Ukraine launched its biggest ever overnight raid on Moscow, the city’s mayor has said Russian air defenses have intercepted 337 Ukrainian drones overnight, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said on Tuesday morning. One civilian is reported to have been killed by the attack. The drone […]
Steve Witkoff is reportedly planning to meet President Vladimir Putin while US officials negotiate with a Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, is set to travel to Moscow this week for a meeting with […]
At least one person has been killed and three injured as 69 UAVs heading toward the capital have been destroyed by air defenses Moscow has repelled a major multi-wave Ukrainian drone attack, in which at least one residential high-rise in the capital has been damaged […]
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has commented on the Ukrainian leader’s health prior to his White House dispute with Trump and Vance Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky appears visibly unwell, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. He made the remarks this week, days before Zelensky’s heated confrontation with […]
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has commented on the Ukrainian leader’s health prior to his White House dispute with Trump and Vance
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky appears visibly unwell, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. He made the remarks this week, days before Zelensky’s heated confrontation with US President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance.
“He doesn’t look very good visually, but you should ask him,” Peskov said in an interview with Rossiya 1 TV journalist Pavel Zarubin published on Saturday, answering whether he thought Zelensky felt cornered.
Zelensky’s visit to the White House on Friday, intended to finalize a minerals agreement, devolved into a heated dispute. The discussion deteriorated when he insisted that Trump support Kiev rather than play a neutral arbiter in an attempt to mediate a deal with Moscow. In response, Trump and Vance accused Zelensky of “gambling with World War III” and a reluctance to make peace with Russia, labeling him disrespectful and ungrateful for the substantial military aid provided by Washington.
The visit concluded abruptly without signing the agreement, after Zelensky demanded security guarantees and greater involvement in the conflict from the Trump administration.
During the meeting, Zelensky’s preference for informal attire also attracted media attention. When a journalist inquired if the Ukrainian president owned a formal suit, Zelensky said yes, adding that he would “wear something more appropriate” at the next meeting.
Following the incident, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described Zelensky’s US trip as “a diplomatic and political failure” for Kiev. She asserted that with his “outrageously boorish behavior” at the White House, Zelensky confirmed himself “an irresponsible instigator of a major war” and “a most dangerous threat to the international community.”
Zakharova reiterated Moscow’s stance that lasting peace can only be achieved “when the root causes of the conflict are fully eliminated.”
The cancellation of the minerals deal and Zelensky’s premature departure from the White House have raised concerns about future US support for Ukraine. According to The Washington Post, the Trump administration may reconsider its military assistance to Kiev.
However, European leaders have expressed support. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas reaffirmed their solidarity with Ukraine, emphasizing the need for peace based on Ukrainian sovereignty. Conversely, Russian officials, including former President Dmitry Medvedev, mocked Zelensky, suggesting that Washington halt military aid.
The brief campaign was launched after a heated debate at the White House, where Zelensky refused to discuss peace with Trump Supporters of Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky turned to fundraising for nukes instead of diplomacy after Friday’s tense Oval Office meeting between their leader and US […]
The brief campaign was launched after a heated debate at the White House, where Zelensky refused to discuss peace with Trump
Supporters of Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky turned to fundraising for nukes instead of diplomacy after Friday’s tense Oval Office meeting between their leader and US President Donald Trump.
The Washington talks were expected to finalize a minerals agreement between the US and Ukraine, but the meeting quickly turned heated. Zelensky insisted that he refuses to discuss peace with Russia and demanded that the White House continue to back Ukraine rather than act as a neutral mediator.
During a sharp exchange with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, Trump accused him of “gambling with World War III” and reportedly showed him the door, abruptly ending their press conference.
Following the meeting, which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called a “fiasco” for Zelensky, Ukrainian banker Oleg Gorokhovsky launched a fundraising campaign “for nuclear weapons.” The Monobank co-founder, who currently resides in London, cited public demand for the initiative.
