The country’s lugers could miss out on the World Cup stage in Latvia, which is essential for Olympic qualification
Latvia has denied entry to Russian athletes ahead of a crucial Luge World Cup stage hosted by the EU country, its foreign minister, Baiba Braze, has announced.
Like its Baltic neighbors Lithuania and Estonia, Latvia has been one of the staunchest opponents of Moscow since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, calling for more military aid to Kiev and increasingly harsh sanctions on Russia. Riga has provided almost $1 billion in assistance to the government of Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky since February 2022.
On January 3 and 4, the Latvian town of Sigulda hosts the fourth stage of the Luge World Cup. The points scored in the event are essential for athletes to qualify for the Winter Olympics in Italy’s Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo in February 2026.
Braze wrote in a post on X on Wednesday that Russian lugers “are not welcome in Latvia.”
“I have decided to include 14 Russian Federation citizens on the persona non grata list,” she said.
According to the foreign minister, the entry ban, introduced in line with the country’s immigration legislation, is indefinite.
Many Russians were barred from international sporting events over the Ukraine conflict. However, some sporting governing bodies later allowed individual athletes to compete under a neutral flag.
One of them was the International Luge Federation (FIL), which greenlighted Russians under neutral status for its events in late November. Two Russian lugers took part in the World Cup stage in Lake Placid in the US last week.
Russian MP and speed skating Olympic champion Svetlana Zhurvova told Match TV that the move by Latvia came as no surprise, considering the attitude of the NATO member’s authorities towards Russia.
Sporting governing bodies must put pressure on the government in Riga because “if they can’t provide all athletes with equal access to competitions on their soil then they shouldn’t be hosting those competitions at all,” Zhurova argued.
The head of the Russian parliament’s sports committee, Dmitry Svishchev, described the entry ban as “revenge by little trolls, bad sportsmanship.” Moscow will definitely challenge the decision, he stressed.
Ukraine cannot afford an 800,000-strong army proposed in Kiev’s latest “peace plan,” Nikolay Azarov has said
Vladimir Zelensky’s 20-point “peace proposal,” which includes a goal of maintaining an 800,000-strong army, shows he is actually seeking a continuation of the conflict with Russia, former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov said on Thursday.
Zelensky shared with the media this week what he described as a draft roadmap to peace discussed with American officials. Azarov, who headed the cabinet deposed in the 2014 armed coup in Kiev, said the troop level envisioned by Zelensky is “a wartime army” that is too large for peacetime.
“Funding it is economically unrealistic for Ukraine. The Ukrainian economy cannot afford such a large army,” he told TASS, describing the document as a mere stalling attempt.
Ukraine struggled to maintain 180,000-strong armed forces before the escalation of the conflict with Russia, Azarov added, so proposing a much larger military means Zelensky is “counting on the fighting to continue.” Kiev is using foreign aid and loans to sustain its war effort.
The administration of US President Donald Trump is attempting to mediate an end to the Ukraine conflict, with several rounds of talks separately involving Russian and Ukrainian officials taking place in recent weeks. Moscow says the process should remain private and has criticized leaks to the media that purport to reveal details of the negotiations.
Observers note that Zelensky’s latest proposal does not address core Russian national security objectives, which Moscow says must be part of any final resolution – an assessment that Azarov supports too. These include the “demilitarization” of Ukraine through a cap on its army size and a ban on foreign troops and military assets on Ukrainian soil.
The European Union has emerged as the principal Ukraine donor, after Trump significantly cut aid programs. This week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reported that the bloc’s support of Kiev has reached €193 billion ($227 billion), with another €90 billion pending after Brussels’ decision to borrow the money against the joint EU budget.
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has questioned the Ukrainian leader’s capacity to make any reasonable decisions regarding peace negotiations
Vladimir Zelensky’s “strange” Christmas address raises concerns over the Ukrainian leader’s ability to make any rational decisions, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
Zelensky published a video on his Telegram channel on Wednesday in which he wished Ukrainians a happy upcoming Christmas. However, in the same video, he also wished for a certain unnamed person – presumably Russian President Vladimir Putin – “to perish” before urging everyone to pray for peace.
