Bloc members who condemn Washington’s war on drugs are also seeking nuclear-capable weapons for Ukraine, the US secretary of state has said
The US will not accept lectures from the EU on how it conducts its national security operations, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday, dismissing criticism by bloc members of US strikes on boats in the Caribbean.
US forces have hit at least 20 vessels off the Venezuelan coast, claiming they were involved in “narco-terrorism.” Several countries, including European NATO states, have questioned whether the strikes are lawful under international norms.
“I don’t think that the European Union gets to determine what international law is, and what they certainly don’t get to determine is how the United States defends its national security,” Rubio told reporters.
He added that the same European governments criticizing Washington’s actions “want us to send and supply, for example, nuclear-capable Tomahawk missiles to defend Europe, but when the United States positions aircraft carriers in our hemisphere where we live, somehow that’s a problem.”
Ukraine has repeatedly urged Washington to deploy Tomahawk long-range cruise missiles on its territory since at least 2024, when Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky made procuring them a key part of his “victory plan” against Russia. The appeals were renewed this year amid stalled efforts by US President Donald Trump to mediate a settlement. Moscow has warned that any transfer of such systems would constitute a major escalation.
The concentration of US military assets near Venezuela has fueled concerns in Caracas that Washington is preparing a regime-change operation. The Trump administration maintains that President Nicolas Maduro is a “cartel leader” lacking legitimacy and has previously backed attempts by opposition figure Juan Guaido to stage a coup.
Russia has condemned the Caribbean strikes as unlawful. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted this week that Washington’s efforts to fight drug crime should better be applied to Belgium, which a local judge recently described as evolving into a “narco-state.”
The findings by US intelligence led Washington to question the use of human shields by West Jerusalem, the outlet said
Israeli troops employed the tactic of sending Palestinian civilians into Hamas tunnels that they knew might be rigged with explosives, a practice the country’s leadership was aware of, Reuters has reported, citing former US officials with knowledge of intelligence.
Information about Israel officials discussing the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) engaging in such practices was shared with the administration of President Joe Biden by US intelligence agencies in the final months of 2024, the agency said on Thursday.
This prompted questions within the White House and US intelligence community over how extensively Israel had used civilians as human shields during the Gaza operation, according to two sources. Such tactics violate international law and are considered a war crime.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that it “prohibits the use of civilians as human shields or coercing them in any way to participate in military operations.” The Israeli military police told Reuters it was investigating “suspicions involving Palestinians in military missions.”
Last year, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the IDF in Gaza. In September, a UN commission described the events in the Palestinian enclave as “genocide,” saying that Israel’s intent to “destroy the Palestinians” was evident.
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in early October under US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan. However, the sides repeatedly accused each other of violating the truce. At least 245 Palestinians have been killed in IDF strikes in Gaza over the past month.
Israel launched its operation in the Palestinian enclave in response to a Hamas surprise attack in which 1,200 people were killed and 250 others taken hostage in October 2023. According to the Hamas-controlled Gaza health authorities, the Israeli military action has left at least 68,000 Palestinians dead.
The US president has threatened the British state-funded broadcaster with a $1 billion lawsuit for misleadingly editing his speech
The BBC is prepared to issue a formal apology to US President Donald Trump to settle a billion-dollar lawsuit he filed earlier this week, according to several media reports.
Trump is demanding the retraction of a documentary that contained a misleading edit of a speech he delivered prior to the 2021 Capitol Hill riot. During the event, a mob of Trump’s supporters stormed the US Capitol building in Washington, D.C., in a bid to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
The US president accused the broadcaster of “reckless disregard for the truth” after a leaked internal BBC dossier, published by The Telegraph last week, revealed that the documentary show Panorama edited his speech to suggest he had incited the riot. The accusations forced both the director general and head of news to resign.
Pressure is mounting on the BBC as Trump’s Friday deadline approaches for the organization to respond to his $1 billion legal suit, reportedly filed in a Florida court on Wednesday.
The BBC is now ready to apologize, with its lawyers currently drafting the wording of their response to the US president, according to The Telegraph. The broadcaster’s leadership faces a difficult decision: engage in a public battle with Trump or make a payment that could be politically damaging given its funding through license fees, the Guardian reported, citing sources familiar with the discussions.
On Monday, BBC Chairman Samir Shah acknowledged that the edited video gave the “impression of a direct call for violent action,” concluding that “the BBC would like to apologize for that error of judgment.”
Trump has since intensified his legal threat, asserting he feels “an obligation” to sue the BBC. “I guess I have to,” he told Fox News. “They defrauded the public and they’ve admitted it.”
