the United States has serious plans regarding Greenland. These plans have long historical roots, as I have just mentioned, and it is obvious that the United States will continue to consistently advance its geo-strategic, military-political and economic interests in the Arctic.

As to Greenland, this is an issue that concerns two specific nations and has nothing to do with us. But at the same time, of course, we are concerned about the fact that NATO countries are increasingly often designating the Far North as a springboard for possible conflicts and are practicing the use of troops in these conditions, including by their “new recruits” – Finland and Sweden, with whom, incidentally, until recently we had no problems at all. They are creating problems with their own hands for some reason. Why? It is impossible to understand. But nevertheless, we will proceed from current realities and will respond to all this.

I must emphasise: Russia has never threatened anyone in the Arctic. However, we are closely monitoring developments in the region, formulating an appropriate response strategy, enhancing the combat capabilities of the Armed Forces, and modernising military infrastructure facilities.

We will not tolerate any encroachments on our country’s sovereignty and will steadfastly safeguard our national interests. By upholding peace and stability in the Arctic region, we will ensure its long-term socio-economic development, improve the quality of life for its residents, and preserve its unique natural environment.

The stronger our positions and the more substantial our achievements, the greater our opportunities will be to launch global international projects in the Arctic involving partner nations, friendly states, and perhaps even Western countries – provided, however, that they demonstrate a genuine interest in cooperative efforts. I am confident that the time for such projects will undoubtedly come.

Friends,

The Arctic Zone accounts for over a quarter of the Russian Federation’s territory. Nearly two and a half million our citizens live and work here, making a significant contribution to the nation’s progress. Current estimates indicate that the Arctic generates 7% of Russia’s gross domestic product and approximately 11% of our exports. At the same time, we see enormous potential for the region’s further comprehensive development. A critical priority is strengthening the Arctic’s transport and logistical framework.

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Let me note that this year marks the 500th anniversary of the first historical records mentioning the daring concept proposed by Russian seafarers and Pomor trappers: a prospective trade route through the northern seas to the East, reaching China via the so-called Northeast Passage – the precursor to the Northern Sea Route.

Over the past decade, cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route – spanning from the Kara Gates Strait to the Bering Strait – has substantially increased. In 2014, a mere four million tonnes of cargo were transported via this corridor. By last year, that figure had risen to nearly 38 million tonnes – five times the Soviet-era record. We anticipate, with confidence, that volumes will reach 70–100 million tonnes by 2030.

Yet our plans – in terms of cargo volumes, geographical reach, and expansion of the Arctic fleet – are far more ambitious. The Northern Sea Route is poised to become a pivotal segment of the Transarctic Transport Corridor, stretching from St Petersburg through Murmansk to Vladivostok. This corridor is designed to connect global industrial, agricultural, and energy hubs with consumer markets via a shorter, safer, and more economically viable route. This is widely acknowledged – experts across the East and West recognise its significance.

Cargo shipments along the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor are set to increase on the back of growing minerals production and the advanced processing of these resources right here in the Arctic, and due to rising international transits. I would like to stress the importance of linking this Trans-Arctic corridor with our domestic railway network everywhere from the northwest to Russia’s Far East, reaching all the way to the Baikal-Amur Mainline and the Trans-Siberian Railway.

By the way, even today the concept of building the Trans-Siberian Railway, which stretches across the entire country to the Pacific, exemplifies a strategic, forward-looking vision for us. It addressed not only the country’s immediate needs and circumstances but also took into account our national interests within a horizon of several centuries. We must be guided by this approach as we develop the Trans-Arctic corridor.

What are the priority objectives in this regard?

First, Russia already operates the world’s biggest icebreaker fleet. We must consolidate our leadership in this sector by building new-generation icebreakers, including nuclear icebreakers. Today, only Russia has them – no other country has a nuclear icebreaker fleet.

Four of these icebreakers belong to the latest Project 22220, and are already operating in the Arctic. Three more nuclear icebreakers from the same series – Chukotka, Leningrad and Stalingrad – are currently under construction. There is also the mighty 120 Mw icebreaker Rossiya. It will allow for more efficient year-round icebreaker support to large-tonnage ships in high latitudes.

Let me emphasise that icebreaker support costs and shipping costs for the Trans-Arctic Corridor in general must be competitive and acceptable to the market. This is a major prerequisite for guaranteeing that this route is relevant for businesses and creates added value for them. My colleagues from the Government and I have recently discussed these matters, and I fully agree that this offering must be competitive on the market.

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Second, Russia is a sovereign nation, and as such it needs a merchant fleet of its own in the Arctic, including cargo, search and rescue ships for operating shipments in northern seas, as well as within our internal waters in the Arctic. We must recognise that for now we cannot rely exclusively on our domestic shipbuilding capabilities.

In this connection, we must work on all fronts by building and ordering ships that have already been built, working with manufacturers around the world and developing the domestic shipbuilding industry based on the strategic objectives we have.

Of course, this message is primarily intended for the Government: we must support our shipbuilding corporations and shipyards in their efforts to upgrade and expand their capabilities and build international manufacturing chains. I also ask the Government to review opportunities for building new, cutting-edge, advanced, high-technology shipyards in Russia.

Third, Russian shipping companies that transport petroleum products and liquefied natural gas are already successfully operating in the northern seas. Now we need to create enabling conditions for effective domestic operators who will be shipping containers, coal, bulk and other goods across the Arctic. We are also open to create joint ventures in this segment. International logistics operators could make profitable investments in such companies. Moreover, in addition to capital and technology, they could contribute part of their merchant fleet to such projects.

Fourth, plans are in place to increase the capacity and turnover of our northern ports through the introduction of innovative and environmentally friendly solutions, including unmanned and automated cargo handling equipment. This will happen soon enough. For example, the capacity of the Murmansk transport hub should be amplified at least three times over in the next few years due to the construction of new terminals and the expansion of railway links.

I would like to add that our partners from Belarus, China, the United Arab Emirates and other countries are showing keen interest in this project and in the development of the Arctic transport infrastructure in general. It is a very interesting undertaking from a business point of view.

We plan to create large multimodal hubs to operate as key logistics centres of the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor. Not only will these hubs serve as ports where convoys of ships are formed or Russian and foreign cargos are handled; they will include industrial facilities for the production of manufactured goods.

To improve the logistical stability of the Trans-Arctic Corridor, I ask the Government to draft plans to expand the capacity of existing seaports in the Arctic, and decide where on the Arctic coast new ports should be built, and how soon the adjacent infrastructure needs to be developed. I am primarily referring to the links between the sea harbours and the national railway network.

In this regard, fifth, we will need to develop the Arctic Operating Domain – similar to the Eastern Operating Domain, which includes the Baikal-Amur Mainline and the Trans-Siberian Railway. The project must include the modernisation of the Northern Railway in the Komi Republic and the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area.

We are aware of the situation at Russian Railways today; we know what challenges the company is facing. However, we need to think about what I just said, about the development of the Northern Railway – and we need to start today.

What opportunities will this open? The regions of Siberia, the Urals, and Russia’s North-West will receive direct access to the North, to the Arctic ports, which will lessen the load on the Trans-Siberian Railway and promote effective use of sea transport. In addition, there will be new points of access to the Arctic from the North-South corridor, which connects us with Central Asia and the Gulf states.

And of course, the potential of the Arctic’s inland waterways, our great rivers – the Lena, Yenisei, and Ob – must be unlocked at a new technological level to develop the Trans-Arctic route. This will help, among other things, to enhance the Northern Supply Haul system so as to ensure a reliable supply of foodstuffs and other goods for Arctic residents.

I want to stress specially that the resources of the state, regions, and businesses, including both state-owned and private banks, must be combined to pursue these and other major initiatives. The capabilities of the domestic stock market must also be utilised to attract capital to the Arctic infrastructure.

Infrastructure projects are indeed complex, costly and have a long pay-back period. But it is these projects that provide Russia’s real transport sovereignty at a new level. And I am confident that if our foreign partners join these projects, it will guarantee them long-term investments with good returns. Therefore, we cannot put off these projects for later, we must launch and start pursuing them now, as soon as possible.

Apparently, it is important to resort to flexible approaches here, to attract both Russian and foreign investors, as I have just mentioned. In this regard, I propose that we consider creating a special project office under the auspices of our leading development institution, VEB, which will provide support for transport, logistics, and infrastructure projects in the Arctic, as well as urban development projects in the region. It will also become an entity where potential investors can address directly and receive support they need. I ask the Government to prepare respective proposals.

In addition, I instruct the Government to join hands with Rosatom, VEB and the State Council’s dedicated commission to endorse the financial, economic and organisational model for the development of the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor by August 1 of this year.

Colleagues,

Currently, deposits of oil and gas, metals and other minerals are being developed in the Russian Arctic. We will continue massive geological exploration there, primarily within the framework of the Geology: Revival of the Legend federal project.

Concurrently, the task is to launch enterprises of deep processing of raw materials in the Arctic regions using the powerful resource base there; to create high value-added production facilities in petrochemistry, natural gas conversion, rare earth metals, and other industries related to machine building, production of sophisticated machinery and industrial equipment, while preserving the unique nature of the Arctic.

By way of example, I would like to mention the Centre for the Construction of Large-Capacity Offshore Structures in Belokamenka, where technologies for natural gas liquefaction are being localised and the most up-to-date domestic solutions are being utilised.

I’d like to draw the attention of colleagues in the Government and regional authorities to the following: it is essential not only to propose but also to effectively refine tools for supporting investment and business activity in the Arctic. This includes tax incentives, administrative privileges, infrastructure preparation of land plots, and other measures.

In particular, I remind colleagues of the need to strictly fulfil plans for the gas infrastructure coverage of the Murmansk Region. This must be completed by 2030. I emphasise: this objective remains in force.

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Of course, we should also develop promising areas such as tourism. The North and the Arctic are unique concentrations of natural, historical, and spiritual landmarks. The region boasts an extraordinarily rich cultural mosaic. Over a million tourists visit the Arctic annually to explore its landscapes, witness the northern lights, engage in Arctic fishing, ride dog sleds, or journey to polar archipelagos.

The number of tourists is growing. Consequently, new initiatives in this sphere are emerging, such as an Arctic tourism centre with a ski resort component in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area or an aqua-thermal spa and year-round hotel complex in Karelia. I request that both the federal Government and regional authorities support such initiatives, which reveal new facets of the Arctic and help heighten interest in the region.

I also propose considering the inclusion of White Sea tourism infrastructure development in the Five Seas and Lake Baikal federal project.

To make the Arctic accessible for mass tourism, transport connectivity is crucial – from the repair and construction of roads to the development of air travel.

I reiterate that we have extended subsidised airfare rates for flights to Arctic cities. Last year, approximately 800,000 passengers utilised this opportunity. This year, subsidised tickets are available for over 70 air routes.

At the same time, Far Northern airports, particularly smaller ones, require modernisation. In the coming years, under the relevant national project, we will upgrade 16 airfields in the Arctic Zone, including those in Salekhard, Arkhangelsk, Naryan-Mar, and Vorkuta.

Overall, our objective is to maintain an extensive airport network in the Arctic – from large and medium-sized airfields to small landing strips. This is also vital to ensure year-round accessibility of residential areas and the operation of air ambulance services.

Friends,

The key and overarching goal of Russia’s efforts is to improve the quality of life for people living in the Arctic, to ensure modern conditions for study and work, leisure, and the upbringing of children in this harsh region that still lures people with amazing force. I have talked to these people many times. Those who were born in the north, as well as those who have come here, have all said that the north is like a magnet since people develop a sense of belonging to these latitudes, and to this land.

As you know, we have already drafted master plans for the Arctic urban centres, which include not only major cities like Arkhangelsk or Murmansk, but also cover towns like Kirovsk, Apatity and Monchegorsk in the Murmansk Region, Kem and Belomorsk in Karelia, Vorkuta in the Komi Republic, Bilibino and Pevek in Chukotka, Naryan-Mar in the Nenets Autonomous Area, Salekhard, Labytnangi, Novy Urengoi and Noyabrsk in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, as well as Tiksi and Naiba in Yakutia, and Norilsk, Igarka and Dikson in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

On a separate note, I would like to thank the VEB.RF and DOM.RF corporations for their involvement and contribution to drafting these master plans.

A master plan is a comprehensive strategic and territorial planning document that sets forth long-term socioeconomic and spatial development visions for cities, towns and villages. They provide for the introduction of the latest urban planning solutions while also ensuring that these settlements retain their unique cityscapes based on suggestions and proposals from local residents and civil society organisations, including associations of Northern ethnic minorities.

I would like to draw the Government’s attention to the need to be more responsive in its efforts to approve a timeline for carrying out these Arctic master plans and ensuring that they receive the funding they need. As I have already mentioned, this includes, among other things, introducing the Arctic agenda as a separate item into our national projects, while also launching mechanisms for engaging businesses and strategic investors working in the Arctic or those who are willing to work here in carrying out these master plans.

In addition, I ask the Government to think about setting up dedicated competence centres for providing urban planning and development training to municipal and regional officials and teaching them best practices in urban planning.

Moving on, we launched a national contest for creating people-friendly urban spaces. Winners will receive budget funding for their projects. I suggest allocating an additional sum from the federal budget as part of this contest. My colleagues from the Government and the Finance Ministry and I have just discussed this matter. I will not give you any final figures, but we need to earmark this disbursement and provide this kind of assistance so that colleagues working on the objectives I have just mentioned have more opportunities for improving embankments, pedestrian areas and playgrounds, building parks, gardens, and so on.

On a separate note, I would like to ask the Government to extend the programme of renovating military settlements, the closed administrative territorial units in the Arctic where our military personnel live with their families. This renovation programme should continue at least until 2030, with the annual federal budget support of at least 10 billion rubles. I would like to emphasise that this is connected with the strengthening of our military presence in the region, where the number of our military personnel will be increased.

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One of the tasks of our master plans and the renovation programme is to determine where new enterprises and jobs should be created, including those linked to the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor, and where schools and kindergartens, outpatient clinics and hospitals, roads and communications, as well as housing are to be built. The defence and construction ministries are to work together with the regional authorities to coordinate plans for each facility, so as to determine the amount of resources needed for implementing this task and the allocation deadlines.

It is a specific Arctic feature that structures are built in conditions of perpetually frozen ground or permafrost, which explains the special requirements for building designs, structure and reliability. At the same time, we should take the dynamics of climate change into account to forecast potential risks. I propose establishing a special research centre to monitor perpetually frozen ground with contribution from the leading federal and regional institutes. Their research projects will provide the scientific basis for the technology of adjusting Arctic infrastructure to the melting of permafrost.

I know that a register of best Arctic construction practices has been compiled. This regional experience should be expanded. I hope that it will incorporate the idea of multipurpose Arctic centres, where social and administrative offices, sports centres and service facilities are located under one roof, in the same building.

Of course, we must always take the opinions and requests of those who live in the North into account. For example, people openly complain about the shortage of the so-called service economy in Arctic cities and towns, meaning recreation facilities, including those for families and children, as well as cultural and educational venues. We must develop this segment and encourage the relevant business initiatives.

We have a special support programme for small and medium-sized enterprises in the Extreme North. Its efficiency must be upgraded. I would like to ask the Government to adjust the parameters of this programme, in particular, to expand the list of sectors with access to this programme and to create additional subsidised loan opportunities for these companies.

I would like to say a few words about healthcare. The accessibility of medical services in the North is objectively limited compared to central Russia; the situation is even worse in remote communities. I ask the Government to prepare a special mechanism for financing medical care in these areas.

In addition, healthcare in the northern regions must be enhanced with the introduction of digital technologies. The residents of these regions must be served by mobile paramedic stations equipped with artificial intelligence tools, which can conduct physical check-ups both remotely and at the scene, diagnose certain diseases and provide recommendations for treatment.

Next, the environment remains a sensitive issue for the Arctic and its residents. Let me remind you that at our first forum, which was initiated by the Russian Geographical Society, we announced the launch of a “general clean-up” of the Arctic, to remove scrap metal, remnants of fuel and lubricants and other waste.

The project, launched by the Russian Geographical Society and supported by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, brought together thousands of volunteers and public organisations. We will certainly continue this effort. We will also ensure comprehensive environmental protection of Russia’s Arctic zone, in particular by clearing Arctic waters of sunken ships, which is a pressing problem that needs to be addressed. Predictably, everything requires funding, so the relevant government agencies will need to work on all these issues, including to earmark the necessary funds year by year.

We will remove technological waste and reclaim land, focusing on bringing Arctic cities and towns up to standard. We will carry out the so-called revitalisation of abandoned areas, buildings and lands, to return them to circulation to serve the interests of local residents.

In fact, we are repaying our debt to the Arctic. We cannot afford to accumulate more debt to its unique nature. With all the plans in place for the region’s economic development, it is essential to maintain a balance between the use of its natural resources and nature conservation.

A new polar station will be built in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area, in the Polar Urals, to test new environmentally friendly technologies. The new scientific research and educational station, Snowflake, will be established by the end of 2028. An international team of researchers will use it to test green technologies being developed for the Arctic, with applications ranging from essential services, telecommunications, and medicine to new materials.

Colleagues,

The Arctic is a territory of great opportunities for specialists in various fields, for entrepreneurs, for young people, and for families who have lived here for generations or have only recently moved and are planning to settle, buy or build a home here.

We have already extended the Arctic mortgage programme until 2030. It offers an annual interest rate of two percent and lowers the requirements for borrowers. This includes cancelling the requirement for teachers and medical workers to have an employment history in the North before applying for a housing loan. Participants in the special military operation can also benefit from these Arctic mortgages along with people working for defence manufacturers.

Substandard and hazardous housing has become an extremely urgent issue for people in the North. I instruct the Government to draft a targeted action plan by September 1, 2025. It must address this issue and cover at least a ten-year period.

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Moving on, the Accessible Rentals programme has been launched in Russia’s Far East, as you know. It offers affordable rentals to young people coming to the Far Eastern regions, graduating there or taking a job there. This programme consists of using regional and federal funds to subsidise rental payments.

I suggest that we expand this programme to include the key Arctic communities. This way, we will make rentals more accessible for people starting their careers in this region, as well as those who want to live and work there. This programme must cover the Arctic in 2026.

We have agreed to extend the Muravyov-Amursky 2030 training programme in public administration to cover the Arctic regions. We have already done this. I am certain that this kind of training will help many talented administrators jump-start their careers and would benefit the Arctic and the country in general.

There is one more thing I would like to mention. The North has always attracted brave people and true leaders. Outstanding researcher, polar explorer and scientist Artur Chilingarov was one of them. I suggest that in his memory we establish a special grant programme for supporting youth initiatives as part of environmental, educational and research projects in the Arctic.

