The demand was allegedly raised during the first negotiations between Syrian officials and a Kremlin delegation following Assad's ouster in December. After his overthrow by rebels, Assad fled to Moscow, where he now resides.
Russia deployed troops to Syria in 2015 to support Assad regime's brutal crackdown against anti-government forces.
In times of war, the fundamental questions of survival, morality, and identity not only dominate the discourse but also expose the fissures in global political ideologies. Amid the clamor of media narratives and entrenched partisan frameworks, a few voices manage to rise above the fray, offering incisive critiques and grappling
Russian President Vladimir Putin is starting 2025 with a bang. In a nod to U.S. President Donald Trump’s desire for a settlement in Ukraine, the Kremlin has announced its readiness for negotiations “without preconditions.” However, the devil is in the details. For Russia, “without preconditions” translates to cutting
"Today, Putin once again proved that he is afraid of negotiations, afraid of strong leaders, and is doing everything possible to drag out the war. Every step he takes, every cynical maneuver, is aimed at making this war endless," Zelensky said on Jan. 28.
Key developments on Jan. 28: * Putin claims Zelensky doesn't have a right to sign any potential peace deal * 'Pure propaganda' — Kharkiv Oblast governor denies Russian claims of capturing Dvorichna * Italian parliament extends military support for Ukraine through 2025 * SBU says it dismantled Russian spy network targeting F-16 jets * Government dismisses
"Negotiations can be held with anyone," Putin said. "But due to his illegitimacy he has no right to sign anything. If (Zelensky) wants to take part in talks, I will delegate people who will conduct such talks. But the (key) issue is the ultimate signing of the documents."
For those with a vested interest in Ukraine, U.S. President Donald Trump's first week in office was a bit of a rollercoaster. His inauguration speech on Jan. 21 made no explicit mention of Ukraine or Russia's full-scale invasion, prompting some to question if either was anywhere near a priority
Under the new legislation, draft board decisions for individuals deemed fit for service will remain valid for one year. This allows military commissions to send individuals to the army in subsequent drafts without requiring additional medical examinations or decisions.
The three-volume textbook, targeted at schoolchildren, claims Russia was "forced" to invade Ukraine in 2022, citing long-standing grievances such as NATO's eastward expansion and the 2014 ousting of Ukraine's pro-Russian president, which the textbook characterizes as a Western-backed coup.
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has reportedly secured 86.82% of the vote, according to preliminary results announced by the country’s Central Election Commission.
"Bratislava is not Moscow, Slovakia is Europe," President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X on Jan. 25, voicing support for protests against Slovakia's government.
President Volodymyr Zelensky’s warning came after Putin expressed willingness to engage in talks with Donald Trump on Jan. 24 and praised the U.S. leader.
Only days after U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House, he dialed up the heat on Russia with a threat of sanctions, tariffs, and negotiating "the hard way" if Russian President Vladimir Putin fails to come to the table for a peace deal with Ukraine. Trump has
Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters on Jan. 24 that Russia is ready for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on ending the war in Ukraine.
"(Vladimir) Putin is ready, we are waiting for signals, everyone is ready," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Jan. 24.
"I think the issue of ending the war in Ukraine must be a victory for (Donald) Trump, not for (Vladimir) Putin," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Russia's domestic economic operations have recently suffered due to labor shortages and high interest rates introduced to curb inflation.
Lex Fridman did not specify when he would visit Russia or whether he had already agreed to an interview with the Russian authorities.
Speaking at a European Defense Agency meeting on Jan. 22, EU's chief diplomat Kaja Kallas stressed that the bloc must act decisively to counter Russia's growing militarization. "We are running out of time. The Ukrainians are fighting for their freedom and ours. They are buying us time."
"It can’t be without the United States," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Bloomberg on Jan. 22. "Even if some European friends think it can be, no it can’t be. Nobody will risk without the United States."
"If a deal is not reached, I will have no other choice but to put high levels of taxes, tariffs, and sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States and other participating countries," President Donald Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social.
Donald Trump was long seen as Russian candidate of choice, in Moscow, however, reactions following inauguration are mixed.
Xi Jinping stressed that bilateral cooperation between Beijing and Moscow is gradually expanding and that joint trade is trending upward.
U.S. President Donald Trump believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin is "destroying Russia" by failing to reach a peace deal on Ukraine, Trump told reporters at the White House on Jan. 20.
President-elect Donald Trump has previously said he wants to meet with Putin "very quickly" after his inauguration.
As U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office on Jan. 20, Ukraine's fate hangs in the balance. While some potential details of Trump's future peace proposals have been leaked, the overall plan still remains unclear. Since the Nov. 5 presidential election, Trump and his team have sent
Key developments on Jan. 17: * Putin, Pezeshkian sign strategic Russia-Iran partnership agreement in Moscow * Ukraine strikes Russian S-400 radar equipment in Belgorod Oblast, military claims * Biden administration secretly funded Ukraine's drone industry, NYT reports * US assured Putin no nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Biden says * There's no evidence that Australian fighter
Iran has provided Russia with thousands of Shahed drones used in attacks against Ukrainian cities, as well as short-range ballistic missiles.
Listening to the confirmation hearings of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's various appointees in Congress this week, it's becoming clear there is no meaningful grand plan from Trump to end the war in Ukraine quickly. In fact, Trump, along with figures like Keith Kellogg, the incoming Ukraine envoy, has backtracked
For Moscow, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's visit to Russia on Jan. 17 is a diplomatic victory. The trip's centerpiece will be the finalization of a long-heralded partnership deal between Russia and Iran, signed by Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin. The agreement is the latest chapter in
Since December, North Korean troops have been taking part in active combat on Russia's side in the country's Kursk Oblast, where Ukraine has held territory since August. This unprecedented move, made against the backdrop of a deepening Moscow-Pyongyang alliance, provided some insight into how North Korean troops fare in modern
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