“Received many requests to start a fundraiser for nukes,” he wrote on his Telegram channel Friday, sharing a link to Monobank’s donation page.
The campaign quickly gained momentum, raising 14 million hryvnias ($337,902) within the first 12 hours, with contributions from approximately 70,000 participants across 61 countries. Gorokhovsky claimed that after Ukraine, the largest donations came from the United States and Poland. By the end of the 20-hour fundraiser, a total of 27.2 million hryvnias (approximately $656,495) had been collected.
“Yes, we want to have nuclear weapons and the ability to strike back at the enemy so that they understand everything once and for all—but for now, we don’t have the means,” he said in a post a day later.
“And we fully support our President, who responded with dignity when Ukraine’s interests were being disregarded,” he added, announcing the end of the campaign.
Gorokhovsky later told the BBC that the “nuclear” fundraiser was meant as a joke to “let off steam” after a tough day, adding that he doubts anyone genuinely donated for nuclear weapons.
“It was a joke. I’m sorry if I disappointed a lot of people… I don’t understand how this money that will be collected can be used for nuclear weapons, and I didn’t plan on it,” he said.
On social media, he announced that the funds would be redirected to a military aid initiative, adding that anyone unhappy with the change could request a refund.
Zelensky has repeatedly raised the issue of nuclear weapons. In a recent interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, he suggested Ukraine should be given nuclear capabilities if NATO membership is not granted swiftly. His earlier rhetoric about regaining such weapons of mass destruction was among the factors that contributed to the escalation of the conflict with Russia.
On Tuesday, Rubio rejected Zelensky’s appeal for nuclear weapons as an unrealistic demand, saying that it is not a solution “to the problem.”
Russian Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik labeled the initiative as a fraudulent scheme exploiting public emotions. He asserted that the funds collected under the pretext of developing nuclear weapons would likely be embezzled.
”Absolutely clear that the funds from emotional individuals from different countries will simply be stolen, because no one is going to sell any ‘nuclear weapon’ to anyone, and no one will even look for opportunities to buy it,” he said.
Russia has repeatedly highlighted the Ukrainian leader’s “inadequacy” and inability to negotiate, according to the Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s recent visit to Washington was a “complete political and diplomatic failure” for Kiev, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. Her comments […]
Russia has repeatedly highlighted the Ukrainian leader’s “inadequacy” and inability to negotiate, according to the Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s recent visit to Washington was a “complete political and diplomatic failure” for Kiev, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
Her comments follow a tense meeting between Zelensky, US President Donald Trump, and Vice President J.D. Vance at the White House on Friday, which ended abruptly without a planned minerals agreement being signed. During a heated exchange in the Oval Office, Zelensky resisted Trump’s demand to negotiate peace with Moscow, leading Trump to accuse him of ingratitude, “gambling with World War III,” and an unwillingness to end the conflict.
On Saturday, Zakharova criticized Zelensky’s “outrageously boorish behavior” in Washington, stating that his actions confirmed “he is the most dangerous threat to the world community as an irresponsible warmonger.” She emphasized that Moscow has repeatedly highlighted Zelensky’s “inadequacy,” corruption, and inability to negotiate.
“Everyone should realize how unambiguous such outbursts from the terrorist leader sound,” she said in a statement on Telegram. According to the diplomat, “in the current increasingly deteriorating political conditions for the Kiev regime, [Zelensky] is unable to show a sense of responsibility and is therefore obsessed with continuing the war, rejecting peace, which for him would be like death.”
Zakharova described Trump’s reprimand of Zelensky at the White House as a “sobering dressing-down” unprecedented in international politics and diplomacy. She asserted that this incident also highlights the “political weakness and profound moral degradation” of European leaders who continue to back Zelensky, whom she characterized as “insane” and disconnected from reality.
Following the spat, EU nations, including France, Germany and Poland rushed to defend the Ukrainian leader and expressed their support for Kiev.
The failed meeting has raised concerns about future US support for Ukraine. Zelensky’s visit was initially intended to finalize a deal granting the US access to Ukraine’s minerals, including rare-earths. The collapse of the talks has left the agreement in limbo.