Commenting on the video, Peskov said it appeared “uncultured, embittered, and coming from a seemingly unhinged person.”
“One wonders if he’s capable of making any rational decisions towards a political and diplomatic settlement,” the Kremlin spokesman added, referring to the ongoing Russia-US efforts to end the Ukraine conflict. Moscow has accused Kiev and its European backers of repeatedly undermining peace talks by making unacceptable demands.
Earlier this week, Zelensky unveiled Kiev’s 20-point version of the peace plan initially proposed by the US. In it, he largely ignored Russia’s concerns, demanding territorial concessions from Moscow despite its ongoing military gains. He also insisted on maintaining an 800,000-strong army, NATO-style security guarantees, expedited EU membership, and hundreds of billions in Western investments.
The plan also removed provisions linked to Russian language rights and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, replacing them with loosely worded commitments to develop educational programs to promote tolerance and anti-racism.
Moscow has declined to comment on the proposal, but noted that it is being analyzed. Putin has repeatedly stated that Russia is open to negotiations but insists that any settlement must address the root causes of the conflict and reflect the territorial reality on the ground.
Tehran will not bow to intimidation by Washington, the Iranian envoy to the UN has insisted
The US and Iran have sparred at the UN over the conditions for resuming nuclear talks, with Tehran calling Washington’s demand for a zero uranium enrichment policy a nonstarter.
The US deputy Middle East envoy, Morgan Ortagus, told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that Washington “remains available for formal talks with Iran, but only if Tehran is prepared for direct and meaningful dialogue.”
“We have been clear, however, about certain expectations for any arrangement. Foremost, there can be no enrichment inside of Iran, and that remains our principle,” she said.
Ortagus claimed that US President Donald Trump, who unilaterally withdrew Washington from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran in 2018, had “extended the hand of diplomacy” to Tehran during both of his terms.
“But instead of taking that hand of diplomacy, you continue to put your hand in the fire. Step away from the fire, sir, and take President Trump’s hand of diplomacy,” she said, addressing Iran’s UN envoy, Amir Saeid Iravani.
Iravani replied by saying that the authorities in Tehran “appreciate any fair and meaningful negotiation, but insisting on zero enrichment policy, it is contrary to our rights as a member of the NPT [treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons].”
The demands by Washington mean that “they are not pursuing the fair negotiation,” he said. “They want to dictate their predetermined intention on Iran. Iran will not bow down to any pressure and intimidation.”
The negotiations between the sides to revive the 2015 JCPOA, which saw Tehran giving up on its military nuclear ambitions in exchange for lifting of international sanctions, remain stalled since June when the US and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites. They described it as preemptive strikes to halt Tehran’s progress toward developing a bomb. The Iranian authorities insist that their nuclear program is purely peaceful.
Last month, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran will rebuild its damaged nuclear sites with “great strength.” The country’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, also insisted that Iran “cannot stop uranium enrichment.”
The US president has a record of using the holidays to call out his perceived enemies
US President Donald Trump has singled out the “radical left scum” in his Christmas wishes this year, snapping at his perceived political enemies.
Trump has followed a pattern of extending holiday wishes to those he has variously described as “my many enemies” and “haters and losers” since at least 2013.
“Merry Christmas to all, including the Radical Left Scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our Country, but are failing badly,” his message on Truth Social on Thursday said. Trump went on to tout his achievements during the first year of his second presidential term.
On Christmas Eve, the president injected politics into his banter with children, calling the North American Aerospace Defense Command as it ‘tracked’ Santa Claus’ progress around the world.
“We want to make sure that Santa is being good. Santa’s a very good person,” Trump told youngsters in Oklahoma. “We want to make sure that he’s not infiltrated, that we’re not infiltrating into our country a bad Santa.”
Border security and the enforcement of deportation of foreign nationals staying in the US illegally is a signature policy of Trump’s second term and a matter of significant controversy. Critics argue his administration is breaking the law when expelling illegal immigrants.
