A suggestion by the NATO secretary general that Western allies lift the ban on Ukraines use of weapons against targets on Russian territory has been received with reluctance in a number of EU countries, including Italy.
The US, EU and NATO have slammed the newly-passed foreign agents law in Georgia, while the foreign ministers of Iceland, Lithuania and Estonia took part in protest rallies against the legislation in Tbilisi. Sputnik s pundits called these actions foreign meddling in Georgia s affairs.
More than a day has passed since Wednesday morning’s downing of a Russian Il-76 transport plane full of Ukrainian PoWs near the Ukrainian border, with Kiev, Washington and Brussels silent following revelations by Russia’s Defense Ministry that the plane was struck by Ukrainian missiles. Sputnik asked Russian and Western observers what it all means.
Russia s growth by the end of 2023 is anticipated to exceed the forecasted 3.5%, as announced by President Vladimir Putin. This milestone positioning it as Europe s largest economy and the fifth globally.
The US imported $749,500 worth of Russian-origin crude oil in November 2023, marking the first transaction since the ban on Russian energy imports was implemented in April 2022.