“We are not intimidated by Russia, and we are absolutely on the side of Ukraine.” Speaking following a two-day meeting of the European Council, President of the European Council Charles Michel reiterated the bloc’s support for Ukraine. However, to fully appreciate what this support will entail—from possibly seizing Russian funds …

Oil revenue is a lifeline for the Iranian and Russian economies, but Western sanctions have jeopardized both countries’ ability to ship oil and receive payments. In response, Iran and Russia have redirected oil shipments to China—the world’s largest importer of crude oil. In 2023, China saved a reported ten billion …

This accounts for why the US only passed along vague information to Russia since it assumed that the GUR wouldn’t go through with the Crocus plot after ordering them to call it off, but Washington still wanted to discredit its rival’s government and security services, ergo its embassy’s provocative warning …