Russian air defenses have downed three UAVs as they approached a key compressor station on the gas pipeline, according to the military Russian air defenses have intercepted three drones near a key compressor station in Krasnodar Region servicing the TurkStream gas pipeline, in what the […]
Russian air defenses have downed three UAVs as they approached a key compressor station on the gas pipeline, according to the military
Russian air defenses have intercepted three drones near a key compressor station in Krasnodar Region servicing the TurkStream gas pipeline, in what the Defense Ministry in Moscow has described as a Ukrainian sabotage attempt.
The pipeline delivers Russian natural gas to Turkish customers and several European countries, including Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Greece. Operational since January 2020, it has an annual capacity of 31.5 billion cubic meters.
In a statement on Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that “on the night of February 28, against the backdrop of [Ukrainian leader] Vladimir Zelensky’s visit to Washington, the Kiev regime carried out yet another attempt to attack the Russkaya gas compressor station in the village of Gaikodzor… with the help of three fixed-wing UAVs.” Moscow suggested that Kiev had sought to disrupt the delivery of Russian gas to European nations.
According to the ministry, all three incoming drones were destroyed some distance away from the facility, with the energy infrastructure sustaining no damage and continuing normal operations.
During a phone call on Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asked his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, to exert influence on the Ukrainian leadership to dissuade Kiev from attempting to “carry out terrorist attacks against civilian infrastructure.” Fidan said Ankara would take all necessary measures in this respect, according to a readout released by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The Russkaya Compressor Station serves as the point of exit on Russian soil for gas delivered via the TurkStream.
In January, the ministry reported a similar incident that involved nine kamikaze drones, which were all intercepted. However, debris from explosions caused minor damage to the gas compressor station, which was swiftly repaired by the facility’s personnel.
Commenting on the incident at the time, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov accused Ukraine of engaging in acts of “energy terrorism.”
Türkiye also confirmed the attack several days later, while Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, whose country is among the recipients serviced by the TurkStream, said Budapest views any attempts to sabotage its energy supply as undermining its national sovereignty.
The European Commission stated last month that “obviously, any attack on energy infrastructure is something that is worrying.”
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, Moscow has accused Kiev of targeting the pipeline on multiple occasions.
Late last month, Reuters reported that deliveries of Russian natural gas via the TurkStream had reached a historic high, with preliminary calculations indicating that supplies exceeded 50 million cubic meters per day in January 2025.
After Ukraine decided in late 2024 to terminate its five-year gas transit contract with Russian energy giant Gazprom, the TurkStream has been the sole route supplying Russian gas to southern and southeastern Europe.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, previously suggested that the bloc must replace the US as the world’s leader Russian President Vladimir Putin should be the ‘leader of the free world’, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said. His remarks came in response to the […]
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, previously suggested that the bloc must replace the US as the world’s leader
Russian President Vladimir Putin should be the ‘leader of the free world’, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said. His remarks came in response to the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, who suggested that the bloc must assume the mantle from the US following Washington’s policy shift on Ukraine.
On Friday, Kallas, along with several other EU leaders, reiterated their support for Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, who engaged in a heated exchange with US President Donald Trump in the White House on Friday. Trump accused Zelensky of not being grateful for American assistance and not being willing to negotiate an end to the Ukraine conflict, while the Ukrainian leader urged Washington to continue its military support for Kiev while warning that failure to do so would backfire on the US.
Kallas took a swipe at Trump, writing: “Ukraine is Europe! We stand by Ukraine. We will step up our support to Ukraine so that they can continue to fight back the aggressor [sic]. Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge.”
In an interview with RIA Novosti on Saturday, Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, agreed that the title of ‘leader of the free world’ should be transferred from the US to another party, but not the EU. The world “needs one, and he exists. His name is Vladimir Putin,” he said.
