Escalating Drone Warfare and Retaliationactive

In a recent study conducted with Sciences Po Paris, we employed economic modeling to investigate a hypothetical scenario: what if the West had issued a credible threat of strong sanctions in 2021, when Russian troops began massing on Ukraine's borders?

Ukrainian forces have attacked two tankers from Russia’s so-called shadow fleet at the entrance to the Port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea. The announcement was made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the Telegram messaging app. He added that Ukraine would continue to use long-range weapons to strike targets at sea, on land and in the air. Meanwhile, in the Donetsk Oblast, an elderly woman was rescued using an unmanned ground vehicle. Gabrielle Nadler has the story.

Response teams are working at the site where debris came down, he wrote on Russia’s national messenger Max

While Roman Mongold, a Ukrainian soldier, was pinned down and surrounded by the enemy, he managed to trade voice memos with his wife thanks to a commander’s help.

The latest drone incursion came as Ukraine attacked the major Russian oil port of Primorsk on the Gulf of Finland.

Russia said Ukraine attacked Primorsk port on the Baltic Sea, a key oil export hub, causing a fire that local authorities said was quickly extinguished.

Russian drone strikes on Ukraine killed three people, while Ukrainian attacks killed one near Moscow.

Response teams are working at the site where debris fell, he wrote on Russia’s national messenger Max

Germany's defense minister said Europe needs to take more responsibility for its own security. Top Republicans warn reducing troop numbers sends the "wrong signal" to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

As many as 44 enemy drone control points, a Starlink satellite internet system, and 20 ground-based robotic systems were identified and destroyed, he specified

Moscow authorities are preparing strict measures for May 9th, the day commemorating the Soviet victory in World War II, which include cutting off access to the internet, mobile communications, SMS services, and even services on whitelists within the city limits. According to the official website of the Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service, similar restrictions are expected in Volgograd, a city in southern Russia. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that, for the first time since 2007, the parade on Red Square will be held without a column of military vehicles due to the "terrorist threat," a reference to Ukraine. The only vehicles planned are fire trucks or ambulances. The reduced format will also be implemented in Tomsk and Krasnodar. In St. Petersburg, authorities decided not to invite World War II veterans and instead opted to invite local heroes. The number of spectators in that city will be limited to a grandstand holding approximately 300 people. Regarding international participation, only four leaders have confirmed their attendance: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov, and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Last year, the list of invitees included representatives from 27 countries; this year, diplomatic attendance has been significantly reduced. In other words...

This Arctic region has seen a boom in tourism, but as tourists chase the northern lights, scammers chase their money.

The eight-year-old son of Guangzhou businessman Terry Fang recently arrived at a blunt conclusion: Chinese tech is “cool”. The boy’s impression was formed not in the classroom, or even online, but through repeated exposure to real-world industrial settings. Earlier this year, Fang took his children to a local low-altitude aviation company, where they watched electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft navigate and avoid obstacles in real time. For China’s urban middle class, hi-tech...

According to Dmitry Zykov, the country is ready to act even against its own economic interests

Athens is concerned that Ukraine wants to have a say in how naval drones, which it plans to co-produce with Greece, would be used in the event of military engagement.

Dmitry Zykov says that religious solidarity does not have a sensible effect on the public opinion on this matter

Temporary restrictions were also introduced in the Sheremetyevo Airport of Moscow

The Peruvian Public Prosecutor's Office has announced the commencement of an investigation following allegations that Peruvian citizens who traveled to Russia after being lured with job offers were, in reality, forcibly compelled to participate in fighting in Ukraine.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 01:00 p.m. Moscow time (10:00 a.m. GMT)

Where the Moscow installation is being set up, a symbolic deer representing the resistance of Kyiv appears. An appeal from anti-Putin activists. The foundation's president posts a self-congratulatory portrait.

Dmitry Zykov states that North Macedonia has supported all of the EU's restrictive measures against Russia since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine.

Police explosive experts in Kirovohrad region defused two warheads from a russian missile.

