Escalating Russia-Ukraine Conflict and Falloutactive

Two people were injured in the Chernihiv region as a result of Russian strikes.

China, focused on beating the U. S., is on pace to build the first sixth-generation stealth fighters.

In the Chernihiv region, 108 explosions were recorded over the past 24 hours as a result of Russian shelling; the enemy fired on the region’s border areas 56 times.

A spokesman for the 81-year-old former New York mayor announced that Giuliani was in 'critical but stable condition.' Giuliani was widely popular for leading New York through the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but experienced a fall from grace in recent years for his allegiance to Donald Trump, which resulted in numerous criminal charges.

Rudy Giuliani was dubbed "America’s mayor" for leading New York City through the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001. But his reputation took a deep dive amid his support for Trump in recent years.

As the energy shock triggered by tensions in the Middle East spread across Africa, a massive oil refinery in Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, owned by Africa's wealthiest man, stepped in to help. Operating at its full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, the world's largest single-train refinery supplied fuel to many African countries that typically relied on imports through the Strait of Hormuz, from Senegal in the west to Mozambique in the southeast. Constructed at a cost of approximately US$20 billion,...

The Russians attacked Mykolaiv’s energy infrastructure with Shahed drones, resulting in power outages across the city.

A Russian hacker who broke into and damaged critical oil and gas infrastructure in the U. S., Ukraine and other countries pleaded guilty to charges that carry as many as 27 years in prison.

As part of its latest mission to inspect substations critical to nuclear safety, the International Atomic Energy Agency will examine 14 such facilities.

This led to a partial power outage in populated areas of the region, reported regional governor Yevhen Balitsky

Drone attacks carried out on Wednesday and Thursday targeted a major refinery in Perm, 1,500 kilometers from Ukraine. These attacks further limit Russia's crude oil processing capacity, a key sector of the Kremlin's wartime economy.

A fourth strike on an oil refinery in the city of Tuapse, Krasnodar region, Russian Federation, has been reported.

Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia’s oil infrastructure have reached their highest monthly level since December last year.

Washington may be debating policy at a high level, but the impact is anything but abstract.

Alexander Novak said he would not divulge information about a potential change in quotas

Ruslan Kutayev, a member of the Platform for Dialogue with Russian Democratic Forces at the Council of Europe, stated that he had never been contacted to assist women and LGBTQ+ people fleeing violence in Chechnya and that he had "no desire to investigate" the issue.

"It is quite a complex situation there," Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said

In Chernihiv, a Russian attack during the day on April 30 hit an administrative building, leaving three people injured.

The last time crude prices saw a major surge was at $130 a barrel on March 9, 2022, due to the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war.

Russian Shahed-type drones have started changing their behavior during attacks, in particular maneuvering when Ukrainian interceptor drones approach, likely due to the use of cameras.

Tensions between Hezbollah and Israel are escalating after a reported breach of the “yellow line,” with Israel threatening further strikes. Talks between Iran and the US remain stalled, complicating efforts to contain the situation. Meanwhile, Israel faces a growing scandal over alleged grain imports from Russia linked to Ukraine.

According to Alexander Novak, the oil industry is still in a profound crisis caused by a supply shortage due to the conflict in the Middle East

A Russian tanker hit by the Ukrainian Navy in the Black Sea on April 29 likely did not sink but lost propulsion.

Axios reported that US Central Command has prepared a plan for a wave of "short and powerful" strikes on Iran.

Hong Kong’s monetary authority has held its base interest rate steady, following the lead of the US Federal Reserve, as analysts said the inflationary impact of the US-Israel war with Iran had reduced the chances of a rate cut this year. The city’s base rate would stay at 4 per cent, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) said on Thursday, hours after the US Federal Reserve kept its target rate in the range of 3.5 to 3.75 per cent following the third meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee...

In the Mykolaiv region, five people were injured as a result of an attack by Russian Shahed-type drones.

The source said the missile’s speed is Mach 10, and air defense systems, including the American Patriot systems, cannot react in time

Russian forces attacked civilian infrastructure in the Shostka community using drones and a missile. As a result of the attack, large-scale fires broke out in residential areas, one person was killed and two others were injured.

Businesses are closing, unemployment is soaring and food is increasingly unaffordable.

