Russia
Kazakhstan calls for urgent international action on rapid shallowing of Caspian Sea
Could plan to connect the Caspian and Black Seas with a tunnel or canal come to the fore?
Xi and Putin to join BRICS emergency talks on US trade measures
Brazil's President Lula rallies leaders from emerging economies for a virtual meeting to find a coordinated response to aggressive US trade measures.
Russia plans to double missile production to 2,500 a year, increases drone output to 2,700 a month
Russia plans to double its missile production to 2,500 a year and can already produce 2,700 drones a month, according to Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence.
The US imported $455,000 worth of Russian chicken eggs for the first time 1992 despite sanctions
The US imported $455,000 worth of Russian chicken eggs for the first time in decades despite sanctions, RIA Novosti reported on September 5, citing data from the US statistical service.
Putin warns that coalition of the willing peacekeepers in Ukraine are "legitimate targets"
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that if Ukraine’s European allies send peacekeepers to Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Russia (AFR) will consider them to be “legitimate military targets,” in comments at the Eastern Economic Forum.
US to draw back from Asia in new defence policy concept
The United States is scaling back its strategic focus on Asia, marking a potential end to over a decade of military and political efforts to counterbalance China’s rise in the region, Politico reports.
Half of Poles now against Ukraine joining Nato – poll
Just over half of Poles (53%) are now against Ukraine joining Nato, while only a third (33.5%) support the idea, according to to a recent poll conducted by the IBRiS institute for the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita on August 29-30.
Slovakia’s Fico meets Ukraine’s Zelenskiy and delivers a message from Putin, opening indirect talks between the two presidents
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Uzhgorod, close to the Slovak-Ukrainian border, on September 5 and delivered a message from Russian President Vladimir Putin in what could be an indirect approach.
Washington signals end to military aid for Russia’s neighbours, Baltics to feel brunt
Word of planned move comes in same week Donald Trump committed to keeping US forces in Poland.
COMMENT: Potential sanctions on Russian oil keeps price outlook uncertain
The ongoing Ukraine war ceasefire talks and the potential for new and even more extreme sanctions on Russian oil exports is keeping the outlook for the price of oil uncertain, Oxford Economics said in a note.
KYIV BLOG: Brexit on steroids
The coalition of the willing Paris summit on September 4 ended in disaster. The European team has been working really hard for several weeks to thrash out a plan to save Ukraine and came together in Paris.
Trump chews coalition of the willing leaders out over Russian oil imports
US President Donald Trump got into another shouting match over the Ukraine conflict, this time with Europe’s top leaders of the coalition of the willing, in a phone call following the end of the Paris summit on September 4.
The coalition of the willing meet in Paris to try and stop the war in Ukraine
President Zelenskiy travelled to Denmark and France on September 3 to meet with leaders from 35 countries that make up the coalition of the willing (COW) and discuss the need for strong measures to pressure Russia to negotiate an end to the war.
LONG READ: Europeans face recession, financial crises, as they struggle to boost defence spending
US President Donald Trump has dropped the burden of supplying and supporting Ukraine’s battle against Russia firmly in Europe’s lap. But cash-strapped and with the UK and France on the verge of crisis, they are going to struggle to manage.
Uzbek leader wants to expand nuclear cooperation with China
Is Tashkent putting together a backup plan in case Rosatom can’t fulfil its obligations?
Russia’s central bank releases its closely-watched annual medium-term outlook report
The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) released its Main Directions of the Single State Monetary Policy (MSMP) for 2026–2028 on September 4, warning of persistent inflationary pressures but reaffirming its commitment to a 4% inflation target for 2026.
LONG READ: Europe can’t afford the Ukraine war
US President Donald Trump has cut off all aid to Ukraine and dumped the problem in Europe’s lap. But Europe can’t afford to pay for the Ukraine war, nor for the modernisation of its own defence sector.
Putin admits problems in Azerbaijan-Russia relations
“Problems exist”, Russian president told journalists, after ties with Azerbaijan have cooled in recent months.
Nato’s Zeitenwende to reach 2% spending goal – Statista
New data released last week by Nato exemplifies how profoundly the realities of foreign relations have changed over the course of the past three years, Statista reports.