The talk of preparing for war with Russia contradicts the policy goals of the bloc’s leading power, the president has said

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is an intelligent politician who nonetheless promotes “nonsense” about Moscow allegedly threatening the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.

Putin made the remarks during his end-of-year Q&A session on Friday, contrasting Rutte’s current rhetoric as NATO chief and previous role as prime minister of the Netherlands between 2010 and 2024.

“He is a smart man, I know that. Smart, organized, and effective as prime minister. The Dutch economy is in good shape, for which he partially deserves credit,” Putin said.

“I sometimes want to ask him: Look, what nonsense you are spouting about war with Russia? That they are preparing for a war with Russia. Can you read? Why don’t you read the new US national security strategy, what does it say?” he added.

Putin pointed out that the recently released US document does not describe Russia as a threat to the West and explicitly states that NATO should not expand further. Given Washington’s dominant role in the alliance in terms of military power, finance, technology, and political influence, the Russian president argued that Rutte’s alarmist tone is disconnected from reality.

READ MORE: EU lawmakers approve borderless ‘military Schengen’ travel zone

“One should pay closer attention,” Putin concluded. “This applies not only to the secretary general, but to many other Western leaders as well.”

Officials in Moscow have repeatedly accused European NATO members of using Russia as a boogeyman to justify massive militarization and discourage criticisms of failing domestic policies.

The talk of preparing for war with Russia contradicts the policy goals of the bloc’s leading power, the president has said

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is an intelligent politician who nonetheless promotes “nonsense” about Moscow allegedly threatening the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.

Putin made the remarks during his end-of-year Q&A session on Friday, contrasting Rutte’s current rhetoric as NATO chief and previous role as prime minister of the Netherlands between 2010 and 2024.

“He is a smart man, I know that. Smart, organized, and effective as prime minister. The Dutch economy is in good shape, for which he partially deserves credit,” Putin said.

“I sometimes want to ask him: Look, what nonsense you are spouting about war with Russia? That they are preparing for a war with Russia. Can you read? Why don’t you read the new US national security strategy, what does it say?” he added.

Putin pointed out that the recently released US document does not describe Russia as a threat to the West and explicitly states that NATO should not expand further. Given Washington’s dominant role in the alliance in terms of military power, finance, technology, and political influence, the Russian president argued that Rutte’s alarmist tone is disconnected from reality.

READ MORE: EU lawmakers approve borderless ‘military Schengen’ travel zone

“One should pay closer attention,” Putin concluded. “This applies not only to the secretary general, but to many other Western leaders as well.”

Officials in Moscow have repeatedly accused European NATO members of using Russia as a boogeyman to justify massive militarization and discourage criticisms of failing domestic policies.

Moscow has pledged to widen arbitration proceedings over the freezing of its sovereign funds beyond Belgian-based depository Euroclear

Russia has said it will expand its lawsuit over frozen assets beyond Belgian-based depository Euroclear to include European banks that also hold the funds.

Kiev’s Western backers froze $300 billion in Russian central bank assets under Ukraine-related sanctions, around half of it held at Euroclear, but failed on Thursday to approve the use of the assets as collateral for a ‘reparations loan’ to finance Kiev’s collapsing economy and military.

Some EU members intend to raise €90 billion for Kiev through common debt, passing the cost of financing Ukraine to the taxpayers. Russia, which has condemned the freeze as “theft,” said last week it is suing Euroclear for damages caused by its “inability to manage” the assets.

As EU leaders were attempting to back the ‘reparations loan’ plan on Thursday, the Bank of Russia announced in a statement: “In view of the ongoing attempts by EU authorities to illegally seize and use the Bank of Russia’s assets… [it] will claim damages from European banks in a Russian arbitration court for the illegal blocking and use of its assets.” 

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The move is aimed at “protecting its interests,” the regulator said, noting that the claim will cover all illegally withheld assets and lost profit.

The EU earlier dismissed Moscow’s lawsuit against Euroclear as “speculative,” but some legal experts and officials warn it could damage the bloc’s financial institutions if it spreads beyond Russia, triggering lengthy cross-border litigation, reputational harm, and risks to the EU’s investment climate.

