US will not return nuclear weapons to Ukraine
The United States is not considering returning to Ukraine the nuclear weapons it gave up after the Soviet Union collapsed, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday. Sullivan made his remarks when questioned about a New York Times…
Putin approves record Russian defense spending
KYIV, UKRAINE — Russian President Vladimir Putin approved budget plans, raising 2025 military spending to record levels as Moscow seeks to prevail in the war in Ukraine. Around 32.5% of the budget posted on a government website Sunday has been…
New EU chiefs visit Kyiv on first day of mandate
KYIV, UKRAINE — The EU’s new top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, and head of the European Council, Antonio Costa, arrived in Kyiv on Sunday in a symbolic show of support for Ukraine on their first day in office. “We came to…
President-elect Trump has sought Orban’s take on Ukraine war, sources say
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has held multiple phone conversations with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban since winning the November 5 presidential election, according to sources who spoke to RFE/RL’s Hungarian Service. Hungarian government sources said Trump has sought Orban’s opinion…
Ukraine says war has damaged most of its civilian airports
KYIV, UKRAINE — Fifteen of Ukraine’s civilian airports have been damaged since Russia invaded the country in February 2022, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal was quoted as saying by local media on Saturday. Ukraine, which the state aviation service says…
Ukrainian president says NATO membership can end ‘hot phase’ of war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says being admitted into NATO could end what he described as the “hot phase of the war” waged by Russia. In an interview with Sky News aired on November 29, Zelenskyy suggested that he would be…
North Korea: Russia has right to exercise self-defense against Ukraine
seoul — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has told the Russian defense minister that Ukraine’s use of long-range weapons is the result of direct military intervention by the United States and that Moscow is entitled to fight in self-defense,…
From VOA Persian: Aviation group asked to condemn Iran over downing of Ukrainian flight
The Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims on Thursday urged the International Civil Aviation Organization to formally condemn the “killing of 176 innocent passengers and crew members aboard the Ukrainian passenger plane” by the Islamic Republic of Iran. See…
Putin claims new Oreshnik missile is unstoppable, sparking doubts
Russia struck Dnipro, Ukraine, with an experimental Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missile on November 21. Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the day after that the missile could not be intercepted. The claim is likely false. Leonid Martynyuk explains. Source: voanews.com
Kremlin critic convicted again, handed new prison term for opposing war in Ukraine
TALLINN, ESTONIA — Imprisoned Kremlin critic Alexei Gorinov was convicted again on Friday for opposing Russia’s war in Ukraine and handed a three-year prison term. A swift, three-day trial against Gorinov, once a low-profile activist, underscored Moscow’s intolerance of any…