Trump Urges Europe to Join Iran War, Threatens NATO
Trump has sent a blunt message to European nations to join his war effort in Iran and help open up the Strait of Hormuz. “If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response I think it will be very bad for the future of Nato,” he tells @EdwardGLuce. https://t.co/rBdYvvgcH4
Trump's Waning Focus Stalls US Ukraine Peace Push
NEW: The US-led peace process in Ukraine is fizzling out because Trump is losing interest and his war against Iran is easing pressure on Russia. “A pause has indeed appeared in the talks. The Americans have other priorities,” Kremlin spox...
Moscow's Mobile Blackouts Revert Digital City to Stone Age
“This is pushing a thriving city that prided itself on its digital sophistication back into the Stone Age.” @NastyaStognei on Moscow’s mobile blackouts, which have shut down almost all traffic as Russia seeks to control the internet: https://t.co/n8DhjD4Z27
Trump Pushes Russia Into Deeper Dependence on China
“Trump’s choices are pushing Russia into unprecedented vassalage to China. Energy trade in renminbi, sanctions and China’s industrial dominance will leave the Kremlin with few options but to crawl even further into Beijing’s pocket,” writes @AlexGabuev https://t.co/ZQonXr6p8v
Russia Rakes Up $150 Million Daily From Oil Surge
NEW: Russia is earning up to $150mn a day in extra budget revenues from oil sales amid price rises thanks to the US-Iran war. Moscow has so far earned $1.3bn-$1.9bn from taxes on oil exports and could receive $3.3bn-$4.9bn in total...
Kremlin Fuels Disinformation to Boost Orbán’s Re‑election Bid
New: The Kremlin has launched a disinformation campaign aimed at helping Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán get re-elected next month, by flooding social media with messages designed in Russia and posted by influential Hungarians. https://t.co/cDo1GbMXd3
Putin Urges Russia to Capitalize on Soaring Oil Prices
Putin says Russia should take advantage of the sky-high oil prices after US-Israeli attacks on Iran. Russia should redirect supplies to Europe elsewhere, he adds. “If we shift our focus right now to the markets that need more supplies, we might...
Russia Provides Iran with US Asset Locations for Strikes
Russia has shared targeting intelligence with Iran, including locations of American military assets in the Middle East, as Tehran unleashes a barrage of drone and missile strikes against the US and its allies. https://t.co/Gga81FiCQh
US Temporarily Relaxes Russian Oil Sanctions for India
The US is temporarily easing sanctions on Russian oil sales to India to address supply shortages and reduce the impact of the surge in prices in the wake of US and Israeli attacks on Iran. The decision to ease sanctions...
Pentagon, Gulf Nations Seek Ukrainian Interceptors Against Iranian Drones
The Pentagon and at least one Gulf government are in talks to buy Ukrainian-made interceptors to fend off attacks by Iranian drones, @charles_clover and @ChristopherJM report https://t.co/hV2ixGhKjx
EU Seeks Pipeline Inspection as Kyiv Downplays Russian Attack
Ukraine is under pressure to let the EU inspect a damaged pipeline carrying Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, as the pro-Kremlin countries accuse Kyiv of overstating the impact of a Russian attack. https://t.co/FChmxjyqus
Kremlin Says Putin‑Zelensky Meeting Would Be Futile
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov pours cold water over Steve Witkoff's recent claim that Putin and Zelensky could meet in the next three weeks. "What's the point of a top-level meeting if [Ukraine] keeps its current position?" he says. https://t.co/zSzov17j0i
UK Adds
Nearly 300 entities linked to Russian energy and military production have been added to the UK’s sanctions lists, including a network of oil traders whose vast reach was identified by the FT as the result of an IT blunder. https://t.co/Bky4oWVd2S
Russia Probes Telegram Founder for Alleged Terrorist Support
Russia has opened an investigation into Telegram founder Pavel Durov for “abetting terrorist activities”, in the latest sign that his uneasy relationship with the Kremlin has broken down. https://t.co/HYthGGeVJG
US Can only Sustain 4‑5 Days of Intense Iran Strikes
"Israeli intelligence has concluded that even with the imminent arrival of the USS Gerald R Ford later this week, the US has military capacity to sustain just a four to five day intense aerial assault on Iran, or a week...
Iran Secures €500M Russian Air‑Defense Deal
NEW: Iran agreed a secret €500mn arms deal with Russia in December to acquire 500 man-portable “Verba” launch units and 2,500 “9M336” missiles over 3 years. It’s Iran’s most significant effort to rebuild air defences after last year’s war with Israel....
Russian Casualties Surge, Slowing Ukraine Offensive Pace
Russia’s army in Ukraine has suffered a sharp rise in men killed or missing in action. That will make it harder for Russian forces to sustain gruelling offensive operations, which in some areas have ground to a pace slower than...