Russia

Vladimir Shklyarov: A Ballet Icon Gone Too Soon

A true icon of the Russian artistic scene, Vladimir Shklyarov had, over the course of a brilliant and intense career, established himself as one of the most talented and charismatic dancers of his generation. Appointed "Principal Dancer" of the Mariinsky in 2011, he dazzled audiences in iconic lead roles such as The Nutcracker and Giselle, ...

New European and British Sanctions on Iran Over Support for Russia

Iran's foreign ministry Tuesday slammed as unjustified the new sanctions by the European Union and Britain against Tehran over its support for Russia's war on Ukraine. "While the president of Ukraine has admitted that no Iranian ballistic missiles have been exported to Russia, the measures of the European Union and United Kingdom in ...

Russian Delegation Meets Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met with Russia's natural resources minister in Pyongyang, state media said Tuesday, as visiting delegations from Moscow highlighted deepening ties amid the Ukraine war. Kim met Monday with Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology Alexander Kozlov, who is leading a delegation focused on ...

Russia Vetoes Sudan Ceasefire Resolution at UN

Russia on Monday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate end to hostilities in Sudan, where a war between two rival generals has been raging since April 2023. A draft of the resolution prepared by Britain and Sierra Leone, which was seen by AFP, had called on both sides to "immediately cease hostilities" and begin talks ...

Kremlin Accuses Biden of 'Fuelling' War as Ukraine Strikes Odesa

The Kremlin accused US President Joe Biden on Monday of escalating the war in Ukraine by allowing Kyiv to use long-range missiles supplied by Washington to strike targets inside Russia. The comments came as Moscow unleashed a second missile attack in as many days on the UNESCO-protected Ukrainian city of Odesa on the Black Sea that left 10 dead ...

Zelensky Aims for Diplomatic End to War in 2025 as Trump's Return Nears

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday that Kyiv would like to end the war with Russia next year through “diplomatic means” as both countries prepare for Donald Trump's return to the White House. February 2025 would mark the third anniversary of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, with Russia's troops gaining ...

Scholz Urges Ukraine Talks in First Call with Putin Since 2022

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to engage in peace talks with Ukraine, in the first call between the two leaders in almost two years. In the call, Scholz "condemned Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and called on President Putin to end it and withdraw troops", the chancellor's spokesman ...

Saad Hariri Meets Russian FM, Calls for Ceasefire in Lebanon

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri held a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Abu Dhabi on Friday, during which he stressed the urgent need to end the brutal Israeli aggression on Lebanon, which targets civilians, as well as humanitarian and health institutions. “There is an urgent necessity for an immediate ceasefire and the ...

Blinken in Emergency Brussels Trip on Ukraine After Trump Win

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed Tuesday on an emergency trip to Brussels to discuss how to support Ukraine with European allies in the race before Donald Trump takes the White House. The top US diplomat under outgoing President Joe Biden will meet Wednesday "with his NATO and European Union counterparts to discuss support for Ukraine ...

Iran, Russia Link Bank Card Systems in Latest Move to Overcome Sanctions

Iranian bank cards can now be used in Russia, state television reported, as the two countries linked their banking systems in the latest bid to counteract sanctions. Iranian banks have been excluded since 2018 from the SWIFT international financial messaging service, which governs the vast majority of transactions worldwide. The move is part of ...

Lebanon Balancing on The Edge of Truce and War

Caught in the crossfire between Israel and Iran—through its proxies Hamas and Hezbollah—Lebanon is plunging deeper into uncertainty. Under the looming threat of military escalation, the country, now stripped of its ability to influence its own fate, has become the focal point of numerous international negotiations, which remain ambiguous and ...

Trump Starts Phone Calls on Ukraine War

US President-elect Donald Trump allegedly spoke to Russian leader Vladimir Putin and urged him not to escalate the war in Ukraine, The Washington Post reported Sunday. Trump supposedly held the call from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Thursday, just days after his stunning election victory over Democratic rival Kamala Harris, the report ...