Is the West Waging a Proxy War in Ukraine?
For as long as the U.S. and its Western allies have been sending military assistance to Ukraine, Moscow has accused the West of using Ukraine to fight a proxy war…
Protests, Petrol, and Passports Mark Final Day of Russian Elections
An outpouring of international protests marked the third and final day of voting in Russia’s presidential elections, as supporters of the late Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny heeded on of…
Greece Alarmed by Rising Tides of Migrants
Athens — Greece is facing increasing illegal immigration as the Gaza crisis continues. The trend has Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and senior European Union officials heading to Egypt Sunday to sign…
Russian-Belarusian Band Returns to Stage After Detention in Thailand
Warsaw, Poland — A Russian-Belarusian rock band that denounces Moscow’s Ukraine invasion returned to the stage this week, voicing defiance after being detained in Thailand in January and threatened with deportation…
Iceland Volcano Erupts Again; No Flight Disruptions
COPENHAGEN — A volcano in Iceland on Saturday erupted for the fourth time since December, the country’s meteorological office said, spewing bright orange lava into the air in sharp contrast against…
Latvia Starts Criminal Case Against EU Lawmaker Suspected of Russian Espionage
HELSINKI — Latvia’s state security service has started criminal proceedings against an European Parliament lawmaker and a citizen of the Baltic country who is suspected of cooperating with Russian intelligence and…
Germany Calls for More Aid to Gaza as Scholz Heads to Israel
BERLIN — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged Israel on Saturday to allow humanitarian aid access to Gaza on a larger scale, ahead of a two-day trip to the Middle East. Scholz…
Russian Officials Say Ukrainian Shelling Kills 2 in Border City
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian shelling of the Russian city of Belgorod, close to the border with Ukraine, killed two people, Russian officials said Saturday. A man and a woman died…
Belgorod, City Where War in Ukraine Came to Russia, Perseveres
BELGOROD, Russia — Air raid sirens wail almost daily in the southern Russian city of Belgorod, sending people rushing for cover and reminding residents the full-scale war in neighboring Ukraine is…
Navalny’s Allies Continue Fight to Undermine Putin’s Grip on Power
TALLINN, Estonia — Alexey Navalny’s team is used to working independently. The most potent foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin was frequently absent for long stretches after being arrested, assaulted, poisoned,…
China-Russia-Iran Maritime Drills Send Signal to West
tel aviv, israel — China conducted joint military drills this week with Russia and Iran in the Gulf of Oman, a critical water conduit near the entry to the Persian Gulf….
At UN, Ukraine Protests Russian Presidential Elections on Its Territory
united nations — Ukraine, joined Friday by more than 55 countries at the United Nations, condemned Russia’s attempts to organize elections on occupied Ukrainian land, saying they were not valid. “We…
Europe to Use Frozen Russian Profits to Arm Ukraine, Scholz Says
BERLIN — Ukraine’s backers will use windfall profits on frozen Russian assets to finance arms purchases for Kyiv, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said following a meeting with his French and Polish…
EU Plans More Environmental Concessions to Farmers
BRUSSELS — The European Union’s executive arm Friday proposed sacrificing even more climate and environmental measures in the bloc’s latest set of concessions to farmers apparently bent on continuing disruptive tractor…
Irish Anger Over Gaza Overshadows White House St. Patrick Celebration
White House — U.S. President Joe Biden is hosting Taoiseach of Ireland Leo Varadkar on Friday for the annual St. Patrick’s Day reception at the White House, amid calls to boycott…
Russia Denies Strategy to Spread Africa Influence After Wagner ‘Rebrand’
Russia has rebranded its Wagner paramilitary group as an “expeditionary corps” now controlled by Moscow’s military intelligence arm, and the force is offering a “regime survival package” to autocratic regimes…
Husband of American Journalist Jailed in Russia Brings Campaign to Washington
Washington — The husband and two daughters of an American journalist jailed in Russia are in Washington this week to call on the U.S. government to do more to help secure…
Putin Denies Strategy to Spread Influence in Africa After Wagner ‘Rebrand’
london — Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied he is seeking to oust Western influence in Africa, as new analysis suggests the Kremlin’s military intelligence arm has taken over activities of…
Moscow Targets VOA Reporter in Latest Round of Sanctions Against Americans
Washington — A Voice of America reporter was among more than 200 U.S. citizens sanctioned by the Russian government on Thursday. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Thursday that it…
Spanish Parliament Approves Controversial Amnesty for Catalan Separatists
Barcelona, Spain — Spain’s Parliament approved on Thursday a controversial amnesty bill aimed at forgiving crimes — both proven and alleged — committed by Catalan separatists during a chaotic attempt to…
Russian Olympic Chief: Russia Will Not Boycott Paris Games
Geneva — The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) will not boycott this year’s Paris Olympics, its president said on Thursday, despite restrictions on athletes imposed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as…