Shortly after the case was filed, Fitch Ratings put the depository on watch for a possible downgrade, citing legal and liquidity risks. Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian presidential adviser on international investment, said a downgrade could drive investors to move funds elsewhere.

READ MORE: Fitch puts Euroclear on downgrade warning over Russian assets

The first hearing in the Euroclear case at the Moscow Arbitration Court is set for January 16. The regulator has sought closed-door proceedings, but Russian media report that the claims total nearly 18.2 trillion rubles, or around $230 billion.

Moscow has pledged to widen arbitration proceedings over the freezing of its sovereign funds beyond Belgian-based depository Euroclear

Russia has said it will expand its lawsuit over frozen assets beyond Belgian-based depository Euroclear to include European banks that also hold the funds.

Kiev’s Western backers froze $300 billion in Russian central bank assets under Ukraine-related sanctions, around half of it held at Euroclear, but failed on Thursday to approve the use of the assets as collateral for a ‘reparations loan’ to finance Kiev’s collapsing economy and military.

Some EU members intend to raise €90 billion for Kiev through common debt, passing the cost of financing Ukraine to the taxpayers. Russia, which has condemned the freeze as “theft,” said last week it is suing Euroclear for damages caused by its “inability to manage” the assets.

As EU leaders were attempting to back the ‘reparations loan’ plan on Thursday, the Bank of Russia announced in a statement: “In view of the ongoing attempts by EU authorities to illegally seize and use the Bank of Russia’s assets… [it] will claim damages from European banks in a Russian arbitration court for the illegal blocking and use of its assets.” 

Read more

The move is aimed at “protecting its interests,” the regulator said, noting that the claim will cover all illegally withheld assets and lost profit.

The EU earlier dismissed Moscow’s lawsuit against Euroclear as “speculative,” but some legal experts and officials warn it could damage the bloc’s financial institutions if it spreads beyond Russia, triggering lengthy cross-border litigation, reputational harm, and risks to the EU’s investment climate.

Shortly after the case was filed, Fitch Ratings put the depository on watch for a possible downgrade, citing legal and liquidity risks. Kirill Dmitriev, the Russian presidential adviser on international investment, said a downgrade could drive investors to move funds elsewhere.

READ MORE: Fitch puts Euroclear on downgrade warning over Russian assets

The first hearing in the Euroclear case at the Moscow Arbitration Court is set for January 16. The regulator has sought closed-door proceedings, but Russian media report that the claims total nearly 18.2 trillion rubles, or around $230 billion.

The French president’s comments come after a disastrous EU summit in which the bloc failed to agree on stealing Russian assets

The EU should be open to reengaging in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as diplomacy regarding the Ukraine conflict is gaining momentum, French President Emmanuel Macron has said. The comments come after the bloc failed to agree on stealing frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Friday, Macron said some countries have already established contact with Moscow, adding that “Europeans and Ukrainians have an interest in finding the framework to reengage in that discussion properly.”

“I think it will become useful again to speak with Vladimir Putin,” Macron said, adding that without a structured framework, “we are discussing among ourselves while negotiators go alone to talk with the Russians. That’s not optimal.”

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Macron’s comments come after EU leaders failed to agree on a contentious plan to use €210 billion ($246 billion) in frozen Russian assets as part of a ‘reparations loan’ for Ukraine, which faces an estimated $160 billion fiscal shortfall over the next two years. The plan collapsed largely due to opposition from Belgium, which holds the bulk of the assets and has warned of potential legal and financial fallout.

Instead, EU leaders agreed to raise funds on capital markets to provide Ukraine with a hefty multi-year loan. The move, however, underscores a rift within the EU, as several member states secured opt-outs.

Russia has condemned Western proposals to use its frozen assets, calling them “theft,” and has warned of legal retaliation. Senior Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev welcomed the collapse of the plan, saying: “The whole world just watched you fail to bully others into breaking the law.”

Putin and Macron last spoke by phone in July – the only time since 2022 – and discussed the Ukraine conflict. One month prior, the French president advised other EU states to consider restoring dialogue with Moscow.

