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Russia

Stories under this heading cover Russia, as well as countries in the eastern part of the European continent, such as Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova.

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Zelensky to meet Trump today in Florida for crucial Ukraine talks (Updated)

Zelensky to meet Trump today in Florida for crucial Ukraine talks (Updated)

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will meet with US president, Donald Trump, in Florida on Sunday (28 December) in what many see as crucial talks on the future of Ukraine. The time of the meeting between president Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and US president Donald Trump, in Florida today, has been moved to 1300 hours local time. A Ukrainian delegation arrived in the United States to participate in a meeting between the two presidents. Yesterday, Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the composition of Ukraine's negotiating team: National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, Economy Minister Oleksiy Sobolev, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andriy Hnatov, non-staff adviser to the head of the Presidential Office Oleksandr Bevz, and First Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsya. On Saturday, the Ukrainian president outlined five thematic areas covered in the "peace plan" negotiations and which he wants to discuss with Trump at the meeting: "We are discussing security guarantees between Ukraine and the United States. This is one document. We are also discussing security guarantees with Europe. We are discussing the military dimension. This is part of the security guarantees." The fourth section he mentioned was a "prosperity plan, which will include many other documents," which includes discussions on raising up to $800 billion for Ukraine's reconstruction and creating a number of funds. "And fifth, what we want to discuss with the president is a plan of consistent action. That is, we want to propose, step by step, how to ensure that all the plans I've already mentioned actually work. They will, of course, discuss all of this with the Russians, and we will receive feedback," Zelenskyy stated.

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The sight of refugees on their own continent unsettles Europeans

The sight of refugees on their own continent unsettles Europeans

The  sight of refugees on their own continent amid the rumblings of war unsettles Europeans, many of who thought these were things of the past. Within the EU, a younger generation brought up in an era of peace and relative prosperity is struggling to understand the news coming out of Ukraine, and the human tragedy that is about to unfold unless there is some last minute diplomatic breakthrough. Indeed, for Europeans, Ukraine is the wake-up call they had hoped they would never get again.
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Putin orders the start of strategic nuclear exercises

Putin orders the start of strategic nuclear exercises

Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Saturday ordered the start of strategic nuclear exercises involving launches of ballistic missiles. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Putin, took part in military exercises alongside Putin from a situation centre in the Kremlin. There is intense speculation that Russia will launch an attack against Ukraine in the next days. Speaking to the media in Lithuania on Saturday, U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said Russian forces were beginning to "uncoil and move closer" to the border with Ukraine.
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Putin has taken the final decision to invade Ukraine- the target is Kyiv

Putin has taken the final decision to invade Ukraine- the target is Kyiv

US president Joe Biden said on Friday evening (18 February) that Russian president Vladimir Putin has taken the final decision to invade Ukraine and that the objective is to occupy the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Speaking in a televised message from the White House, Biden said that his assessment was based on US intelligence information
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The imminent threat of war in Europe

The imminent threat of war in Europe

The United States has called on all its citizens in Ukraine to leave the country before Monday, as war in Europe now appears imminent. Unofficial American sources say it is possible the Russian invasion of Ukraine will start on Wednesday, 16 February. The UK, the Netherlands and Latvia are among the countries that have also told their citizens in Ukraine to leave immediately. The EU has told its non-essential staff in Kyiv to leave also.
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Russia increases naval pressure against Ukraine

Russia increases naval pressure against Ukraine

Russian military warships are preparing for military drills in the Black Sea.  Six Russian warships sailed from the Mediterranean Sea through the Bosphorus onto the Black Sea earlier this week. They will join other elements of the Russian Black Sea Fleet based in Russian occupied Crimea. The drills will partially close parts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, effectively cutting parts of Ukraine off from open waters