Russian losses in Ukraine are helping fuel a demographic timebomb that could see the country’s population reduced by half by the end of the century, experts have told the Kyiv Independent. “The impact on Russian society is devastating,” said Harley Balzer, emeritus professor of government and international affairs at
"I could understand their [Russia's] feelings about that," U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said during a Jan. 7 press conference.
Moscow Patriarch Kirill accused the West of "hating" Russia because it represents "an alternative path of civilizational development." He made the comments during the celebration of the Christmas Mass on Jan. 7.
In a newly released three-hour interview, U.S. podcaster Lex Fridman tried to persuade President Volodymyr Zelensky that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “a serious person who loves his country." “He loves his inner circle. It’s only a small part of the people. He doesn't love (the Russian people)
As Ukraine and Europe enter 2025 with a worsening situation on the battlefield and the incoming Trump administration hoping to quickly reach some kind of peace in Russia’s all-out war, the first months of the year look to be fundamental in deciding the outcome of the war. While much
"The blame for this disaster lies with representatives of the Russian Federation," Ilham Aliyev said on Jan. 6.
"He does not love his people. He loves only his inner circle," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in response to U.S. podcaster Lex Fridman's suggestion that Putin is a "serious person who loves his country."
Roderich Kiesewetter, defense spokesperson for Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said earlier that "there are increasing indications that Chancellor Scholz will travel to Moscow and meet Putin before Feb. 23."
"There are increasing indications that Chancellor Scholz will travel to Moscow and meet Putin before February 23," Roderich Kiesewetter, defense spokesperson for Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said on X.
"We have reason to believe that China engaged Russia and said: 'Don't go there,'" outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the Financial Times on Jan. 3.
"President (Vladimir) Putin last outlined our conditions for ending the conflict on Dec. 19. So far, nothing from the incoming U.S. administration suggests anything of interest to us," Russia's envoy to the U.N., Vasily Nebenzya, said.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin officially resigned on Dec. 31, 1999, anointing Vladimir Putin, then prime minister, as his successor. Partially due to his hardline stance against terrorism and the successful conduct of the Second Chechen War, Putin won the March 26, 2000 presidential elections. He has held on to power
Ukraine will not hold elections under martial law even if Russia puts it forward as one of the pre-conditions for negotiations, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview on Ukrainian television released on Jan. 2.
Putin told the government and state-owned Sberbank to "ensure further cooperation with the People's Republic of China in technological research and development in the field of artificial intelligence."
"Turning energy into a weapon and cynical energy blackmail of partners is what deprived Russia of its most attractive and geographically accessible market," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 1.
While most European countries remain on frosty terms with Russia since the launch of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a handful have retained varying degrees of positive diplomatic relations.
Xi emphasized that China and Russia consistently advance together on a "path of non-alliance, non-confrontation, and not targeting any third party," according to the official Chinese news agency Xinhua.
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Dec. 28 that Russian President Vladimir Putin's apology over a deadly Azerbaijan Airline crash appears to acknowledge Moscow's responsibility for the disaster.
Russia's updated anti-extremism strategy names Ukraine among the "main sources of extremism" and enshrines the concept of "Russophobia" for the first time.
The Dec. 25 Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash, likely caused by Russian air defense, shines light on a glaring issue the Kremlin has long swept under the rug. By unleashing its war against Ukraine, Russia has made its airspace a dangerous place. While Ukraine banned civilian flights over its territory hours
Zelensky said this was "the only possible meaning" of Fico's threats to cut off Ukraine's emergency power supply in the winter, given Russian attacks on power plants and the distribution network.
Speaking to Russian media, Ambassador Igor Morgulov said plans for several bilateral events were being "drawn up" but that Xi’s trip was a priority.
In 2024, Belarus, under dictator Alexander Lukashenko, continued to descend into totalitarianism, imprisoning people at will and providing full-fledged support to Russia in its brutal all-out war. Lukashenko signed a number of bilateral treaties with Russia's Vladimir Putin, helping him facilitate the major East-West prisoner swap that saw spies and
Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to sign an agreement on cooperation between Tehran and Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Jan. 17.
The return of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to political life has raised uncomfortable questions about the future, not only within the U.S. but also on the global stage. This is particularly true for countries like Ukraine, which relies on U.S. aid as it’s locked in a
The term “fascism” is increasingly used to describe the agenda and actions of the current Russian state under Russian President Vladimir Putin. Today’s use of this label has three dimensions: It is a historical analogy to interpret present events, an expression of Ukraine's lived experience, and a scholarly classification
To understand recent fears about the possible escalation of Russia’s war on Ukraine into a nuclear conflict, we must revisit its beginnings, where the groundwork for this crisis was laid. Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president and now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, articulated the wager underpinning Russia’
Moldovan President Maia Sandu begins her second term in office on Dec. 24 in unprecedented circumstances. Russian meddling in domestic affairs is widespread, and the Kremlin makes clear their position of not acknowledging Sandu as a legitimate president of her own country. Sandu also begins her term amid an energy
While some Western officials initially viewed the arrival of North Korean soldiers in Russia as evidence of the Kremlin’s desperation, U.S. agencies now reportedly believe the idea was North Korea’s initiative, quickly embraced by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Czech government’s decision to wean itself off from Russian energy ensured that "we don't have to grovel before a mass murderer," Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said on Dec. 22, referring to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s visit to Moscow.
"Whoever, and however much they try to destroy, they will face many times more destruction themselves and will regret what they are trying to do in our country," Putin said on Dec. 22.
"In a long conversation ... Putin and I exchanged views on the military situation in Ukraine, the possibilities of an early peaceful end to the war, and on mutual relations between the Slovak Republic and the Russian Federation, which I intend to standardize."
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