• Moscow: Gazprom's $3 billion payment to Ukraine’s Naftogaz is ‘a drop in the ocean’

    Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, who oversees the fuel and energy sectors, said in an interview with Russia-24 TV channel, that the Russian government considers that almost $3 billion, which the Russian gas giant Gazprom agreed to pay to Ukrainian company Naftogaz accorfing to the ruling of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, is "a drop in the ocean."

    "Neither Ukraine nor we can assume how much anyone has benefited [from the new transit agreement]. The $2.9 billion that we will pay …

  • Russia hopes for EU assistance with Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline

    Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak said that Moscow hopes that with the support of its European partners, it will be able to settle the situation around the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. Earlier, the construction of the gas pipeline was suspended due to US sanctions against contractors. "We are confident that in cooperation with European countries and the European Union, we will solve this problem and find a compromise," said Kozak on December 25, as quoted by …

  • Erdogan criticizes presence of Russian mercenaries in Libya

    During a press conference with Tunisian President Kais Saied, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed dissatisfaction with the presence of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner private military company in the territory of Libya, reports Anadolu news agency. Erdoğan also said that the Turkish army might be sent to Libya.

    It is noted that the leaders of the countries discussed the situation in Libya, where a civil war has been going on for years, and several parallel governments are …

  • Ukrainian President Zelensky signs bill prohibiting purchase of electricity from Russia

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky approved changes to the bill "on the electricity market," which prohibits the import of electricity from the Russian Federation to Ukraine, reports the press service of the Ukrainian President.

    The new law establishes a ban on the sale and supply of electricity imported from the Russian Federation based on bilateral agreements, as well as on the commercial  market.

    However, the government has the right to cancel the ban to avoid an emergency in the …

  • Belarusian President Lukashenko: Ukraine provoked war in Donbas

    Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said in an interview with the Echo of Moscow radio that Ukraine provoked the beginning of the conflict in the Donbas.

    "Ukraine framed itself to some extent. Ukraine started to strangle its Russian population through language issues and other things. They started to speak about issues that shouldn't have been raised in Ukraine! Anyway, I'm not justifying Russia now. I do not blame Ukraine. But anyway, Ukraine, provoked this clash, even though giving …