International Relations
US to continue blockade of Venezuelan tankers until US assets are returned
Pentagon says naval interceptions will continue until Maduro regime returns all seized assets to the US
Japan and Central Asian countries agree on a new route for supplying resources to Europe bypassing Russia
Tokyo and five Central Asian states agree to establish the Caspian Sea route for stable supplies of critical minerals and energy
South Korea and Russia hold closed-door talks on DPRK and security
Seoul and Moscow discuss North Korea's nuclear programme and regional security risks for the first time in over a year
Netanyahu plans to inform Trump of possible new strikes on Iran
Israel believes that Iran is accelerating the resumption of its missile programme and is preparing to convince the United States of the need for new military action
Sweden will provide Ukraine with $200 million in direct budget support in 2026
Sweden announces $200 million in direct budgetary assistance to Ukraine to finance key state needs during the war
Belarus is building a closed ammunition plant for the armies of the Russian Federation and Belarus with a capacity of up to 450,000 shells per year
Since 2023, a secret project to create a full cycle of artillery and rocket ammunition production has been implemented near Minsk, focused in particular on Russia's war against Ukraine
US launches large-scale strikes against ISIS in Syria in response to the deaths of three Americans
US military conducts operation against ISIS targets in Syria after attack near Palmyra kills two US servicemen and a civilian interpreter
China record imports of Russian gold amid rising prices and financial pressure on Russia
In November, China purchased nearly $1 billion worth of gold from Russia, a historic high that comes amid a sharp decline in Russia's gold reserves
Senator Graham calls for Tomahawk missiles to be transferred to Ukraine in case of failure of peace deal with Russia
US Senator believes that the Kremlin's refusal to make peace should be met with a tough US response, including new sanctions and the transfer of long-range weapons to Ukraine
Rutte says Europeans are ready to send troops to Ukraine to deter Russia
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has said that a number of European countries are ready to contribute to security guarantees for Ukraine, including the possible deployment of troops. According to him, this is part of a broader strategy to prevent another Russian attack
France blocks Germany's plan to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine - Financial Times
A split has emerged in the centre of Europe over the idea of using frozen Russian funds to support Ukraine. According to the FT, Paris did not support Berlin's initiative, which could have significantly increased funding for Kyiv
US boards third tanker off Venezuela amid rising tensions
The US military and Coast Guard inspected another oil tanker near Venezuela. This increases Washington's pressure on Caracas and raises the risk of escalation in the region