New visa application questions in the US require applicants to confirm they do not fear harm upon returning home.

UK monarch’s visit to Washington comes at a fraught moment between the nations amid US-Israeli war against Iran

British monarchs deliver their political messages in code — and the reference we just heard Charles make to 9/11 is worth unpacking. “In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, when NATO invoked Article 5 for the first time … we answered the call together, as our people have done so for more than a century, shoulder to shoulder,” the king said. Make no mistake — this is a carefully targeted rebuff to Trump and his allies in Congress that, contrary to the president’s repeated claims over recent weeks, NATO wasin fact there to help in America’s hour of need. Charles will visit the 9/11 memorial in New York City tomorrow, so the attacks there almost 25 years ago are very much top of mind. The king went further still, linking that seminal moment in 2001 to the need to maintain Western unity in support of Ukraine as the war continues. “Today,” Charles said, “that same, unyielding resolve is needed for the defense of Ukraine and her most courageous people — in order to secure a truly just and lasting peace.” The king is striking a very different tone from Trump’s incessant criticisms of Ukraine and its President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom Charles has met multiple times for private talks over the past few years. This passage is a direct plea to Trump and Hill Republicans to maintain American support against the Russian invasion.

Call it the royal trump card: King Charles dispatched to Washington on a state visit at the lowest point in the Special Relationship in at least seven decades. We'll ask if catering to Donald Trump's enthusiasm for the British crown can dispel the bad blood over tariffs, the war in Iran... and repeated jibes by the U-S president to make Canada the 51st state, Canada a Commonwealth member whose head of state is the same Charles the Third invited to address Congress and feted at a state dinner.

I say Sanders's support for socialism, and frankly his softness toward communist regimes like the former Soviet Union, make him vulnerable to being a useful idiot for the cause of foreign left-wing totalitarianism.

The average cost of gas in the U. S. on Tuesday reached its highest level in four years — a result of skyrocketing energy prices triggered by the U. S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. The national average reached $4.18, a 40-percent jump since the conflict began on Feb. 28, according to data from AAA. States in the West…

Plus, a U. S. president’s unfavorable first impression of a lower-ranking Xi Jinping.

Common Iranians face job losses and shortages. But key institutions remain in place, with hardliners stronger now.

Rabbis Charley Baginsky and Josh Levy say that criticizing the Israeli government is not disloyalty but a Jewish obligation. The UK's most senior progressive rabbis have warned that Israel's current political direction risks becoming "incompatible with Jewish values," while insisting that criticism of the country's government is "a Jewish obligation" rather than an act of disloyalty. Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Levy, co-leaders of Progressive Judaism – the newly formed movement representing around a third of synagogues in the UK – said that Israel's trajectory could pose an "existential threat" not just to the country itself but to Judaism.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has updated the results of strikes carried out by Ukraine’s Defense Forces against Russian oil refineries in Tuapse and Yaroslavl.

Annette Young is pleased to welcome Laurel Rapp, Director of the US and North America Programme at Chatham House. According to Ms. Rapp, the visit of King Charles to the US, planned prior to the outbreak of the US war on Iran, now unfolds with far higher stakes in the wake of an all-out diplomatic crisis. What was once regarded as a “special relationship”, the US and the UK are being increasingly tested, and shaped, by combative rhetoric amid an unprecedented divide on key strategic issues: Trade, NATO, Greenland, Iran, Ukraine, defence budget, and a host of other points of contention.

The Ukrainian General Staff replaced the commanders of the 14th Separate Mechanized Brigade and the 10th Army Corps following reports of severe supply failures.

The basis of such a dialogue should be common sense, not ideology, Alexey Likhachev noted

The ZNPP pledged full support and assistance to the driver’s bereaved family

Alexey Likhachev stressed that the cost of constructing a nuclear power plant is not a political slogan but the result of professional calculations, engineering solutions, safety requirements, localization, logistics, and a whole range of mandatory procedures

The high efficiency of drone crews in destroying equipment, manpower, and strongholds ensures the continuous advance of Russian assault units in the Dobropolye direction

