Eastern Europe / News
Putin admits he’s behind massive truck snarl-ups on Russia-Kazakhstan border
Tells press conference he ordered random roadside checks in crackdown on illegal imports.
Zelenskiy accepts resignation of key aide Andriy Yermak amid expanding corruption probe
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has accepted the resignation of Andriy Yermak, his long-time chief of staff and the power behind the throne, after anti-corruption investigators raided his home and office on November 28.
Viktor Orban heads to Moscow to secure energy supplies for Hungary
Orban will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin as he aims to guarantee Hungary’s energy supply for the winter and the coming year at affordable prices.
Putin backs US peace plan as basis for Ukraine talks, demands recognition of Russian territorial gains
As the information frenzy surrounding the ongoing Ukraine peace deal talks intensifies, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a series of comments on November 27 designed to cut through some of the haze and lay Russia’s demands a bit more clearly.
European Parliament passes Ukraine peace deal law that clashes with US version
The European Parliament adopted a resolution on November 27 setting out the conditions for a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine that starkly clashes with the US proposals and will almost certainly be rejected out of hand by the Kremlin.
PrivatBank to seize jailed oligarch Kolomoisky’s assets after he misses $3bn UK court-ordered payment deadline
State-owned PrivatBank will start international enforcement proceedings to seize the assets of jailed oligarch and President Zelenskiy former business partner Ihor Kolomoisky, after he missed a 43bn court-ordered damages payment.
Putin arrives in Kyrgyzstan for state visit with oligarchs including Abramovich in tow
Trip coincides with opening of Kremlin-friendly TV channel in Central Asian country often under fire for enabling Russia to evade sanctions.
US and Belarus in talks to release 100 more political prisoners
US and Belarus are in talks to release 100 more political prisoners as Minsk balances its dependency on Moscow by improving its relations with Washington.
Ukraine rejects three key points, Russia accepts some initial points as peace talks advance
Ukraine had rejected three key points in the White House peace plan, which Russia considered crucial, while Russia has agreed to some of the points included in the 28-point peace plan (28PPP), it was reported on November 26.
EU urgently working on a bridge loan for Ukraine if Reparation Loans deal fails
The ongoing discussions on a possible US sponsored peace deal to end the Ukraine war has put fresh pressure on the EU to come up with a solution to Ukraine’s acute funding shortfall.
Leaked Witkoff, Dmitriev phone conversations detail the Ukraine peace plan negotiations
Conversations involving the two main protagonists drawn up the 28-point peace plan (28PPP) were caught on tape giving damning details of the negotiations that lead up to the release of the plan, Bloomberg reported on November 25.
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Fighter jets deployed after Russian drones fly deep into Romanian territory
Drones found in both Romania and Moldova after incursions.
Serbia gives Russia 50-day deadline to sell majority stake in NIS
President Aleksandar Vucic warned Belgrade could take control of oil company NIS if no buyer is found.
Negotiation on the US peace plan for Ukraine descend into an "information frenzy"
The media coverage surrounding the US-proposed 28-point peace plan (28PPP) to resolve the Ukrainian conflict is an “informational frenzy,” according to Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov.
US sanctions push Serbia’s only refinery toward shutdown
Serbia’s sole oil refinery could halt operations within days unless Washington grants a new licence to allow majority Russian-owned NIS to continue processing crude.
Trump’s peace plan for Ukraine cut to 19 points from 28
EU leaders consider some of the 28 points of the American plan for resolving the Ukrainian conflict unacceptable and the number of items on the list has been parred back to 19, the Financial Times reported on November 24.
Kremlin not satisfied with the European peace plan
The Kremlin rejects the European proposals to amend the US sponsored 28-point peace plan (28PPP) that was floated last week in an attempt to bring the war in Ukraine to an end, according to Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s top foreign policy advisor.
How much common ground is there in the US 28-point peace plan to end the Ukraine war?
Ever since the ceasefire talks kicked off in Riyadh on February 18, the talks between Moscow and Kyiv have been fraught. There has been little common ground over which to start negotiations.
Who wrote the 28-point peace plan to end the war in Ukraine?
A mystery has emerged over the identity of the authors of the 28-point peace plan floated last week to bring the war in Ukraine to an end. It’s important as the knee-jerk reaction to initial reports is that it is a Kremlin sponsored wish-list.
EU leaders meet with US officials in Geneva to soften 28-point peace plan to end the war in Ukraine
Top Ukrainian, US and European officials gathered in Geneva on November 23 to try and find compromises to the 28-point peace plan floated the previous week to end the war in Ukraine, which they see as making major concessions to Russia.