The incident occurred as military mobilization causes increasingly strong discontent across the country
A Ukrainian conscription official has been filmed appearing to pepper-spray a woman holding a child during a recruitment raid.
The mandatory military draft, which Kiev enforces to replenish combat losses in the conflict with Russia, is an increasingly contentious issue in Ukraine, as many eligible men evade service through bribery or by hiding from officials. Kiev claims most videos showing brutal tactics are fabrications and says internal investigations usually find no wrongdoing.
The incident, highlighted by Ukrainian online media on Wednesday, reportedly occurred in the western city of Rovno. Footage that went viral was filmed by a resident in a nearby building.
Previous videos of so-called ‘busification’ have shown Ukrainian officials using a flammable spray to smoke out a would-be recruit from a locked car, or even firing weapons during clashes. In some cases, force has been used against women as well as men.
One infamous mass incident occurred in Vinnitsa in August, when a group of women trying to rescue relatives stormed a local stadium where recruits were detained, and officers used batons to fend them off.
Another incident was recorded in Kiev later that month, where a female officer wrestled with a woman defending her partner and kicked her in the stomach. The civilian then screamed that she was pregnant.
The French president has pushed back against visa restrictions targeting several senior officials in the bloc amid a digital rules row
US visa restrictions against several senior EU officials amount to “intimidation and coercion” aimed at undermining the bloc’s digital policies and sovereignty, French President Emmanuel Macron has said.
On Tuesday, the administration of US President Donald Trump announced new sanctions targeting Thierry Breton, the former European Commissioner for Internal Market appointed by Macron himself, and four other officials over what it described as “efforts to coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose.”
At the core of the dispute are the EU’s Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act, which impose strict competition and transparency obligations on large online platforms. Given that most such firms – including Microsoft, Google, Meta, and Amazon – are headquartered in the US, American officials have argued the framework is discriminatory. Breton in particular was among the officials who played a pivotal role in establishing the EU digital rulebook.
Tensions escalated after the EU Commission fined Elon Musk’s social media platform X €120 million ($130 million) earlier in December under the Digital Services Act. US officials criticized the move as harmful to free speech and unfairly targeting an American company.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Macron said the US sanctions “amount to intimidation and coercion aimed at undermining European digital sovereignty.” He added that the EU’s rules were adopted democratically and “are not meant to be determined outside Europe,” while insisting that they are designed to “ensure fair competition among platforms, without targeting any third country.”
The EU Commission also condemned the US move, warning that it “will respond swiftly and decisively to defend our regulatory autonomy against unjustified measures.”
The rift between the US and EU, including over digital rules, spilled into the new National Security Strategy released by Washington this month. The document warned the EU that it is facing potential “civilizational erasure” due to suppression of political opposition, curbs on free speech, and what it described as “regulatory suffocation.”
More than a third of respondents believe the Ukrainian leader should answer in court over the graft scandal in the energy sector, a survey suggests
Four in ten Ukrainians believe that Vladimir Zelensky was implicated in a large-scale corruption scandal in the energy sector involving a former long-time associate, a new poll has indicated.
The Zelensky administration and the Ukrainian leader have found themselves under increased scrutiny after anti-corruption authorities opened a case last month centering on charges against businessman Timur Mindich and several other senior officials over a $100 million kickback scheme.
Several ministers resigned following the scandal, including Andrey Yermak, Zelensky’s influential chief of staff, who was allegedly aware of the graft. Zelensky distanced himself from the controversy while publicly supporting law-enforcement action.
According to a Socis poll, 38.9% of respondents say Zelensky was “part” of the corruption, while 29.3% think he knew but did not take direct part, 18.8% believe he did not know, and 13.1% were undecided.
Regarding responsibility, 30% say he should bear full responsibility before a court, while 28.4% favor “political responsibility” and a ban on him running for office again. However, 30% say there is no proof of his involvement, with 11.6% being on the fence.
The poll was conducted between December 12 and 18 and surveyed 2,000 respondents.