Gerard Piqué was at the center of a controversy in Spain. The former defender reacted angrily after FC Andorra, the club he owns, lost 1-0 to Albacete in the second division. The former defender had a heated exchange with the referee, Alonso de Ena Wolf, with whom he already had a strained relationship. The referee's report detailed how he was confronted by the club's majority shareholder: "You should be escorted, you might be attacked. In another country, you would be beaten up, but here in Andorra, we are a civilized country. Now, please put that in the report," the report stated. Furthermore, the report also mentioned a supposed threat from Ferrán Vilaseca, the president of Andorra: "He approached the information officer by a few centimeters, pushing him with his chest, clenching his fist and raising it with the intention of hitting him, but he was stopped by the police." In addition, Jaume Nogués, the club's sporting director, reportedly made a comment in the stadium parking lot: "I hope you have an accident." He was also accused of confronting an assistant referee, allegedly saying things like, "You are the worst linesman in the league," or "You were specifically brought here despite us writing a letter to the RFEF. You are shameless!" The Andorra club's response The Andorra club responded by denying the accusations and questioning the referee: "FC Andorra expresses its strong disagreement with the content of the referee's report for the match played..."

According to the report, the process has involved diplomats and arms dealers

The whale calf's repeated stranding off the coast of Germany sparked widespread concern and extensive media coverage.

No electricity consumption restrictions are expected in Ukraine on Sunday, May 3.

The role of Belarus in Russia's war on Ukraine has provoked sanctions from Kyiv, which says it is ready to respond.

Its story has captivated millions of people, and in Germany, it is already a celebrity. The whale, rescued thanks to a mission funded by two millionaires, was transported on a barge and released back into the open sea.

Zelenskyy said they had invited each other to meet. Slovakia's prime minister has backed Viktor Orbán's isolated line on Ukraine, though less fervently than the outgoing Hungarian leader.

A 39-year-old man has been arrested in Austria for his alleged involvement in an attempt to blackmail a German baby food manufacturer.

The humpback whale that was rescued from a shallow Baltic Sea bay off the island of Poel has been released, the private rescue initiative has announced. However, it is unclear what condition the animal is in.

Some officials maintain working contacts with the embassy and provide assistance in solving specific issues, the Russia’s new ambassador to Skopje, Dmitry Zykov noted

A rescue team on Saturday released from a barge in the North Sea a humpback whale that had been stranded in shallow waters near Germany since March, witnesses said. Nicknamed “Timmy” by German media, the whale was spotted swimming near Germany’s Baltic Sea coast on March 3, far from its natural habitat in the Atlantic Ocean. The mammal’s health deteriorated as it became repeatedly stranded in shallow waters near the coastal city of Wismar, and unsuccessful efforts to coax it towards deeper seas...

Some personnel changes within Ukraine's government structures will be approved at the Cabinet of Ministers level next week, while others will require discussion in parliament.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has said that despite differences on some topics, both he and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are interested in maintaining friendly relations between the two countries.

In the context of the recent International Workers' Day commemoration, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security of Guatemala has highlighted a harsh reality that casts a shadow over any celebration: the vast majority of the country's workforce struggles to survive in the informal sector. According to the latest official estimates from the National Employment and Income Survey (ENEIC T2-2025), of the 8.2 million people who make up the workforce, a staggering 66.2% are employed in the informal sector. This figure is not just a statistic; it reflects a systemic vulnerability that affects the quality of life for millions of families. Guatemala has a Constitution that recognizes fundamental rights such as the freedom to choose employment, fair compensation, and job security. Furthermore, the State has ratified international conventions with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to guarantee freedom of association and eradicate child labor. However, there is a deep chasm between what the law dictates and what actually happens in practice. The most revealing statistic highlighting this disconnect is that only 20.2% of the employed population has access to social security. This means that 8 out of 10 workers are unprotected against illness, workplace accidents, or old age, lacking a basic safety net for the future. Why is the rise of informality so concerning? …

Prosecutor says the first arrests were carried out after the attacks by al Qaeda-linked and separatist rebels that hit military bases.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico agreed to continue high-level contacts despite ongoing differences over Russian energy supplies.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico discussed the possibility of meeting in person in the near future.

According to Dmitry Zykov, Skopje's position on the Ukrainian crisis is dictated by the Euro-Atlantic vector of its foreign policy, which is solemnly declared at various levels in the country

Ukrainian drones have been striking oil facilities deep inside Russia in an effort to reduce Moscow’s oil exports, a key source of funding for its grinding invasion of Ukraine. So far, however, the broader economic impact remains unclear. Meanwhile, after four years of war, the Ukrainian government is still struggling to persuade young people to enlist in the military, and is now offering higher pay along with promises of phased demobilization. Liza Kaminov reports.

The Japanese refiner Taiyo Oil plans to receive the cargo through the Sakhalin-2 project in Russia’s Far East, the Mainichi newspaper reported.

