Russia
EU leaders brace for emergency summit if Hungary continues to block extension of Russian sanctions
Hungary has withheld its consent to extend EU sanctions against Russia at the meeting of EU ambassadors on January 24. EU Foreign Ministers will gather on Monday, 27 January, to vote on the issue.
Protests against Fico’s pro-Kremlin turn intensify across Slovakia
The intensification of the pro-Kremlin turn of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico drew the largest crowd of demonstrators to the streets of the Slovak capital Bratislava since protests against Fico's Smer party-led cabinet began in late 2023.
Ukraine offers coal and experts to settle Transnistria’s energy crisis without Russia
If Ukraine solves the energy crisis in Moldova, it would thwart Russian efforts to exploit the crisis to pursue its political interests in Moldova.
Where are the world’s rare earth metals?
US President Donald Trump has said once again he wants to buy Greenland for its strategic location, but Greenland is known to have an abundance of important rare earth elements that the US is missing.
No rosy prospects for Russia's IT sector in 2025
When major Western IT vendors left Russia following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, many saw it as a window of opportunity for local IT companies that would step in to satisfy the economy's need for tech solutions.
Putin says the Ukraine war "might not have happened" if Trump was president in 2022, as the two leaders flirt ahead of a mooted meeting
Since Trump’s inauguration, Putin has sent several signals that he is ready to open negotiation with the new American president on bringing the war to an end.
Trump says he wants to meet Putin “as soon as possible”, as Zelenskiy lobbies Davos for support
US President Donald Trump said that he wants to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin "as soon as possible" to broker an end to the war in Ukraine, speaking to delegates at the World Economic Forum in Davos by video link on January 23.
Human rights groups urge Zelenskiy to protect North Korean soldiers captured in Ukraine
Human rights organisations advocating for North Korean citizens have called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to refrain from repatriating two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting for Russia.
Indian energy supply unaffected by US sanctions on Russia
India’s energy security remains steady despite new US sanctions targeting Russia.
Trump sets 100-day deadline for Ukraine peace, Zelenskiy seeks US guarantees
US President Donald Trump has tasked his special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, with ending the war in Ukraine within 100 days.
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Russia arrests Colombian fighter in occupied Kursk as mercenary crackdown widens
A Colombian citizen has been detained near the village of Alexandria in Russia's Kursk region on charges of terrorism and mercenary activity, as both Moscow and Kyiv grapple with the growing presence of foreign fighters in their ranks.
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Putin faces mounting economic challenges amid pressure for Ukraine peace talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin is under increasing pressure to address Russia’s deepening economic woes as US President Donald Trump intensifies calls for a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine.
Sanctions have created opportunities for Chinese tech companies in Russia
Chinese IT companies are rapidly expanding their footprint in Russia, capitalising on new opportunities created by the ongoing war and extreme Western sanctions that have banned tech exports to Russia.
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Trump issues anti-wind executive order
President Donald Trump quickly issued an unexpectedly sweeping executive order that prevents federal government involvement in permitting of all offshore and onshore wind projects, including on private onshore land.
Trump warns Putin of severe economic measures without swift Ukraine peace deal
US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin, threatening severe economic measures unless a peace agreement is reached to end the conflict in Ukraine.
Lukashenko mulls building a second nuclear power plant
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko is mulling the idea of building a second nuclear power plant (NPP) to improve the country’s energy security and earn more money from exports to Russia.
India on the brink of a new oil shock
India is facing the very real threat of an oil shock as new US sanctions targeting Russian crude come into force.
Trump withdraws US from Paris Agreement
President Donald Trump wasted no time withdrawing the US from the Paris Agreement merely hours after being sworn-in on January 20.
Putin and Xi reaffirm partnership just hours after Trump’s inauguration
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping publicly reaffirmed their nations’ “no limits” partnership during a phone call on January 20, shortly after Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president of the US.
Russia and Armenia seek to ease strained relations
Foreign ministers meet in Moscow after Yerevan announced plans to join EU and signed strategic partnership with the US.