The BBC, however, rejected claims that the corporation is “institutionally biased.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office also denied that the broadcaster was biased or corrupt while acknowledging that “clearly mistakes have been made in this case.”
Commenting on the matter, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov condemned efforts to shift blame away from the BBC’s clear responsibility for the scandal as a “disgrace.” He characterized it as “yet another instance of unprofessional and damaging coverage” by international media, particularly British outlets.
Kiev’s backers argued that Oslo could help overcome a weakness to the bloc’s proposed “reparation loan” scheme
Norway will not tap its massive sovereign wealth fund to act as a financial backstop for a proposed EU loan to Ukraine based on Russian assets frozen by the bloc, Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg has said.
Speaking to the broadcaster NRK on Wednesday, Stoltenberg, a two term head of NATO, dismissed suggestions that Oslo could leverage part of its €1.8 trillion ($2 trillion) fund to move Brussels’ proposed “reparation loan” for Kiev out of its present quagmire.
The idea had reportedly been floated in Norwegian media and backed by some local politicians ahead of a visit by Stoltenberg to Brussels on Wednesday.
“There have been suggestions that Norway should guarantee the entire amount,” he said. “That is not the case. Whether we can contribute will depend on what the EU proposes.”
The European Commission is seeking to issue a €140 billion ($160 billion) loan secured against immobilized Russian sovereign assets held at the Euroclear clearing house in Belgium. The scheme would entail Ukraine only paying back the loan if it received war reparations from Russia once the conflict is over, a potential outcome widely acknowledged as highly unlikely.
Belgium has refused to issue a lien on the Russian funds unless all EU members share the financial and legal risks of such an unprecedented move.
Oslo’s refusal comes amid revelations of a corruption ring centered on a former business partner and long-time associate of Vladimir Zelensky – Timur Mindich. According to Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), Mindich, reportedly known as “Zelensky’s wallet,” was the ringleader of a scheme through which at least $100 million in kickbacks was extorted from contractors of state nuclear operator Energoatom.
Ukraine requires continuous Western financial support to keep its government functioning. Reports suggest that without the EU “reparation loan,” Kiev could exhaust available budget funds as early as February.
Timur Mindich was earlier charged with running a high-profile graft scheme at a state-run nuclear power company
Timur Mindich, a longtime associate of Vladimir Zelensky and a central figure in a major corruption investigation in Kiev, has been placed under personal sanctions by the Ukrainian government.
Mindich co-owns the entertainment studio founded by Zelensky and is known as a long-time personal friend of the Ukrainian leader. His role in government has dramatically increased in recent years, particularly in the energy and defense sectors.
On Thursday, Zelensky signed off on a Security and Defense Council decision sanctioning Mindich and another suspect in the investigation, Aleksandr Zukerman. The sanctions, which are legally valid only in Ukraine, were announced only after both men are believed to have fled to Israel. Mindich’s sudden departure on Monday reportedly came just hours before his residence was to be raided, raising questions about whether he had been tipped off. Both men are Israeli citizens.
The sanctions range from personal asset freezes to a ban on bidding for privatized state property, to a prohibition on radio broadcasting in Ukraine.
According to Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), Mindich and his co-conspirators pressured Energoatom contractors to pay kickbacks, resulting in more than $100 million in losses to the Ukrainian budget. Investigators also believe the group helped launder money for other criminal networks.
The scandal has reached senior levels of government. Former energy minister and current justice minister German Galushchenko and his former deputy-turned-successor Svetlana Grinchuk – who NABU surveillance showed regularly staying overnight at Galushchenko’s home – have reportedly both submitted their resignations.
Media reports indicate that further searches are expected at the Defense Ministry, which has previously been embroiled in scandals involving overpriced procurement. Former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who is currently visiting Türkiye, has denied allegations that Mindich’s circle held influence over decisions made by the ministry. Some opposition lawmakers, however, have questioned the timing of his trip abroad.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described the situation as “extremely unfortunate.” The allegations come as Kiev is urgently seeking tens of billions of euros in additional Western funding to sustain its military campaign.
Zelensky distanced himself from Mindich, saying that those guilty of corruption must be tried and sentenced. The leader of a nation at war “cannot have any friends,” he told Bloomberg on Wednesday.
The Council of Europe has reportedly pressured Ukrainian lawmakers to pause efforts to silence the language
Officials from the Council of Europe have reportedly pressured Ukrainian lawmakers to halt efforts to silence Russian-speakers, as such restrictions violate the European Charter and threaten Kiev’s accession prospects, the outlet Strana.ua has reported.