The calf, nicknamed Timmy or Hope, was transported to the North Sea in rescue attempt deemed ‘inadvisable’ due to low chance of survival Rescuers have released a young humpback whale that became a national sensation after it was beached in shallow waters off the coast in Germany, although marine experts have said its chances of survival are low. The whale, variously nicknamed Timmy or Hope, was released into the North Sea off Denmark after being transported there in a water-filled barge by rescuers. Continue reading...

In Ternopil, seven people injured in the enemy attack on May 1 remain in the hospital; their condition is stable.

On February 2nd, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy revealed that Russia had launched approximately 1,600 drones in attacks over the past week, and he urged various countries to provide support in the form of air defense missiles and to increase pressure on Russia.

China Eastern Airlines apologised to passengers on Saturday after one of its aircraft struck a boarding bridge on arrival at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. The Shanghai-based airline said “a mechanical malfunction occurred” as the flight from Chengdu was taxiing slowly towards its gate and the aircraft hit the bridge. The collision was minor and all passengers on board the aircraft were safe, it said. “The flight crew immediately handled it according to established procedures,” China...

Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Brigadier General Andrii Lebedenko, stresses the necessity to reevaluate the protection of military equipment now.

He added that as of the end of October 2025, Europeans submitted 2,275 applications for temporary residence permits in Russia, and today this figure stands at about 3,400

Dianjiang, a small county tucked away in southwestern China’s Chongqing, was transformed into a bustling live music hub in April as fans flocked to a concert headlined by Mandopop stars, including Jeff Chang. Such scenes are no longer unusual. Once the preserve of megacities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, high-profile concerts are now breathing life into lesser-known venues. As China endeavours to make consumption its main growth driver and targets untapped markets, entertainment spending...

The humpback whale, stuck for weeks in shallow waters off Germany, was towed to the North Sea in a barge. The story captivated the country.

SANTA MARTA, Colombia — The vibe was good at the world’s first climate summit outside of the United Nations process. Now comes the hard part. Nearly 60 countries met along Colombia’s Caribbean coast this week to break away from what they describe as a troubled U. N. process on global warming, so they could move faster toward flipping their economies to clean energy — instead of just talking about it. They zeroed in on the basic steps of phasing out fossil fuels — surpassing in theory aspirations being pursued within the U. N. for 30 years. The test now is how to put those measures into practice without getting dragged into the same delays and divisions that have stalled global climate talks for years. “It’s hard. We will not have solved this overnight, but we need to get started on this process,” said Stientje van Veldhoven, the Netherlands’ minister for climate and green growth. The six-day summit, co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, highlighted for many what can happen when a group of willing countries come together to share experiences and seek ways forward, without the influence of the world’s largest emitters and disruptors, such as the U. S., Saudi Arabia and China. The U. S. wasn’t invited. “In the time allotted, we haven’t got down into the nitty-gritty,” said Rachel Kyte, the United Kingdom’s climate envoy, adding that “we desperately need this space.” “It is how do we all help each other do something that’s never been done before?” Kyte told POLITICO’s E&E News. There are risks that the process could plod along or fail to deliver on the promise of making energy sources cleaner. That aim has been top of mind here as the war in Iran sent oil prices to a four-year high as the conference wrapped up. But to many of the government officials, academics, scientists and activists here, this summit was already deemed a success because it avoided the pitfalls of a U. N. process in which a small group of energy-rich nations can derail efforts to slow fossil fuel use. Now, these nations will need to be specific about their next steps — and who will be involved, said Jules Kortenhorst, co-chair of the Energy Transitions Commission, a coalition focused on supporting the shift to cleaner energy. That means identifying real world tools that can be used by countries and development banks to finance clean energy, he said. ‘A long-term thing’ For two days during the summit, government officials, civil society organizations and climate advocates huddled behind closed doors to share their experiences about grappling with the energy transition — even though not every country referred to it that way. The 57 nations represented at the summit included coal-dependent countries like Colombia, fossil fuel importers such as the Philippines and oil producers like Nigeria. All were here because they agreed that a shift to clean energy is needed. But how it happens could differ dramatically in each place, energy experts said. Magnus Onuoha, a consultant for Nigeria’s ministry of regional development, said the country needs to build an alternative source of revenue as it works to shift its entire economy away from oil and gas. “We’re not going to phase out, we’re phasing down. It’s a long-term thing,” he said. “In phasing down, you need to plan very well,” Onuoha added. “We need to also have a lot of changes in terms of regulations … diversification into other sectors like climate smart agriculture, clean energy, solid minerals and green industry.” Like Nigeria, the revenues from Ghana’s oil and gas reserves go toward supporting major infrastructure and public services. That makes it hard to reduce the revenue from those resources, even if countries see the necessity. “We know the impact of the climate crisis, and we do know that it is fossil fuel that is causing it,” said Cecil Dzelu, technical director at Ghana’s state climate ministry. “On the flip side of that, we are also a [producing] country of fossil fuels.” Some officials said they were encouraged by Nigeria and Ghana’s willingness to contemplate an energy transition, even though it’s difficult. “We also have to take into account that people depend for their livelihoods or for their ability to go to work on these kinds of revenues related to fossil fuels, and that is why it is a transition,” said Veldhoven, the minister from the Netherlands. “Because if it fails for people, ultimately it will fail for the world.” Challenges of our time The lift ahead is big, in part because it involves an economic overhaul — not just a switch from one form of energy to another. Colombia and the Netherlands say it will take time for countries to make wholesale changes. They’re encouraging them to develop road maps for their transitions. Another summit is being planned next year in the tiny, Pacific island nation of Tuvalu. They also want to expand the reach of the summit’s coalition and connect it back to the U. N. process and other climate forums. That could be a challenge if the two blocs are on different paths. While the war in Iran has pushed some countries to think about accelerating the shift to clean energy, others are leaning more on coal or considering more drilling. Other countries, particularly small island nations, said the discussions in Santa Marta must be heard on a bigger stage — including the U. N. global climate talks known as COP. “There’s this gorge of silence on a topic that is at the root of this problem,” Tina Stege, climate envoy for the Marshall Islands, told reporters. “All of the practical, concrete, real, meaningful discussions we’re having here on how to address that silence, that has to be visible, inform, impact, shape what we’re doing at the COP.” While the U. S. wasn’t invited because of its commitment to fossil fuel expansion, China also didn’t attend the summit, despite being the dominant producer of clean energy technologies. Whether these breakaway summits can be successful without involving the world’s largest-emitting countries is a decision for the future. For now, the organizers say a victory was grasped by gathering dozens of nations that are willing to act faster on climate change. “When they look back at us from the future, not only will they remember the conversations and the speeches,” Colombia’s environment minister, Irene Vélez Torres, said in her closing remarks. “They will remember that we were there and working on the challenges of our time.”

