Eastern Europe / News
Lukashenko fears for the spuds of Belarus
A leader who has spent the summer insisting Belarus "does not need war" knows precisely which crisis his citizens would find harder to forgive: drones over the border are an abstraction for most Belarusians; empty potato shelves are not.
US strike on Iranian railway bridge hits China-Russia trade corridor near Turkmenistan
The US struck a railway bridge in Iran's Golestan province on the China-Iran-Russia rail corridor in one of the deepest US strikes inside Iran since the conflict began.
Nato's new €70bn Ukraine pledge repackages aid already promised
Nato has pledged to provide Ukraine with €70bn ($80bn) in military equipment, assistance and training this year, with a commitment to match that sum in 2027 — but little of the money is new.
UPDATE: Revolutionary Guards says it hit US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain as US strikes across Iran
Iran's IRGC says it struck four US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain, naming Arifjan, Ali al-Salem, Jufair and Sheikh Isa, in what it called a punitive response to renewed US strikes on Iran.
Trump offers Ukraine Patriot production licence in major policy about-face
After being distracted by the Iran war and cutting off Ukraine's aid, US President Donald Trump is back in the Ukraine peace game. In a major policy U-turn, the Trump administration has promised to give Kyiv a licence to make Patriots.
Air defence discussions will dominate the Ankara Nato summit
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in Turkey on July 7 for the Nato summit where he said he will discuss the supply of badly needed Patriot missiles and boosting Ukraine’s air defences.
Zelenskiy arrives at Nato summit full of confidence, but has everything to play for at a meeting with Trump
Ukraine arrived at this week's key Nato summit in Turkey determined to persuade US President Donald Trump that the momentum in the war has shifted in Kyiv's favour, despite Russian forces continuing to make slow but steady territorial gains.
Moldova appoints Economic Development Minister Osmochescu as interim PM
President Maia Sandu appointed Eugeniu Osmochescu as interim prime minister following the surprise resignation of Alexandru Munteanu.
Greek shipowners earnt $4bn from Russian oil trade sanctions busting - FT
Greek shipping companies have earned at least $3.8bn transporting Russian crude oil since mid-2023, as a leading member of Russia’s shadow fleet, the Financial Times reported on July 7.
Woman wanted over Monaco bombing of sanctioned Ukrainian tycoon found shot dead near Kyiv
Two men detained over the killing of Anastasiia Berezovska — among them a serving military intelligence officer — Ukrainian media report, deepening the mystery around the attack on Vadym Iermolaiev.
Bulgaria's PM proposes reviving Belene nuclear project with EU funds
Rumen Radev said he had proposed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Bulgaria and Ukraine jointly build the long-delayed Belene nuclear power plant using European Union funding, instead of Kyiv purchasing Russian-built reactors.
Lukashenko hails Indonesia as Belarus' key partner in Southeast Asia
Speaking after their meeting at the Merdeka Palace on July 2, Lukashenko said Indonesia would remain a key partner for Belarus in the region. He said even a single strong partner in Southeast Asia would be of significant value to Belarus.
Russian forces advance on key Donbas "Fortress Belt" cities
Russian forces have continued to make incremental gains across eastern Ukraine, moving closer to several key urban centres as Ukrainian officials and military analysts warn that the battlefield situation is deteriorating slowly.
Zelenskiy reportedly sought to dissuade former army chief Zaluzhnyi from presidential bid
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy privately asked former commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi if he intended to run in a future presidential election and urged him to avoid a potentially divisive contest, Ukrainska Pravda reported.
Russia and Ukraine exchange major long-range strikes as conflict deepens aerial campaign
Ukraine said the majority of the incoming weapons were intercepted, but several missiles and drones penetrated the country's layered air-defence network and struck targets in Kyiv.
Rwanda steps up nuclear ambitions with Russia-backed SMR cooperation agreement
Rwanda and Russia have signed a roadmap on small modular reactors and civilian nuclear cooperation as Kigali targets commissioning its first SMR in the early 2030s.
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Russia turns to Indian gasoline imports as fuel shortages deepen after refinery attacks
Russia has begun importing gasoline by sea from India to ease fuel shortages caused by repeated Ukrainian drone strikes on its refining infrastructure.
Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe growth holds firm in 2026, says wiiw
Region seen outpacing eurozone, but geopolitical risks and industrial weakness cloud outlook.
Russia's PM Medvedev to attend Khamenei funeral in Tehran
Russia's Dmitry Medvedev will attend Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's funeral in Tehran as Putin's special envoy, Iran's ambassador to Moscow says. Find out the full schedule of mourning ceremonies running from July 3 to the burial in Mashhad on July 9.
CEO of Russia’s Sberbank Gref call for ending “military action”
Sberbank chief German Gref says Russians want a swift end to military action, a rare public war comment from a senior executive. Find out what he said, and how the bank's record RUB850.2bn dividend feeds the Russian budget.