A court in st. petersburg has seized assets worth more than €700 million from UniCredit, Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank over a dispute with a Gazprom subsidiary over a contract with German company Linde.
European banks have tripled their profits in Russia since the start of the full-scale war, despite pressure to leave the country due to sanctions and the risk of heavy fines.
Georgia's application for EU membership will be frozen if the controversial Russian-inspired law on "foreign agents" is passed.
Japan, South Korea, and Australia are tightening regulations to limit the market power of large tech groups such as Apple and Google, creating new regulatory challenges similar to those in the EU and the US.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonite says she is ready to send Lithuanian troops to Ukraine for a training mission.
Germany has recalled its ambassador from russia for consultations amid accusations that Moscow was involved in cyberattacks on German defense, aerospace companies and the ruling party.
Finland is increasing its combat capability and preparing for a possible confrontation with Russia by intensifying military agreements with private companies, accumulating the necessary stocks and using its large reserve forces.
The EU military operation in the Red Sea is facing problems due to insufficient forces: only 3 frigates are unable to reliably protect merchant ships from Houthi attacks in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
European intelligence agencies warn of russia's plans for large-scale sabotage across the continent, including explosions, arson and attacks on infrastructure that could lead to civilian casualties.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan says Ukraine is planning a counteroffensive in 2025 after receiving $61 billion in US military aid.
Despite Ukraine's insistence, the G7 countries reportedly no longer have the idea of full confiscation of frozen Russian assets on the table, instead exploring alternative ways to obtain funds from these assets to support Ukraine.
Disruptions in global trade due to attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen, which force ships to avoid the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, could last until next year.
Ukraine needs more air defense systems from international partners to protect its underground gas storage facilities, which are crucial to Europe's energy security.
Over the weekend, Baltic ministers warned of the risk of an air disaster due to GPS jamming blamed on Russia, after two Finnish flights were forced to turn around midway due to interference with navigation signals.
The largest Western banks operating in Russia paid more than €800 million in taxes to the Kremlin in 2023, four times the pre-war level, despite promises to minimize their influence after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Turkey is seeking a long-term agreement with ExxonMobil to import up to 2. 5 million tons of LNG annually, which would reduce its dependence on russian gas supplies.
North Korea is seeking to rebuild its economy through trade with russia, benefiting from russian supplies of food, raw materials, and petroleum products.
The arrest and trial of Russian Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov hints at the unfavorable fate of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ahead of the expected change of government.
Poland and Lithuania are considering deporting Ukrainian men of conscription age who have not updated their data or extended their right to stay, which could potentially help Ukraine return conscripts from abroad.
Ukraine will propose a $20 billion debt restructuring plan to international bondholders.
Ukraine's NATO and EU partners are pressuring Greece and Spain to provide Ukraine with more air defense systems, such as Patriot, to protect vulnerable regions from Russian attacks.
The US is calling on the EU to lower taxes on income from frozen Russian assets to maximize the funds that can be lent to Ukraine, potentially up to $50 billion this summer, by issuing bonds or loans to be repaid with interest from those assets.
Germany has launched a global initiative called Immediate Action on Air Defense (IAAD) to address Ukraine's air defense gaps, calling on allies and partners to provide air defense systems to protect Ukrainian cities, troops and critical infrastructure.
The Czech Republic has contracted 180,000 rounds of ammunition for Ukraine and is working to contract another 300,000 rounds as part of its initiative to support Ukraine's defense efforts.
Serbia plans to sign a €3 billion deal with France to buy a dozen Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation, diversifying its arms purchases amid Russia's war in Ukraine, despite being one of Moscow's closest allies.
Russia could launch a large-scale offensive in late spring or summer to seize more territory in Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, as well as a potential assault on Kharkiv, according to Ukrainian and Western officials.
The US has offered to raise tens of billions of euros of debt for Ukraine against future profits from frozen Russian state assets, while the EU prefers to transfer only the interest earned on these assets.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb called on European countries to focus on immediate assistance to Ukraine and training of their armed forces, rather than speculation about potential Russian aggression outside Ukraine.
David Cameron met with Donald Trump to urge Republicans to support aid to Ukraine amid congressional deadlock over a $60 billion aid package for Kyiv.
European defense contractors warn that dependence on Chinese cotton lint threatens the expansion of ammunition production, which is needed to replenish stocks and support Ukraine in its war against Russia.