Friends,

Efforts to explore and develop the Russian North and to overcome the challenges related to its harsh climate while enabling the state to reach new promising horizons – all these objectives have inspired many generations of our ancestors, including medieval sailors and Novgorod merchants, those who pioneered Arctic exploration in the 16th and 17th centuries, industrial leaders of the 18th and 19th centuries, researchers, polar explorers, engineers, Soviet workers, and companies in present-day Russia which launched major Arctic projects in the early 2000s.

Today, the North has become central to our development efforts. This is a sovereign and historical choice for us. This means that the objectives we set for and address in the Arctic, and the projects we undertake here must match this historical scale and have a horizon spanning decades, if not centuries.

We will do everything to consolidate Russia’s leadership in the Arctic despite all the challenges and travails we face today. We will provide for the region’s comprehensive development and create a solid foundation for future generations.

Thank you for your attention.

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A giant mobile crane sank in a bog during military exercises near Belarus

The Lithuanian military has called for specialized equipment to lift a sunken US military vehicle, whose four crew members have been classified as missing, following a training incident in a swamp near the country’s border with Belarus on Tuesday.

The M88 Hercules armored vehicle, designed for recovering other military assets and weighing over 60 tons, was located on Wednesday in a bog near Pabrade, where the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division was participating in a joint NATO exercise, according to US Army Europe and Africa command.

Recovery efforts have proven unsuccessful. Rescuers have yet to access the submerged vehicle due to the challenging terrain. The Lithuanian Defense Ministry announced on Friday morning that the country’s most powerful dredger is en route to the site.

”We just need to stop the flow of water from the lake into the swamp so that the mud can be pumped out of the swamp,” Lieutenant Colonel Ausrius Buikus, who is leading the rescue operation, told media on Thursday afternoon.

READ MORE: NATO chief triggers confusion over ‘dead’ American troops

On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte extended condolences to the families of the missing US soldiers, who are still declared ‘missing’. His office later issued an apology for “confusion” arising from his implication the crew was deceased.

The US has approximately 1,000 troops in Lithuania. Washington has increased exercises in the Baltic states amid rising tensions with Russia, particularly since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, touting the drills as a NATO confidence-building measure.

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The government of Comoros says the move will create new prospects for bilateral cooperation

Comoros has agreed to the establishment of a Russian diplomatic mission in its capital, Moroni, local media reported on Thursday, citing a document from the African island nation’s Foreign Ministry.

The Comorian government has welcomed the move as an opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations with Moscow, according to a letter addressed to the Russian mission in neighboring Madagascar and published by the news agency Comores-infos.

“The government of the Union of the Comoros accepts the request of the authorities of the Russian Federation to establish an embassy in the Union of the Comoros,” the ministry stated.

“The establishment of this embassy in Moroni will bring the Union of the Comoros and the Russian Federation, which have maintained bilateral relations for several years, closer together and open up new prospects for cooperation between the two countries,” it added.

The move comes at a time when Moscow has declared that developing ties with African states is among its top foreign policy priorities. Plans to open an embassy in Comoros and several other countries, including the Gambia, Liberia, and Togo, in the “near future” were first announced last month by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Currently, the diplomatic representation for Comoros is managed through Russia’s embassy in Madagascar.

READ MORE: Russia to open three more embassies in Africa

Earlier this year, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced that Moscow is set to expand its diplomatic presence in Africa with the establishment of embassies in Sierra Leone and South Sudan – the continent’s newest country. She said the relevant government decrees had been issued at the end of December, with the official opening of the missions scheduled for the “near future.”

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Russia also intends to reopen its mission in Niger, which had, along with the Sahel state’s embassy in Moscow, ceased operations in the 1990s due to budgetary challenges.

In December 2023, Moscow’s embassy in Burkina Faso officially resumed operations after being shut for more than three decades. The mission in Equatorial Guinea also opened last year, according to Lavrov.

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American-designed HIMARS artillery was used in one of the three latest attacks on infrastructure, according to the Defense Ministry

The Ukrainian military has attacked Russia’s energy infrastructure in three separate regions, again violating a US-mediated moratorium on such strikes, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has claimed.

The incidents, recorded over the past 24 hours, took place in Belgorod, Kursk and Saratov Regions of Russia, the Friday statement said. On Thursday, Ukrainian artillery struck an element of the Russian power grid in Belgorod Region, disrupting the power supply in Shchebekino near the international border, the report said.

A separate incident involved HIMARS artillery strikes on the Sudzha gas metering station in Kursk Region, where “the energy site was de facto destroyed.” The ministry had previously accused Kiev of damaging the facility with planted explosive charges as its forces were retreating from the area.

The ministry concluded that “all previous public statements of the Kiev regime about its purported intention to suspend attacks against Russian civilian energy infrastructure are just a smokescreen.” It believes that Ukraine wants to recover its military compatibility with the help of European backers while the US pushes for a complete truce with Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered that attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure stop on March 18, following a phone call with his US counterpart Donald Trump. The Kremlin says it intends to maintain the 30-day partial ceasefire as a gesture of goodwill to Washington, even if Kiev fails to honor it. However, the Russian Foreign Ministry has warned that Moscow reserves the right to withdraw from the agreement.

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A skyscraper under construction has collapsed in Bangkok, killing one worker and wounding 50 others, according to the rescuers

A powerful earthquake has hit Myanmar, with tremors causing destruction across the country and in neighboring Thailand.

A skyscraper under construction collapsed in the Thai capital, Bangkok, due to the quake on Friday, killing one worker and injuring 50 other, the emergencies services have said. Some people remain trapped under the rubble, but their exact number is unknown, according to the authorities.

According to the US Geological Survey, a 7.7-magnitude quake struck northwest of the city of Sagaing in central Myanmar at a shallow depth of 10km. A 6.4-magnitude aftershock hit the same area shortly afterwards.

Witnesses in the city of Mandalay in Myanmar told Reuters that they have seen several buildings collapse because of the tremors.

Here is some of the aftermath footage near Mandalay.

There was also such similar scale earthquake happened 100 yo ago in the same area, where famous ruin of Mingun Pahtotawgyi and Bell remains. My experts been predicting in past year another strong one is imminent. https://t.co/Kg5enrsRdV pic.twitter.com/RyE9RPeBR6

— ?? ????q?? ?????? (@kokomdy) March 28, 2025

An AFP journalist in Naypyidaw, located south of Sagaing, reported cracks appearing on the roads and chunks of ceilings falling from buildings.

Video from #Mandalay #Myanmar, shows people screaming and crying after a powerful earthquake of 7.3 and 7.7 magnitude struck #earthquake pic.twitter.com/5Z4jQ6KcpL

— sudhakar (@naidusudhakar) March 28, 2025

In the Thai capital Bangkok, skyscrapers were shaken by the tremors, causing locals and tourists to rush outside in panic.

??Crane PLUMMETS From The Sky In Bangkok Following #Earthquake Which Hit Myanmar, Thailand & Bhutan

? @Aspa_ZunNaNu https://t.co/2JYOUsrdIW pic.twitter.com/ewh8ErDE7b

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) March 28, 2025

A 30-story building under construction collapsed in the capital’s Chatuchak Park area, with damage reported in other parts of the city.

NEW VIDEO: Skyscraper under construction collapses as massive earthquake hits Bangkok. No word on casualties pic.twitter.com/QhoLEEnd7b

— BNO News (@BNONews) March 28, 2025

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has declared Bangkok “an emergency zone” and instructed the local authorities in other provinces to treat the earthquake as “a national emergency.”

??At Least 43 Workers Trapped Following Skyscraper Collapse In Bangkok Triggered By Massive 7.7M Earthquake - AFP https://t.co/2JYOUsqFTo pic.twitter.com/porDHp9Ltm

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) March 28, 2025

Tremors were also felt in China’s southwest Yunnan province, according to the China Earthquake Administration (CEA).

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said New Delhi “stands ready to offer all possible assistance” to Naypyidaw and Bangkok. “Concerned by the situation in the wake of the earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand,” Modi wrote on X.

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European countries must work with Washington to achieve peace between Moscow and Kiev, Giorgia Meloni has said

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has ruled out the participation of her country’s troops in a military force that the UK and France want to be deployed to Ukraine in the event that a peace deal with Russia is reached.

In early March, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron said that their nations were ready to lead a “coalition of the willing” pro-Ukrainian European countries to support Kiev with troops and aircraft. The announcement followed the launch of bilateral talks between Moscow and Washington to settle the ongoing conflict, to which the EU and UK were not invited.

After a summit of Kiev’s backers in Paris on Thursday, which was attended by Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, Meloni reiterated that “no national participation in a possible military force on the ground is planned” by the authorities in Rome.

According to a statement published by the Italian prime minister’s office, she also “stressed the importance of continuing to work with the US to stop the conflict and achieve peace” between Moscow and Kiev. She “hoped for the involvement of an American delegation at the next coordination meeting” of Ukraine’s European allies, the statement read.

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In her interview with the Financial Times on Friday, Meloni stressed that it is “childish” to make Italy choose between the US and the EU.

Instead of deploying what London and Paris now call a “reassurance force” to aid Kiev, she proposed extending NATO’s mutual defense clause to Ukraine without actually making the country a member of the US-led bloc. Doing so would be “easier and more effective than the other ideas that are on the table,” she insisted.

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic also said on Thursday that his country “will not be involved in Ukraine in any form.” Zagreb will not join the peacekeeping force because “the necessary conditions are simply not met – there is no peace agreement, nor the consent of the other side, which in this case is Russia,” he explained.

READ MORE: Putin proposes that UN temporarily govern Ukraine

Russia has categorically ruled out the possibility of NATO-aligned European troops deploying to the conflict zone. It accused France and Britain of hatching plans for “military intervention in Ukraine,” which could lead to a direct military clash between Russia and the bloc. Moscow also suggested that London and Paris are deliberately escalating tensions in order to undermine efforts by the US and Russia to resolve the conflict.

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Russia could offer its nuclear tech to support US interplanetary ambitions, sovereign wealth fund head Kirill Dmitriev has said

Russia is prepared to contribute a compact nuclear power station and “other advanced technologies” to support a mission to Mars planned by Elon Musk, according to President Vladimir Putin’s special economic representative, Kirill Dmitriev.

Dmitriev, who has taken on the role of chief economic envoy in recent US-Russia talks, first floated the idea of a joint mission to Mars in mid-March. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the International Arctic Forum on Thursday, Dmitriev said Moscow could provide various technological capabilities for long-duration missions to the Red Planet.

“Russia can offer a small-scale nuclear power station for the Mars mission, along with other advanced technologies,” Dmitriev told RIA Novosti. “We believe that Russia has a lot to offer the Mars mission, because we possess nuclear technologies that, I think, could be applicable.”

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Dmitriev previously highlighted the potential role of the national nuclear energy giant Rosatom and the space agency Roscosmos in enhancing the safety and efficiency of deep space missions. He also noted that 2025 would be a symbolic year to announce such an initiative, as it marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project — the first crewed international space mission, jointly carried out by the US and the Soviet Union in July 1975.

The SpaceX CEO has not yet publicly responded to the proposal, though Dmitriev reiterated that he was open to holding a videoconference with Musk to explore potential cooperation.

The renewed outreach comes amid signs of improving relations between Moscow and Washington. Dmitriev was part of the Russian delegation at recent US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia, which resulted in an agreement to begin restoring diplomatic and scientific cooperation across several sectors.

READ MORE: American starship explodes in ‘meteor shower’ of debris (VIDEOS)

Putin has also noted that in his communications with US President Donald Trump, the two sides had “agreed to work together in space.”

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The Russian leader has voiced support for cooperation with Musk, signaling high-level backing for potential joint projects. Speaking at the Forum of Future Technologies in February, Putin said Russian companies should be ready to collaborate with Musk once he shifts his focus back to science from his current role advising on US government reform.

Earlier this month, Musk reaffirmed his goal to launch the first uncrewed Mars mission as early as 2026, with human landings possibly beginning in 2029. A prototype Starship carrying a Tesla-developed humanoid robot is expected to be part of the initial test phase.

Starship departs for Mars at the end of next year, carrying Optimus.

If those landings go well, then human landings may start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more likely. https://t.co/JRBB95sgNN

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 15, 2025

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The Ukrainian people must realize they were duped by the Western dream of inflicting a “strategic defeat” on Russia, the president has said

President Vladimir Putin has declared that Russian forces are gaining momentum across the entire line of contact and could soon “finish off” Ukraine’s military, while commenting on attempts by Kiev’s European backers to derail a diplomatic resolution of the conflict.

The Russian president made the remarks on Thursday during a meeting with the crew of the Arkhangelsk nuclear submarine, which is equipped with Zircon hypersonic missiles. Putin reiterated that Moscow has always sought to resolve the conflict through diplomatic means but was met with deception and obstruction from the West – first with the failed Minsk Agreements and then during the 2022 Istanbul peace talks.

“Their European handlers… convinced the Ukrainian leadership that they had to continue armed resistance, essentially to the last Ukrainian, with the goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia,” he said.

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Putin accused Western leaders – specifically former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson – of underestimating Russia’s resolve, and warned that the country’s military capabilities should not be taken lightly.

“He must have forgotten that there are people like you – and weapons like your submarine,” Putin told the naval crew. “Apparently, he forgot, or maybe they simply do not understand what the Russian people are made of.”

The Russian president said the conflict is reaching a turning point and expressed confidence in the outcome, noting that “across the entire line of combat engagement, our troops hold the strategic initiative.”

Not long ago I said, ‘We’ll squeeze them.’ Now there’s reason to believe we’ll finish them off. Then, I think a moment of realization must come to the Ukrainian people themselves.

Despite his hardline tone, Putin reiterated that Russia remains open to peace negotiations – as long as the core causes of the conflict are addressed.

“We are in favor of resolving these issues by peaceful means… But the root causes must be eliminated. We must ensure Russia’s security for the long historical perspective,” he said.

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Russia has repeatedly stated that it is open to peace talks, but insists that a true settlement of the conflict requires a permanent and legally-binding solution. Moscow opposes any NATO presence on Ukrainian soil and has demanded that Kiev demilitarize, denazify, adhere to a position of neutrality, and recognize the territorial “realities on the ground.”

On March 18, the Russian military was ordered to refrain from attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure under a deal agreed upon by President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump.

However, the Russian Ministry of Defense has since reported multiple Ukrainian violations, which it described as attempts to undermine Trump’s mediation efforts.

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The current authorities in Kiev have lost the legitimacy needed to sign any peace agreements, the president has said

Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed placing Ukraine under a temporary international administration as one possible way of resolving the ongoing conflict. The idea, he said, draws on international precedent and would aim to restore legitimate governance before any peace deal could be finalized.

During his meeting with Russian nuclear submarine officers on Thursday, President Putin described a possible international mechanism for stabilizing Ukraine – placing it under temporary external administration coordinated by the United Nations.

Here are the key takeaways from Putin’s proposal:

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The president has stated that Moscow will no longer tolerate diplomatic deception

President Vladimir Putin has emphasized that Moscow’s trust in Western Europe has been fundamentally broken, stating that while Russia remains open to working with the EU to resolve the Ukraine conflict, it will no longer do so on the basis of trust.

The remarks came during Putin's meeting with Russian submarine crews following the launch of a new nuclear sub on Thursday, in the context of what he described as a “sincere” effort by US President Donald Trump to find a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.

While expressing cautious optimism toward Washington, the Russian president made it clear that Europe is no longer regarded as a trustworthy interlocutor.

“We are ready to work with Europe,” Putin said. “But they behave inconsistently and keep trying to string us along. That’s fine – we’re used to it now. I hope we won’t make any more mistakes based on trust in our so-called Western partners.”

Putin accused Western leaders – particularly in France, Germany, and the UK – of manipulating previous peace efforts, especially the Minsk Agreements, as a tactic to buy time and rearm Ukraine.

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“Unfortunately, the former leaders of some Western countries... openly and without shame, have admitted that they only needed the Minsk Agreements to rearm the Ukrainian regime and prepare it for military action against us,” Putin said.

“We tried to resolve these issues peacefully for eight years,” even “when the conflict entered a hot phase,” Putin explained, accusing former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson of derailing the 2022 Istanbul peace talks.

“It is well known that Western handlers... arrived and persuaded the Ukrainian leadership to continue armed resistance to the end, essentially to the last Ukrainian, with the goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia,” he said.

Despite the past breaches of trust, Putin maintained that Russia is still open to dialogue – including with European nations – but stressed that future agreements must rest on firm, enforceable guarantees.

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As part of this approach, he floated the idea of placing Ukraine under a temporary international administration. He suggested that a UN-led transitional authority could organize elections and establish a legitimate government capable of negotiating a lasting peace.

“Of course, it would be possible – under the UN’s auspices and together with the United States, European countries, and our partners – to discuss the introduction of a temporary administration in Ukraine,” Putin said. “In order to hold democratic elections and bring a capable, trusted government to power, with whom we could then sign legally binding agreements.”

He concluded by reaffirming that any resolution must address Russia’s long-term strategic interests.

“We must, without question, ensure Russia’s security for the long historical perspective,” he said.

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The tensions around the island should not be dismissed as the “extravagant talk” of the US administration, according to Russia’s president

Washington has long harbored plans to get its hands on Greenland, and the ongoing tensions around the world’s largest island should be taken seriously, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned.

Speaking at the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk on Thursday, Putin touched upon the ongoing tensions around Greenland, a Danish semi-autonomous territory, and US President Donald Trump’s repeated promises to annex it.

Trump invoked the topic of Greenland once again on Wednesday, claiming that US ownership of the island is needed to “properly defend a large section of this Earth” and would be universally beneficial – including for Denmark.

“We have to have the land because it’s not possible to properly defend a large section of this Earth – not just the US – without it. So we have to have it, and I think we will have it,” he said.

Trump’s statements should be taken seriously, Putin warned, pointing out that the US has been harboring plans to annex Greenland for over a century and a half already.

“Everyone knows about the US plans to annex Greenland. You know, this may surprise someone only at first glance. And it is a deep mistake to believe that this is some kind of extravagant talk of the new American administration,” Putin warned.

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American plans to seize Greenland date back to 1860, but at the time they did not get Congressional support, the Russian president pointed out.

“Let me remind you that by 1868, the Alaska purchase was being ridiculed in American newspapers. It was called madness, an ‘ice box,’ and ‘the polar bear garden’ of Andrew Johnson, then-US president. And his Greenland proposals failed,” Putin said.