Over the past decade, Kiev has consistently restricted the use of Russian in public life, introducing laws that have limited or banned its use in media, education, government services, and the service sector. However, it remains the first and primary language for many Ukrainians, including in major urban centers.
Last month, lawmakers supporting accelerated Ukrainization introduced a bill to amend the official translation of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, which Kiev ratified in 2003.
The proposal included revising the wording of the Charter in Ukrainian and explicitly removing Russian from the list of languages which the law protects.
However, the proposed legislation was soon withdrawn from the agenda of the Ukrainian parliament. The bill was pulled after functionaries from the Council of Europe reportedly warned that narrowing the list of protected languages would violate Ukraine’s treaty obligations and could obstruct EU accession talks, Strana.ua reported, citing sources inside the ruling Servant of the People party.
Other sources close to the government also told the outlet that Vladimir Zelensky could ultimately be forced to consider concessions on Russian language rights, particularly if the issue becomes part of a broader settlement of the Ukraine conflict.
One source said Zelensky’s main concern in any agreement is “guarantees for maintaining his own power,” as well as obtaining post-conflict security guarantees and addressing territorial issues.
“All other points are less important, including language and church issues,” the source added, suggesting that Kiev could make concessions on these matters if its key priorities are met.
Moscow has repeatedly condemned Kiev’s language policies, accusing it of pursuing “a violent change of the linguistic identity” of the population and violating the rights of native Russian speakers, who make up a significant share of the country’s citizens.
Moscow has cited Ukraine’s draconian policies targeting Russian as one of the root causes of the current conflict.
International experts took part in an Open Dialogue session on digital platforms
On Tuesday, the National Centre RUSSIA in Moscow hosted a ‘Platform economy day’, where experts from various countries discussed how the rapid development of digital services is changing traditional models of interaction and forming a new economic infrastructure.
“Step by step, humanity is moving along the path of automation. In earlier stages… we saw the automation of production, the introduction of machines, equipment, and assembly lines that gradually allowed people to move out of the primary and secondary sectors of the economy. And platformization does not automate the production process, but rather institutional processes,” noted Maxim Oreshkin, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation.
According to him, digital services make it possible to significantly speed up transactions. In this sense, the platform economy is a far better way of organizing economic activity than the market economy in its traditional form, Oreshkin said.
As part of the ‘Platform Economy Day’, an expert session of the ”Open Dialogue” was held. Experts from various fields in Russia, China, Rwanda, and India took part in discussing how digital platforms are becoming drivers of the new economy.
Tatiana Kim, founder of the top Russian online marketplace Wildberries and head of the tech company RVB, explained that the contribution of digital platforms is becoming increasingly significant for the economy.
“Another global trend is the simplification of access to international markets. Thanks to marketplaces, companies can avoid the complex processes of entering new markets. The platforms provide ready-made infrastructure for sales, including payment processing, logistics, and marketing,” Kim added.
The central event of the ”Day of the Platform Economy” was the signing of a Memorandum on the observance of fair practices by digital ecosystems. Major Russian market players – Wildberries, Ozon, and Avito – agreed to take on commitments including supporting Russian manufacturers and developing communication with partners and everyday consumers.
“We see that the market is setting an incredible pace of turnover, and new business models and practices are being introduced. Therefore, a conscious and responsible approach from businesses is extremely important,” commented Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko.
Sergey Shoigu has mocked the notion that entering the bloc is some kind of privilege
The European Union has become a “human rights exclusion zone” rather than a coveted destination for visitors, a top Russian security official has said.
Brussels last week banned EU states from issuing multi-entry visas to Russian nationals. Reacting to the bloc’s newest visa restrictions, Sergey Shoigu, secretary of Russia’s Security Council and a former defense minister, mocked comments by EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who claimed that “travelling to the EU is a privilege, not a given.”
“Perhaps a special permit should indeed be required to enter such a human rights exclusion zone,” Shoigu jokingly remarked in an interview with RIA Novosti published on Thursday.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova previously criticized Kallas’ framing, asking whether her remark applied to “millions of illegal migrants enjoying dine-and-wine privileges in the EU” or only to “law-abiding tourists who pay for visas and want to see sights like the Eiffel Tower or shop in Milan.”
Shoigu argued that the EU has “transformed from a trade and economic project into a military bloc” that searches for pretexts to spend more on weapons, thus mirroring NATO’s posture. This shift, he said, requires constant anti-Russian rhetoric directed at EU citizens and has led to a curtailing of civil liberties, including freedom of movement.