The ZNPP called the incident an irreparable loss and a great shock

Ivo Daalder, a former U. S. ambassador to NATO, is a senior fellow at Harvard University’s Belfer Center and host of the weekly podcast “World Review with Ivo Daalder.” He writes POLITICO’s From Across the Pond column. Can NATO be saved? I’ve been asked this question with increasing frequency since U. S. President Donald Trump began repeatedly denigrating the alliance, and then threatening to withdraw from it altogether. My answer? Yes. But not the same NATO we’ve come to know over the last 77 years. To survive the onslaught of U. S. criticism, a very different alliance will need to emerge — and soon. Some of the U. S. president’s hostility was to be expected. Trump has been disparaging U. S. security alliances for decades, dating all the way back to his famous Playboy interview in 1990, when he called on allies to pay the U. S. for the security it was providing. As a real-estate mogul, Trump felt the burden of having allies outweighed the benefits, and that has remained his view as president. In 2017, he entered the White House declaring NATO “obsolete.” More recently, he’s called it a “paper tiger,” “useless,” and with NATO allies now refusing to join his attack on Iran — and some even denying the U. S. military access to their airspace and bases — the president has gone even further. For Trump, the Iran war was a test for NATO, and it failed. “We will remember,” he said, insisting that “we’ll come to their rescue but they will never come to ours.” And when asked whether he would consider withdrawing from the alliance earlier this month, he said it was “beyond reconsideration.” Still, commentators assume Trump cannot make good on this threat without congressional authorization. Indeed, a 2023 law co-sponsored by then-Senator and current Secretary of State Marco Rubio prohibits the president from withdrawing from NATO without winning a two-thirds vote in the Senate or a law passed by Congress. Neither is likely to happen. However, the constitutionality of that law is questionable. Presidents have withdrawn from treaties before — including George W. Bush from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002 and Trump himself from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019. And if Congress sued the president were he to withdraw from NATO, it’s highly unlikely the Supreme Court would rule against him in the exercise of his executive authority. Plus, even without a formal withdrawal, there are many actions Trump can take to undermine NATO from within. For one, his many negative statements — including false accusations that NATO allies would never come to America’s defense, when all of them did so at great cost and sacrifice after 9/11 — already call his commitment to collective defense into question. In addition, he could order to reduce troops and capabilities deployed in Europe, remove the U. S. military from the NATO command structure — including the highest post, which a U. S. officer has occupied ever since Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower first took command in 1950 — and refuse to participate in NATO deliberations, which would effectively halt any and all decisions that require allied consensus. As for Article 5, which declares that allies shall regard an armed attack against one of them “as an armed attack against all,” that same article also makes clear that it is up to each ally “to take such action as it deems necessary.” Simply sending helmets or night-vision goggles fits within that literal definition. U. S. President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office after signing an executive order on April 18, 2026. | Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images In other words, there are many ways to erode NATO — or at least U. S. commitment to collective defense. That is the reality staring America’s allies in the face. They’ve tried to help Trump understand why NATO matters — not only for them but for the U. S. too. They’ve tried through flattery, increased spending, frequent calls and visits… None of it has worked. That means allies now have a clear set of choices: First, they can try to wait out Trump in the hopes that the next president will reassert U. S. leadership of and commitment to NATO. It worked during his first term, but it’s unclear if it would work again. Something fundamental has been broken, and European trust in America is part of that. The second option is opting for self-reliance and creating a truly European defense and deterrence posture outside of NATO to ensure strategic independence from the U. S. But that would be a fool’s errand. No existing or new purely European structure will have the operational, logistical or institutional know-how to organize a collective defense effort. Which leaves the third option: NATO — the alliance that has guided Europe’s collective defense effort since 1950 — but as I said, a very different NATO. The alliance that has evolved over the past 75 years is not only U. S.-led, it is U. S.-centered. America’s military, intelligence and diplomatic contribution is the skeletal system that has kept its body upright and ready to go. Replacing that U. S. core will not be easy. But it’s not impossible. Europe and Canada have the collective resources, military experience, productive capacity, technical wherewithal and, increasingly, the political determination necessary to replace the U. S. at the core of the alliance system. NATO countries have committed to increase their defense spending close to Cold War levels. They’re opting for different forms of conscription to raise force levels, and they’re accelerating defense production at a rate unseen for four decades. While they’re behind the U. S. in innovation and technology, they are catching up, not least through cooperative development with Ukrainian firms, which have outpaced defense innovation and production across the globe. They’ve also embarked on cooperative ventures outside of but complementary to NATO. Think of the U. K.-led Joint Expeditionary Force, the EU-funded Security Action for Europe program, which encourages the joint procurement of European-made equipment, and France’s decision to engage in bilateral discussions on extending its nuclear deterrent to European allies. What NATO allies need now is time to turn their determination and resources into actual military capabilities. The problem is, that kind of time is measured in years — perhaps five or more — not months. Moreover, the speed of a successful transformation will be determined by the degree of U. S. cooperation. More cooperation means more rapid change, and vice versa. Nonetheless, a more European NATO is long overdue. It’s unfortunate that it took the first anti-NATO U. S. president to bring about this transformation. But in the end, both Europe and NATO will be better for it.