Over the past week, Russia has deployed approximately 1,600 attack drones, nearly 1,100 guided bombs, and three missiles against Ukraine.

As a Mast of Fraternity and Memory is unveiled in Nantes, calls are growing for Macron to announce a framework for discussions. In the French port city of Nantes, once France’s largest departure point for ships that trafficked enslaved Africans across the Atlantic, a new wooden mast rises 18 metres into the sky from the waterside. The Mast of Fraternity and Memory, inaugurated this month, marks a turning point in France’s complicated relationship with the legacy of its history of enslavement – just as the French president, Emmanuel Macron, comes under pressure to make key announcements on a process of reparatory justice.

After weeks of drama, the stranded humpback whale is back in his natural habitat — but still not out of harm's way.

The current regime, despite earlier promises to complete the investigation into the Odessa tragedy and punish those responsible, is clearly not capable of delivering justice today, she said.

During the early hours of May 2nd, Russian forces attacked the port infrastructure of the city of Izmail, in the Odesa region, according to a statement from the Izmail Regional State Administration on social media. "The enemy has once again attacked the port infrastructure of the city of Izmail," the authorities stated. The local administration highlighted the work of the air defense forces, which managed to shoot down most of the enemy drones. "The air defense forces worked with great effectiveness: most of the enemy drones were shot down. There was virtually no destruction," they specified. In Kharkiv, the Ukrainian State Emergency Service reported that six people, including a minor, were injured after a drone struck a private property in the village of Vasyshcheve. "A fire broke out, affecting an area of 300 square meters. The garage contained two rooms. The explosions also damaged the buildings of neighboring houses," detailed the body responsible for civil protection, firefighters, rescue operations, and disaster management in the country invaded by Russia. They added: "A community rescue officer and firefighters from the local command participated in the firefighting efforts." The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Moscow launched 163 drones during the night, of which approximately one hundred were of the "Shahed" model, and several impacts were...

A warehouse was damaged in a nighttime enemy attack on port infrastructure in the Odesa region.

The tragedy at the Odessa House of Trade Unions occurred on May 2, 2014, reported Russian Foreign Ministry press secretary Maria Zakharova

According to him, this approach indicates US intention to "withdraw itself" and avoid direct involvement in the conflict

As of today, 24 companies from various regions of Ukraine, including Kharkiv, Odesa, Kyiv, Poltava, and Zakarpattia regions, have joined the private air defense project.