The US, Germany, and Denmark also came close to signing a land-swap deal in 1910, which would have resulted in Greenland being ceded to America, Putin noted. However, the agreement ultimately fell through.

From the early 19th century until the 1950s, Greenland was under the full control of Denmark. During World War Two, it was occupied by the US after the Scandinavian country itself was captured by Nazi Germany. Currently, the island hosts an American military base and the infrastructure for an early warning system for ballistic missiles.

In recent decades, the island has grown increasingly autonomous; it was granted home rule in 1979, ultimately receiving the right in 2009 to declare independence if a referendum passes.

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The Russian president has reiterated that the current authorities in Kiev are illegitimate given the lack of elections

Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested discussing the establishment of a temporary government in Ukraine, under the guidance of the UN and several countries. The aim would be to hold fair elections in the country, since Vladimir Zelensky’s presidential term officially expired in May 2024.

Moscow sees no clear way to sign any agreements with Kiev since “other leaders might come tomorrow,” Putin explained on Thursday night while addressing the sailors of the Arkhangelsk nuclear submarine.

“In such cases, international practice follows a well-known path within the framework of the United Nations peacekeeping activities; several instances have already demonstrated what is referred to as external management or temporary administration,” he suggested.

External powers should facilitate elections in Ukraine to “establish a capable government that has the trust of the people”, Putin stressed. After that, the new authorities could begin negotiations with Moscow and sign a peace agreement “that would be recognized around the world and will be reliable and stable.”

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However, Putin also stressed that temporary governance is only one possible option. “In general, we support resolving conflicts peacefully, including this one, but not at our expense,” he concluded.

The US recently brokered a limited ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, placing a moratorium on attacks on energy infrastructure. Zelensky has publicly supported the 30-day partial ceasefire, which is supposed to involve a reciprocal suspension of attacks by Kiev’s forces.

The Russian Ministry of Defense, however, has reported multiple Ukrainian violations of the agreement, which it described as aimed at undermining US President Donald Trump’s efforts to mediate between Moscow and Kiev.

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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that Moscow will honor its obligations despite Ukrainian actions, since the agreement represents positive diplomatic engagement with the Trump administration.

Earlier this week, US officials met separately with Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Saudi Arabia. Following the talks, Moscow said it was willing to revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative, an arrangement that was originally mediated by the UN and Türkiye and expired in 2023.

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The US president’s Greenland aspirations are “escalating tensions,” Troels Lund Poulsen has said

US President Donald Trump’s repeated promises to annex Greenland are not appropriate for a close ally and overall are “escalating tensions,” Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen has said.

“I think we’ll go as far as we have to go. We need Greenland, and the world needs us to have Greenland, including Denmark,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday.

“We have to have the land because it’s not possible to properly defend a large section of this Earth – not just the US – without it. So we have to have it, and I think we will have it,” he stated.

Speaking to Danish state broadcaster DR on Thursday, Poulsen condemned Trump’s recent remarks as escalatory and disrespectful. Trump’s rhetoric was becoming increasingly aggressive and amounted to a “hidden threat” against Denmark and its semi-autonomous territory.

“I think they are going too far – both in interfering in Greenland’s internal affairs and in showing a lack of respect for its people’s right to decide their future,” Lund stated, responding to Trump’s latest remarks on the island.

“These very powerful statements about a close ally do not suit the US president,” he added.

Over the past few months, Trump repeatedly invoked the topic of Greenland, insisting that Washington needed to take control of the island to enhance its “national security.”

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The ramped-up rhetoric comes against the backdrop of a visit of a high-profile US delegation to the island led by Usha Vance, wife of US Vice President JD Vance, White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright. JD Vance is expected to join his wife on Friday.

The visit has been criticized by both Danish and Greenlandic authorities, with the semi-autonomous territory’s acting head of government, Mute Egede, who branded it a “provocation” and refused to meet the US delegation. Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has also condemned the trip, accusing the US of exerting “unacceptable pressure.”

“I have to say that it is unacceptable pressure being placed on Greenland and Denmark in this situation. And it is pressure that we will resist,” she told DR and TV2 broadcasters.

While the former Danish colony of some 57,000 has a strong pro-independence movement, a poll commissioned by the Sermitsiaq daily in late January suggested that 85% of Greenlanders opposed any incorporation into the US, while only 6% backed it.

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Kiev pushed for a deal — now it’s nervous about the outcome

A month of intense diplomacy has paid off. Russia and Ukraine, with US mediation, have reached their first formal agreement – so far limited to reducing hostilities. The deal outlines a 30-day ceasefire in the Black Sea and a moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure. Superficially, this resembles the “fake” air and naval ceasefire once floated by France and Britain to box Russia into a strategic dilemma. But the result turned out very differently.

Notably, Western European players are absent. Discussions about a second phase involving peacekeepers from France and the UK have stalled. Despite the noise, there will be no EU personnel monitoring this ceasefire. Instead, Russia has used the talks to extract valuable concessions from the Trump administration – chief among them, help regaining access to global agricultural markets.

The US has now placed sanctions relief for Rosselkhozbank, Russian food and fertiliser exporters, and shipping access to international ports on the agenda. These were the very demands Moscow had raised during the original 2022 Black Sea Grain Initiative, but at the time it received only vague UN assurances. Now, Russia has firm traction.

The energy truce also tilted in Moscow’s favour. Ukraine had wanted it to apply to all critical infrastructure, but the final version – negotiated by Russia and the US – is much narrower. It restricts attacks only on energy-related targets: oil refineries, power plants, hydroelectric stations, pipelines, and so forth. This specificity robs Kiev of opportunities to claim Russian ceasefire violations.

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But there are caveats. The biggest: it remains unclear whether the ceasefire has actually come into force. All three parties have issued contradictory statements with conflicting terms.

On the Black Sea deal, for instance, the Kremlin says the ceasefire will not begin until sanctions are lifted. It also claims the agreement allows Russia to inspect all ships heading to Ukrainian ports for weapons.

However, the Ukrainian and US versions omit these conditions. Kiev even asserts that Russian naval vessels are barred from the western Black Sea and that the ceasefire started on 25 March.

Similarly, the timeline for the energy truce is disputed. Moscow insists it began on 18 March, the day of the Putin-Trump phone call. If so, Ukraine is already in breach: recent attacks on Russian infrastructure, such as the strike on the Sudzha gas station, occurred after that date. It’s no surprise then that Zelensky insists the ceasefire only began a week later.

In short, while a ceasefire has been announced, its fragility is obvious. There may not even be a unified written document. Its provisions are being interpreted differently by each party, and the sheer number of caveats allows any participant to declare the deal void at will. As a result, any real progress toward peace remains uncertain.

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Now comes the most delicate phase: the battle for narrative dominance. The next few weeks will be filled with technical talks, diplomatic testing, and mutual accusations. Kiev’s aim is to portray Russia as violating the deal, hoping Trump will respond by tightening sanctions and increasing military aid. Moscow, by contrast, seeks to depict Ukraine as the spoiler, thereby strengthening its position in Washington and perhaps even reviving discussions about Zelensky’s future.

Who will succeed in this information war? Russia enters with a clear advantage: the deep mistrust that now exists between the White House and Bankova. Moreover, Trump has broader ambitions, including dismantling the Russia-China partnership. That aim may guide his approach to Moscow far more than anything Zelensky says.

The next big test is the long-delayed agreement on Ukraine’s subsoil resources – a key American interest that Zelensky sabotaged with his recent Washington visit. A revised 40-page draft is reportedly in the works, and insiders suggest it will be more demanding than the original.

Will Zelensky hold his ground? Or fold under pressure? The answer could reshape the peace process. If the Ukrainian leader concedes, Trump may move closer to Russia. If not, relations could once again stall.

Whatever happens, the US-Russia-Ukraine triangle is entering a new, unpredictable chapter. But for now, it is Russia that appears to have gained the most from this uneasy ceasefire – not least by turning a Western pressure tactic into a platform for negotiation on its own terms.

This article was first published by the online newspaper Gazeta.ru and was translated and edited by the RT team

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Known critic of Moldova’s government Yevgenia Gutsul has been in custody since Tuesday

The Kremlin said on Thursday it had reviewed an appeal by Yevgenia Gutsul, the detained leader of Moldova’s autonomous Gagauzia region, to Russian President Vladimir Putin, asking for help in securing her release.

Gutsul was taken into custody on Tuesday evening at Chisinau International Airport, with the Moldovan authorities saying she was on a wanted list. In a statement released via her lawyers on Thursday, she accused the government of pursuing a plan to dismantle the region of Gagauzia’s autonomy through lawfare targeting her administration.

Also on Thursday, Gutsul appealed to both Russia and Türkiye to apply pressure on Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s administration in defense of Gagauzia’s rights. In her message to Putin – published on her Telegram channel – she said the region looks “with hope and faith to Russia,” a country that has “never betrayed friends” and always stood by those “who fight for the truth and their legal rights.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed to TASS that Moscow had “reviewed” Gutsul’s request, and said her detention was at odds with the democratic principles proclaimed by the West.

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Peskov had already condemned the arrest on Wednesday, calling on Moldovan authorities to stop putting pressure on political opponents. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova echoed that criticism, accusing the government in Chisinau of cracking down on politicians and journalists who advocate for closer ties with Moscow.

According to Moldovan media, Gutsul was taken into custody as part of an investigation into the 2023 gubernatorial election in Gagauzia, which she won. Her campaign was accused of financial irregularities. The Moldovan government claims that Gutsul is part of a Russian influence operation aimed at disrupting the country’s attempts to become a member of the EU.

The Gagauz are a Turkic-speaking, predominantly Orthodox Christian ethnic group living in southern Moldova. Their region, Gagauzia, has been granted broad rights to self-government. Sandu has questioned Gutsul’s mandate as governor, denouncing her former party ‘Shor’ as a “criminal organization.” A court in Chisinau banned the party in 2023.

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The move raises questions whether Britain can contribute to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine should a ceasefire be agreed, according to the outlet

Estonian officials are concerned about their national security due to a significant reduction in British troops and tanks deployed as part of NATO’s contingent in the Baltic nation, The Times reported on Wednesday. The drawdown also raises questions about Britain’s ability to send “peacekeepers” to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire, according to the outlet.

Riho Terras, former commander of the Estonian Defense Forces and now MEP, told Times Radio that the UK appears unable to provide the brigade-sized force, typically around 3,000 to 5,000 troops, it had pledged.

“The UK has difficulties to put together one brigade to participate in operations. I see it in Estonia every day,” Terras said.

He warned that the British military’s financial struggles were becoming visible on the ground, citing the UK’s likely inability to fully participate in Exercise Hedgehog – one of NATO’s largest training operations in the region – this coming May.

“The UK is not coming with the full power to the exercises because they have problems with the financing,” Terras said, adding “Of course it concerns me that we are not taking seriously our defence.”

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According to the Times, the UK has reduced its troop presence in Estonia to around 1,000 – down from 1,650 in April 2022 – and now has fewer than ten Challenger tanks in the country. The figures mark a return to pre-Ukraine conflict levels, despite earlier British pledges to expand their footprint when hostilities began, the outlet noted.

Meanwhile, the UK and France are currently trying to create a “coalition of the willing” – countries ready to deploy troops to Ukraine after the ceasefire. The initiative envisions the potential deployment of a 30,000-strong “reassurance” force to secure key cities, ports, and infrastructure, as well as air-policing missions.

However, The Times questioned how the UK would be able to contribute to such a force if it cannot afford to keep even a small number of troops in Estonia.

While NATO positions itself as a defense bloc, Russia sees its eastward expansion as a threat. Moscow has repeatedly stated that the bloc’s enlargement closer to its borders since the 1990s, including promises of eventual membership for Ukraine, contributed to the escalation of the conflict in 2022.

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A “reassurance force” could be sent to the conflict zone, President Emmanuel Macron has said

France and Britain will continue to push for a deployment of a military contingent to Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron has said. A plan by Paris and London to send troops to Ukraine in case of a peace deal with Russia has been rejected already by several EU members.

While a shift in Western European thinking was reported by Reuters, citing multiple sources, Kiev has been pushing for a deployment of troops as a security guarantee, including combat troops ready to fight.

Speaking after a summit in Paris on Thursday, Macron announced that the so-called “coalition of the willing” will seek to deploy a “reassurance force” to Ukraine after a peace deal with Russia is reached. The French leader admitted that the proposal failed to win anonymous support, however, a French-British delegation would visit Kiev to discuss the plan anyway.

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“It does not have unanimity, but we do not need unanimity to do this,” Macron stated.

The so-called “coalition of the willing” – initially coined by the US to refer to countries who supported the invasion of Iraq in 2003 - now involves countries that have pledged to continue to militarily support Kiev and who have previously discussed sending a peacekeeping force to Ukraine.

Establishing such a force would require consensus among EU member states and would operate under an international mandate, such as from the UN. The “reassurance force” would see countries provide direct military assistance to Ukraine.

Italy, Germany, and Hungary reportedly spoke against the Anglo-French peacekeeping plan, citing concerns over a possible escalation and financial implications. Moscow has repeatedly dismissed the idea of any NATO states undertaking peacekeeping roles in Ukraine.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has accused France and Britain of hatching plans for “military intervention in Ukraine” which could lead to a direct military clash between Russia and NATO.

Moscow has also accused France and the UK of deliberately escalating tensions to undermine efforts to resolve the conflict by the US and Russia.

READ MORE: Macron exploring ways to put boots on the ground in Ukraine – Telegraph

The US recently brokered a limited ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, placing a moratorium on attacks on energy infrastructure. Moscow has accused Kiev of repeatedly breaching the ceasefire terms and attacking energy-related sites in Russia.

The EU has been pushing a militarization agenda despite the ongoing peace process. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently unveiled a €800 billion plan to ramp up military spending through loans. Southern European states, such as Italy and Spain, however, have reportedly been pushing back against the proposal amid concerns it could deepen their already heavy debt burdens.

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Revelations of high-ranking Israeli officials’ shady connections to Qatar open a new front in the PM and his allies’ fight to retain power

A major scandal known as “Qatargate” has erupted in Israel, involving alleged Qatari interference in Israeli politics.

At the center of the investigation is Eliezer Feldstein, former chief aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He was arrested in November 2024 on charges of leaking classified documents to foreign media and orchestrating leaks from high-level government offices, allegedly with Netanyahu’s own approval, under the pretext of combating disinformation.

The investigation revealed Feldstein’s connections with Qatari authorities. While serving as an employee of the press office in Netanyahu’s administration, Feldstein had for several years combined his government work with private practice, offering political consulting and branding services. One of his clients was Qatar.

Specifically, on behalf of Doha, Feldstein and his team of Israeli consultants developed a reputation protection strategy during preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Later, they helped Qatari brands regain their positions in Gulf markets that had been lost during the 2017-2021 diplomatic crisis.

When the most recent war with Hamas began in October 2023, Feldstein used his official position to actively promote the idea of Qatar’s “exceptional role” in resolving the Gaza crisis. He was so successful in communicating this position to the media that at one point, Israeli press began emphasizing Qatar’s key role in negotiations compared to Egypt and Jordan. In turn, Qatar actively used its Al Jazeera media network to promote positive coverage, strengthening its image in this context.

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However, after Feldstein’s arrest by Israeli security forces in the autumn of 2024, the contract with Qatar was abruptly terminated. Initial publications about the “Qatar dossier” in Israeli media raised more questions than outrage. Feldstein, along with other figures in the case such as Yonatan Urich and Srulik Einhorn, had been actively involved in international activities, advising not only Qatar but also other Israeli partners in the Middle East and beyond. Had they not used confidential materials from the Prime Minister’s Office, their work might have been considered part of Israel’s “backchannel diplomacy.”

Yet, in the context of the conflict with Hamas, the situation took on a different meaning. It became clear that Qatar’s status as a “neutral force” in negotiations with Hamas was not accidental, and this country’s role in the process had been significantly exaggerated. For example, Doha’s decision not to pressure Hamas’s “political office” was presented as diplomatic “flexibility,” which also raised questions. Even more suspicious was the downplaying of the scandal involving Hamas military training camps in Syria’s Afrin, to whose construction Qatari contractors were allegedly linked.

This series of coincidences strengthened suspicions that those involved in the “Qatar dossier” had actively helped Qatar cover up international scandals using documents from the Prime Minister’s Office. All three suspects theoretically had access to such materials. Although Feldstein’s lawyers call these accusations “baseless speculation,” those involved in the case have so far been unable to explain how Qatar managed to navigate crises with minimal damage to its image.

Adding to the intrigue, Urich and Einhorn are also suspects in a case involving the intimidation of official Shlomo Filber, who allegedly retracted his testimony about Netanyahu’s corrupt connections after prolonged psychological pressure from Likud representatives.

The case, initially classified as a “special investigation” under a secrecy order imposed by intelligence services, has been becoming increasingly public. In recent weeks, the escalation has drawn public attention as new developments pointed to major new suspects. This scandal has affected not only Israel’s political class but also the business community, significantly expanding the circle of suspects.

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What began as an investigation into abuse of authority soon accumulated new details and acquired the colorful name “Qatargate.” This name hints at potential consequences for the country’s top leadership, including the possible resignation of senior Israeli officials. However, those implicated in the scandal aren’t giving up without a fight. According to investigators, Feldstein was involved in transferring confidential documents to foreign media, bypassing military censorship, as well as organizing leaks from high-level government offices. Allegedly, he acted with the permission of Netanyahu himself, who, according to the prosecution, sought to “combat fake news” about Israel’s foreign and domestic policies this way.

Over time, the investigation expanded in scope. The number of suspects grew to five, most of whom had close ties to the Prime Minister’s Office. It also emerged that Feldstein not only leaked confidential information but also advised Qatari authorities, helping the monarchy use this information for diplomatic purposes, including positioning itself as a key mediator in matters concerning the release of Israeli hostages.

Given Qatar’s close ties with Hamas, this new information about the figures involved in the investigation has deeply shocked the Israeli public. It has sparked discussions about the true scale of the threat to Israel’s national security. But the investigation didn’t end there. A new public figure emerged – Israeli businessman Gil Birger, who works with Persian Gulf states. According to investigators, it was he who paid Feldstein fees for work improving Qatar’s image while Feldstein simultaneously worked in the Prime Minister’s Office and engaged in political consulting.

However, according to Birger himself, he merely served as a link in a complex lobbying scheme. The main services to Qatar, including developing a reputation improvement strategy, were provided by American political consultant Jay Footlik, who was officially employed by the Qatari government. It was Footlik who initiated Feldstein’s involvement in the work. However, facing difficulties with tax laws and organizing money transfers from Qatar to Israel, Footlik asked Birger to temporarily serve as the “accountant” of their small enterprise. The cooperation continued in this format for several months.