Widely dispersed wind farms and solar panels are harder to target than fossil fuel power stations, Michael Shanks says Renewable energy will boost the UK’s national security and make the country more resilient against potential aggression or sabotage, the government’s energy minister has said. Michael Shanks said widely dispersed wind farms and solar panels were much harder to target than large-scale fossil fuel power stations. They are also not vulnerable to supply shocks, such as the current oil crisis caused by the US-Israel war on Iran and the soaring gas prices that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Continue reading...

Ukraine's updated energy development strategy, extending through 2050, anticipates that at least half of the country's electricity generation will be derived from nuclear power plants.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Russians have attacked substations critical to nuclear safety 155 times.

On April 25 and overnight into April 26, Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck an oil refinery in the Russian city of Yaroslavl and Russian air defense assets in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

Overnight on April 26, Ukraine’s Defense Forces attacked an oil refinery in the Russian city of Yaroslavl.

Firefighters extinguished fires in Chernihiv and the Borzna and Horodnia communities that broke out as a result of Russian attacks on April 25 and in the early morning of April 26.

The total combat losses of Russian forces from February 24, 2022, to April 26 2026 in the war against Ukraine amount to approximately 1,325,650 personnel, including 960 over the past day.

Chernihiv is under attack by enemy UAVs, with fires reported in private homes.

Units of Ukraine’s Defense Forces have struck Russian ammunition depots, command posts, and troop concentrations.

Two people were killed and seven others injured in the Chernihiv region as a result of a combined strike by Russian forces.

The number of people injured in a massive overnight attack on Dnipro has risen to 14, including a child. Homes, vehicles, and businesses in the city were damaged.

In the Saltivskyi district of Kharkiv, an enemy drone struck a multi-story residential building.

Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Andrii Melnyk, has called on countries to impose coordinated sanctions on Russia's nuclear energy sector in response to Moscow's actions concerning Ukrainian nuclear facilities.

In Dnipro, a combined missile-and-drone attack partially destroyed a residential building and injured four people.

Former U.S. ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker warned European nations against criticizing President Trump's military operations against Iran. "You might think that this is a huge folly and going to have terrible consequences, but you don't have to say it," Volker said on the Friday episode of Politico's "EU Confidential" podcast. "By saying it, you…

The European Union approved $105 billion in loans to keep Kyiv afloat—but it may not be enough.

Another round of debate has erupted in public between Iran’s hard-liners and more moderate officials who want to negotiate with the U. S.

A child was among the injured

In response to the European Union's decision to provide Ukraine with a loan equivalent to 16 trillion yen, along with the announcement of additional sanctions against Russia, the Russian side reacted strongly, stating that they would "take firm countermeasures" and emphasized that the impact of the sanctions would be minimized.

The ban took effect on April 25, while a significant decline in Russian LNG sales to Europe should be expected no earlier than in 2027

The Reuters news agency published a report about a leaked internal email from the Pentagon, in which a U.S. official allegedly proposed reviewing Washington's diplomatic support for "European imperial possessions," including the Falkland Islands. The measure would be part of a retaliatory response against NATO allies who did not support U.S. military operations in Iran. The news was immediately picked up by various media outlets and spread around the world. In the case of the Argentine government, it is highly likely that this will be celebrated as a personal victory. Within the "Mileísta" communication ecosystem – including social media, streaming platforms, and international and defense analysts aligned with the government – the hypothesis has been circulating for some time that Argentina's unconditional subordination to Donald Trump is opening a historical window for the United States to actively intervene in favor of the Argentine claim. The scenarios range from pressure to negotiate to formulas for shared sovereignty or a U.S. military base on the islands. This hypothesis is, in turn, fueled by other converging factors. One of them is the friction between the Trump administration and the United Kingdom. Trump has publicly questioned the leadership of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and has been pressuring London to increase its defense spending. Starmer, for his part, has attempted to maintain the transatlantic relationship without aligning…