Russia has denounced EU militarization but said it is, in principle, ready for engagement. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested, however, that Europe’s participation in talks on the Ukraine conflict “would bode nothing good.”

The Ukrainian leader’s media stunts do not change the dire situation on the battlefield, the Russian president has said

A recent PR stunt published by Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky highlights his acting abilities rather than the realities on the battlefield, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.

Zelensky published a video address filmed beside a structure marking the entrance to the city of Kupyansk in Ukraine’s Kharkov Region, in an attempt to push back on Russian military reports that the city had been fully captured. Putin commented on the video during his year-end press conference on Friday.

“He’s an artist, a talented one, I am saying this unironically,” Putin said, referring to Zelensky’s background as a comedian.

The Russian leader noted claims circulating online that the video may have been recorded weeks earlier, based on alleged inconsistencies between the location shown and footage later filmed there by Ukrainian bloggers. Putin said he would neither confirm nor dispute the authenticity of the recording, stressing that the issue was ultimately irrelevant, as the landmark is located about a kilometer from the city itself.

“Why stay at the doorstep? Come inside the house, if Kupyansk is under their control?” Putin said.

The president added that the area around Kupyansk is currently swarmed with reconnaissance and strike drones used by both sides, making the city extremely difficult to approach.

READ MORE: Putin promises more military successes by end of year

He said Russian forces continue to hold the initiative and will keep advancing, arguing that Ukrainian troops are at a disadvantage and lack strategic reserves after costly attempts to halt Russian progress.

“This is a significant element that I hope will entice the Kiev regime to settle the differences and end this conflict through peaceful means,” Putin said.

The Ukrainian leader’s media stunts do not change the dire situation on the battlefield, the Russian president has said

A recent PR stunt published by Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky highlights his acting abilities rather than the realities on the battlefield, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.

Zelensky published a video address filmed beside a structure marking the entrance to the city of Kupyansk in Ukraine’s Kharkov Region, in an attempt to push back on Russian military reports that the city had been fully captured. Putin commented on the video during his year-end press conference on Friday.

“He’s an artist, a talented one, I am saying this unironically,” Putin said, referring to Zelensky’s background as a comedian.

The Russian leader noted claims circulating online that the video may have been recorded weeks earlier, based on alleged inconsistencies between the location shown and footage later filmed there by Ukrainian bloggers. Putin said he would neither confirm nor dispute the authenticity of the recording, stressing that the issue was ultimately irrelevant, as the landmark is located about a kilometer from the city itself.

“Why stay at the doorstep? Come inside the house, if Kupyansk is under their control?” Putin said.

The president added that the area around Kupyansk is currently swarmed with reconnaissance and strike drones used by both sides, making the city extremely difficult to approach.

READ MORE: Putin promises more military successes by end of year

He said Russian forces continue to hold the initiative and will keep advancing, arguing that Ukrainian troops are at a disadvantage and lack strategic reserves after costly attempts to halt Russian progress.

“This is a significant element that I hope will entice the Kiev regime to settle the differences and end this conflict through peaceful means,” Putin said.

The Brown University shooting suspect was linked to the program

US President Donald Trump has suspended the green card lottery program after officials said the suspect in the shootings at Brown University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology had entered the country through that system.  

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said late on Thursday that, at Trump’s direction, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services would immediately halt the Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV1) program, which allows lottery winners to become permanent US residents.  

Noem’s announcement followed a five-day manhunt for 48-year-old Portuguese national Claudio Manuel Neves-Valente, who authorities suspect killed two students and wounded nine others in a shooting at Brown University on Saturday before fatally shooting MIT professor Nuno Loureiro two days later in Brookline, Massachusetts. Officials said the suspect later took his own life and was found dead in New Hampshire with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  

“This heinous individual should never have been allowed in our country,” Noem wrote on X, referring to Valente.   

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According to a court affidavit cited by authorities, Valente initially came to the US on a student visa in 2000 and later won a green card through the Diversity Visa Lottery in 2017.  