Although Birger’s testimony is corroborated by witness statements and intelligence materials, the businessman clearly downplayed his involvement in “Qatargate.” He failed to mention that his connection with Footlik and the arrested Likud supporters of Netanyahu wasn’t limited to working together on several election campaigns – it also included indirect participation in developing shadow trade channels between Israel and Arab monarchies. Moreover, according to some witnesses, Footlik allegedly engaged with Hamas representatives, attempting to secure the release of Israeli hostages by offering generous payoffs to certain field commanders. Such moves were clearly too risky to be undertaken without approval from high-ranking officials. It’s unlikely a lobbyist working for Qatar would take such risks without backing from higher-ups.

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Among Israeli elites, many are trying to capitalize on the “Feldstein affair,” especially since the scandal tarnishes the reputation of the seemingly “unsinkable” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose role in the arrested political operatives’ activities remains unclear. One advocate for sweeping changes in the prime minister’s office is Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, who was tasked with investigating this high-profile case.

Bar’s dissatisfaction stems partly from professional pride. For a year and a half, he co-led Israel’s official negotiation team with Hamas. However, his work faced constant criticism, especially when talks stalled, and he was nearly ousted multiple times. Upon discovering that the Prime Minister’s Office had been conducting its own diplomatic maneuvers – sometimes disregarding national interests and even contradicting the negotiation team’s official stance – Bar was deeply disillusioned. He was the first to coin the term “Qatargate,” a clear allusion to the scale of damage inflicted on the country. Netanyahu’s attempts to swiftly remove Bar under the pretext of incompetence only backfired, fueling suspicions that the PM was trying to obstruct the investigation and bury the scandal. This triggered protests in Bar’s support, further escalating political tensions.

Israel’s government continues to reel from a wave of resignations and reshuffles. On March 19, far-right leader Itamar Ben-Gvir rejoined the cabinet, and on March 21, the ministers reluctantly approved Bar’s dismissal – part of Netanyahu’s strategy to consolidate power and sideline “uniformed opposition.” But this time, the PM’s usual tactics misfired, as Bar’s departure created new complications.

Bar outlasted his counterparts in the military and intelligence brass, largely due to his key role in Gaza negotiations, where he co-led Israel’s delegation. His successes in eliminating high-profile Palestinian militants also bolstered his standing. Yet his personal clash with Netanyahu ultimately led to his resignation. Bar accused the PM of corrupt dealings and jeopardizing national security through leaks of classified documents to the press – dubbed “Qatargate.” Netanyahu took this as a personal affront and leveraged all his influence to force Bar out. Against the backdrop of Gaza talks and the abrupt decapitation of counterintelligence, fears grew that this might hand Hamas a tactical advantage.

Despite these challenges, Netanyahu successfully convinced the government and oversight bodies of his initiative’s merits. On March 21, plans were announced for imminent reshuffles in Shin Bet, with Bar expected to depart by April 10. However, the government is considering accelerating the process by appointing an external candidate as Shin Bet chief, as Netanyahu and his inner circle distrust Bar’s deputies, viewing them as ideologically aligned with the ousted director. The situation is further complicated by the fact that Shin Bet’s entire leadership has been tainted by failures in Palestinian operations and a series of espionage scandals.

Amid these changes, the return of Ben-Gvir as national security minister went almost unnoticed. Ben-Gvir, who left Netanyahu’s coalition in January 2025, rejoined the government as Gaza operations escalated. To facilitate this, Netanyahu overruled Israel’s Attorney General, who had deemed Ben-Gvir’s reappointment untenable. Upon his return, Ben-Gvir shelved his criticism of Netanyahu, endorsing the government’s current strategy and praising its decision to resume attacks on Hamas. Yet he spared no harsh words for those advocating ceasefire talks – including Bar, whom he branded “democracy’s greatest threat.”

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This political maneuvering – pitting Ben-Gvir against Bar – allowed Netanyahu to deflect scrutiny, redirecting criticism toward Bar. The government showcased unity among the far-right flank, now represented by Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party. With his return, the coalition stabilized, and the six-seat leverage of Ben-Gvir’s party enabled unpopular decisions without risking legitimacy.

However, the opposition continues exploiting pro-Bar protests for its own gain. Though officially resigned, Bar may remain in office until Gaza hostilities conclude, citing operational necessity – a move that could allow him to expand his “dossier of failures” and corner the prime minister, potentially marking the beginning of Netanyahu’s political end.

The “Qatargate” scandal keeps widening, clearly entangling Netanyahu in a precarious position where he battles not just external threats but an internal power struggle. Despite his decades-long dominance, his career now faces relentless adversaries – both within his party and the opposition – eager to exploit any weakness. This infighting intensifies pressure on his government, where political survival rivals military strategy in urgency.

Meanwhile, the military situation deteriorates. Israel has resumed strikes on Gaza, escalated West Bank operations, and continued aerial attacks in Lebanon and Syria. The repeatedly violated truce with Hamas has collapsed again, edging the region toward all-out war. Recent discussions of relaunching ground operations in Gaza have heightened domestic tension, compounding Netanyahu’s challenges. Against this backdrop, political instability and scandals like “Qatargate” only deepen the crisis.

Netanyahu and his allies now navigate a high-stakes balancing act – simultaneously managing wartime operations, internal dissent, and international pressure. As Gaza’s protracted war drags on and complexities mount, retaining power grows increasingly arduous. Each move in this multilayered political game could prove decisive for Netanyahu’s fate – with every passing day raising the stakes higher.

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The Nordic nation’s recent NATO membership could spell catastrophe, Sakari Linden has told RT

Finland’s decision to abandon neutrality and join NATO could prove catastrophic, as it risks turning the country into a battlefield in a potential conflict with Russia, former EU Parliament adviser Sakari Linden has warned.

Linden spoke to RT on Thursday, on the sidelines of the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk.

Finland has an almost 1,300-kilometer-long border with Russia, and officially joined the US-led military bloc in April 2023 following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict.

By joining NATO, Finland “abandoned decades of neutrality,” which had provided the country with independence, prosperity, and security, Linden said.

“Every time in history when Finland becomes very aligned with… Western powers,” it becomes, in Linden’s words, “some kind of natural resources reservoir of the West.”

The country then loses its independence and “risks becoming a battlefield against Russia,” he warned.

Linden said Finland’s position between East and West gives it “geopolitical balance,” and that it benefits most from acting as a trade bridge between Russia and the EU.

The former EU adviser further noted that during the Cold War, Finland was a “neutral” country that traded with both the West and the East. He said that it has often been the West that sought to restrict Finland’s trade with Russia, while “Russia has never forbidden Finland” from trading with the West.

Now that Finland has totally aligned with Western powers in foreign and security policy – which Linden said “want to put pressure on Russia” – Helsinki is the one bearing the “burden of all the security risks.”

Since joining the US-led bloc, the Finnish government has embarked on a militarization push, including expanding military training and urging the population to prepare for a possible war with Russia.

NATO’s eastern members have long declared Russia to be a direct threat, and Western officials have repeatedly claimed that if Moscow wins the Ukraine conflict, it could target other European countries.

READ MORE: Moscow accuses EU state’s leaders of ‘whipping up war psychosis’

Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed any possibility of a military advance against NATO as “nonsense,” arguing that the supposed threat of a Russian attack is being used by European politicians to scare their citizens to extract more resources from them and justify increased military spending.

At the same time, Russia has repeatedly warned against what it describes as NATO’s unprecedented military activity near its western borders in recent years.

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Speaking at the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk, the president stressed that the region is strategically vital for Russia

Russia must continue to develop the Arctic and improve urban environments in the region, President Vladimir Putin has said. He made the remarks at the 6th International Arctic Forum in Murmansk.

Putin reiterated that the region holds great strategic importance for Russia and that there are a number of large-scale and systemic tasks that must be addressed.

”We must strengthen the transport and logistics infrastructure, [and] expand opportunities for the economy and business with the obligatory protection of the sensitive ecosystems of the Arctic,” Putin said.

He further stressed the need to “consistently improve the urban environment and develop settlements in the Far North” and to “generally improve the quality of life” in the region to make living in the Arctic “truly comfortable and attractive.”

Putin also called on the participants of the forum to come up with concrete plans for developing the Northern Sea Route to provide its cargo flows with infrastructure and a fleet.

Speaking to RT, Andrey Chibis, the governor of Murmansk Region, also stressed the importance of developing the route as a “long, powerful corridor” and the Arctic territories as the basis for the next “major leap forward for the economy of the future.”

This year’s International Arctic Forum is being held under the motto ‘To Live in the North’, which organizers say “not only symbolizes the desire to create a comfortable living environment in the harsh conditions of the North but also underscores the region’s strategic importance.”

The forum is also dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the opening of the Northern Sea Route. Over the past nine years, Russia has made considerable progress in modernizing the route, attracting significant investment from countries such as India and China.

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Russia has never threatened anyone in the area, and will uphold its national interests there, president Putin has said

The US-led NATO bloc views the Arctic as a “bridgehead” for future conflicts and is actively training troops to operate in the far north, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.

Speaking at the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk on Thursday, he stated that Russia would do its best to uphold its national interests and sovereignty in the region.

The number of Russian forces deployed in the Arctic is bound to grow to meet the growing challenges there, Putin said.

“We are, of course, concerned by the fact that NATO countries as a whole are more frequently designating the far north as a bridgehead for possible conflicts, practicing the use of troops in these conditions, including their new recruits from Finland and Sweden,” he declared.

Moscow has been “closely monitoring” the situation in the region, and has taken “an adequate response approach by increasing the combat capabilities of the armed forces and modernizing military infrastructure facilities,” the president explained.

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“I would like to emphasize that Russia has never threatened anyone in the Arctic,” he said, adding that Russia will not tolerate any encroachments on its sovereignty and will “reliably protect” its national interests.

Maintaining “peace and stability” in the Arctic is the key to the long-term development of the region, in addition to “improvement of the quality of life of people and preservation of the unique natural environment,” Putin said.

“The stronger our positions are, the more significant the results will be,” he stressed.

Russia’s strong posture in the Arctic gives more opportunities to “launch global international projects” there with the participation of “friendly nations,” and potentially with Western states as well. “Should they, of course, show interest in working together, and I am sure that the time for such projects will definitely come,” the president stated.

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The Ukrainian leader accused Steve Witkoff of spreading “Kremlin narratives” and “helping” Moscow

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has hit out at US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, accusing him of disseminating “Kremlin narratives.”

Zelensky made the remarks on Wednesday in an interview with European broadcasters, including France 2. He accused Witkoff, a key official in opening negotiations on resolving the Ukraine conflict, of taking Moscow’s side and “helping” Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I believe that Witkoff really does quote Kremlin narratives very often. I believe that this will not bring us closer to peace. And I believe that, unfortunately, this will weaken the American pressure on Russia. We can only fix this information backdrop through our actions. We’re trying to do that,” Zelensky stated.

“Witkoff’s statements are very much a hindrance to us, because we are fighting Putin and we really do not want him to have many helpers,” he added.

Zelensky was apparently referring to remarks made by Witkoff in a recent interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson, during which the special envoy spoke about the status of former Ukrainian territories that have joined Russia, describing the issue as “an elephant in the room” that “no one wants to talk about.”

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“They’re Russian-speaking. There have been referendums where the overwhelming majority of the people have indicated that they want to be under Russian rule,” Witkoff said.

“The Russians are de facto in control of these territories. The question is: Will the world acknowledge that those are Russian territories? Can Zelensky survive politically if he acknowledges this? This is the central issue in the conflict,” he added.

The remarks outraged Kiev, with the head of Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Aleksandr Merezhko, condemning what he called “disgraceful, shocking statements” and urging Washington to dismiss “completely unprofessional” Witkoff from his role.

Witkoff’s statements were welcomed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, however, who suggested that, judging by his remarks, the special envoy had understood the very “essence” of the hostilities between Moscow and Kiev.

“I understand Steve Witkoff. He is a clever and energetic person who thinks that everyone should be aware of the things he regards as obvious. Judging by the statements he made during his conversation with Tucker Carlson, the essence of this conflict is clear to him,” Lavrov said in an interview with Russia’s Channel 1 this week.

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The messaging app could be ‘defective’, the US president has claimed in response to the Yemen bombing chat leak

US President Donald Trump has cast doubt on the Signal messaging platform following the leak of a private conversation among senior members of his administration about military strikes in Yemen. He has dismissed the media response to the episode as a “witch hunt.”

The Trump administration confirmed this week that a journalist had been mistakenly added to a private chat on Signal discussing a planned attack on Houthi militants. The US launched large-scale airstrikes on March 15 in the Yemeni capital Sanaa and the northern province Saada, reportedly killing dozens, in response to Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping.

Asked by reporters on Wednesday about the leak, Trump said he was not concerned, insisting that “there was no harm done, because the attack was unbelievably successful.”

He dismissed the media’s interest as “a witch hunt,” accusing journalists of exaggerating the situation after a question about whether the administration was downplaying the scandal.

“I think Signal could be defective, to be honest with you,” Trump said. “We use Signal, and everybody uses Signal, but it could be a defective platform, and we’re gonna have to find that out,” he added.

On Monday, The Atlantic magazine published a report by editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg revealing a discussion among senior administration officials about military strategy for targeting the Houthis. Goldberg said he gained access to a Signal group chat from a user identified as “Mike Waltz.”

The chat, titled “Houthi PC small group,” reportedly included Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and other cabinet officials. The group had been engaged in what The Atlantic described as a “fascinating policy discussion” in the days leading up to Trump’s order for the strikes.

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Following the White House’s denial that any classified information was leaked, The Atlantic released additional screenshots on Wednesday. Hegseth has insisted that “nobody was texting war plans.”

Asked whether the leaked material was classified, Trump replied: “Well, that’s what I’ve heard. I don’t know[.]”

National Security Adviser Mike Waltz has taken “full responsibility” for the incident, calling it “embarrassing” in a Fox News interview on Tuesday.

Trump defended Waltz amid calls for his resignation, telling reporters “I guess he said he claimed responsibility.”

He also rejected speculation about Hegseth’s future, stating the defense secretary “had nothing to do with this” and that he is doing an “excellent job.”

Signal dismissed media reports of possible “vulnerabilities” on Tuesday, calling its software “the gold standard for private, secure communications.”

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Republika Srpska’s Milorad Dodik and Nenad Stevandic have reportedly been accused of violating the constitutional order in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Interpol has reportedly issued international arrest warrants for the president and the parliament speaker of Republika Srpska - a Serb-majority region within Bosnia and Herzegovina - the Serbian ‘Politika’ newspaper reported on Thursday.

According to the outlet, President Milorad Dodik and Speaker Nenad Stevandic have been accused of attacking the constitutional order and violating the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

While the arrest warrants have been distributed to Interpol member states by the organisation’s Balkan office, they have not been approved by the Interpol General Secretariat, Politika noted.

Following a brutal civil war Bosnia and Herzegovina was divided into two self-governing entities, the ethnically Serbian Republika Srpska and a federation run by Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) and Croats, under the US-brokered 1995 Dayton Agreement. The country is ruled by a three-member presidency – a Bosniak, a Serb, and a Croat.

Earlier this month, Bosnian prosecutors issued arrest warrants for Dodik, Stevandic as well as Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic, accusing them of launching an “attack on the constitutional order” by enacting laws that restrict the operations of Bosnia’s state-level judiciary and law enforcement agencies.

A Sarajevo-based court sentenced Dodik to one year in prison last month for obstructing decisions made by Bosnia’s constitutional court and defying the authority of international envoy, German national Christian Schmidt.

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Dodik has claimed that the charges against him are politically motivated and said he would reject the court’s decision and prohibit the enforcement of its rulings on the territory of Republika Srpska.

The cases against Dodik have also sparked a backlash in neighboring Serbia, whose Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin asserted that Belgrade would prevent the detention of Republika Srpska’s top officials and described Sarajevo’s moves as a “continuous attempt at revenge” against Dodik and the Serbian people.

Moscow has also denounced Dodik’s conviction, calling it an “absolutely political” decision by the Bosnia and Herzegovina judiciary based on a “pseudo-law” pushed through by Schmidt.

“These actions could lead to destabilization,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned, stressing that such steps could have “very negative consequences not just for Bosnia and Herzegovina, but for the Balkans as a whole.”

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The people “will understand” its significance if the city of Volgograd reverts to its WWII-era name, Gennady Zyuganov has said

The leader of the Russian Communist Party (CPRF), Gennady Zyuganov, has called for the city of Volgograd to be renamed Stalingrad to properly mark the 80th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War.

The city, which was known as Stalingrad from 1925 to 1961, became the venue for one of the fiercest battles of WWII, which historians believe changed the course of the conflict in the Soviet Union’s favor and paved the way for the ultimate defeat of the Nazis.

Addressing the Russian parliament on Wednesday, Zyuganov stressed that “we have 80 years of victory ahead of us. I call on everyone once again” to make sure that Volgograd has its “true name” returned to it.

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If the city of 860,000 is not re-branded as Stalingrad before May 9, when Victory Day is celebrated in Russia, then MPs should fly there and make sure it happens, he insisted.

During World War II, Soviet troops “fought for Stalingrad and got their medals for it too,” the Communist leader explained.

The Russian people “will understand everything” if Stalingrad is back on the map, Zyuganov insisted. “We must mark this holiday properly,” he added.

Volgograd was originally called Tsaritsyn, taking its name from the island where Russian troops built a fort during the 16th century. Due to the name’s association with the monarchy, the Bolshevik government rebranded the city in honor of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in 1925.

READ MORE: Zelensky speaks of ‘hatred of Russians’

The USSR’s next leader, Nikita Khrushchev, changed the name to Volgograd after the nearby Volga river in 1961 as part of his “de-Stalinization” campaign. Since 1991, multiple petitions have been launched to revert the name to either Tsaritsyn or Stalingrad.

There have been at least two big campaigns to restore the name Stalingrad. One was spearheaded by the Communist Party in 2013, while another emerged in 2021 and was backed by the party ‘A Just Russia – For Truth’. Over the past decade, Volgograd has used the name during events commemorating war victims as a token of respect.

A 2023 study by state-owned pollster VTSIOM showed some 67% of the city’s residents were skeptical of the name change and wanted to keep living in Volgograd.

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A suspect has been taken into custody but investigators have yet to establish a motive

A stabbing incident occurred in central Amsterdam, Netherlands on Thursday, leaving at least five people injured in the apparent attack, local police have said.

A suspect was apprehended after attacking people in the vicinity of Dam Square. His motives are currently unknown and an investigation is ongoing.