Politico reported that the Estonian prime minister favored "accelerating" Ukraine’s membership, while his Croatian counterpart all but scoffed at the idea of Kiev joining any time soon

Alexander Grushko recalled that the West is waging a hybrid war against Russia in Ukraine

EU trade chief seeks 'positive traction' on US steel tariffs

Europeans must take action to defend their own interests because the U.S., China, and Russia are now all "strongly opposed" to them, French President Emmanuel Macron warned on Friday. "We should not underestimate that this is a unique moment where a U.S. president, a Russian president, and a Chinese president are all strongly opposed to Europeans. So, this is the right moment for us to wake up," Macron said in a discussion with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis organized by the Kathimerini newspaper in Athens. "We have to be a little bit self-confident and present an agenda," he added. The French president also said he expected tensions with the U.S. to outlast President Donald Trump. "This is a historical trend," he said. "We can engage with the U.S. on some issues, and that still makes a lot of sense because of the common values and historical bonds, but I really believe that this U.S. approach will last," he added. He said the main difference between the first and second Trump terms was that many European countries thought the first term was an anomaly that would end, not requiring fundamental changes. "Now, many of my colleagues are more clear-sighted, because after so many years, we say, okay, we have to react. We have to act as Europeans, to be more united, to defend our own interests. And for me, this is the right direction." Macron flew to Athens after an informal European Council meeting in Cyprus because Greece and France are set to sign the re…

This story was originally published in 2019. We are republishing it to mark the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. "It wasn't like being in a hospital. Even the sickest children enjoyed themselves." Roman Gerus, a Ukrainian, has very fond memories of an experience that originated in a catastrophe. We are talking about the explosion of one of the reactors at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant on April 26, 1986, a tragedy that marks its 40th anniversary this week. Gerus was one of the more than 23,000 minors affected by the accident who received medical care in Cuba. The program, sponsored by the Cuban Ministry of Health, took place between 1990 and 2011. What was this experience like? By the Sea "I was in Cuba three times," Roman Gerus tells BBC Mundo. "The first time, I was 12 years old; I stayed for six months. The second time, I was 14 years old and stayed for three months. The last time, I was 15 years old and only stayed for 45 days. Each time was different, but I enjoyed them all. It's something I remember fondly, and I want to return to Cuba with my family to show them the island," he says. Gerus emphasizes the beauty of the setting where he went to recover from a skin condition that developed many years after the Chernobyl accident. This young man, now 27 years old, had not even been born when the disaster occurred, but his family lived relatively close to the nuclear power plant. "When I was…

In Guatemala, fifteen thousand students face serious risks every day on their way to and from school along the Atlantic route, a corridor that experiences the highest number of traffic accidents during school hours. This has prompted authorities to coordinate urgent actions to prevent tragedies and ensure safe access to education. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Minister of Transportation, Fernando Suriano; the Traffic Department of the PNC (National Civil Police); EMETRA Guatemala; the General Directorate of Transportation; the UPCV (a transportation authority); representatives from educational institutions in the area, and two members of parliament, all to coordinate a plan aimed at designing an immediate and sustainable response. During the meeting, it was revealed that the most dangerous time slots are between six and eight in the morning and after two in the afternoon. Héctor Flores, director of EMETRA, stated that "We are talking about fifteen thousand students traveling on a route that extends from kilometer 8 to kilometer 16, all trying to reach their schools during regular hours." Flores warned that the incidence of accidents increases significantly during these critical times, which requires coordinated action from all involved institutions. The proposed measures, as reported to TN23, include increased police presence during the specified hours, strict restrictions on the parking of heavy vehicles, and awareness campaigns.

In this two-part show, Armen Georgian takes viewers on a journey across the European Union, exploring mobility and transport projects funded by the EU’s cohesion policy. In the 2021-2027 budget, the EU has been using its cohesion funds to invest €63.2 billion in transport schemes. From France to Austria, via Poland and Hungary, Armen takes a whistle-stop tour using seven different means of transport: train, plane, metro, tram, bicycle, scooter, and car.

