Russia
Russian middle-class investors have $14bn of frozen stocks abroad
Millions of Russian citizens who invested in foreign stocks and bonds before the war in Ukraine remain locked out of their assets, three years after sweeping Western sanctions froze Russian-linked holdings across global financial markets.
KYIV BLOG: Principles vs Pragmatism
This is the most concerted effort to end the war in Ukraine since the failed Istanbul peace deal in 2022. But after the initial optimism, the chance of a deal going through are fading.
US-Russian crew arrives at International Space Station for eight-month mission
US astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts dock at ISS for 242-day mission featuring 40 experiments and two spacewalks. Colleagues welcomed Expedition 74 crew with a homemade cake.
Russia corporate debt burden risks rise, 17 leading companies in trouble
Russia’s corporate debt crisis is rising faster than expected, with the number of leading companies that represent two fifths of GDP in increased danger of going bankrupt, according to the Central Bank of Russia (CBR).
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.
Could Russia come to accept Turkish boots on the ground in Ukraine ceasefire?
As always with Moscow-Ankara relations, it’s complicated.
RAGOZIN: Why opposition to Trump’s 28-point peace plan is endangering the very existence of Ukraine
Aggressive escapism might not be a legitimate psychological term, but it is the best way to describe the opposition to the 28-point peace plan for Ukraine pushed by Trump’s administration.
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.
Russian corporate profits down 8%, losses surged by a quarter in 9M25
Russian companies reported profits were down nearly 8% and losses have surged by a quarter in 3Q25 y/y. Financial stress across key sectors in the economy is rising over the first nine months of 2025, according to Rosstat,
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.
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.
KYIV BLOG: Kremlin leaks phone conversations to refocus attention on original 28-point Ukraine peace plan
Bloomberg scored a major scoop yesterday, publishing transcripts of conversations between US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s top foreign policy advisor, and Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev
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.
COMMENT: Iran’s twelve-day war with Israel has pushed Tehran deeper into Moscow’s arms
Iran’s twelve-day war with Israel has pushed Tehran even closer to Moscow and led to new cooperation agreements, including increased weapons supplies and closer cooperation in the nuclear sector.
COP30 didn’t go far enough to address the Climes Crisis – Carbon Brief
The UN climate summit in Belém concluded with delegates agreeing to a series of measures aimed at accelerating climate action, but the outcomes fell short of what many scientists and vulnerable countries had hoped for.
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.
COMMENT: Is the EU deliberately trying to scupper the US peace plan or is it just incompetent?
After the talks in Geneva the 28-point peace plan (28PPP) has been cut to 19 points. But the EU has come up with its own 24-point plan that contains several points that guarantee the Kremlin will reject it.