Russia
Biden says hopes to meet Putin during June trip to Europe
US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday (4 May) he would like to hold his proposed summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his June trip to Europe.
Putin on WWII Victory Day vows to ‘firmly’ defend Russian interests
President Vladimir Putin on Sunday (9 May) vowed Russia will "firmly" defend national interests and denounced the return of "Russophobia", as the country marked the 76th anniversary of victory in World War II.
G7 seeks common front on China in first talks since pandemic
The Group of Seven wealthy democracies on Tuesday (4 May) discussed how to form a common front towards an increasingly assertive China in the foreign ministers' first in-person talks in two years.
US and Britain tell China and Russia: the West is not over yet
The Group of Seven western democracies aims to court new allies to counter challenges from China and Russia without holding Beijing down and while pursuing more stable ties with the Kremlin, two of its top diplomats said.
Russian military in Armenia reinforce areas near Azeri border
Russia's military occupied two new sites in the south of Armenia near the Azeri border as an "additional security guarantee" following last year's conflict, Russian news agencies reported, citing Armenia's acting prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan.
EU summons Russian envoy over travel bans on Brussels officials
The European Union summoned Russia's ambassador to the bloc on Monday to condemn Moscow's decision to bar eight officials from entering the country, which the Kremlin said was in retaliation for sanctions imposed on Russian citizens by the EU.
The Brief – With Russia, the worst is yet to come
The tensions between Russia and the West are increasing. Unfortunately, we have reason to suspect that the worst is yet to come.
Lessons to be learned from Kremlin’s vaccine diplomacy and Vrbetice attack
It seems that Russian vaccine diplomacy is better at triggering political crises than at convincing people to get vaccinated by Sputnik V, writes Miroslava Sawiris. Miroslava Sawiris is a Research Fellow for Democracy and Resilience at the GLOBSEC Policy Institute....
Sweden summons Russian ambassador over sanctions
Sweden summoned Russia's ambassador to Stockholm on Saturday (1 May), denouncing Moscow for sanctioning European Union officials including a Swedish researcher in an escalating row between Russia and the West.
Blinken in UK as G7 foreign ministers discuss in-person Russia, China
Britain this week hosts the first face-to-face meeting of G7 foreign ministers in two years, joined by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as world powers tackle pandemic recovery plus growing tensions with Russia and China.
Moscow decries ‘unfriendly actions’ as US ends visa services for most Russians
The Kremlin accused Washington on Friday (30 April) of fuelling tension with “unfriendly actions” after the US embassy in Moscow said it was cutting staff and stopping processing visas for most Russians.
Russia bars EU officials as latest row escalates
Tensions between Russia and the European Union escalated on Friday (30 April) as Moscow barred eight EU officials from entering the country and Brussels warned it could respond in kind.
Mainstream parties block ECR resolution to force vote on Nord Stream 2
An attempt by right-wing Polish MEPs to force a plenary vote on the controversial gas pipeline between Russia and Germany was blocked for a second time by the two largest groups in the European Parliament on Thursday (29 April), Parliament...
Russia-Brazil spat erupts over Sputnik vaccine snub
Brazil's health regulator said Thursday (29 April) its decision to reject the Russian-made Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine was based on the developer's own data, after the latter threatened to sue for defamation.
EU should impose anti-corruption sanctions on Russians, MEPs say
The European Union should follow Britain's example and impose new anti-corruption sanctions on Russians suspected of fraud and graft, the European Parliament said on Thursday (29 April) in a resolution that reflected hardening attitudes to Moscow.
Navalny network disbands as gaunt Kremlin critic appears in court
Alexei Navalny's political network said Thursday (29 April) it is disbanding, as the jailed Kremlin critic appeared in court, gaunt and shaven headed, for the first time since ending his hunger strike.
Hungary eyes multiple vaccine passport deals, holds talks with China
Hungary will pursue bilateral agreements recognising COVID-19 vaccine certificates that would allow citizens to travel among participating countries, the prime minister's chief of staff said on Thursday (29 April).
EU report accuses Russia, China of sowing mistrust in Western vaccines
Russian and Chinese media are systematically seeking to sow mistrust in Western COVID-19 vaccines in their latest disinformation campaigns aimed at dividing the West, a European report said on Wednesday (29 April).
Russia expels two Lithuanian diplomats in tit-for-tat move
The Russian foreign ministry has expelled two diplomats from the Lithuanian embassy in Moscow, as well as one employee each from the embassies of Latvia and Estonia.
Russia expels seven EU diplomats over ‘solidarity’ with Czechs
Moscow on Wednesday (28 April) expelled seven European diplomats after their countries ordered Russian diplomats to leave in solidarity with the Czech Republic, which is engulfed in a diplomatic row with Russia.
Bulgaria investigates four arms depot blasts for Russian covert action
The Bulgarian prosecution announced on Wednesday (28 April) it suspects sabotage carried out by Russian intelligence as the probable reason behind four blasts in Bulgarian military depots. The blasts appear similar to the one in the Czech Republic, which recently led to a major diplomatic scandal with Russia.
Russian court slaps sweeping bans on Kremlin critic Navalny’s group
A Russian court on Tuesday (27 April) imposed sweeping bans on Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), its director said, as Russia inches toward shutting down the jailed opposition figure's movement.
Bellingcat connects the dots between Czech explosion and Bulgaria poisoning
Vladimir Putin dismissed as "absurd" Prague's accusations against Moscow after Czech authorities accused the Russian secret services of being behind a deadly arms depot blast in 2014. But the investigative website Bellingcat connected the dots back to Russia.
Orban blocks harsh V4 declaration on Russia, accepts softer version
Visegrad countries approved an official statement on Monday condemning the recently revealed Russian military intelligence activities in Czechia, after rejecting a harsher version of the statement was deemed unacceptable by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.