China has restricted exports of critical minerals, which are needed for products like semiconductors and electric vehicle batteries.

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, held talks with the heads of the military committees of NATO and the European Union – Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone and General Seán Clancy – to discuss the Ukrainian military’s most urgent needs.

Currently, the plant is solely powered by the 330 kV Ferrosplavnaya-1 transmission line, Alexey Likhachev said

According to the sources, at the EU summit in Cyprus on Thursday, Antonio Costa urged European leaders to recognize that Washington’s interests no longer align with Europe’s

Speaking about the political dimension of cooperation, Nenad Popovic noted the historical closeness of the two countries

The Russian delegation was headed by Russian Minister of Economic Development Maxim Reshetnikov

Russian authorities have criticized Ukraine and Europe this Friday, arguing that they are not actively involved in resolving the conflict in Ukraine, following the large-scale war launched by Moscow in February 2022. They claim that these entities are not offering "real conditions" that would allow the war to end. "From the perspective of Russia, a window of opportunity involves concrete approaches and conditions under which the conflict can be resolved through political and diplomatic means," said Rodion Miroshnik, the Special Envoy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a press conference reported by the state news agency TASS. According to the Russian diplomat, Moscow does not see any steps being taken "by either Ukraine or Europe" towards peace, emphasizing that, in particular, European leaders "have not made a single proposal for a peaceful resolution of the conflict." He also denounced that Ukraine's Western allies continue to announce "huge sums to support Kyiv and perpetuate the bloodshed," while stressing that the energy situation and rising prices will create a dilemma for these nations. He stated that they will have to choose which priority they select: "supporting their own countries, paying high prices for energy resources for themselves, or continuing to finance the Kyiv regime and the bloodshed." Increasing the pressure...

The Norwegian government announced this Friday that it plans to ban the use of social media for individuals under the age of 16 throughout this year, a measure intended to protect younger people. "We are introducing measures to approve new legislation that completely restricts the use of these applications by minors. We want a childhood where children can simply be children," said the country's Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre. He further stated that "play, friendship, and everyday life should not be compromised by algorithms and screens." "The responsibility for verifying the ages of younger users lies with the technology companies behind these applications," he affirmed. Norway is one of the first European countries to introduce age restrictions on the use of social media. Other countries, such as France, Spain, and Denmark, have also announced that they will implement similar measures.

In Odesa, the number of casualties from the Russian attack has increased to 17, including 9 women and 8 men aged 18 to 83.

According to Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Vladimir Zelensky spreads false claims that Russia allegedly wants to attack European countries

The former U.S. ambassador to NATO is urging British and European politicians not to alienate Donald Trump by criticizing his administration's handling of the Iran conflict and its aftermath. Kurt Volker, the U.S. envoy to NATO in 2008-2009 who later served as the U.S. special representative for Ukraine during the first Trump administration, warned that European figures who have condemned the U.S. president's approach are "making some very big mistakes." "You might think that this is a huge folly and going to have terrible consequences, but you don't have to say it," Volker told Anne McElvoy for POLITICO's EU Confidential podcast, published Friday. "By saying it, you alienate Donald Trump and you run the risk that he will then link your unhappiness with his policies to his unhappiness with some of your policies." Volker added that it risked "fragmenting a transatlantic relationship that is still valuable to both of us. So I don't think that's a wise way to handle the president." European leaders have been engaged in escalating clashes with the U.S. administration over the war in Iran, launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28. Iran retaliated by attacking U.S. military bases and its regional allies and then blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway responsible for about a fifth of the world's oil needs. Trump has lashed out at NATO countries that have restricted access to their military bases for U.S. use — singling out the U.K. and …