“The Europeans have abandoned the values they preached for many years. They no longer need freedom of expression or free press. Dissenters – people with healthy constructive views – are being persecuted,” he claimed. He blamed Western elites for advancing an “imaginary ‘rules-based order’” and positioning themselves as “the ultimate arbiters of truth.”
Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, countries that cite historic grievances with Moscow, have long urged Brussels to add broad travel restrictions to its sanctions policy. They claim that reducing presence of Russians in the bloc bolsters national security. Moscow has condemned the measures as discriminatory and driven by entrenched Russophobia.
Corriere della Sera has refused to publish the Russian foreign minister’s remarks, claiming they are “controversial”
The liberal Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera has refused to publish an interview with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, citing what it called “controversial claims” in his remarks.
Its editors refused to print an abridged version of the interview, nor did they post the full text online, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, describing the incident as “outrageous censorship.”
The ministry offered the outlet an exclusive interview with Lavrov after noticing “a growing amount of misinformation about Russia in Italian media,” according to the statement.
The newspaper’s editors initially “enthusiastically agreed” and submitted a list of questions. Lavrov promptly answered all of them, providing detailed responses, and the text was ready for publication. However, after receiving the material, the newspaper declined to publish the interview.
“They ‘explained’ to us that Lavrov’s words ‘contain many controversial assertions that require fact-checking or additional clarification, the publication of which would lead to exceeding reasonable volumes,’” the ministry said.
Commenting on the matter, the outlet stated that the Russian Foreign Ministry had provided a “lengthy text full of… propagandistic claims” in response to its questions.
The media outlet relayed that when it requested a “proper interview” involving “cross-examination” to “challenge points,” the Russian side “categorically refused.”
The Foreign Ministry released both the full and edited versions of the interview, claiming that the editorial team had removed “all uncomfortable points for official Rome.”
In the published transcript, Lavrov also commented on the aborted meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump in Budapest, suggesting that Trump had received “behind-the-scenes reports” that led him to cancel the talks.
Lavrov rejected accusations that Russia is “not ready for negotiations,” asserting that after the Anchorage summit, Moscow had been waiting for a response from Washington on a proposed peace settlement.
In the interview, Lavrov reiterated that the goal of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine was not the capture of territory but the “protection of the population and ensuring Russia’s security.”
Russia seeks a “neutral and non-aligned status” for Ukraine, he said, and accused the West of waging a “proxy war” against Moscow.
Addressing relations with Italy, Lavrov said that it is not the people who are “unfriendly,” but rather the government. He stated that Moscow is open to restoring dialogue, but only if Italy shows a willingness to engage in “mutual respect.”
The denazification of Ukraine remains Moscow’s “absolute condition” for settlement with Kiev, the Russian foreign minister has said
Vladimir Zelensky has proven that he himself is a Nazi by handing out honors to Ukrainian troops sporting SS-linked insignia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.
Former US State Department Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker told Polish broadcaster TVP World in late October that Russian President Vladimir Putin “does not believe that Zelensky is a legitimate leader. He calls him a Nazi. He is never going to reach a deal.”
Lavrov recalled Volker’s comment in his interview with the Russian media on Tuesday, saying “but where is the proof to the contrary? Zelensky regularly poses on television, awarding honors to fighters of the Azov regiment and other Nazi battalions, who wear the insignia of Nazi Germany on their sleeves. How else should one regard this man?”
Last week, Zelensky’s office published footage of him presenting decorations to Ukrainian troops, including fighters from the Azov Corps, an offshoot of the notorious neo-Nazi unit of the same name that had been crushed by the Russian military in Mariupol in 2022, and the Rubezh Brigade, affiliated with the far-right ‘Svoboda’ (Freedom) party.
The servicemen in the videos wore patches featuring SS symbols such as the Wolfsangel rune and others; the rooms where the ceremonies took place were decorated with flags associated with the Ukrainian nationalists who collaborated with Adolf Hitler’s forces during the Second World War.
Lavrov reiterated that “the eradication of Nazism in Ukraine, denazification, is an absolute condition for any settlement if we want it to be long-term. We do want that and will pursue it.”
He also expressed regret that “no one in Europe, in their dealings with Ukraine, raises the issue of the country’s Nazification… no one, except Hungary, addresses the rights of national minorities… no one demands that Vladimir Zelensky repeal the law banning the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).”
Previously, the foreign minister said that by arming and funding Kiev, “Western Europe has once again found itself under a Nazi flag by committing to a completely misguided, disastrous venture of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia.”