“In a stabbing incident at Sint Nicolaasstraat [near] Dam Square, five people have been injured. One suspect has been arrested,” the police said.

Footage circulating online shows multiple ambulances at the scene, as well as a medevac helicopter landing on the square. A portion of it appears to have been cordoned off by police.

Ambulances rijden af en aan, politie probeert mensen op afstand te houden terwijl de traumahelikopter nog steeds op De Dam staat pic.twitter.com/q2vYuZJyUN

— Marcel Vink (@marcelvink888) March 27, 2025

The police requested that the public provide them with any available footage of the attack, sharing a link online for readers to send data that could be used as evidence.

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Washington has said that from April 1, its passport holders will no longer be able to visit Namibia without obtaining visa

US nationals traveling to Namibia will soon be required to obtain a visa prior to entry, Washington’s embassy has announced. The country in southern Africa, a major tourist destination, had traditionally allowed free entry to Americans and visitors from several other parts of the world.

In a statement on Tuesday, the US mission in the Namibian capital, Windhoek, said the new measure would take effect on April 1.

“Visitors are recommended to apply for their visa in advance of planned travel through Namibia’s online visa on arrival portal,” it stated.

“Visitors arriving in Windhoek, Walvis Bay, or entering at high volume border crossing points… will also have the option of purchasing a tourist visa upon arrival at the respective airport or border crossing point,” it added.

The UK High Commission in Windhoek has also updated its travel advice, urging British nationals to apply for a visa before visiting Namibia or be prepared to obtain one upon arrival.

“The cost is 1,600 Namibian dollars [around $87] per person, regardless of the age of the traveler,” according to the British government.

READ MORE: Russia sees a boom in African tourism – expert

Along with Germany, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Canada, and Austria, the US is among the top 10 Western countries whose tourists visit Namibia, according to an official.

Last year, Windhoek announced the new visa policy and plans to revoke exemption status for 31 countries, including the country’s major overseas tourism markets, citing a lack of reciprocity.

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Russia is among the foreign countries whose citizens are unaffected by Windhoek’s restrictions. Earlier this month, Yulia Maksutova, deputy director of Moscow’s Center for Strategic Research, said Russia had visa-free entry agreements with Namibia, Botswana, Cape Verde, Mauritius, Tunisia, South Africa, and the Seychelles.

The implementation of the measure comes days after the country swore in its first female president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. The 72-year-old member of the South West Africa People’s Organisation party, which has governed the sparsely populated country for over three decades, received more than 57% of the votes in elections last December.

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The Russian president has accepted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation, the foreign minister has said

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make an official visit to India and preparations for the event are underway, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Thursday.

Lavrov revealed the plan during a video address to participants of the Russian International Affairs Council conference “Russia and India: Towards a new bilateral agenda.”

“It is symbolic that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made Russia his first foreign visit following his re-election last year. Now, it’s our turn to return the gesture,” the top Russian diplomat stated.

Modi invited Putin to visit his country for their next bilateral meeting during last year’s BRICS summit in Kazan.

Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov had previously stated that an invitation had been received and that Putin planned to visit India in 2025.

In January, Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced that India and Russia are working on finalizing a timeline for Putin’s visit.

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The Russian president last visited India in December 2021, before the escalation of the Ukraine conflict. The most recent meeting between Putin and Modi took place in July last year when the Indian prime minister visited Moscow. Modi traveled to Russia for a second time in October, to take part in the BRICS summit in Kazan. During the visit he highlighted Russia’s contributions to promoting multilateralism, sustainable development, and global governance reforms.

Last month, TASS cited sources in India’s military circles claiming that Modi is “very likely” to attend this year’s Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9 – which marks the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory in World War II.

India has maintained strong relations with Russia, despite Western pressure related to the Ukraine conflict. New Delhi has opted not to join Western sanctions against Moscow and has expanded economic cooperation, particularly in the energy sector. India is now one of Russia’s largest oil buyers, with bilateral trade exceeding $65 billion in the 2023–24 financial year — a fivefold rise from 2021. The countries have set a target of boosting trade to over $100 billion by 2030.

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The founder of agricultural major Rusagro, Vadim Moshkovich, has been placed in pre-trial detention

Russian prosecutors have detained the billionaire founder of leading agro-industrial firm Rusagro, charging him with large-scale fraud and abuse of power, local media outlets reported on Thursday. The businessman has been placed in two-month pre-trial detention.

Founded by former Russian MP Vadim Moshkovich, named by Forbes in 2024 as Russia's 55th richest businessperson with a fortune of $2.7 billion, Rusagro is Russia’s leading producer of sugar, meat, oil, and fats.

The criminal case against Moshkovich was initiated on the request of a major Cyprus-based supplier of vegetable oils and fats, Solnechnye Produkty, the Vedomosti newspaper reported. The businessman was allegedly involved in fraud with the firm’s assets to the amount of one billion rubles (nearly $12 million).

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Moshkovich pleaded not guilty at a court hearing in Moscow, with his defense offering a one-billion-ruble bail to match the alleged amount of fraud in the case. However, the judge ruled that the businessman be placed in pre-trial detention until May 25 after the prosecution argued that he may attempt to flee abroad. Moshkovich reportedly has Israeli citizenship, and his children live in France and Cyprus.

If found guilty, he faces up to ten years in jail.

The former CEO of Rusagro, Maxim Basov, was also detained as police raided several of the company’s offices. The company's current CEO, Timur Lipatov, was also questioned.

Rusagro said in a statement that its activities were continuing as normal and that all obligations were being met. The company’s shares have lost over a third of their value since Moshkovich’s arrest on Wednesday, according to data from the MOEX exchange.

Rusagro is Russia's only major listed agricultural company. It is not under Western sanctions, which were imposed on many of the country’s businesses in the aftermath of the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

Moshkovich himself was placed under sanctions by the European Union that year, leading to him resigning as chairman of Rusagro and cutting his stake below 50%.

Earlier this year, Rusagro moved its corporate registration from Cyprus to Russia following a court decision in a case brought by the Agriculture Ministry against the holding’s Cyprus-based parent company.

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New Delhi and Moscow have consistently shown a commitment to each other’s core interests, S. Jaishankar has said

India “immensely values” its strong relations with Russia, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said on Thursday in a video address to the Russia and India Conference in Moscow.

Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s commitment to nurturing ties between the two countries, telling the conference that “we remain committed to exploring new frontiers and strengthening our partnership in today’s rapidly evolving global order.”

Despite the volatile global geopolitical situation, New Delhi and Moscow have consistently “shown a commitment to each other’s core interests,” the foreign minister added.

Jaishankar noted that the two nations had demonstrated an exceptional ability to adapt and find new opportunities for mutual benefit, contributing to regional and global stability. “The era of multipolarity necessitates greater cooperation between India and Russia, and both nations are poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of international relations,” he told the conference, which was organized by the Russian International Affairs Council.

????? India & Russia Share Deep-Rooted Cultural Ties That Are Only Set To Deepen, Says EAM Jaishankar At Moscow Dialogue pic.twitter.com/mSDbHsqNtZ

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) March 27, 2025

India’s diplomatic maneuvering has allowed it to maintain a delicate balance between its relationships with the US, Europe, and Russia. Despite facing pressure from Western nations over the Ukraine conflict, New Delhi remains resolute in its stance, asserting that its relations with Moscow are driven by its strategic security and economic interests.

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Jaishankar emphasized that while areas such as energy, defense, and civil nuclear cooperation have traditionally dominated engagements with Russia, new areas of collaboration are emerging, including trade, technology, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, connectivity, and regional economy.

The foreign minister also highlighted the ambitious target set by both countries to increase bilateral trade when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last year. Moscow and New Delhi agreed to bring bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030, after seeing a significant increase in trade in 2022-23, according to government data.

The public exhibition of friendship between the two countries continued from earlier this month, when billboards featuring Modi and Putin appeared in New Delhi when the Indian capital hosted its annual geopolitical gathering. The Russian president is set to visit India later this year for a bilateral summit with Modi.

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President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree restoring Ariston’s ownership of a local subsidiary

Italian household equipment manufacturer Ariston has announced its return to Russia after exiting the market in 2022, according to a company statement.

Ariston has become the first major Western brand to announce a return, after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Wednesday removing the firm’s Russian subsidiary from the list of companies subject to temporary state administration.

“On March 26, 2025, Presidential Decree… reinstated Ariston Holding N.V. into the possession and full management of the shares of its Russian subsidiary,” the company said in the statement.

President Putin’s decree reverses his April 26, 2024 order that had transferred control of Ariston’s Russian assets to the temporary management of Gazprom Household Systems JSC.

More than 1,000 Western firms – from well-known retail names such as Adidas, H&M, and Calvin Klein to car giants such as Volkswagen and Ford – have exited Russia in the past three years under pressure from Ukraine-related sanctions.

Ariston’s executive chairman, Paolo Merloni, said the group is “very pleased with the decision” to reinstate the company as the owner and manager of its Russian unit, Ariston Thermo Rus.

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“We believe it reflects an appreciation for decades of responsible investments and management, our dedication to over 300 Russian employees, and the ongoing operations of the company’s local business,” Merloni said.

According to the executive, the firm will resume activities with local leadership, “adhering fully to existing sanctions, and continue our legacy in the country.”

Ariston also stated that its board would need to revisit its previous decision from August of last year to deconsolidate its Russian subsidiary and to account for the related losses.

The development comes amid a US pivot on relations with Russia and shift in tone on the Ukraine conflict, which has sparked speculation that major Western brands which left Russia en masse may be looking to return.

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin stated on Wednesday that a special commission will assess each company’s case individually. Foreign firms that left “under government pressure” but preserved “jobs, contacts, and technologies,” as well as the buy-back option could be allowed back, Mishustin said. He added that companies with unique expertise would be welcomed, provided they comply with localization and investment requirements.

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Ukrainian spooks allegedly pretended to be RAND Corporation employees while attempting to source classified information from Russian servicemen

Ukrainian intelligence services have reportedly been posing as members of a renowned US think tank to recruit intel sources in Russia, the Federal Security Service (FSB) has claimed. Kiev’s operatives were trying to get Russian military personnel to disclose classified information, according to the agency.

In a report issued on Thursday, the FSB stated that it had received information that Ukrainian spies have been posing as representatives of the Research and Development (RAND) Corporation and using messengers to contact Russian citizens connected with the military.

They reportedly offered money in exchange for classified information on the Russian Air Force's use of strategic aviation and the number and deployments of forces involved in the Ukraine conflict.

The FSB also published an audio recording and screenshots of several exchanges between its agents and alleged Ukrainian operatives. In the messages, Kiev’s spies introduced themselves as employees of the CIS Countries department of the Eastern Europe Center of the RAND Corporation branch, called RAND Europe. They attempted to confirm their affiliation with the organization by providing information about Hans Pung, the director of RAND Europe.

In the messages, the Ukrainians offered to pay for information in any currency, including crypto and through online wallets or international banks.

“We are interested in first-hand and truthful information concerning the [special military operation]. Most of all we are interested in documentary evidence of certain events,” the operatives wrote.

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RAND was originally established in 1948 as a joint project between the US Army Air Force and the Douglas Aircraft Company, with the goal of carrying out long-range planning for future weapons. The scope of the project was later expanded into civilian fields such as education and international affairs, and it became the first organization to be referred to as a “think tank.”

As noted by the FSB, the main declared area of activity of RAND currently is to promote scientific, educational, and charitable activities in the interests of public welfare and US national security, the development and identification of strategic problems and the development of concepts. However, most of RAND’s research connected to US security is classified.

In 2023, Moscow officially listed RAND as a foreign non-governmental organization whose activities are considered “undesirable” on the territory of Russia.

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The Ukrainian leader, whose presidential term expired last year, has claimed that resentment fuels his resolve to stay in power

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has admitted that his "hatred" of Russians is one of the driving forces propelling him to “keep going” in the conflict against Moscow.

In an interview with the French daily Le Figaro published on Wednesday, Zelensky identified the emotion as one of his three key psychological drivers since the escalation of the conflict in February 2022.

Zelensky said he hated “Russians who killed so many Ukrainian citizens,” adding that he considered such an attitude appropriate in wartime. His other motivations included a sense of national dignity and the desire for his descendants to live “in the free world.”

Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of being a historic oppressor while Zelensky has previously touted Ukrainians’ “love of freedom” as a trait that distinguishes them from Russians.

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Zelensky, whose presidential term expired last year, was elected in 2019 on a platform of defusing tensions with Moscow and reconciling ethnic Russian Ukrainians in Donbass, many of whom opposed the 2014 Western-backed coup in Kiev. However, his initial diplomatic efforts were thwarted by radical Ukrainian nationalists in the body politic.

Since the coup, Kiev has enacted various policies undermining the rights of ethnic minorities, with Russians as the primary target. Moscow has accused Zelensky of intensifying the crackdown, particularly by attacking the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the country’s largest religious denomination, which now faces potential prohibition for having historic links with Russia.

In a recent interview, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asserted that Zelensky caters to “the segment of the population that holds radical, ultra-right, revanchist, Banderite views,” as his image as a national leader increasingly deteriorates.

“Zelensky does not want to display weakness, as he realizes that his days are numbered,” the Russian official claimed.

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The Defense Ministry has reported three more incidents that breach a US-mediated deal

Ukrainian forces violated a US-mediated moratorium on attacking Russia's energy infrastructure on three occasions in 24 hours, the Defense Ministry in Moscow reported on Thursday.

The incidents included a drone strike in Bryansk Region that disabled a high-voltage power line, an artillery strike on a transformer station in the same part of Russia, as well as what the military believe to be an attempted kamikaze drone strike targeting an underground natural gas storage facility in Crimea. In the latter episode, the Ukrainian aircraft was intercepted as it neared the target, the statement read.

On March 18, the Russian military was ordered to refrain from attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure under a deal that was agreed upon by President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart, Donald Trump. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has publicly supported the 30-day partial ceasefire, which is supposed to involve reciprocal suspension of attacks by Kiev’s forces.

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The Russian Ministry of Defense, however, has reported multiple Ukrainian violations of the agreement, which it described as aimed at undermining Trump’s mediation efforts between Moscow and Kiev. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that the Kremlin will honor its obligations despite Ukrainian actions, since the agreement represents positive diplomatic engagement with the Trump administration.

Earlier this week, US officials met separately with Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Saudi Arabia. Following the talks, Moscow said it was willing to revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative, an arrangement that was originally mediated by the UN and Türkiye and expired in 2023.

The original deal was meant to facilitate Russian and Ukrainian exports of grains and fertilizers. Moscow, however, pulled out of the arrangement, citing a lack of progress in the lifting of Western sanctions on its commerce, which it expected to get under the initiative. Moscow is prepared to reinstate the initiative if these commitments are honored, Peskov has said.

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The US-led bloc has no intention of protecting its Eastern European members, Valery Zaluzhny has claimed

NATO's Eastern European members are aware that the US-led military bloc has no intention of protecting them from Russia, Ukraine’s former top general Valery Zaluzhny has said.

Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, stipulating that an attack on one NATO member is to be considered an attack on all, is not being implemented in practice, Zaluzhny, who currently serves as Kiev’s ambassador to the UK, said during a meeting with students in the city of Lviv on Wednesday.

“The Baltic States understand that there is no Article 5 and never has been. Poland understands this too as missiles fall there from time to time – sometimes ours, sometimes Russian. Romania understands everything, but keeps silent,” he claimed.

The ambassador recalled that when he was still head of the Ukrainian army, “they called from Romania and asked me not to say a word” after two alleged Russian drones crashed in Romanian territory.

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An official from Bucharest blamed Ukraine for the incident, saying that the UAVs had been diverted to Romania because of the use of electronic warfare by Kiev, he said.

“I told them: ‘Shoot them [drones] down. You have 40 F-16 jets’,” added Zaluzhny, who was sacked as Kiev’s top general in February 2023.

He also suggested that even if Ukraine’s push to join NATO were to succeed, it would not provide the country with security guarantees. “It would not give anything besides political protection,” the ambassador insisted.

US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said in an interview with Tucker Carlson last week that Vladimir Zelensky and his chief of staff, Andrey Yermak, “have largely conceded that they are not going to be a member of NATO.”

“I think it is accepted that Ukraine and Russia, if there is going to be a peace deal, Ukraine cannot be a member of NATO,” he said.

As for the option of Ukraine getting “what is called Article 5 protection” from the US or Western European countries without being in NATO “that is open for discussion,” Witkoff stated.

READ MORE: Zelensky aide demands EU combat troops

Preventing Kiev from joining NATO, which Moscow views as a hostile bloc, had been named by Moscow as among the reasons for launching its military operation in February 2022. Late last year, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated that Ukraine’s membership would be “unacceptable” and would contradict Russia’s stance that “security of one country cannot be ensured at the expense of the security of another.”

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The opposition movement has accused security forces of deploying an LRAD crowd control device during a protest in Belgrade

The Serbian government is preparing for a visit from a group of Russian experts to probe allegations regarding the deployment of a “sonic weapon” during recent mass protests, Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin has announced.

The opposition Freedom and Justice Party (SSP) has accused security forces of utilizing a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), a crowd-control technology originally designed by the US Navy, which poses a significant risk of hearing damage. The incident occurred on March 15 during mass protests in the capital, Belgrade, which the government has claimed are foreign-instigated efforts to undermine its authority through popular unrest.

In an interview with RTS on Wednesday, Vulin rejected the claims that LRAD had been deployed and announced that specialists from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) will arrive in Serbia to conduct an inquiry.

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“Their task is to clarify what transpired. We have nothing to conceal,” Vulin stated, emphasizing Belgrade’s commitment to a thorough investigation in hopes of moving beyond the controversy.

President Aleksandar Vucic's government has alleged that the US “deep state” and European intelligence agencies are inciting the wave of protests in retaliation for Serbia’s refusal to endorse anti-Russian policies. The EU has insisted that Belgrade align its foreign policy with Brussels, before a Serbian bid to join the bloc could proceed.

The ongoing protests stem from a tragic event in Novi Sad last November, where 16 lives were lost due to the collapse of a concrete canopy at a railway station, leading to multiple resignations among senior officials.

The demonstration on March 15 represented the peak of the pressure campaign. Claims of the “sonic weapon” deployment were propagated by the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP), a USAID-funded NGO supported by George Soros’ Open Society Foundations.

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Khalid Muhammad has touted independent systems and reduced reliance on foreign humanitarian support

The withdrawal of US foreign aid to South Africa is a “wake-up call” and an opportunity for transformation, according to South African politician and youth activist Khalid Muhammad.