The diversity visa program makes up to 50,000 immigrant visas available each year by lottery to people from countries with low immigration rates to the US. Winners and their spouses undergo vetting and interviews before being admitted.  

Noem said the halt is intended to “ensure no more Americans are harmed by this disastrous program,” adding that Trump had long opposed the lottery.  

The move follows broader immigration restrictions by the Trump administration in recent weeks, including tightened reviews of other legal immigration pathways after a separate shooting incident in Washington, D.C., involved a suspect who came to the US via a different immigration program.  

Trump launched a crackdown on illegal immigration after returning to the White House in January. He has ramped up immigration raids and vowed to carry out the largest deportation in US history, while prioritizing the removal of dangerous criminals.

Missouri previously won a $24 billion court ruling against the country over its alleged mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic

China has filed a lawsuit in a court in Wuhan against the US state of Missouri and several American officials, accusing them of harming China’s economic and reputational interests through litigation linked to the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to documents released by Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, the lawsuit was filed in a court in Wuhan by Chinese scientific and state institutions. Those named as defendants include the State of Missouri, Governor Mike Kehoe, US Senator Eric Schmitt, and former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey.

The complaint argues that Missouri’s legal actions and public statements constituted “vexatious litigation” and defamation, causing significant economic losses and damaging China’s sovereignty and development interests. Beijing is seeking $50.5 billion in compensation and legal costs, and is also demanding public apologies from the defendants in major US and Chinese media outlets.

The lawsuit comes as Missouri moves to enforce a $24 billion default judgment issued earlier this year by a federal court in Missouri. The state filed a lawsuit in 2020 alleging that China concealed information about Covid-19 and interfered with the global supply of personal protective equipment during the early months of the pandemic. Chinese entities did not appear in the proceedings.

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Missouri officials said they intend to pursue Chinese state-owned assets to collect the judgment. Beijing has rejected the ruling, calling it illegitimate and politically motivated, and has warned of retaliation if Chinese assets are seized.

China has denied allegations that Covid-19 originated in a laboratory in Wuhan and that it deliberately concealed information about the outbreak. The authorities maintain that the country acted transparently and responsibly and have pointed to international scientific debates that remain unresolved over the virus’ origins.

Debate over the origins of Covid-19 has continued internationally since the virus was first detected in Wuhan in 2019. Some US officials and lawmakers have said a lab incident cannot be ruled out; however, a number of scientists and international bodies say the available evidence has not conclusively determined whether the virus emerged naturally or through a lab-related event.

Moscow has the strategic advantage and is successfully pushing into Ukraine’s main fortified area in Donbass, the president has said

Russian forces are pushing back Ukrainian troops along the front line and are set to deliver new victories before the end of the year, President Vladimir Putin has said.

The Russian leader outlined the state of the fighting against Kiev during his annual Q&A session on Friday, adding that he was “certain that before the year’s end we will witness new successes of our armed forces, our fighters.”

Russian forces have fully seized the strategic initiative after ousting Ukrainian troops from Kursk Region in the spring, Putin stated. Kiev launched the incursion last year, claiming it would strengthen its position during eventual peace talks.

After liberating the city of Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk) in early December, Russia obtained a staging ground for further advances into what Putin called Kiev’s main fortified area in Donbass, encompassing urbanized lands between the cities of Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, and Konstantinovka. The latter is already being contested by Russian troops, he said.

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There is also intensive fighting for Krasny Liman and Dmitrov, as well as Gulyay Pole in Zaporozhye Region, the president added.

In the south, Russian forces have captured the city of Kupyansk and are pressuring the Ukrainian battlegroup that dug in at a large railway juncture nearby. Putin said some 3,500 Ukrainian troops there “have virtually no chances” to survive after being denied a request to retreat.

“The time will come when our guys finish their work destroying the encircled Ukrainian forces on the northern bank of the river and turn to the west. That will happen pretty soon,” Putin said.

Ukrainian attempts to hold on or reverse Russian gains “at any cost” are not successful and have simply depleted Kiev’s strategic reserves, Putin said, adding that the dire situation will hopefully push Kiev to accept a diplomatic resolution of the conflict.