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told reporters that there is "huge relief" among leaders at Friday's EU summit in Cyprus because, "for the first time in years, there are no Russians in the room" — before winking at journalists as his Kremlin-friendly Slovak counterpart Robert Fico strolled past. "No, no, it's a joke," Tusk quickly added. Fico has been one of the bloc's most vocal dissenters on Ukraine policy — second only to the obstructionist outgoing Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán, whose election defeat last week increased the isolation of the Slovak premier at the European Council table. Diplomats and officials have described a "totally new mood" in EU meetings since Orbán's ouster, with long-frozen dossiers on sanctions, enlargement and Ukraine aid now expected to move forward. Tusk also said he was "a little bit skeptical" about the prospect of negotiating with Russia to end the war in Ukraine and called on the EU to be "as tough as possible" in penalties against Moscow. The bloc's long-delayed 20th round of sanctions against Moscow entered force the day before, after Budapest and Bratislava dropped their vetoes. The Polish leader then struck an optimistic note, hailing conservative Péter Magyar's election victory in Hungary as proof that "democrats are not losers." He pointed to results in similar outcomes in Warsaw, Bucharest, Chișinău and Budapest as evidence "there is a future for Europe, for democracy, for rule of law."

At an EU summit in Cyprus, the Finnish PM said that the Hungarian election result opens the way to discussing Ukraine's EU membership path.

Maria Zakharova said that Western military personnel involved in this structure orchestrating terrorist operations against Russia

Rodion Miroshnik pointed out that "Ukrainian militants underwent training on a whole number of territories in other states and some countries use their territories as logistics depots for weapons delivered to Ukrainian militants"

Keep our news free from ads and paywalls by making a donation to support our work! Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. The European Commission has issued a loan agreement for Poland to borrow €43.7 billion (185.5 billion zloty) for defence spending under the European Union’s SAFE programme. Poland is the largest recipient of the fund, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, announcing the issuing of the agreement on Thursday, singled out the country as “an essential pillar of Europe’s security architecture”. Poland is an essential pillar of Europe’s security architecture, I told @donaldtusk. You help keep our Eastern flank safe. This is why Poland is the biggest beneficiary of SAFE. Today we issued a loan agreement that would release €43 billion for defence projects that make our… pic.twitter.com/ahZ2j63KyM — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 23, 2026 There have been some doubts over the implementation of the programme in Poland after opposition-aligned President Karol Nawrocki last month vetoed a government bill intended to facilitate receipt of the funds. The government has insisted that it can obtain and disburse the funds even without the specific mechanism blocked by Nawrocki. On Friday, following talks with von der Leyen, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said both Poland and the EU still want Warsaw to receive the full amount. “Poland is treated as the absolute most important element of [SAFE],” said Tusk, quoted by the Polish Press Agency (PAP). “Everyone will work with us to effectively and quickly spend all the funds at our disposal.” Click here to help us continue providing news free from paywalls and ads The SAFE programme, which was announced last year, is providing around €150 billion in loans on preferential terms for defence spending. Nineteen of the EU’s 27 member states have applied for funds. There had initially been hope that the loan agreements would be signed in March. That was then pushed back to April. But now it looks likely it will take place in May. The funds themselves must be spent by 2030. On Thursday, European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier announced that Brussels had sent the text of the agreements to the 18 member states whose spending plans have been approved. Hungary, which is currently in the process of changing government, is the one country still awaiting approval. “Once each member state completes its national procedure, the commission will proceed immediately with the signing of the loan agreements,” said Regnier, quoted by PAP. Finalny tekst umowy SAFE trafił dziś do europejskich stolic, w tym do Warszawy. To zakończenie etapu wielotygodniowych negocjacji pomiędzy krajami członkowskimi a Komisją Europejską. Dla porządku przypominam – warunki mechanizmu i umowa jest taka sama dla wszystkich krajów UE.… — Magdalena Sobkowiak (@magdasobkowiak) April 23, 2026 Meanwhile, von der Leyen shared a photo on social media of a meeting with Tusk and announced that Poland’s loan agreement had been issued. It was the only country among the 18 that she mentioned. “Poland is an essential pillar of Europe’s security architecture,” she wrote. “You help keep our Eastern flank safe. This is why Poland is the biggest beneficiary of SAFE.” However, SAFE had become embroiled in Poland’s domestic political disputes, with the right-wing opposition warning that it will saddle Poland for decades with debt on uncertain terms and will give the EU greater ability to interfere in national defence policy. The government insists that the loans – which are equivalent to almost the entire annual defence budget – will significantly bolster security. It also says that almost 90% of the money will be spent domestically, providing a major boost to the defence industry. Poland's defence spending, at 4.5% of GDP, is the highest in @NATO this year, new data from the alliance confirm. In addition, Warsaw devotes 54.4% of its defence budget to equipment, which is also the largest figure in NATO https://t.co/mDbnsoABQB — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) September 2, 2025 In February, the government’s majority in parliament approved legislation that would have established a special mechanism for the National Development Bank (BGK) to receive and disburse the SAFE funds. However, Nawrocki, who has regularly clashed with the government, vetoed the bill. Nawrocki instead proposed a “sovereign” alternative to SAFE that would involve using funds generated by the central bank. However, the government, as well as many experts, have dismissed the idea as unrealistic The government has insisted that the funds can still be received and immediately launched a “plan B” that will instead likely see the money disbursed through the Armed Forces Support Fund, an existing instrument. However, the government has also warned that, without the vetoed bill, the process will be more complicated and also that parts of the funds previously designated for non-military security spending may have to be reallocated. Poland’s government has launched its “plan B” to obtain €44bn in loans for defence spending from the EU's SAFE programme, after opposition-aligned President Nawrocki yesterday vetoed a law intended to facilitate the funds https://t.co/NLVjLRift5 — Notes from Poland 🇵🇱 (@notesfrompoland) March 13, 2026 Speaking in Brussels on Friday, Tusk said that Warsaw is working with the European Commission to establish a reliable mechanism for receiving the funds. “There’s no question of rushing things. I want our decision to be treated as secure from the perspective of European procedures,” he said. “This requires, I would say, a slightly more flexible approach, and our partners in the commission understand this.” Once Poland signs the agreement with the commission, it will immediately have access to a 15% advance payment from SAFE, which amounts to around €6.5 billion. It is then due to receive the next installment – of an amount yet to be specified – in the autumn. Premier Tusk na szczycie UE: KE chce, by Polska wydała maksimum pieniędzy z SAFE#PAPinformacjehttps://t.co/Dosz1Jbn7O — Polska Agencja Prasowa/Polish Press Agency (PAP) (@PAPinformacje) April 24, 2026 ​ Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support. Main image credit: Kancelaria Premiera/Flickr (under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