Europe must finally grasp the opportunity to develop the single currency as a reserve asset

Peru's public prosecutor says many of their citizens are victims of deception, lured by ⁠the promise of jobs.

In Romania, residents of Tulcea County received a RO-ALERT air raid alert following a Russian drone attack on the Odesa region.

Onsemi's expanded collaboration with NIO to support the automaker's move to 900V electric vehicle platforms could accelerate global EV adoption by improving range, charging speed, and drivetrain efficiency, influencing vehicle performance and manufacturing scalability for new models introduced worldwide, including those scheduled to debut at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show.

Andrey Belousov emphasized that the escalation of the Ukrainian crisis continues, while most European countries refuse to abandon an extremely hostile anti-Russian course and continue to use provocative rhetoric

Power engineers and emergency services are working at the scene

Deferred shipments could include those used in Ukraine’s defence against Russia

The Gender Equality Prosecutor's Office of the Eastern region has secured its first conviction for the crime of "femicide suicide." "This ruling establishes a significant precedent in the criminal prosecution of gender-based violence in our country," the agency emphasized. The events that led to this conviction occurred in the municipality of La Florida on March 8th, within a context of prior incidents of gender-based violence. This Thursday, April 30th, the 14th Guarantee Court sentenced the defendant in the case to four years of effective imprisonment, with no possibility of alternative sentencing. Through the agency's social media channels, they explained that the crime of "femicide suicide" "punishes those who cause the death of a woman through her suicide, when that suicide is a consequence of prior acts of violence perpetrated against her." This crime was defined in 2022, as part of the implementation of the Antonia Law. Three years later, the Prosecutor's Office of Atacama achieved the first conviction in Chile for the crime of "femicide suicide."

Since the beginning of the day, 114 combat engagements have taken place between Ukrainian forces and Russian troops.

Some local residents say the lockdown was initiated as a precaution after a threat was allegedly made against the school.

WASHINGTON, May 1 (Yonhap) -- U. S. President Donald Trump said Friday that his a...

On Thursday, April 30, at 23:00 local time (Astana), the Baikonur Cosmodrome witnessed the first test launch of the Soyuz-5/Sunkar vehicle. The rocket lifted off from Site 45 as part of flight development tests, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of AI and Digital Development.

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced reforms to boost morale and address military complaints about exhaustion and uneven workloads on the frontline.

Following his participation in the interview process conducted by President Bernardo Arévalo for the candidates for the position of Attorney General, the Minister of the Interior, Marco Antonio Villeda, emphasized that one of the key objectives of the selection process for the next Attorney General of Guatemala is to ensure effective coordination between the Ministry of the Interior and the Public Prosecutor's Office. The senior official stressed that overcoming the historical distance between the two institutions is crucial for addressing the security challenges facing the country. According to statements provided to the Guatemalan News Agency (AGN), President Bernardo Arévalo has prioritized this collaboration and personally oversaw the interviews of the candidates for the position for the 2026-2030 term. The election is significant due to its impact on criminal prosecution and the consolidation of justice, the results of which will directly affect national security. The interview phase for the six candidates concluded on Thursday, April 30th, after three days during which the President was accompanied by the Secretary General of the Presidency, Juan Gerardo Garnica, and by Villeda himself, according to AGN. During these hearings, the candidates presented their proposals and priorities on issues such as organized crime, strategic criminal prosecution, and strengthening the justice system. Villeda told the agency that the Executive branch is…

WASHINGTON, May 1 (Yonhap) -- U. S. President Donald Trump said Friday that his a...