In an interview with RT, the African National Congress (ANC) party’s Western Cape spokesperson stated that South Africa “needs to start working much more closely, particularly at the level of the economics, with our BRICS partners.”

“Russia, for example, becomes a key role player in this regard. Also, China becomes very, very important. Brazil, India, even Iran, markets that the Americans try to keep us away from, we must embrace those particular markets,” Muhammad added.

He echoed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent comments, agreeing that the country must accelerate efforts to build self-reliant systems, particularly in key sectors such as health and social development.

The administration of US President Donald Trump announced in February that it was terminating 90% of US Agency for International Development (USAID) contracts. The administration cited a failure to advance America’s national interests, and effectively halted $60 billion in humanitarian spending worldwide.

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Muhammad said that although the situation presents clear challenges, it is also pushing South Africa toward necessary economic diversification. He stressed that the current environment demands deeper cooperation with BRICS partners as well as renewed trade ties across Africa.

“Donald Trump’s actions … [have] in a sense pushed us into diversifying the markets for the South African economy,” Muhammad said, suggesting that these changes are beneficial in the long term.

Addressing the immediate effects of US aid cuts, Muhammad pointed to the Western Cape as a region facing significant consequences. The provincial government – led by the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) – had become heavily reliant on USAID funding for combatting tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, Muhammad said, adding “that’s where we’re going to feel it the most”.

READ MORE: Foreign aid has failed Africa – economist

Commenting on the recent expulsion of South Africa’s ambassador from the US after he criticized Trump’s policies, Muhammad confirmed that the issue is being handled diplomatically by the president and the Department of International Relations.

“We are saying that we need to be just, we need to be equal in the manner in which these issues are dealt with,” he said, while reaffirming the ANC’s dissatisfaction with how the US has handled the situation.

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A proposal for the acquisition of the long-range missiles for the army and air force will be discussed at the highest level in Delhi

India’s army and air force are set to acquire 250 BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, local media reported on Wednesday. The Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved the procurement of the advanced missiles, according to India Today TV, citing unnamed sources.

Once approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security, the missiles will be incorporated into existing units and deployed in terrains such as desert and high-altitude regions, the ANI news agency reported.

BrahMos Aerospace is a joint Indo-Russian venture launched in 2005. It was named after the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers. India’s Defense Research and Development Organization has a 50.5% stake in the company, while Russian NPO Mashinostroyenia holds 49.5%.

The BrahMos missile has become a crucial part of the Indian military’s arsenal. It is designed for high-precision, long-range strikes against ground targets and can engage threats on land, sea, and underwater platforms.

Initially, the missile had a range of 290km (180 miles), but continuous upgrades have increased its range and enhanced its strategic capabilities. In 2023, the Indian Air Force successfully tested a BrahMos cruise missile with an extended range of 450km (279 miles), which was fitted on a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet.

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However, as per reports, even this capacity has been significantly enhanced – from approximately 300km (186 miles) to 800km (497 miles). A proposal has also been submitted by the two forces for additional BrahMos cruise missiles, which is essentially a repeat order for the same type of weaponry currently acquired by the Indian Navy, a source was quoted as saying in the India Today report.

The developments come after Russia and India signed a new defense pact in February this year. The new agreement streamlines logistics and enhances cooperation between the armed forces of the two nations, facilitating joint military operations and activities. Additionally, during last month’s Aero India event, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh described Russia as a “longtime and reliable partner” in the security and defense sector.

India remains one of the world’s largest importers of weapons, with Russia being a long-standing supplier and technological partner. Russia has provided India with some of its most advanced systems, including the Su-30MKI fighter and BrahMos missiles, which are jointly developed by the two countries.

READ MORE: Why a ceasefire in Ukraine is easier said than done

Currently, around 60% of the Indian military’s equipment is of Russian origin. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, the country is also working towards indigenization of its defense sector and has achieved success in some areas with support from private players.

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Yevgenia Gutsul, known as a critic of Moldova’s government, has been taken into custody upon her arrival in the capital

A vocal critic of Moldova’s pro-Western government, who leads an autonomous region in the EU candidate state, has denounced her arrest on what she claims to be fabricated criminal charges.

Yevgenia Gutsul was taken into custody on Tuesday evening at the international airport in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau, with the authorities saying she was on a wanted list. In a statement released through her lawyers on Thursday, she accused the government of pursuing a plan to dismantle the region of Gagauzia’s autonomy through lawfare targeting her administration.

“I am behind bars now under trumped up charges, yet my heart and my soul is with you,” she said, addressing the people of Gagauzia.

”This arrest is not a personal attack. It’s part of Chisinau’s grand plan to destroy our autonomy. Law enforcement officials controlled by the [ruling party] PAS have been trying to put pressure on me with bogus criminal cases for two years,” she added.

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According to Moldovan media, Gutsul was taken into custody as part of an investigation into the 2023 gubernatorial election in Gagauzia, which she won. Her campaign was accused of financial irregularities. The Moldovan government claims that Gutsul is part of a Russian influence operation aimed at disrupting the country’s attempts to become a member of the EU.

The Gagauz people are a Turkic-speaking, primarily Orthodox Christian ethnic group living in the southern part of Moldova, Their region, Gagauzia, has been granted broad self-government rights. Moldovan President Maia Sandu has questioned Gutsul’s mandate as governor, denouncing her former party ‘Shor’ as a “criminal organization.” In 2023, a court in Chisinau outlawed it.

Gutsul has called on Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to apply pressure on the Sandu administration in defense of Gagauzia’s rights.

On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov condemned the arrest, asserting that Chisinau “has decided to pay no heed to the law, democratic principles and political pluralism and to openly pressure political rivals.”

READ MORE: ‘This is blackmail’: How the West used a humanitarian crisis to pressure a Russian ally

He compared the approach to that of the Romanian government, where a presidential election was recently overturned after a surprise first round victory by an opposition candidate. The constitutional court’s decision was based on claims that Russia interfered in the process, but media reports suggested that the social media campaign cited by officials originated from the ruling party, which sought to undermine a mainstream candidate by boosting an unlikely outsider.

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The Sudanese Armed Forces have regained the international airport in Khartoum from militants

Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) chief and de facto leader of the African country, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has declared Khartoum “free” after his soldiers recaptured the international airport in the war-torn capital from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Gen. Al-Burhan made the announcement on Wednesday from the presidential palace, which the army reclaimed from RSF fighters last Friday. It is said to be the leader’s first visit to the presidential palace since the battle for control of Sudan began nearly two years ago.

“Khartoum is free, it’s done,” he said, to cheers from the soldiers who had surrounded him, according to BBC reports.

The Sudanese army shared a video of Gen. Burhan with a caption that he had landed at Khartoum Airport on “the first flight received by the airport since the start of the war” in mid-April 2023.

In separate statements, the ruling sovereign council and the SAF said the army chief had toured Khartoum Airport and the Republican Palace following the liberation of the areas.

The fighting between the RSF and SAF erupted over a plan to transition the country to civilian rule. Tens of thousands of people have since been killed in the hostilities. The UN human rights office says the conflict has triggered the world’s largest displacement crisis, with half the Sudanese population facing acute food insecurity.

READ MORE: Sudanese army reclaims presidential palace (VIDEO)

In February, the paramilitary group signed a charter with allied political and armed groups to establish a “government of peace and unity” in the conflict-torn country. It came just weeks after Gen. Burhan announced his intention to form a “caretaker” or “wartime” government.

The militia’s plan has triggered widespread concern, with the African Union and the UN Security Council warning that forming a parallel government risks partitioning the country.

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Earlier on Wednesday, the army and its allies launched the largest ground military offensive in Khartoum, capturing military and civilian facilities in the city that had previously been held by RSF fighters, according to local media.

The SAF released drone footage of people it claims are members of the RSF fleeing across a bridge over the Jebel Awlia dam south of Khartoum, reportedly toward the west of the country.

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Almost all newborns now receive extensive neonatal screening, the prime minister has said

Russia has achieved a historically low rate of infant mortality due to the advancement of the maternal and childcare system in the country, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishutsin has announced.

Addressing the State Duma on Wednesday, Mishustin said almost all newborns now receive comprehensive neonatal screening. Over the past two years, the tests have been expanded to cover 40 conditions instead of just five.

“Today, the infant mortality rate in the country is the lowest in the entire history of Russia and the Soviet Union,” the prime minister said. “Behind these words are thousands of babies, at the right moment, received life-saving care from highly skilled doctors and were given the chance to live.”

The modernization of pediatric medical institutions is ongoing in Russia as part of national health and demography projects, Mishustin noted. He added that over 20 hospitals have been put into operation across the country under national projects, and almost all existing clinics have been upgraded with state-of-the-art equipment.

READ MORE: Abortion rate in Russia falls 3.5-fold in decade – Health Ministry

Like many other countries, Russia is faced with a decline in birth rates, and is now developing a system that encompasses healthcare, childhood, and maternity. Late last year, President Vladimir Putin emphasized the importance of increasing birth rates, describing it as one of the “key issues for Russia.”

The country has introduced financial support programs for families, including lump-sum payments for childbirth and expanded maternity benefits. The government has also revived the Soviet-era “Mother Heroine” award, which provides financial incentives for women who have given birth to or raised ten or more children. Additionally, officials have discussed policies such as restricting the promotion of so-called ‘child-free’ lifestyles and potential tax incentives for families with multiple children.

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Serving tours would allow men to earn enough money to attract women, the Defense Ministry has suggested

A Ukrainian military campaign targeting young men has claimed that signing a contract with the army would improve their dating lives.

Since February, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry has been offering enrollment incentives to men aged 18 to 24 who are not subject to compulsory conscription. Chief among these is compensation of 1 million hryvnia ($24,000) for one year of service. The ministry has also released several videos showcasing how this windfall could supposedly enhance recruits’ lifestyles.

A clip released on Wednesday on the ministry’s TikTok channel suggests that the money could significantly improve the dating prospects of those who complete their service. It features several young women discussing their expectations regarding a partner’s income.

”That would be between 100,000 and 150,000 hryvnia ($2,400 to $3,600) per month – enough to live in Kiev, rent an apartment, and dine out,” one woman explained. The interviewer then turns to the camera, proposing that signing a contract with the Defense Ministry could enable young men to earn this kind of money. Earlier advertisements in the series have stated that a year of military service could equate to 15,625 cheeseburgers or 185 years of Netflix subscriptions.

This week, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky announced plans to expand the recruitment program, allowing both the National Guard and Border Guard to seek enlistees.

READ MORE: Zelensky announces push to enlist younger men

Kiev faces challenges in replacing military casualties through mandatory conscription despite last year’s significant system overhaul. Evasion remains prevalent, with draft officers resorting to harsh measures to meet their quotas.

Human rights ombudsman Dmitry Lubinets acknowledged on Wednesday that abuses – including beatings and unlawful detentions – have become “systematic and mass in nature” and demand urgent state intervention.

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The bloc still hopes to “maximize pressure” on Moscow, a European Commission spokesperson has told the Financial Times

The EU will not fulfill Russia’s demand to lift sanctions on the country’s main agricultural bank as part of the Black Sea ceasefire initiative discussed between Moscow and Washington, European Commission Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Anitta Hipper has said.

During the talks between Russian and US experts in Riyadh on Monday, the sides agreed to move towards reviving the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which, according to the Kremlin, should include the removal of Western restrictions against Russian Agricultural Bank and other financial institutions involved in the international sale of food and fertilizers. The maritime ceasefire is seen by Moscow and Washington as a step towards settling the Ukraine conflict.

In her interview with the Financial Times on Wednesday, Hipper insisted that “the end of the Russian unprovoked and unjustified aggression in Ukraine and unconditional withdrawal of all Russian military forces from the entire territory of Ukraine would be one of the main preconditions to amend or lift sanctions.”

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“The EU’s main focus remains to maximize pressure on Russia, using all tools available, including sanctions, to diminish Russia’s ability to wage its war against Ukraine,” she insisted.

US President Donald Trump confirmed on Tuesday that his administration is considering lifting some curbs against Moscow, saying that “there are about five or six conditions. We are looking at all of them.”

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky claimed later that Kiev did not agree to the maritime truce due to it representing “a weakening of positions and a weakening of sanctions” against Russia.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative, originally brokered in July 2022 by the UN and Türkiye, envisioned the safe passage of Ukrainian agricultural products in exchange for the West lifting its restrictions on Russian grain and fertilizer exports. Moscow withdrew from the deal a year later, citing the West’s failure to uphold its obligations.

READ MORE: ‘They listened carefully’: Russian senator offers a glimpse into talks with US

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday that the maritime truce could take effect only once certain conditions set out by Russia are met. “Of course, this time justice must prevail, and we will continue our work with the Americans [on the Black Sea Initiative],” Peskov stressed.

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Aleksandr Darchiev has hailed warmer bilateral relations as a “window of opportunity” and outlined Moscow’s priorities

Relations between Moscow and Washington have gained some positive momentum, but further efforts are needed to overcome the “toxic legacy” of the previous American presidential administration, newly appointed Russian Ambassador Aleksandr Darchiev has said.

Speaking to reporters upon his arrival in Washington on Wednesday night, Darchiev expressed that he was optimistic now that both countries are showing signs of constructive engagement.

“It is encouraging that my tenure in the United States begins at a time when a certain window of opportunity has opened in our bilateral relations,” Darchiev told reporters, according to TASS. “The presidents of our countries have set a goal to restore state-to-state contacts, which were effectively severed by the team of former US President Joe Biden, and to normalize the functioning of the diplomatic missions.”

Darchiev added that while work is progressing on multiple fronts, the process of clearing what he described as the “toxic legacy” of previous years remains a major challenge. He said Moscow is pushing for the easing of visa procedures not only for diplomats but also for ordinary citizens, as well as the reinstatement of direct air travel between the two countries and the return of six confiscated Russian diplomatic properties in the US.

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“All of these are issues I intend to address substantively,” Darchiev stated. “The practical work has gained momentum, which should be sustained and increased based on the principle of strict reciprocity.”

Darchiev is a seasoned career diplomat who previously headed the North American Department at Russia’s Foreign Ministry. Fluent in English and French, he served as Russia’s ambassador to Canada between 2014 and 2021. He has also held multiple postings at the Russian Embassy in Washington, including as senior counselor and minister-counselor.

The new ambassador’s arrival comes after years of strained relations between Moscow and Washington, marked by reciprocal sanctions and the expulsion of diplomatic personnel. The post had remained vacant since the end of Anatoly Antonov’s tenure in October.

President Vladimir Putin signed a decree appointing Darchiev ambassador to the US on March 6, after his candidacy was discussed with US officials during talks in Istanbul in late February.

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Moscow has asked Washington to ease its sanctions as a step towards settling the Ukraine conflict

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has confirmed that all options remain on the table as Washington considers lifting certain sanctions against Moscow, including the possible reconnection of Russian banks to the Belgium-based SWIFT network.

The US and EU cut off major Russian banks from the SWIFT messaging system as part of a decade-long sanctions campaign, which was significantly expanded following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. As part of the Black Sea ceasefire initiative discussed in Saudi Arabia earlier this week, Moscow requested that its Agricultural Bank (Rosselkhozbank) and other institutions involved in food and fertilizer sales be reconnected to the international payment system.

“There would be a long discussion about many things in terms of the proper way to bring Russia back into the international system,” Bessent told Fox News on Wednesday, emphasizing that it was “premature to discuss the terms of a deal before we have a deal.”

“I think everything is on the table,” he added, noting that “it will be determined by the Russian leadership’s next moves whether the sanctions go up or down, and President Trump, I think, would not hesitate to raise the sanctions if it gives him a negotiating advantage.”

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Reconnecting Rosselkhozbank to SWIFT was part of the original Black Sea Grain Initiative, brokered in July 2022 by the UN and Türkiye. A Western failure to deliver on that commitment, along with Kiev’s alleged misuse of the arrangement for military purposes, prompted Moscow to reject the renewal of the agreement in 2023.

The US and Russia agreed to revive the defunct Black Sea deal following 12 hours of talks in Saudi Arabia on Monday. President Donald Trump confirmed on Tuesday that his administration is considering lifting some sanctions on Moscow. “There are about five or six conditions. We’re looking at all of them,” he said.

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The Brussels-based SWIFT system is incorporated under Belgian law and must comply with EU regulations and restrictions. European Commission spokeswoman Anitta Hipper stated on Wednesday that the bloc will not amend or lift its sanctions until Russia “unconditionally” withdraws all forces from the “entire territory of Ukraine.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week that Western sanctions are not a temporary measure but a long-term tool used to apply strategic pressure on Moscow, and that Russia’s rivals will always seek out ways to weaken the country.

According to Putin, a total of 28,595 sanctions have been imposed on Russian individuals and entities in recent years – more than the total number imposed on all other countries combined – which have only strengthened the national economy by encouraging self-reliance.

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The search for the “missing” soldiers is still ongoing after their armored vehicle was found “submerged” in Lithuania, according to the US Army

Four US Army soldiers mysteriously disappeared during a training exercise in Lithuania near the Belarusian border on Tuesday. The Pentagon has yet to confirm their fate, after NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte triggered confusion by expressing condolences to their families.

The soldiers, from the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division based at Fort Stewart, Georgia, were conducting “scheduled tactical training” at the General Silvestras Zukauskas training ground in Pabrade, Lithuania when they went missing, prompting a large-scale search and rescue operation.

“The M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle the four missing US Soldiers were operating during a training exercise has been located in Lithuania,” US Army Europe and Africa said in its latest update on Wednesday.

The armored vehicle “was discovered submerged in a body of water in a training area,” but “search efforts for the soldiers continue,” the US military added. The Lithuanian Armed Forces also stated that, at present, “there is no evidence or information confirming the death of the troops.”

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Earlier on Wednesday, Rutte appeared to confirm the US servicemen were dead, saying, “This is really terrible news and our thoughts are with the families and loved ones.” However, NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart later clarified that the secretary-general was merely “referring to emerging news reports” and “was not confirming the fate of the missing.”

“We regret any confusion about remarks [Rutte] delivered on this today,” she added.

The United States maintains a force of around 1,000 personnel in Lithuania; Washington increased deployments across the Baltics and other European NATO members following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. The US-led military bloc has also intensified exercises near the borders with Russia and its ally Belarus.

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Last week, the militaries of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland called on their governments to withdraw from the Ottawa Treaty – an international agreement that bans the use of anti-personnel landmines – arguing that an increased military threat from Russia necessitates the move.

Western countries “can’t wait” to drag Belarus into their “military squabbles,” Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko warned last year, as Minsk estimated there are 20,000 NATO soldiers stationed “near” the country’s borders.