Medvedev also argued that while EU leaders might try to show some defiance in the face of US pressure, they will ultimately cave in. “They will make some noise, post identical messages on social media, and return to their pen. Europe is a feeble, quarrelsome old woman who is utterly dependent on US protection.”
The former president also reiterated that Moscow remains open to negotiations to settle the Ukraine conflict, but stressed that they must proceed on Russia’s terms. “We have always been ready for negotiations, and any negotiations require reciprocal steps. But only those steps that correspond to the reality on the ground and our basic law.”
Russia has praised the Trump administration for attempting to resolve the Ukraine conflict and listen to Moscow’s geopolitical concerns related to it, while blasting the EU for attempting to fuel the hostilities by continuing to support Kiev.
The Ukrainian leader’s failure at Friday’s meeting with Donald Trump has highlighted that he is an “impediment to peace” and has to be removed, John Kiriakou has told RT Vladimir Zelensky is done as the leader of Ukraine and should be removed, journalist and former […]
The Ukrainian leader’s failure at Friday’s meeting with Donald Trump has highlighted that he is an “impediment to peace” and has to be removed, John Kiriakou has told RT
Vladimir Zelensky is done as the leader of Ukraine and should be removed, journalist and former CIA analyst John Kiriakou told RT, commenting on the verbal spat between Zelensky and US President Donald Trump at the White House on Friday.
The meeting became heated when Zelensky resisted Trump’s demand to negotiate peace with Russia, leading the latter to accuse him of ingratitude and an unwillingness to end the conflict. Consequently, Zelensky left the White House prematurely, without signing an agreement that would have granted the US rights to Ukraine’s natural resources. The planned joint press conference was canceled.
“For all intents and purposes, Zelensky is done. I wouldn’t be surprised if in three months Zelensky is living in London or some such place,” Kiriakou said on Friday. He noted that Zelensky, who, citing martial law, refused to step down after his presidential mandate ended last year, will “have to be removed” because he “continues to be an impediment to peace.”
“You know, they’ve got this provision in the Ukrainian constitution where they don’t have to have elections during a time of martial law…Maybe it’s time to take a second look at that, get him out, and elect somebody who can negotiate in good faith with the Russian government,” the analyst suggested.
Kiriakou noted that without the support of Washington, which Kiev effectively lost when Zelensky antagonized Trump on Friday, the Ukraine conflict can be considered “over.”
“[Zelensky] can’t rely on NATO… if the US pulls out. And it looks very much that the US is in the process now of pulling out. The conflict is over. It’s done. This is today’s reality,” he stated.
Zelensky has previously dismissed the possibility of stepping down. In an interview with Fox News following the meeting with Trump, he responded to a call from US Senator Lindsey Graham “to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with.” Zelensky stated he won’t do that unless asked by the Ukrainian people. According to Kiriakou, losing the support of such a pro-Kiev figure as Graham is yet another sign that Zelensky time at the helm is over, as is the conflict itself.
“In the US Congress, we have workhorses and we have show horses. And Lindsey Graham is a show horse. So when you’ve lost Lindsey Graham, you’ve lost the war. [It] is a message to Vladimir Zelensky that it’s time to just stop,” the analyst said.
The White House meeting with Donald Trump was “a setup” to discredit and remove the Ukrainian leader, the former US Marine Corps intelligence officer has told RT Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s presidency is over, former US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter has told RT. […]
The White House meeting with Donald Trump was “a setup” to discredit and remove the Ukrainian leader, the former US Marine Corps intelligence officer has told RT
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s presidency is over, former US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter has told RT. Zelensky’s five-year term in office concluded in May 2024, but he has refused to hold new elections, citing martial law. According to Ritter, Washington is “fed up” with Zelensky, who US President Donald Trump recently labeled a “dictator without elections,” and is moving to unseat him.
Ritter’s words come on the heels of a meeting in the White House between Zelensky, Trump, and US Vice President J.D. Vance on Friday, in which a heated exchange took place after Trump told the Ukrainian leader that he would have to negotiate peace with Russia. Zelensky argued that Moscow cannot be trusted and insisted that the US continue supporting Kiev. Trump said Zelensky is “in no position to dictate” to the US, accusing him of being ungrateful for America’s substantial aid and questioning his willingness to bring about an end to the conflict with Russia.