President Donald Trump has largely turned his attention away from the ongoing war in Ukraine — and Europe has stopped waiting for him to refocus. Nearly two months into the Iran war, Trump’s preoccupation with the Middle East has turned Ukraine into an afterthought inside the West Wing, and an organizing principle across the Atlantic. “Things seem to be stuck and need new momentum,” said a European official who, like others interviewed for this report, was granted anonymity to speak candidly. But the last 24 hours confirmed that this is increasingly wishful thinking — that Trump, at this moment, is more interested in castigating and perhaps even punishing European powers than in working together. On Wednesday, Trump lashed out at Germany’s chancellor on social media, shocked the Pentagon by threatening to reduce America’s troop presence in three European countries and held a lengthy call with Russian President Vladimir Putin in which they agreed to a short ceasefire without conferring with Ukraine. In another moment, any one of those would have triggered crisis meetings throughout European capitals. But few in Europe feel like the sky is falling — because, in many ways, it’s already fallen, and other leaders have already started to adapt, including through the possible formation of a European Defence Union. “While the president and his team are working towards a deal that will ensure Iran can never have a nuclear weapon, they also continue to make progress to end the war between Russia and Ukraine,” Olivia Wales, a White House spokesperson, said in a statement. “The president remains optimistic that there will ultimately be a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia to end the senseless killing.” But the volume has clearly been turned down on Ukraine in the West Wing. Prior to Trump’s phone call with Putin, a senior White House official said they couldn’t recall the last time they heard anyone talking about the Russia-Ukraine conflict. “Iran has definitely become the primary focus,” said the senior official, who was granted anonymity to discuss topics they weren’t authorized to discuss publicly. The president’s top two envoys involved in dialogue with Russia and Ukraine, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, “are working mostly on Iran,” the official continued, although they acknowledged that some communication with their Russian and Ukrainian counterparts has continued to take place. For the Europeans, Trump’s diverted attention and pointed broadsides have given them newfound clarity about the urgent imperative of more autonomy and independence from Washington. At the same time, the war in Iran has boosted Ukraine’s confidence, making its own advancing military capabilities abundantly clear to allies in Europe and beyond. “It’s all adding up,” said a second European official. “The impact of the war in Iran and the current blockage of the Strait of Hormuz is huge and negative for Ukraine and Europe. If anything, it has strengthened European resolve to stand by Ukraine.” While the Iran war and ensuing energy supply crisis have been a boon to Putin, Ukraine has opened up a new revenue stream by inking deals with European and Gulf allies desperate for its drone defense technology. “Countries have started realizing that they need Ukraine as much as they need us,” the European official said. “Both their combat experience and their technology.” The European Union, which is looking to fast-track Ukraine’s membership in some form, finally approved its €90 billion loan for Ukraine following the defeat of former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who’d been blocking it. And European weapons producers are scrambling to increase manufacturing capacity amid growing questions about whether the U. S. will deliver the weapons purchased by NATO for use in Ukraine under the PURL initiative now that the Iran war has reduced its stockpiles. “The U. S. had assured us that weapons already paid for under PURL would be delivered,” said a third European official. “But I have doubts regarding further packages given U. S. needs.” Even Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who courted Trump’s support assiduously for the last year, appears to be moving away from convincing the U. S. to stay involved, and instead strategizing how to operate without it. He’s been more circumspect about future U. S. involvement and is now looking to Turkey to host the next round of negotiations with Russia. In Ukraine, faith in future U. S. support has fallen fast. According to a new national poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, only 40 percent of the country believe the U. S. will provide the necessary support, down 17 points from the January survey. And the number of people who say they trust potential future security guarantees from the U. S. has decreased from 39 percent to 27 percent over the same period. Zelenskyy this week ripped Vice President JD Vance for saying earlier this month that halting U. S. defense aid for Ukraine and making Europeans pay for it is “one of the things I’m proudest [of].” “If JD Vance is proud that he’s not helping us, it means that he is helping Russians, and I’m not sure that it’s strengthening the United States,” Zelenskyy said in an interview with Newsmax. “Russia is the enemy. They will always be enemies with the United States.” Richard Haass, the longtime president of the Council on Foreign Relations, agreed, writing Thursday on Substack that “the U. S. policy of tilting toward Russia and abandoning Ukraine is a ‘shanda,’ something shameful. It is also a strategic error of the first order.” For much of Trump’s first year back in office, European leaders looked to mollify Trump with flattery, swallowed higher tariffs and committed to increased defense spending. All of it was viewed as a price worth paying to keep the president from turning on Ukraine, cutting off intelligence sharing or weapons purchases and seeking a new bilateral economic agreement with Moscow. But the differences between the Trump administration and European allies are starting to look irreconcilable. Trump has pivoted from threatening earlier this year to seize Greenland from Denmark to lashing out at and even wanting to punish specific NATO allies over their refusal to join the war in Iran — a war that has pushed the Ukraine war and the broader, existential matter of European security, to the back burner at the White House. There have been other signals that the administration’s attention is shifting beyond Ukraine. The acting U. S. ambassador to Ukraine, Julie Davis, announced she will depart her post in the coming weeks over reported differences with the president. And Republicans this week pressured Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a closed-door briefing and publicly about why the Pentagon had yet to release the $400 million in Ukraine aid that Congress had appropriated months ago (Hegseth announced Wednesday that the money was finally being released). Former Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky blasted the Trump administration in an Op-Ed for the Washington Post, questioning not only the holdup of the modest amount of funding. “Hesitating to give Ukraine what it needs weakens its capacity to defend against aggression and hampers the prospects of diplomacy,” wrote McConnell, who also asked why officials haven’t yet traveled to Ukraine to observe its advancements in battlefield technologies. “If we’re serious about “drone dominance,” we shouldn’t sandbag a relationship with the world’s foremost drone experts.” Across Europe, longtime allies are thinking about new coalitions. EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius this week renewed his pitch for non-EU countries like the United Kingdom, Norway and Ukraine to join a new European Defence Union to better integrate defense capabilities outside of the EU itself, which he said would amount to “a strong security guarantee for Ukraine after a just peace will be established.” And the 27 EU member states preparing to meet with 20 other neighboring countries in Armenia under the auspices of the European Political Community have, for the first time, invited a non-European leader to take part — not the president of the United States but Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose cri de coeur from Davos about the need to accept the new geopolitical reality may have hastened a broader continental effort to reduce dependencies on — and vulnerabilities to — Washington. Trump’s prioritizing of Iran over Ukraine, is “leading Europeans to prepare more urgently for collective security outside of the United States’ Article V commitment,” Ian Bremmer, the president of the Eurasia Group, said. Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in an interview last week, called for “a strong European [defense] pillar” in light of the new reality. “Since childhood, I have admired the United States. I saw the United States as a natural leader of the free world,” Rasmussen said during an appearance on Euro News. “It’s been painful to conclude that we have to reduce our dependence on the United States, but that is the state of affairs today.” But European officials acknowledge that it’s a slow process to separate after decades of dependence on the U. S. And some still believe that Trump must be a catalyst when it comes to ending the war in Ukraine. “Continued US engagement is necessary though because they have serious leverage,” the first European official said. “It would be great to see U. S. negotiators visit Kyiv. At minimum, the US should continue military and intelligence support to Ukraine. But I think Europeans could assume a greater role and bring a new dynamic to the talks, provided the Americans keep supporting Ukraine and help guarantee whatever is agreed. After all, Trump wants this war to end.” Veronika Melkozerova contributed to this report.

