Eastern Europe / News
Critical delay hits Russia’s building of Turkey’s first nuclear plant as $7bn fails to show up
Moscow believed to be seeking financial concessions from Ankara.
Washington receives Ukraine draft of conditions for ceasefire deal with Russia
The United States has received a draft proposal for implementing the ceasefire from Ukraine and is now waiting for the Russian version, US Special Representative for Ukraine, during remarks reported by Vedomosti on May 27.
Slovak PM Fico slams German Merz for his comments on EU taking action against Hungary and Slovakia
Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico slammed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for stating that Germany could propose EU block the EU funding for Hungary and Slovakia if the two countries diverge from EU policies.
Serbia extends Russian gas supply deal until end-September
The temporary extension announced just days before agreement was due to expire as Belgrade and Moscow negotiate a new long-term energy deal.
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Panama tightens ship registry rules to combat Russian sanctions-evading fleet
Panama has moved to impose stricter rules on ship-to-ship (STS) oil transfers in response to growing international scrutiny over its role in facilitating sanctions evasion.
EU allies drop all restrictions on types of weapons available to Ukraine
Great Britain, France, Germany and the United States have lifted restrictions on the types of weapons that can be supplied to Ukraine, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced on May 26.
Putin has gone "CRAZY," Trump says, as Russia rains down missiles on Ukrainian cities
Russian President Vladimir Putin has gone “crazy”, US President Donald Trump said at the weekend, after two days of intense missile and drone attacks on Ukraine.
Hungary's Viktor Orban escalates anti-Ukrainian rhetoric, citing threat of economic and security collapse
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has escalated his campaign against Ukraine's accession to the EU over the past weeks, warning that it would divert vast amounts of funds away from existing members and imperil Hungary's security and economy.
Czechia gets nuclear fuel delivery from Westinghouse as it moves away from Russian supplies
Prague is pushing to replace the Russian state agency Rosatom and its TVEL arm, on which Czech nuclear power plants relied for years.
Russia runs down Ukraine’s air defences with a “weekend of hell” drone and missile strikes across the country
Russia has been running down Ukraine’s air defences with a “weekend of hell” with one of the most intense drone and missile barrages since the war began three years ago that struck Kyiv and other major cities.
Kyiv hit by massive Russian airstrike hours after prisoner swap
Kyiv was struck by a large-scale Russian missile and drone attack early on May 23, just hours after Ukraine and Russia conducted their first prisoner exchange in nearly five months.
Brazil dismantles Russian 'spy factory' in major counterintelligence operation, NYT reports
Brazilian federal agents have exposed a sophisticated Russian intelligence operation that used the South American country as an "assembly line for deep-cover operatives."
Putin orders creation of buffer zone along Ukrainian border
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a buffer zone to be set up along the border with Ukraine on May 22.
Intense Ukrainian drone attacks drive civilian flights out of southern Russian skies
Ukraine has launched some of its biggest ever drone attacks on Russia, which caused disruptions to civil aviation across the country on May 22.
The EU prepares a Plan B to sidestep Hungary's veto of Ukraine's accession bid
Brussels is preparing Plan B to side step Hungary’s veto of Ukraine’ accession to the EU, European Pravda reported on May 21. The initial legal steps have already been taken, though they remain undisclosed, according to multiple EU sources.
Turkmen labour migrants turning elsewhere as Turkey is less welcoming
Uzbekistan and Belarus new, hot destinations.
Russian authorities release Green Admire tanker after seizure near an Estonian port
The Liberian-flagged tanker Green Admire, detained by Russian authorities on May 18 after departing the Estonian port of Sillamae, has been released and is now en route to its original destination, Rotterdam.
Military tensions rising as France deploys naval ship in the Baltic Sea for first time to monitor Russian shadow tankers
For the first time, the French Navy has deployed the 101-meter-long intelligence ship Dupuy de Lôme to the Baltic Sea to monitor Russia’s shadow fleet of oil tankers.
US-sanctioned ex-Ukrainian MP shot dead near Madrid
Andriy Portnov, a former Ukrainian lawmaker sanctioned by the United States and a senior aide to ex-President Viktor Yanukovych, was shot dead outside Madrid, a Spanish police source told Agence France-Presse on May 15.
EU approves seventeenth sanctions package
The European Union approved the seventeenth package of sanctions against Russia on May 20, further tightening restrictions in response to Moscow’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire.