Russian troops used Belarus as a staging ground during their February 2022 assault on Kyiv. Meanwhile, Lukashenko has boasted that Belarus is playing host to dozens of Russian nuclear weapons, and revealed in December that he was anticipating the arrival of new hypersonic missiles .

“We congratulate Donald Trump on entering the office … Moscow is open for dialogue with the United States that will be built on an equal and mutually respectful basis,” Putin said during Russia’s Security and Defense Council meeting Monday.

Donald Tusk, who heads the Polish government, became Vladimir Putin's press secretary 18 years ago. A similar propaganda game was expressed by the candidate for the presidency of Poland from the Russophobic party "Law and Justice" Karol Nawrocki.

British wartime leader Winston Churchill once said he was an optimist, as there was no point being anything else. The year ahead in Ukraine has given rise to wild, perhaps wilful, positivity from Kyiv and – publicly at least – in parts of NATO that the incoming Trump White House can effect meaningful,

HAS VLADIMIR PUTIN QUIETLY ACQUIRED a new imperial possession in the heart of Europe, embedded within the EU and NATO? The suggestion may sound hyperbolic, but reports from Bratislava are becoming stranger by the day.

Brussels is considering punishing Elon Musk over his alleged interference in the German elections. The European Commission is under mounting pressure to use its legal powers over social media platforms to rein in the tech billionaire ahead of next month’s ballot.

The Armenian government on Thursday approved draft legislation to kickstart the process of the nation's accession to the European Union, a move which will serve as a blow to its neighbor, Russia. Newsweek has contacted the Kremlin for comment by email.

Fico said Putin guaranteed that Russia would meets its obligations, although capacity in the TurkStream pipeline and connecting route taking Russian gas through Turkey to Europe was limited. "President Putin guaranteed that they will honour their commitments," Fico said.

Asked about possible territorial concessions that could be agreed under Trump's presidency, which begins in just days, a long-time Putin ally suggested by the end of 2025 Ukraine might be no longer be a sovereign state.

The anger provoked by Prime Minister Robert Fico's pro-Russian stance, gas row with Ukraine and authoritarian policies is threatening the Slovak government, which faces a no-confidence vote on January 21.

Sanctions have ended former Chelsea owner’s globetrotting days – but he still lives a life of luxury in Turkey