Incoming Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar defended his decision to pick his brother-in-law as justice minister Friday, calling the lawyer’s professional competence “unquestionable.” Magyar stressed that Márton Melléthei-Barna is the right man for the job and announced in his monologue posted on X that the incoming minister’s wife will make “another sacrifice” and step down as judge “to avoid even the appearance of an intertwining of branches of power.” Hungary’s future justice minister is married to Magyar’s sister, Anna Ilona Melléthei-Barna, a fact that “created a serious dilemma for me as well,” the Tisza leader said, admitting that concerns over a family relationship inside the governing team are “understandable.” The incoming prime minister initially unveiled his first seven ministerial picks in April, only days after defeating Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party and ending his 16-year rule. The rest of his governing team was announced Thursday. Magyar also met with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen earlier this week as he races to unfreeze billions in EU funds blocked over rule-of-law concerns. Officials in Brussels expect Hungary to stay aligned on Ukraine and demonstrate progress on those issues to release the cash. In the video posted on X, Magyar argues that his brother-in-law has been a part of the Tisza movement from the very beginning and that his choice is objective. “I have known him for a long time. My decision was based on his preparedness, his commitment to the rule of law,” he said, adding that his decision was not “a political calculation but the primary one was: Who could represent the program of a functioning and humane Hungary in the most prepared and moral conviction, with unwavering honesty?” “Fidesz has destroyed the rule of law, legal certainty and equality before the law have ceased to exist in Hungary. To put all this right, I sought out a person capable of carrying out this enormous, historic task, and whose professional competence is beyond question.” Magyar continued. Hungary’s new government is due to take office on May 9, also celebrated as Europe Day — a commemoration of French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman’s speech to unify coal and steel resources in 1950, laying the foundation for today’s European Union.

We have selected six of the most interesting and important news stories covering Latin American relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Chile exposes smuggling ring that shipped US$917m in stolen copper to China Chinese buyers were the end destination of a five-year smuggling pipeline that drained an estimated US$917 million worth of stolen copper from Chile, authorities said in April after police dismantled the network...

King skillfully appeals to Republicans fond of Britain and Democrats anxious about rules-based order in state visit For his last trick, the king revealed a bell that hung from the conning tower of a Royal Navy submarine launched from a UK shipyard in 1944. Its name was HMS Trump. “And should you ever need to get hold of us,” Charles III said, “well, just give us a ring.” The polished brass bell bearing the name “Trump”, presented at Tuesday’s state dinner at the White House, was an ego-flattering masterstroke that will have prompted groans in foreign capitals from Paris to Canberra to Tokyo. How can they ever hope to match that? Continue reading...

