Ukraine
Russian and US officials due to meet for Ukraine peace talks in Miami
Russian and US officials are due to meet Saturday for another round of talks. Meanwhile, on Friday, President Vladimir Putin said there would be no more "special operations", Putin's words for Ukraine's full scale invasion if the West treats Moscow with respect during his annual news conference.
Russia
Putin derides ‘European swine' and claims West started war in Ukraine
Russia’s president disparaged European leaders on Wednesday, calling Ukraine’s allies “swine” who wanted “to feast on the collapse of Russia” as he blamed the West for Moscow’s war against Ukraine and threatened to continue waging his full-scale invasion.
Europe News
Europe must up pressure on Russia, ministers say after Moscow talks
US-Russia talks to end the war in Ukraine ended with no breakthrough on Tuesday – but Vladimir Putin warned that he's ready for a war with Europe. The continent's NATO members say they want to increase pressure on the Kremlin, but they can't seem to agree how.
Europe News
EU must move forward on frozen assets, ambassador to Kyiv says
EU ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová calls on the European Union to find an agreement to use the Russian frozen assets to finance Ukraine's war effort. In a strongly worded letter sent overnight, Belgian PM De Wever pushed back against the plan citing "unequivocal risks" for his country.
Europe News
Putin and Orbán to meet to discuss energy ties and war in Ukraine
The Hungarian prime minister is one of the few European leaders to have maintained ties with the Russian president, and their meeting comes at a tense diplomatic moment in the international effort to end the war in Ukraine.