Moscow has repeatedly dismissed Western claims that it intends to attack NATO or EU states, with Russian President Vladimir Putin calling such statements “nonsense.”

He has argued that the alleged “Russian threat” is being used by European politicians to scare citizens and justify increased military spending. Moscow officials have also criticized the EU’s latest militarization efforts as reckless and escalatory.

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Russian Senator Grigory Karasin gave some details of the conversation with his American counterparts in Riyadh

Russian and American delegations spent nearly 12 hours in closed-door expert-level talks in Riyadh on Monday, in what Russian Senator Grigory Karasin has described as an “open” and “detailed” exchange of views that marked a rare moment of sustained direct engagement between the two powers.

The high-level consultation, ordered by Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump following their recent discussion, aimed to lay groundwork for future negotiations across a broad range of geopolitical and security issues, including the Black Sea Initiative and energy infrastructure security.

Karasin, who chairs the Federation Council’s Committee on International Affairs, shared insights into the unusually long and intensive session, which ran from morning until late evening with only brief pauses. Speaking after the talks, he emphasized the professionalism of the atmosphere and the effort made by both sides to understand one another’s positions.

Q: Mr Karasin, what was the atmosphere like during the talks in Riyadh?

Grigory Karasin: We held them from the morning until eleven o’clock at night, with a few breaks. It was intense work and the atmosphere was normal from a professional point of view, quite acceptable for both delegations and demanding in terms of the presentation of the material and the relevance of the issues discussed. I would like to note that the discussion was open, and the issues raised by each side were discussed in sufficient detail.

Q: How difficult or easy was it to get through to the American representatives?

Grigory Karasin: First of all, we must not forget that this was a meeting of experts that took place after the conversation between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. And it was the leaders of Russia and the United States who ordered it to be held. In the course of the discussions, the necessary material was worked out, as well as proposals that would help move forward the negotiation process led by the leaders of the two states.

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Q: The negotiations lasted almost 12 hours. What does this indicate? That the discussion was difficult or that the range of issues discussed was wide?

Grigory Karasin: The range of issues was indeed quite wide. But that is not the point – it is simply that the positions of the parties were outlined in some detail. For example, the position of the Russian Federation on the Black Sea Initiative, on other issues. We wanted our negotiating partners to understand our thinking, our approaches, our philosophy, if you like. And in this case we did not waste any time.

Q: Do you think the Americans were open to understanding Russian approaches?

Grigory Karasin: I would like to think so, they listened to us very attentively. I can say that by the end of a full day of negotiations, both sides had gotten used to each other and began to speak more directly, without ambiguity.

Q: Will the format of expert group meetings continue in the Russian-American negotiations?

Grigory Karasin: Our group will continue to work on the instructions of the Russian president. If it is deemed necessary to discuss additional issues with our American partners, new meetings are of course possible. But we have no plans for this as of now.

This interview was first published by Russia’s Parliamentary newspaper, and was translated and edited by the RT team.

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The right-wing party is only 3.5% behind the country’s top conservative CDU/CSU alliance, a new INSA poll shows

The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party enjoys record high public support, according to polls conducted by the Institute for New Social Answers (INSA).

The latest poll, released by INSA on Tuesday, indicated 23.5% support for the party, while the top conservative alliance, between the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), polled at 27%. The figure constituted a 1.5% drop since the CDU/CSU achieved victory in Germany’s February 23 general election.

“This is the highest value ever measured for the AfD in the INSA opinion trend,” the head of INSA, Hermann Binkert, told Bild daily.

The AfD has gained nearly three points in polls since the election and is currently just 3.5% behind the CDU/CSU alliance. The Christian Democrats alone polled at 21%, and their Bavarian sister party fetched a further 7% for the alliance, Binkert noted.

The INSA poll sampled the opinions of some 2,004 respondents, representing various social groups throughout Germany.

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According to the pollster’s estimates, the party’s public support could reach as high as 30.5%. Other parties, however, still maintain higher estimated ceilings, with the CDU/CSU theoretically able to reach up to 42%, while the Social Democratic Party (SPD) could get up to 39.5%, according to INSA’s analysts.

The CDU/CSU emerged as the strongest force in last month’s parliamentary election with 28.5% of the vote, while failing to get an absolute majority. The party is currently in coalition talks with the SPD, which suffered a crushing defeat during the election, garnering a record-low 16.4%. Should the two forces reach a coalition, however, they would hold 328 seats in the Bundestag, comfortably surpassing the 316-seat mark to get a majority.

The AfD solidly secured second place during the election, receiving 20.8% of the vote – a twofold rise from the 10.4% they got in 2021. Despite the result, the party remains ostracized by the other major political forces, which refuse to cooperate with it, and is commonly labeled ‘far-right’ by officials and media alike.

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The Ukraine conflict is giving Warsaw time to rebuild its military capacity, a top Polish official has said

Poland has ammunition to hold the line for up to two weeks in the event of war, until allied forces arrive, the head of the country’s National Security Bureau has said.

Dariusz Lukowski told local broadcaster Polsat News on Wednesday that Poland has been increasing arms production to build sufficient capacity to resist a potential Russian attack. The NATO member shares a 144-mile border with Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave.

Moscow has consistently denied having aggressive intentions toward NATO countries and insists that the Ukraine conflict was triggered by the military bloc’s expansion toward Russia’s borders.

Asked whether Poland’s reserves might only last for five days of war, Lukowski said that was “possible in many areas and types of ammunition,” though not across all categories of munitions.

“I believe that depending on how the fighting unfolds, we could maintain defensive operations for a week or two with the current level of stockpiles,” he said.

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According to Lukowski, the situation is most critical when it comes to ammunition for older weapons systems, for which production has already ceased.

Lukowski said Poland has been draining its stockpiles to supply weapons to Ukraine, but emphasized “this is being done very cautiously,” and added that “at this stage, we are replenishing those stockpiles.”

He also said that as long as the Ukraine conflict continues, “we are gaining time to rebuild our [military] potential – the capacity to produce and replenish those stockpiles.” Poland is among several NATO members who argue that Russia poses a threat.

Warsaw has launched a $2.6 billion ‘Eastern Shield’ project to beef up its eastern border, with officials indicating that anti-personnel landmines could play a key role.

Moscow has repeatedly ridiculed Western claims that it intends to attack NATO or EU states, and Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed such statements as “nonsense.” Putin has also suggested that the supposed threat of a Russian attack is being used by European politicians to scare their citizens to extract more resources from them and justify increased military spending.

Russian officials have also blasted the EU’s increasing military build up as reckless and escalatory. The Kremlin says the bloc’s confrontational rhetoric and plans could hamper the chances of finding a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict.

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Ukraine does not need peacekeepers, but soldiers ready to fight, according to Igor Zhovkva

Western European countries should deploy combat troops to Ukraine ready to fight, rather than to conduct peacekeeping, a senior aide to Vladimir Zelensky told AFP on Wednesday.

Igor Zhovkva made the appeal ahead of a Paris summit of the “coalition of the willing” – countries across Europe and beyond that are ready to provide security guarantees to Ukraine.

“We need serious, trained troops... who are ready to fight,” he told AFP.

The official clarified that Kiev is not seeking European forces to engage directly with Russian troops but rather to bolster Ukraine’s defensive capabilities.

“We are not talking about soldiers who will fight with Russia... but about those who will defend, who will deter,” he said.

Led by France and the United Kingdom, the coalition’s discussions have included the potential deployment of a 30,000-strong “reassurance” force to secure key cities, ports, and infrastructure, as well as air-policing missions.

Moscow has previously warned that the deployment of NATO military personnel to Ukraine – even with the stated purpose of peacekeeping – would constitute direct involvement of NATO countries in a war against Russia. Moscow has also accused France and the UK of deliberately escalating tensions in Ukraine to undermine efforts to resolve the conflict by the US and Russia.

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However, the composition and mandate of such a force remain under debate. While some EU leaders advocate a robust military presence capable of engaging in combat if necessary, others express reservations about escalating the conflict. Germany and Poland, for instance, have shown reluctance, emphasizing the need for defensive support without direct involvement in combat operations.

Washington’s position further complicates the situation. US President Donald Trump’s administration has rejected committing American troops, focusing instead on diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire. This has led some EU nations to consider taking greater responsibility for Ukraine’s security, with French President Emmanuel Macron stating that Europe must “step up” its commitments.

On Wednesday, Zelensky arrived in Paris for a meeting with Macron ahead of the summit. The two are expected to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine and the potential deployment of European forces. According to Le Monde, Macron will reaffirm France’s commitment to increasing military and financial aid for Kiev.

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In Trump’s world, great powers don’t preach – they compete

The phrase “changing world order” has become a familiar refrain in international affairs. But what’s often missed is how rapidly that change is now unfolding – and who is accelerating it.

Regime changes in international relations are usually the result of crises: wars between great powers or upheavals within them. This was the case in 1939-1945 and again in 1989-1991. Usually, the problems accumulate over years and decades, and the resolution comes unexpectedly: the slow movement of tectonic plates suddenly accelerates dramatically, an avalanche begins that rapidly changes the landscape. We have had the opportunity to observe something similar in recent weeks. The most striking thing is that the main factor in the changes has been the leadership of the state which until now has defended the remnants of the old world order most stubbornly, even fiercely.

The fall of unipolarity, once long predicted and cautiously awaited, has arrived ahead of schedule. The United States, long the enforcer of liberal internationalism, is no longer trying to stop the shift toward a multipolar world. Under Donald Trump, it has joined it.

This pivot is not a mere campaign promise or rhetorical shift. It is a structural break. In the space of weeks, the US has gone from resisting the multipolar order to attempting to dominate it on new terms – less moralism, more realism. In doing so, Washington may inadvertently help deliver the very outcome that previous administrations worked so hard to prevent.

Trump’s turn has broad and lasting implications. The world’s most powerful actor has abandoned the guardianship of liberal globalism and embraced something far more pragmatic: great power rivalry. The language of human rights and democracy promotion has been replaced with “America First,” not just domestically, but in foreign relations as well.

The new US president has shelved the rainbow banners of BLM and the alphabet soup of Western liberalism. Instead, he waves the American flag with confidence, signaling to allies and adversaries alike: US foreign policy is now about interests, not ideologies.

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This is not theoretical. It is a geopolitical earthquake.

Firstly, multipolarity is no longer hypothetical. Trump has shifted the US from an enforcer of unipolarity to a player in multipolarity. His doctrine – “great power competition” – aligns more with the realist tradition than with the post-Cold War liberalism that dominated Washington for decades.

In this view, the world is made up of sovereign poles: the US, China, Russia, India – each pursuing its own interests, sometimes in conflict, sometimes overlapping. Cooperation arises not from shared values, but from shared necessities. This is a world Russia knows well – and one in which it thrives.

Secondly, Washington’s pivot to realism means a fundamental shift in how it engages with the world. The era of liberal crusades is over. Trump has defunded USAID, slashed “democracy promotion” budgets, and shown a willingness to work with regimes of all types – so long as they serve American interests.

This is a departure from the binary moral frameworks of the past. And ironically, it aligns more closely with Moscow’s own worldview. Under Trump, the White House no longer seeks to export liberalism, but to negotiate power.

Thirdly, the West, as we knew it, is gone. The liberal “collective West” – defined by shared ideology and transatlantic solidarity – no longer exists in its previous form. The US has effectively withdrawn from it, prioritizing national interest over globalist commitments.

What remains is a fractured West, split between nationalist-led governments like Trump’s and more traditional liberal strongholds in Brussels, Paris, and Berlin. The internal clash between these two visions – nationalism versus globalism – is now the defining political struggle across the West.

This struggle is far from over. Trump’s dominance may look assured, but domestic resistance remains potent. If Republicans lose the 2026 midterms, his ability to pursue his agenda could be blunted. He is also constitutionally barred from running again in 2028, which means time is short.

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As the West fractures, the “World Majority” – an informal coalition of nations outside the Western bloc – grows stronger. Originally coined to describe states that refused to sanction Russia or arm Ukraine, it now represents a broader realignment.

The World Majority isn’t a formal alliance, but a shared posture: sovereignty over submission, trade over ideology, multipolarity over hegemony. BRICS, the SCO, and other regional formats are maturing into genuine alternatives to Western-led institutions. The global South is no longer a periphery – it’s a stage.

We are witnessing the consolidation of a new “Big Three”: the US, China, and Russia. India is likely to join them. These are not ideological allies, but civilizational powers, each pursuing its own destiny.

Their relations are transactional, not sentimental. China, for example, has managed a tightrope walk during Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, maintaining a strategic partnership with Moscow while safeguarding access to Western markets.

That’s not betrayal – it’s good diplomacy. In the multipolar world, every player watches their own flank. Russia respects that. And increasingly, it acts the same way.

Moscow’s place in the new world is another issue. Russia has emerged from the past two years more self-reliant, more assertive, and more central to the international system. The war in Ukraine – and the resilience of Russia’s economy, society, and military – has shifted global perceptions.

Russia is no longer treated as a junior partner or regional power. It is now engaged on equal terms with Washington, Beijing, and New Delhi. This shift is visible not only in diplomacy, but in global logistics: new Eurasian trade corridors, expanded BRICS cooperation, and increasing use of national currencies in trade.

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Having confirmed its status as one of the world’s leading powers as a result of the Ukraine conflict, Russia is in a position to take its rightful place in this world. We must not indulge in illusions and relax. America’s turn to realism is the result of the success of the Russian army, the resilience of the Russian economy and the unity of the Russian people.

What matters now is to build on this momentum. The US may have pivoted to realism, but it remains a competitor. Russia must continue strengthening its technological sovereignty, deepening ties with Asia, and pursuing a foreign policy anchored in pragmatism, not nostalgia.

Russia must continue to observe the internal battles in the West – especially the US presidential cycle and tensions inside the EU. But it should no longer hinge its policies on Western acceptance or approval. Moreover, Moscow’s relations with Western European countries are becoming increasingly strained against the backdrop of its dialogue with Washington.

Western unity is increasingly conditional, transactional, and riddled with contradictions. France, Germany, and Italy may face political turbulence. Integration may falter. Russia’s engagement should be tactical – eyes open, cards close to the chest.

There is no point waiting for the new world to be declared – it is already here. We have moved beyond theory. Now begins the contest for position. The world has become multipolar not because anyone willed it, but because power itself has shifted. Trump did not cause this alone. But he has – perhaps unwittingly – accelerated the process.

Russia’s job now is not to prove the old order wrong, but to ensure it claims its place in the new one.

This article was first published by the magazine Profile and was translated and edited by the RT team.

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Russia wants to see more people who comprehend it and want to live in peace, the president has said

Some people in the West do not understand Russia, yet that fact does not hamper the country’s development, President Vladimir Putin has said.

The Russian president was speaking on Wednesday during a meeting of the supervisory board of the Movement of the First, a Russian organization for children and youth.

”There are people in the so-called West who do not understand Russia. But this does not prevent us from living and developing. This should only motivate us to increase the number of people who understand us and want to live with us in peace and friendship,” Putin stated.

Such a goal could be achieved through extensive work with the youth in particular, the president emphasized. “Success awaits us in this area if we work actively and effectively with young people, with children, with teenagers, those who create the foundation of the country’s future and value this country,” he said.

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Founded in 2022 with Putin’s direct backing, the Movement of the First has grown into a major nationwide organization. According to the president, it now brings together more than 11 million members.

The main goal of the group is helping the country’s young people become successful in their lives, Putin said. Helping a person find an “optimal” path in life is the key to success, he stressed.

“Almost every person wants success, even if they think that, in general, they do not need anything and everything is fine. No, in their souls, everyone strives for success. To achieve this success, you need to find your path in life and find a trade to which you are ready to dedicate your life. This is one of the reasons why the Movement of the First was created,” the president explained.

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Southern European countries have expressed opposition to a proposal to boost military spending through loans, according to a report

Southern European states have been pushing back against an EU plan to ramp up military spending through loans, amid concerns it could deepen their already heavy debt burdens, Politico reported on Wednesday.

The so-called ‘ReArm Europe Plan’, unveiled this month by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, calls for up to €800 billion ($850 billion) in debt and tax breaks for the bloc’s military industrial complex. The proposal includes a €150 billion loan package and an emergency clause to loosen EU fiscal rules.

However, according to unnamed EU diplomats cited in the report, some countries have “serious doubts” about taking on additional debt. France, Italy, and Spain have been reportedly advocating grants – or so-called ‘defense bonds’ – rather than loans.

Such bonds would require joint EU borrowing on capital markets, a move that needs unanimous approval from all 27 member states.

Von der Leyen has so far avoided backing the idea, wary of opposition from fiscally hawkish states like Germany and the Netherlands, who fear it could set a precedent for shared EU debt.

“No Eurobonds,” Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof said after a recent EU leaders summit.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the plan’s reliance on national debt, calling the proposed April deadline “a bit too close” and saying “we should have more time [to decide].”

Italy and Spain have also urged a broader definition of military spending exempt from EU fiscal limits. Madrid has proposed including border control, cybersecurity, and infrastructure resilience.

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France does not plan to trigger the emergency clause, two EU diplomats said, citing concerns over market reactions and its debt-to-GDP ratio above 110%. Germany is expected to invoke the clause to help fund a €500 billion military expansion but is unlikely to take EU loans since it can raise the money more cheaply on its own.

However, weaker economies have raised concerns that requesting EU loans first could signal financial vulnerability and drive up borrowing costs.

Brussels insists the ‘ReArm’ plan is aimed at countering a “threat” from Russia, an idea Moscow has dismissed as baseless. It also comes amid growing pressure from Washington. US President Donald Trump has distanced himself from supporting Ukraine, while urging the EU to take greater responsibility for its own defense.

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The bloc has advised keeping a 3-day emergency supply kit to be ready for a crisis

The European Union has advised its 450 million inhabitants to stockpile essential supplies sufficient for at least 72 hours, citing increasing risks of war, cyberattacks, climate change, and disease.

EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib stated on Wednesday that the warning reflects a broader strategy to improve civil readiness across the bloc. While not mentioning Russia specifically, she stressed that the Ukraine conflict threatens European security.

"For three years in Ukraine, we have seen a battlefield of bombs, and bullets, drones, fighter planes, trenches and submarines.Yes, our European security is directly threatened by this," Lahbib said.

Several EU countries have consistently named Moscow as a significant threat to regional security. France, Poland, the Baltic states, and Finland have all raised concerns over alleged Russian cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and political interference. They have also described the Ukraine conflict as an example of aggressive behavior that poses a military threat to the bloc.

Today, the EU launches its new #Preparedness Strategy.