Between January and April, the aggressor carried out 96 attacks on Naftogaz Group facilities, targeting resource production and transportation, thermal power generation, and gas stations.

EU regulations limit the extent to which prices can increase and specify the reasons for such increases. Here's what you need to know.

The restrictions on messaging apps and the disruption of internet service are proving costly for the Russian President, who has not only seen his approval ratings decline but has also been the subject of criticism, even from prominent influencers. This is further compounded by the changes made to the Victory Day parade.

Four workers were injured as a result of a Russian strike on a manufacturing plant in Bohodukhiv, Kharkiv region.

In France, President Emmanuel Macron attended the final phase of the “Orion 26” military exercises on Thursday, a large-scale combat simulation involving thousands of troops from France and several European nations. The drills, which began in February, highlight a growing focus on military readiness across Europe amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, as Monte Francis reports.

Vladimir Zelensky’s increasingly frequent and skeptical remarks about the EU, marked by disappointment, are undermining efforts to reach a compromise, the Financial Times reported

On the afternoon of May 1, a shopping center in Odesa sustained damage as a result of a Russian drone attack.

The Venice Biennale’s “cowardly choice” to allow Russia to participate in its 2026 exhibition “continues to harm” the organization, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said Friday in a renewed call to ban Moscow’s return to Italy’s most prestigious art exhibition. His comments follow the resignation of the entire Biennale jury over the organizers’ controversial move to allow Russia to participate for the first time since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. “The jury’s decision to resign [demonstrates] the consequences of decisions taken by leading international art platforms,” Sybiha said on X. “From the very beginning, the Biennale’s cowardly choice to admit Russia has been disgraceful. Today, we see how it continues to harm the Venice Biennale.” Earlier this week, the Italian government dispatched officials to investigate the return of Russian artists to the Venice event. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told reporters Thursday that she did not know whether the jury’s resignation was linked to the inspection, but reiterated her initial position: “The government does not share the choice made on the Russian pavilion.” The Biennale opens its doors to the public on May 9, coinciding with Moscow’s Victory Day parade, which will be drastically scaled back for the first time in 20 years. Both events, along with major sporting fixtures, illustrate Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attempt to reassert Russia’s place on the international stage using culture and soft power as diplomatic tools. “The aggressor’s culture is not neutral in the times of war and must never be utilized to serve the interests of the aggressor, to whitewash its crimes, and to spread its propaganda,” Sybiha argued. The EU has threatened to cut millions of funding for the next edition of the Venice Biennale, while both Russia and Israel have been excluded from awards at this year’s edition. The Italian government repeatedly criticized the presence of Russia, with Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli choosing to boycott the event together with several other EU countries.

An appeal lodged by NAC Breda over the status of players who chose to play for nations other than the Netherlands could bring this season's Eredivisie to a halt and force a repeat of 133 matches in the worst-case scenario.

While Viktor Orbán's government was the most outspoken and frequent obstacle to principled EU foreign policy, it was certainly not the only one. And it will not be the last, unless all EU governments recognize that the unanimity rule is incompatible with a principled and effective foreign policy, and abolish the veto power once and for all.

Officials said a fire broke out at a marine terminal, but media reports suggested the damage may also extend to the local Rosneft oil refinery.

Geopolitical tensions have once again spilled into the world of contemporary art, as the entire international jury of the Venice Biennale resigned on Thursday, just nine days before the prestigious event was set to open. The move follows controversy surrounding Russia’s participation and a decision to bar prizes for countries accused of crimes against humanity, including Russia and Israel. As a result, the announcement of winners, typically held at the opening, has been postponed until the fair’s closing in November, as Morgan Ayre reports.

Elsewhere, Slovakia under increasing EU scrutiny as tensions grow over reforms; first prisoner exchange on Polish territory since WWII frees Belarusian-Polish dissident; talks underway to choose next chief of General Staff of Czech Armed Forces.

On the night of May 1, Russian forces attacked ports on the Danube and in the greater Odesa area with drones.

Outgoing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his Fidesz party are still reeling from their election defeat earlier this month. There is much speculation about what their political future looks like.

The imminent departure of Viktor Orbán is forcing EU leaders to confront uncomfortable questions about Ukraine's accession process that the Hungarian veto had, until now, kept unanswered.

Slovak Prime Minister has previously noted that he grew up in a blue-collar familyмне