According to Ritter, the meeting was a “setup” to discredit Zelensky and “confront him with the inconsistencies of his position.”
“Zelensky is not a democratically elected president… This was a deliberate setup by the president of the US. The Trump administration is fed up with Zelensky,” he said, arguing that he brought it upon himself by openly antagonizing Trump.
This is the end of Zelensky’s presidency. He will not recover from this. Ukraine cannot afford to have him as their leader, and I think you’re going to see Zelensky being exited stage right as rapidly as possible.
According to Ritter, the relationship between Trump and Zelensky is now “fundamentally broken.” However, unlike Ukraine, he said, Russia has never “lost the discipline” in contacts with the US and disrupted peace efforts, despite “some fundamental disagreements” on how to resolve the conflict.
“Zelensky was the greatest impediment to the US and Russia to achieve a peace deal… He had to be removed, and now he has been removed,” Ritter explained. He went on to say that while Zelensky’s removal may be “the beginning of the political collapse of Ukraine,” it might not necessarily be a bad thing in terms of peace because “the war is all but over at this point.”
Zelensky has so far dismissed calls to step down. In an interview with Fox News following the meeting with Trump and responding to a call from US Senator Lindsey Graham “to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with,” Zelensky said he won’t do so unless asked by the Ukrainian people.
Kvartal 95 has posted a picture of a piano with the US president’s name on it, hinting at a skit in which the Ukrainian leader played it with no pants on Ukrainian comedy studio Kvartal 95 (District 95), which was founded by Vladimir Zelensky, has […]
Kvartal 95 has posted a picture of a piano with the US president’s name on it, hinting at a skit in which the Ukrainian leader played it with no pants on
Ukrainian comedy studio Kvartal 95 (District 95), which was founded by Vladimir Zelensky, has taken a swipe at US President Donald Trump by posting a picture of a piano with his name on it, an apparent reference to a skit in which Zelensky played the instrument with no pants on.
The post, featuring a black grand piano with ‘Trump’ written on it, was published by the studio on Instagram late on Friday. This came after the US president and the Ukrainian leader had a meeting at the White House in which a heated exchange took place.
Things took a turn for the worse when Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance berated Zelensky for failing to show gratitude for America’s substantial military assistance, while also accusing him of not wanting to reach a peace deal with Russia and gambling with World War III.
The Ukrainian leader rebuked Vance, saying he has never visited the country and claiming that if Washington drags its feet on further aid to Kiev, it will face problems in the future, presumably from Russia. Trump accused Zelensky of “disrespecting” the US, adding that his counterpart can “come back when he is ready for peace.”
As a result of the tense quarrel, the sides did not sign an agreement that was set to grant the US rights to Ukraine’s natural resources to compensate for America’s hefty aid to Kiev.
Kvartal 95 Studio was founded in 2003 by Vladimir Zelensky and his colleagues and focused on producing films, TV series, and organizing concerts and skits. In September 2016, Zelensky, along with three other members of his comedy troupe, mimed playing the piano without using their hands with their pants down on several compositions, including a rendition of ‘Habanera’ from Georges Bizet’s ‘Carmen’, as well as Jewish folk staple ‘Hava Nagila’.
Zelensky leveraged his public profile as a comedian – including a role in a TV series in which he played a history teacher who unexpectedly became president – to successfully run for office in 2019, defeating then-President Pyotr Poroshenko.
His term expired last May, but Zelensky refused to hold a new election, citing martial law. Russia considers him illegitimate, insisting that legal authority in Ukraine now lies with the parliament.