Active Italian arms deliveries to Kiev continue to fuel the ongoing bloodshed, Rodion Miroshnik, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry for the Crimes of the Kiev Regime, said

Accordig to Maria Zakharova, the contaminated area amounts to about ten thousand square meters

Kaja Kallas said failing to bring nuclear experts to the table in talks with Tehran could result in "a more dangerous ⁠Iran." EU leaders meeting in Cyprus are discussing the Middle East conflict, among other topics.

The Russian army attacked the city of Balakliia in the Kharkiv region with drones; a woman was killed, and others were wounded.

Rodion Miroshnik emphasized that Europeans "have not once made a proposal for a peaceful resolution of the conflict"

Rodion Miroshnik noted that 266 of them were killed

No specific timeline for accession has been mentioned

Rodion Miroshnik criticized the political regime in Kiev, pointing out its "disregard for human rights, not only of residents in Russian regions, but also of Ukrainian citizens who are still officially registered as such."

NICOSIA — France and Germany will take more time to try to break the deadlock on a joint fighter jet project. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed the contentious project over coffee on the terrace at the Landmark Hotel in Nicosia, before joining other EU leaders at an informal summit. “We have had a good discussion this morning with Mr. Chancellor and we have tasked our defense ministries to work on several axes, on different topics, not only the next-generation fighter jet, but different cooperation venues for our countries,” Macron said as he entered the summit. “Our defense ministries have this mandate for the coming weeks; we continue to progress,” Macron said. The project, known as the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), has stalled for months because of bitter disagreements between France’s Dassault and Germany’s Airbus Defence and Space. FCAS, which also includes Spain, is meant to replace Germany’s Eurofighter and France’s Rafale jets by around 2040. The program includes a warplane, which is the main bone of contention, but also drones and a combat cloud. At the previous EU summit in Brussels in March, Macron and Merz discussed the issue and launched mediation between French and German industrialists to break the deadlock, with a deadline of April. French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin said this week that the deadline to reach a deal had been extended by 10 days, but German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters Wednesday that he expected a decision this week. Macron’s comments suggest that several weeks might still be needed but that, at least for France, a solution is within reach. Asked whether the project was dead, Macron said, “No, not at all.” Laura Kayali contributed to this report from Paris.