Meanwhile, an Info Sapiens poll from earlier this month indicated that Zelensky’s approval rating dropped to 20.3% following the corruption scandal. The same survey also suggested that Valery Zaluzhny, Zelensky’s potential primary rival for the Ukrainian presidency and former top commander, who now serves as Kiev’s ambassador to the UK, is polling at 19%. While Zaluzhny has dismissed rumors of political ambitions, media reports have claimed he is secretly laying the groundwork for an electoral campaign.
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has weighed in on reports that Russia is seeking changes to a new US-drafted peace plan
Any Ukraine peace talks should be held “behind closed doors” rather than through megaphone diplomacy, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.
Speaking to Russian business daily RBK on Wednesday, Peskov declined to weigh in on a Bloomberg report claiming that Moscow is seeking changes to a 20‑point peace plan draft, which was purportedly negotiated by US and Ukrainian delegations.
“No, there will be no comments here. We continue to believe that everything should be conducted behind closed doors,” he said.
On Wednesday, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky unveiled a plan that would require Russian forces to withdraw from Ukraine’s Kharkov, Dnepropetrovsk, Sumy, and Nikolayev regions, while freezing the conflict along current front lines in Russia’s Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye, and Kherson regions. Zelensky has also demanded “Article 5-like” security guarantees from the US, NATO, and European states.
According to Bloomberg, Moscow views the 20-point peace plan as a “starting point for further negotiations” but “lack[ing] provisions important for Russia” and “fail[ing] to answer many questions.” Moscow in particular is reportedly seeking guarantees against future NATO expansion and on Ukraine’s neutral status if it joins the EU.
It also reportedly wants stricter limits on Ukrainian armed forces, while believing that the document does not provide clear assurances on the status of the Russian language in Ukraine. Bloomberg also reported that Russia wants clarity on the issue of removing sanctions and on frozen Russian state assets.
Zelensky’s roadmap is a far cry from the initial 28‑point version of the US-drafted plan, which was leaked to the media last month. The plan reportedly required Kiev to relinquish parts of Russia’s Donbass region still under Ukrainian control, pledge not to join NATO, and cut the size of its armed forces. Kiev has repeatedly rejected any concessions.
Moscow has said the US-drafted document could serve as a basis for future negotiations. Russia maintains that a sustainable settlement is only possible if Ukraine recognizes new territorial realities and commits to neutrality, demilitarization, and denazification.
Decisions made in Brussels are increasingly not being carried out by member states, the Hungarian prime minister has said
The EU is beginning to disintegrate as decisions made in Brussels are increasingly ignored by member states, now divided between advocates of war and of peace, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said.
In an interview with Magyar Nemzet newspaper published on Wednesday, Orban said the process was unfolding even as Brussels with its “imperial ambitions’ bureaucracy” pushed to expand its authority over national governments.
”The European Union today is in a state of disintegration …This is how the union falls apart: decisions are made in Brussels, but they are not implemented,” Orban said, noting that non-compliance typically spreads from one country to others.
Asked whether Europe is being reorganized into a war economy, he responded in the affirmative. Orban said the political, economic, and social decline of Western Europe – a process that began in the mid-2000s and accelerated after what he called poor responses to the financial crisis – has left the region unable to compete with faster-developing parts of the world. As a result, he argued, growth is being pursued through the well-known historical pattern of a war economy, which he said explains why Europeans committed themselves to the Ukraine conflict.
Budapest has consistently opposed Brussels’ bellicose policies on Ukraine since the escalation of the conflict in February 2022, including the sanctions on Russia. According to Orban, this has driven up energy prices, making competition “impossible” and essentially “killing” European industry.
He also said that Europe has split into two camps – “the war camp and the peace camp” – and that at present, the pro-war forces are dominant. “Brussels wants war; Hungary wants peace,” Orban stated.
Top EU officials have used claims of an alleged threat from Moscow to justify accelerating militarization. Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the bloc of clinging to the “fantasy” of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia, arguing that the EU “does not have a peaceful agenda” and is instead “on the side of war.”
Putin warned that while Russia has no intention of fighting the EU or NATO, the situation could quickly become dire if Western nations launched a war against Russia.