Aleksandr Darchiev will take over as Russia’s ambassador to the US following key negotiations The United States has approved Aleksandr Darchiev as Moscow’s new ambassador to Washington, Russia’s Foreign Ministry has announced, after bilateral talks in Türkiye this week. Darchiev, a senior diplomat with more […]
Aleksandr Darchiev will take over as Russia’s ambassador to the US following key negotiations
The United States has approved Aleksandr Darchiev as Moscow’s new ambassador to Washington, Russia’s Foreign Ministry has announced, after bilateral talks in Türkiye this week.
Darchiev, a senior diplomat with more than 30 years of experience, currently heads the Foreign Ministry’s North Atlantic Department. He previously served as Russia’s ambassador to Canada from 2014 to 2021 and has held several high-ranking positions within the ministry, including deputy director of the North America Department and counselor at the Russian embassy in Washington.
His appointment follows diplomatic discussions in Istanbul on Thursday, where Russian and US officials addressed issues affecting their embassies. The two nations are working to mend strained relations that deteriorated under the previous administration of US President Joe Biden.
Talks focused on resuming regular operations at the US embassy in Moscow and the Russian embassy in Washington, with both sides identifying “concrete initial steps,” according to the US State Department.
In a statement on Friday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry emphasized that normalization should be a reciprocal process. Both countries have imposed various restrictions on each other in recent years, including reducing diplomatic staff, limiting banking access, and seizing diplomatic properties. Moscow maintains its measures are in direct response to actions taken by Washington.
Darchiev represented Russia at the talks, while the US delegation was led by Sonata Coulter, deputy assistant secretary of state for Eurasian affairs. The negotiations followed an earlier round of discussions on February 18 in Riyadh, where both sides agreed to restore staffing levels at their respective diplomatic missions.
Darchiev’s predecessor, Anatoly Antonov, served as Russia’s ambassador to the US for seven years before returning to Moscow in October 2024.
Under a new law, Moscow would provide nuclear defense for Minsk in case of attack Russian President Vladimir Putin has ratified a security treaty with Belarus, reinforcing military ties between the two nations within the Union State and integrating Minsk into Moscow’s nuclear deterrence strategy. […]
Under a new law, Moscow would provide nuclear defense for Minsk in case of attack
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ratified a security treaty with Belarus, reinforcing military ties between the two nations within the Union State and integrating Minsk into Moscow’s nuclear deterrence strategy.
The treaty – which was signed into law on Friday after being agreed on in December at a meeting of the Supreme State Council of the Union State in Minsk – commits both countries to defend each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. It also allows for the potential use of Russian nuclear weapons to protect Belarus in case of aggression.
Top Russian Senator Valentina Matvienko said the agreement is crucial given the current geopolitical tensions.
The treaty, which includes provisions against unilateral sanctions, is set to last for ten years, with automatic extensions.
A key provision allows for the deployment of Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. Russia has already stationed ballistic missiles in the country as part of their Union State partnership. Under the agreement, Belarus could request their use if deemed necessary. Both countries consider Russia’s nuclear arsenal a deterrent against threats, to be used only as a last resort.
Following the signing of the treaty, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko requested the deployment of Russian Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The new systems, which feature a hypersonic upper stage, could be stationed in Belarus in the second half of 2025, according to Putin.
The Oreshnik was unveiled last year and tested in Ukraine, where it was used to strike the Yuzhmash military industrial facility in Dnepr in November.
“The treaty’s provisions will safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity, particularly given provocations from EU countries bordering Belarus,” senior MP Vyacheslav Volodin said.
Russia and Belarus have also announced they will hold the Zapad 2025 joint military exercise in September, involving more than 13,000 troops. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has been invited to observe.
Lukashenko has allowed Russia to use Belarusian territory for military operations and to station tactical nuclear weapons. Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky claimed in February that a Russian military buildup in Belarus, which borders NATO members Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, could set the stage for an attack. Russia has denied claims that it could attack NATO members.
In September, Putin announced updates to the Foundations of State Policy of the Russian Federation in the Area of Nuclear Deterrence. The revised document states that under certain conditions, Moscow could consider a proxy war against Russia as justification for using nuclear weapons.
