The unexplained death of a top Russian oil executive on July 4 is fueling renewed scrutiny over the rising number of high-profile Russian officials and businessmen who have died under mysterious circumstances, specifically, have fallen out of windows. Andrei Badalov, vice president of Transneft, Russia's largest state-controlled pipeline transport company,
"I'm speaking to President Zelensky tomorrow in the morning, and I'm very disappointed with the conversation I had today with President Putin," U.S. President Donald Trump told journalists.
When asked if he had made any progress with Putin on the call, Trump responded: "No, I didn't make any progress with him today at all."
"We believe that the act of official recognition of the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will give impetus to the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries in various fields," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Key developments on July 3: * Putin tells Trump Russia won't back down from its war aims in Ukraine * Deputy commander of Russian Navy killed in Ukrainian strike in Kursk, Russian official confirms * Ukraine signs major drone co-production deal with US Swift Beat, Zelensky announces * Russia targets Ukrainian conscription offices to
The hour-long conversation between the two presidents focused on Russia's war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, according to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov.
Deaths in custody, media offices raided, and beaten and bloodied suspects paraded in court — relations between Russia and Azerbaijan, once considered close, have sharply deteriorated in recent days amid a series of high-profile incidents. The latest tensions erupted over the weekend when Russian law enforcement officers detained over 50 Azerbaijani
The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York sat down with Michael McFaul, an academic and former U.S. ambassador to Russia (2012–2014), to discuss the state of the Ukraine-Russia peace process following U.S. President Donald Trump’s failed effort, the threat of U.S. disengagement, and a congressional bill introducing new sanctions against Russia and its trading partners supporting its war machine.
The conversation between the two leaders took place as the Russian army continues to advance along the front line, trying to gain a foothold in Sumy Oblast and enter Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
"Peskov’s recent comments on the state of negotiations are Orwellian. Russian claims that it is the US and Ukraine stalling peace talks are unfounded," Special Envoy Keith Kellogg said on June 30.
"I had a phone call with my American counterpart, and we reserved for each other the possibility to call each other at any time and discuss issues of interest to us," the Director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergey Naryshkin said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed on June 27 that Moscow plans to cut its military expenditure beginning next year, in a rebuke of NATO members' plans to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP.
Russia is ready to hold a third round of peace talks on the war in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters on June 27, without specifying if he would directly participate in the negotiations.
"After completing discussions on humanitarian issues, Ukraine plans to move forward to the topic of a leaders' summit for substantive dialogue," Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said during a press briefing on June 26.
Despite suffering over 1 million casualties, pounding Ukrainian cities nightly with missiles and drones, and committing countless war crimes, one startling fact about Russia's full-scale invasion remains — Moscow has yet to officially declare war on Ukraine. In February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin described what he believed was going to
"We will hold the necessary contacts and, God willing, realize this meeting as soon as possible," Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
Ukraine and the Council of Europe signed a landmark agreement to establish a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression, aimed at prosecuting Russian leadership for the full-scale invasion. The signing follows more than three years of diplomatic efforts and deliberation.
More than three years into Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, many Western cultural institutions that had distanced themselves from Russian artists as a gesture of solidarity with Ukraine are now reversing course. The U.K.’s Royal Ballet and Opera House announced on June 23 that its 2025-2026 cinema
Brazil is a member of the ICC and a signatory to the Rome Statute, meaning it is obliged to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he enters the country.
In a rare public sign that all is not well in Russia, two high-ranking Moscow officials last week issued separate warnings about the state of the country's economy. Russian Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina and Economy Minister Maxim Reshetnikov both highlighted that amid the Kremlin's full-scale war against Ukraine, the
Key developments on June 24: * 'Dead and wounded everywhere' — Russian attack on Dnipro kills at least 17, injures almost 280 * Council of Europe, Ukraine to sign accord on June 25 to set up Russian aggression tribunal * Ukraine can produce 8 million drones annually but needs funding, Zelensky says at NATO
"He (Vladimir Putin) said, can I help you with Iran? I said, 'no, I don't need help with Iran. I need help with you,'" Donald Trump said.
Key developments on June 23: * 'It was impossible to look at' — Russian mass missile, drone attack on Kyiv kills at least 9, injures 33 * Ukraine strikes Atlas oil depot in Russia's Rostov Oblast, General Staff says * Ukraine returns bodies of 3 Russian soldiers repatriated as remains of Ukrainians, Interior Ministry
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has killed tens of thousands of Ukrainian civilians, and the true extent of the death toll is simply not known.
Key developments on June 21-22: * 'Ukrainian drones for the foot of every Russian soldier' — Zelensky responds to Putin's threat to conquer all of Ukraine. * 3 killed, 14 wounded as Russia strikes Ukrainian military training facility. * Russia seeks to advance along almost entire eastern front, Ukraine holding ground in Kursk Oblast,
In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur breaks down the implications the burgeoning war in the Middle East may carry for Russia’s war against Ukraine, as well as a particularly cynical act of Russian torture brought to light this month.
"We enjoy a strategic partnership and we always consult with each other and coordinate our positions," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said with reference to Russia.
The Ukrainian government has made several decisions in light of Russia's overt threats, including a diplomatic overhaul, intensified sanctions efforts, and increased funding for drone development.
The statement comes after warnings from his own officials about stagnation and looming recession.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Russia's attempts to advance in Sumy Oblast, as Moscow intensifies its maximalist rhetoric.
Key developments on June 20: * "All of Ukraine is ours" — Putin on Russia's territorial ambitions in Ukraine * Ukraine, Russia carry out 2nd prisoner swap this week under Istanbul deal * "Massive" Russian drone attacks on residential buildings in Odesa kill 1, injure 14 * Ukraine imposes new sanctions on Russian, Chinese, Belarusian
Editor's Note: This story was updated with comments from Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Russian President Vladimir Putin said "all of Ukraine" belonged to Russia in a speech on June 20 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, amid increasingly aggressive official statements about Moscow's final territorial ambitions in Ukraine. Putin's
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