Eastern Europe / News
Slovak ultranationalist leader Danko stirs rows inside Fico’s ruling coalition with talk about Nato exit
Andrej Danko's seeks to boost SNS’ faltering popularity in the radical anti-establishment electoral waters with anti-Nato rhetoric.
Russian expert warns of World War 3 following US strikes on Iran
A Russian military expert has warned that American strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities could trigger a third world war, as Tehran demanded an emergency UN Security Council session.
Belarus opposition leader Tikhanovsky freed after US-brokered pardon
Belarusian opposition figure Sergey Tikhanovsky was freed on June 21 after a pardon mediated by US envoy Keith Kellogg.
"Ukraine is ours" Putin tells deleages at SPIEF
“Ukraine is part of Russia,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his keynote address at this year’s St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) plenary session on June 20, putting the cat amongst the pigeons.
Russia warns Western 'regime change' plans for Iran will trigger refugee crisis and destroy Europe
Russian Federation Council senator Alexey Pushkov accused Western nations of plotting regime change in Iran, warning such policies would ultimately destroy the West itself.
Russian ghost ship towed from Gdynia for scrapping in Denmark
Polish authorities began the removal of the derelict Russian oil tanker Khatanga from the Port of Gdynia after years of abandonment.
Indonesia’s President Subianto guest of honour at Russia’s SPIEF investment conference
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the Constantine Palace near St Petersburg on June 19, marking the start of Subianto’s first official visit to Russia since taking office in late 2024.
Argentina dismantles Russian network linked to Wagner founder
Argentina's government has uncovered a Russian influence operation targeting the country through disinformation campaigns and political infiltration, presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni announced.
Lula-Zelensky meeting falls through again at troubled G7 summit
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva departed the G7 summit in Alberta, Canada, on June 17 without holding a planned meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, despite Kyiv’s request for bilateral talks.
Hungary to veto 'von der Leyen-Zelenskiy energy plan' over Russian import restrictions, foreign minister says
The European Commission is set to unveil a June 17 that would legally prohibit imports of Russian pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas into the European Union by the end of 2027.
Thousands of Russian tourists stranded in UAE due to regional tensions
More than 10,000 Russian tourists and business travellers have been affected by flight cancellations and delays in the UAE due to the Israel-Iran conflict, with at least 2,000 people currently stranded in the Persian Gulf country.
US resists EU and UK push to cut Russian oil price cap at G7 summit
The US is resisting calls from European governments to reduce the G7 price cap on Russian oil from $60 to $45 per barrel, frustrating efforts by the EU and UK to increase financial pressure on Moscow as leaders meet for a G7 in Canada.
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Slovak PM Fico wants EU leaders to postpone vote on new sanctions against Russia
Fico had previously criticised the plan to phase out Russian fossil fuel imports by 2027, which the EU introduced last month.
Europe’s defence needs to adapt to different US, Czech President Pavel says
Europe must be able to defend its own interests "without active American support if necessary", Petr Pavel tells the Globsec security forum.
Israeli embassies worldwide suspend operations
Israeli diplomatic missions globally have suspended operations amid the ongoing Israeli military operation against Iran which has killed nearly 80 people.
Hungarian pro-government security analyst allegedly linked to Russian intelligence
Georg Spottle, a German-Hungarian security policy commentator frequently featured in Hungarian pro-government media, has reportedly maintained contact with Russian intelligence operatives.
Ukraine’s “enemies database” adds foreign leaders over Moscow ties
A Ukrainian website that catalogues perceived "enemies of Ukraine" has added several prominent Russia-friendly foreign leaders to its database, including Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
Serbia's Vucic makes surprise visit to Ukraine
The visit risks aggravating already tense relations with Moscow, after Russian intelligence scolded Serbia for supplying weapons to Ukraine.
Zelenskiy says Orban making "historic mistake" on Ukraine war in first interview with Hungarian press
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of launching a direct attack on Hungary, after the Ukrainian leader gave his first interview to the Hungarian press since Russia's full-scale invasion began.
Ukrainian refugees fuelled Polish economy with €16bn boost in 2024
The study by consultancy Deloitte for UNHCR found that nearly 70% of working-age Ukrainians in Poland now have jobs, just shy of the 75% employment rate among locals.