“Ready for anything” — this must be our new European way of life. Our motto and #hashtag. pic.twitter.com/fA1z8ZvMDA

— Hadja Lahbib (@hadjalahbib) March 26, 2025

Moscow has consistently denied any intention to attack NATO countries or the EU. Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed such claims as “nonsense” meant to scare European populations and increase military budgets.

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“We want people to be ready, not to panic,” Lahbib said. “Preparedness is not fearmongering – it is common sense in a time of uncertainty.”

Under the strategy, the EU is advising households to keep essential supplies, including non-perishable food, bottled water, flashlights, batteries, first-aid materials, and key documents. Citizens are also encouraged to have access to a shortwave radio in case of power or communication outages.

The EU is also planning to create a strategic reserve of key resources, including firefighting aircraft, medical transport, mobile hospitals, and stockpiles of protective equipment for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents.

“Today’s threats facing Europe are more complex than ever, and they are all interconnected,” Lahbib said. “From war on our borders to increasingly frequent climate disasters, the EU must be ready to face the unexpected,” she added.

The initiative mirrors long-standing practices in countries such as Finland and Sweden, where civil defense preparations and emergency guidance are more established. Sweden, for example, recently updated its ‘If Crisis or War Comes’ handbook with modern scenarios, including how to respond to nuclear threats.

READ MORE: Moscow accuses EU state’s leaders of ‘whipping up war psychosis’

The Commission’s new plan includes the creation of an EU-level crisis hub to coordinate cross-border responses and ensure continuity of essential services, from healthcare to energy and telecommunications.

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Donald Trump’s team has revealed a lot more than just the Yemen attack during the chat with the accidentally invited Atlantic journalist

There’s a scandal exciting American mainstream media and minds, and it has to do with bombing. Yet there is an important nuance: it is not the bombing itself that is so scandalizing.

What is troubling many Americans is neither what Russian philosopher Aleksandr Dugin has rightly called the Israeli genocide of the Palestinians with US bombs and support nor the renewed American air campaign against Yemen. Bombing large numbers of essentially defenseless brown people – men, women, and children – into bloody, dusty pulp, has long been a bipartisan tradition of the Indispensable Nation, especially if most of them are Muslims.

What Americans do find irritating is when their leaders spill the beans too early. And have they been spilling! In a cluster-fiasco reminiscent of those loose-lipped German generals caught out last year while prattling about launching their Taurus missiles at Russia via Ukraine, a whole gaggle of Washington top officials have made fools of themselves by a ridiculously feckless breach of elementary security.

In the run-up to the recently renewed US bombing campaign against Yemen, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Vice President J.D. Vance – to name only the most prominent delinquents – have all been involved in online chat meetings via the commercial messaging app Signal.

Having such meetings on Signal, instead of via well-established and obligatory secure channels, is ludicrously amateurish: Signal may be encrypted, but spyware can hack it. There are reasons why officials are instructed to use other means.

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It is also seriously illegal (no Stormy Daniels issue this one) to be so sloppy, since it infringes on more than one provision of the National Security Act, which is ironic, considering it seems to have been the national security adviser who initially got this trainwreck going.

Because it was Waltz who – somehow – invited a journalist to participate: Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic does of course not belong in meetings preparing a military strike, especially when sharing sensitive operational data. And talking all too frankly about making the mooching European vassals pay, one way or the other. She may have been shunted off to a sinecure at New York’s hapless Columbia University, but the spirit of Victoria Nuland’s “F*ck the EU!” is alive and well in Washington, as this meeting also unsurprisingly showed.

Nobody has yet explained how it happened that Goldberg was included and why no one seems to have noticed the clearly visible presence of an obvious if conspicuously silent outsider in the virtual room. And all that while the secretary of defense was droning on about how secure it all was: The TV show Hogan’s Army was funny; the reality of Hegseth’s army looks silly.

The above, in essence, is what mainstream America is all worked up about now. President Donald Trump and Hegseth have nothing of substance to say in this case: Hegseth messed up royally – as did Waltz and the others – and Trump is the guy who hired them all. So they have switched into attack mode, tearing down Goldberg and The Atlantic. It’s cheap, but it may work, especially since The Atlantic really does have a bad record of stirring up baseless Russia Rage (aka Russiagate) hysteria.

But this time, it’s not complicated: the Signal meetings really did take place; Goldberg was invited, present, and not spotted; and what he has now reported has been confirmed as authentic even by Brian Hughes, spokesman of the National Security Council.

What is unfolding now in US domestic politics is, to be frank, predictable and dull: The opponents of the Trump administration are trying to squeeze every last little drop of dramatic embarrassment for it out of the foul-up. The Democrats are calling for investigations and consequences. Hillary Clinton – remember her? – is gloating that those, especially Hegseth, who almost a decade ago went after her own sloppy and probably criminal use of private technology for government business are now getting a taste of their own medicine.

The Trumpists meanwhile – surprise, surprise – are not having a self-flagellation procession down the National Mall but closing ranks, even demonstratively: The president has called Waltz a “good man,” who “ has learned a lesson.” Ouch, that must feel so humiliating, like being dressed down live on The Apprentice. But it’s still the opposite of being fired. For now, at least.

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Vice President Vance has denied any disagreements within the administration, that is, precisely the thing he displayed in the Signal chat. There he doubted the wisdom of the attacks on Yemen, not because killing people is a problem, but because he did not like the timing and the fact that Europe was going to profit, as he believes. And so on. The good bad old Washington.

In case you don’t like Trump and his government, please don’t be naïve and make a hero out of Goldberg simply because he is giving them some probably minor trouble. For one thing, though posing as a “liberal,” Goldberg is a highly aggressive Zionist. As a young man, he moved from the US to Israel to enter its military forces. He then served as a prison guard in a large camp for Palestinians, about which he has written a self-revealingly egocentric and, in fact, self-incriminating memoir, admitting at least covering up the brutal torture of a defenseless prisoner.

As you would expect, for over two decades Goldberg has consistently used his great media and policy influence to agitate for and embellish American aggression in the Middle East. Clearly, very much in line with what Israeli governments perceive as Israel’s national interest.

In this particular instance, WikiLeaks has rightly asked about Goldberg’s dubious role in this affair: Why, instead of speaking up quickly, did he “sit on” what he must have known to be real, until the attack actually happened? His “claim that he did not know if the group was real until after the bombing is clearly a construction designed to facilitate an ignorance defense under the espionage act,” as WikiLeaks plausibly notes.

Given his politics, there is another obvious reason why Goldberg did not use his scoop before the bombing got going: Disregard the silly cant about “freedom of navigation” and all that, the real reason why the US has started striking Yemen’s people again is that they resist Israel striking Gaza’s people.

Indeed, Yemen’s true “sin” in the eye of Zionists and their US allies is that, with the partial exception of Iran, it is the only country that, under Ansar Allah’s de facto rule, complies with the 1948 UN Genocide Convention by actually resisting Israel’s genocidal attack on the Palestinians. While Yemen does occasionally lob a well-deserved missile at Israel, its main leverage is blocking much of the maritime traffic through the Red Sea. Yemen, the poorest country in the Middle East and one of the poorest in the world, is using a geographical choke point to do the ethically and legally obligatory right thing: fight against Israeli genocide as good as it can, while the collective West is on the side of the genociders. As is Jeffrey Goldberg.

We live in a morally perverse, upside-down world. The repeated bombing of Yemen is part of this world’s insane and evil rules. “Rules-based” this international disorder may be, but if so, its rules are from hell, as Russia’s foreign minister has also recently hinted.

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Hence, what is really bizarre about the current Signal scandal in the US is what is outside the American media frame, namely the bombings themselves. They are just taken for granted. Because America is a country where they watch bad TV, drink too much fizzy sugar, and also, with the same regularity, bomb the world.

On any given day, it’s more likely than not that the US is bombing – someone, somewhere, for some bad reason or another. Washington has long been addicted to lethally clobbering other parts of humanity from a safe distance, and sometimes at close range, too, of course.

The end of the Cold War made no difference to that bad habit; in fact, it may even have gotten worse: As of 2022 – three years ago already – official surveys found that America and its vassals had dropped over 337,000 bombs and missiles since, in essence, the beginning of this millennium (note that this figure excludes, for instance, the Gulf War of 1990-91 – another 88,500 tons of bombs – and the 1990s wars in the former Yugoslavia). Or, put differently, over 20 years, the US conducted an average 46 airstrikes per day.

Just ask Google’s Gemini AI “How often and how much and where has the USA used air power to bomb since 1990?” The answer will include an impressive – and merely representative, not complete – list of operations all around the globe and a note cautioning that “the ‘how much’ in terms of bombs dropped is difficult to quantify precisely due to the vast number of operations and the variety of munitions used,” while the ‘where’ is also extensive, spanning multiple continents and regions.” Known highlights have included Iraq, the former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, and Syria.

In the case of the new wave of American air attacks on Yemen, the US officially pretends that it is merely (if that is the word) targeting the Ansar Allah movement (usually pejoratively labelled “the Houthis”). But with Ansar Allah the de facto ruler of much of Yemen, including its capital Sanaa, America is, of course, really assaulting the country itself and its people. As of March 25, ten days after these new attacks began, at least 79 people have been killed and more than 100 injured.

Compared with the slaughter Israel is inflicting with massive US support on the Palestinians, and its neighbors too, whenever the fancy takes it, these figures may appear small, for now. Yet these Yemeni victims are being killed for the same abject reason: to execute and shield a genocide that the West is co-perpetrating together with Israel. Yet all US mainstream pundits and politicos can get worked up about is a premature leak of some of these crimes and not the crimes themselves. That is yet another sign of just how entirely lost the West is.

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Voters will be obliged to provide proof of citizenship, while mail in voting must conclude before election day

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a sweeping executive order to overhaul the American election system, including requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration.

The order, titled ‘Preserving and protecting the integrity of American elections,’ calls on states to work with federal agencies and share voter rolls, as well as prosecute election crimes. It also threatens to slash federal funding for states that fail to comply.

“Despite pioneering self-government, the United States now fails to enforce basic and necessary election protections employed by modern, developed nations, as well as those still developing,” the text of the order reads, listing measures taken by other nations to make the election process more secure, including the introduction of biometric identification and limiting voting by mail.

“Free, fair, and honest elections unmarred by fraud, errors, or suspicion are fundamental to maintaining our constitutional republic. The right of American citizens to have their votes properly counted and tabulated, without illegal dilution, is vital to determining the rightful winner of an election,” the document says.

Among other things, the order requires proof of citizenship for voters to be registered in federal elections. The measure is effectively aimed at doing the same thing as the long-anticipated Republican-backed Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act). While voting in federal elections by non-citizens is already a felony, Republicans have long argued that more is needed to restore public confidence in elections.

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Voting rights groups, however, have been critical of the proposed change, arguing that many voting-age Americans do not have proof of citizenship readily available. According to a 2023 report compiled by the Brennan Center for Justice and other groups, some 21.3 million people, around 9% of US citizens of voting age, do not have such documents on hand.

Trump has long been critical of the US voting system, arguing that it is very susceptible to irregularities and fraud. He has been particularly opposed to voting by mail. Under the executive order, votes must now be “cast and received” before the election day, with federal funding conditional on state compliance.

The move has already faced criticism from various parties that have vowed to challenge it in court. Oregon’s secretary of state, Tobias Read, branded the order an “action against democracy.” His state relies heavily on mail-in balloting.

“It is every American citizen’s right to hold politicians accountable at the ballot box. This executive order is a threat to that right and a threat to our responsibility as states to run fair, secure elections. This illegal action against American democracy will be challenged, and it will not stand,” Read said in a statement.

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New Delhi may take the measure to secure a trade deal with Washington and prevent new tariffs

India’s government could reduce tariffs on more than half of its $23 billion in US imports as part of the initial phase of a trade agreement being negotiated between the two countries, according to Reuters. This significant concession aims to prevent Washington from implementing reciprocal duties as soon as April 2, which has caused market uncertainty.

According to an internal analysis conducted by New Delhi cited by the report, the implementation of reciprocal tariffs by the US could impact approximately 87% of India’s total exports to the country, which are valued at $66 billion.

To prevent this, India is considering a trade deal that would involve reducing tariffs on around 55% of the US goods that the country imports, which currently face duties ranging from 5% to 30%. New Delhi hopes to find a mutually beneficial solution to current trade tensions.

The development was reported on Monday – ahead of trade negotiations between the two countries that are currently taking place in New Delhi. A US delegation, led by Assistant Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch, arrived in the Indian capital on Tuesday. Their visit comes after India’s Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal travelled to Washington earlier this month to discuss a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), particularly with respect to tariff issues.

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Goyal later told the country’s parliament that the government is engaging with Washington in order to eliminate tariffs and other barriers; however, he did not clarify whether any concessions have been made so far.

New Delhi maintained that any decisions on tariffs would not be rushed, according to an Indian Express report, despite Trump’s claim that India had already agreed to reduce its tariffs after being “exposed” for its restrictive trade practices. “They have agreed, by the way. They want to cut their tariffs way down now because somebody’s finally exposing them for what they have done,” he said in remarks from the Oval Office on March 8.

According to government data, the US has a trade deficit of $45.6 billion with India. In the past, US President Donald Trump has been vocal about India’s high tariffs, along with those imposed by other countries, condemning them as “very unfair.”

READ MORE: Vance to visit India amid tariff concerns – Politico

Meanwhile, New Delhi is looking to increase trade with China in order to counterbalance the economic pressure of impending US tariffs and offset potential losses, according to reports. The two BRICS members have been working on normalizing bilateral ties after a diplomatic and military standoff lasting nearly five years, which erupted when their troops clashed along a disputed border in the Himalayas in 2020.

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The Trump administration has paused applications submitted by refugees and asylum seekers

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has put Green Card applications filed by immigrants granted refugee or asylum status on hold, CBS has reported. The decision is related to two executive orders signed by Trump earlier this year.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reportedly instructed officials to suspend requests for legal permanent residency, leaving refugees and asylum seekers into “legal limbo.” It’s unclear when the processing would resume.

In a statement to CBS, the DHS cited a “temporary pause on finalizing certain Adjustment of Status applications pending the completion of additional screening and vetting to identify potential fraud, public safety, or national security concerns, in alignment” with Trump’s executive actions.

Specifically, the move is tied to Executive Orders aimed at protecting the US from “foreign terrorists” and other threats.

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Earlier this month, the DHS instructed more than 500,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela—who entered under former President Joe Biden’s parole program—to leave the country within 30 days or face deportation.

President Trump also announced a new immigration program known as the “Gold Card,” which would provide a path to US residency and citizenship for a $5 million payment. He described the initiative as a way to attract high-net-worth immigrants who would contribute to the economy.

“They’ll be spending a lot of money and paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people,” he said. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the proposal would replace the existing EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, which he called “full of nonsense, make-believe and fraud.”

Since taking office in January 2025, Trump has signed multiple executive orders rolling back Biden-era immigration measures and introducing tougher immigration controls. They include enhancing vetting for visa applicants, limiting birthright citizenship, directing the armed forces to guard the southern border, and erecting additional barriers.

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The exercise aboard a nuclear-powered vessel in the port of Murmansk was aimed at enhancing emergency preparedness in a harsh climate

A large-scale fire drill has taken place aboard a nuclear-powered icebreaker ahead of the International Arctic Forum. The two-day event is to be held in Murmansk, Russia – the world’s largest city north of the Arctic Circle and home to a strategic port.

The exercise, carried out by Russia’s Emergencies Ministry, took place on Tuesday onboard the “legendary” nuclear icebreaker Lenin, the ministry said in a statement. It was aimed at enhancing emergency preparedness in the Arctic’s harsh climate, addressing the unique challenges posed by the region’s extreme conditions.

During the drill, a simulated fire erupted in the living quarters amid hazardous operations. The specially trained crew swiftly activated emergency protocols to combat the 200-square-meter blaze. Additionally, several crew members participated in a simulated rescue after entering the icy waters of the Kola Bay during the exercise.

Firefighting units from the Murmansk garrison promptly responded to extinguish the blaze and rescue affected individuals. The exercise involved over 80 personnel and 15 units of equipment, including four watercraft.

READ MORE: Northern Sea Route tops agenda at Russian Arctic forum

Lenin is the world’s first nuclear-powered ship. Entering service in 1959, it revolutionized Arctic navigation by enabling year-round operation along Russia’s Northern Sea Route without the frequent refueling stops required by conventional diesel-powered icebreakers.

The International Arctic Forum, co-organized by the Russian government and Rosatom, serves as a major platform for addressing the development of the polar region. Its abundant untapped energy and mineral resources, coupled with its strategic trade routes, have garnered heightened global interest.

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The US national security adviser says he inadvertently included a reporter in confidential discussions

US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz has taken “full responsibility” for a leaked Signal group chat where senior White House officials discussed planned military strikes in Yemen, which accidentally included a journalist.

On Monday, the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic magazine, Jeffrey Goldberg, published a story revealing alleged discussions among senior officials in President Donald Trump’s administration about military strategies targeting Houthi rebels.

“I take full responsibility. I built the group,” Waltz said during an interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox News on Tuesday.

“It’s embarrassing. We’re going to get to the bottom of it.”

In the article, Goldberg says he gained access to a Signal group chat from a user identified as “Mike Waltz.” The chat, titled “Houthi PC small group,” reportedly included Vice President J.D. Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and other cabinet officials.

In the interview, Waltz couldn’t explain how Goldberg ended up in the chat, claiming that an unnamed contact – who was meant to be included – was likely mistaken for Goldberg.

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“We’ve got the best technical minds looking at how this happened,” Waltz stated, noting that Goldberg’s number had not been on his phone.

“I can tell you for 100% I don’t know this guy,” Waltz said, adding that he had reached out to Elon Musk for help in figuring out what went wrong.

When pressed by host Laura Ingraham about how the number was added, Waltz replied, “Well, if you have somebody else’s contact, then somehow it… gets sucked in. It gets sucked in.”

Trump has downplayed the leak calling it a “glitch” that had “no impact at all” on the military operation as no classified information was disclosed.

When asked about the story at the White House on Monday, the US president appeared unfazed and took a swipe at The Atlantic over its involvement.

“I don’t know anything about it. I’m not a big fan of the Atlantic,” Trump told reporters. “To me, it’s a magazine that’s going out of business. I think it’s not much of a magazine, but I know nothing about it.”

READ MORE: Trump comments on Waltz ‘glitch’

Trump defended Waltz in a statement to Fox News on Tuesday, saying the national security adviser would not be dismissed over the incident.

“He’s not getting fired,” Trump told Fox, calling the security breach a “mistake” and insisting there was “nothing important” in the Signal chat.

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