Russia says it is deploying nuclear munitions to storage facilities in Belarus as part of three days of drills between the two allies north of Ukraine.
The drills will also involve tests of nuclear-capable missiles as well as the processes for moving them in secret ahead of launch, Russia's defence ministry said.
The exercises will be held in Russia and Belarus as Russian president Vladimir Putin returns from his two-day trip to China.
It comes as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky warned of a possible fresh ground offensive from Russia against the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
Such an operation would likely be made possible by deeper involvement from Belarus, Zelensky said.
Earlier, the UK accused Russia of conducting dangerous fighter jet flybys within 6 metres of a Royal Air Force surveillance plan over the Black Sea, warning against the risk of potential escalation between Nato and Russia.
“Let me be very clear: This incident will not deter the UK's commitment to defend Nato, our allies and our interests from Russian aggression,” defence secretary John Healey said.
Key Points
- Russia kickstarts major nuclear wargames with Belarus today: What to expect
- UK warns Moscow against 'dangerous' warplane flybys: 'Won't deter us'
- Ukraine drone attacks force shutdown of central Russia's oil refineries
- Residents of Lithuania's capital told to shelter amid drone alarms
- Zelensky says Ukraine will beef up northern defences over Russian offensive plans
- Zelensky indicates movement on peace talks with US
UK warns Moscow against 'dangerous' warplane flybys: 'Won't deter us'
09:55 , Arpan Rai
Two Russian jets last month intercepted a Royal Air Force surveillance plane over the Black Sea, in what the Ministry of Defence (MoD) yesterday was a dangerous incident that raised the risk of potential escalation between Nato and Russia.
The Rivet Joint aircraft was unarmed and carrying out routine surveillance in international airspace over the Black Sea, the ministry said in a statement.
“A @RoyalAirForce Rivet Joint aircraft operating in international airspace over the Black Sea was dangerously intercepted by Russian military jets – flying as close as six metres and triggering onboard emergency systems,” the MoD said yesterday in a post on X, sharing a video of the interception.
It said the incident reflected “ongoing Russian aggression and heightened military activity across Eastern Europe and the High North", adding: "The UK will continue to stand firm with its allies, united in the defence of Nato.”
The incident was the most dangerous Russian action against a UK surveillance plane since 2022 when a nearby Russian plane released a missile over the Black Sea, in what Moscow later called a technical malfunction.
A @RoyalAirForce Rivet Joint aircraft operating in international airspace over the Black Sea was dangerously intercepted by Russian military jets – flying as close as six metres and triggering onboard emergency systems.
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) May 20, 2026
Despite these reckless manoeuvres, RAF crew completed their… pic.twitter.com/QyUP7dE4OJ
Ukraine drone attacks force shutdown of central Russia's oil refineries
09:45 , Arpan Rai
Virtually all major oil refineries in central Russia have been forced to halt or scale back fuel output following Ukrainian drone attacks in recent days, according to official data and sources.
Moscow had already introduced a gasoline exports ban from April until the end of July.
One of Russia’s largest facilities, the Kirishi oil refinery, has been shut since 5 May, sources said.
The combined capacity of refineries that have fully or partially halted operations exceeds 83 million metric tonnes per year, or around 238,000 tonnes per day.
That accounts for around one quarter of Russia's total refining capacity, according to data and sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
In recent weeks, Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure, doubling the number of oil refineries targeted since the start of the year, according to various posts on social media by Russian officials.
The strikes, which have also hit pipelines and storage facilities, have reduced Russia's oil output – the world's third-largest after the US and Saudi Arabia – adding pressure to Moscow's federal budget, where oil and gas taxes account for roughly a quarter of revenue.
Watch: Unexploded drone removed from high-rise apartment in Ukraine after Russia strike
09:25 , Arpan Rai
Russia accuses Zelensky of wanting to escalate Ukraine conflict
09:15 , Arpan Rai
Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at a regular briefing that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky was pursuing escalation of the conflict between the two countries.
Her accusation came as Ukrainian drone attacks forced the shutdown of oil facilities in central Russia.
The two sides have continued exchanging deadly barrages of missiles and drones in the recent weeks.
The Russian spokesperson did not acknowledge the onslaught on Ukraine in the past few weeks, including more than 3,000 drones in a week that have caused dozens of deaths.
In photos: Russia deploys strategic nuclear-capable weapons in Belarus for major drill
08:54 , Arpan Rai
Russia and Ukraine exchange attacks overnight, leaving four dead
08:13 , Arpan Rai
At least two people were killed in a drone attack on the town of Syzran in Russia's Samara region on the Volga River, the local governor said, while Ukraine also reported two dead as the two sides exchanged attacks overnight.
A large oil refinery is located in Syzran, some 1,000km (620 miles) from the border with Ukraine.
The Samara governor, Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, made no mention of whether any infrastructure was damaged in his post on Telegram.
Elsewhere in Russia, three people were injured in a drone attack in and around the town of Shebekino in Russia's Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, authorities said on Telegram.
In Ukraine, two were killed after Russia hit the Chernihiv region on the Russian border and the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, emergency services said on Telegram, with a number of people injured.
One injured as Russia attacks Ukraine's Dnipro with drones and bombs
08:05 , Arpan Rai
A 58-year-old woman was injured in Ukraine’s Dnipro after Russian forces attacked the city in the early hours of this morning, the regional governor says.
Oleksandr Hanzha said medics have provided assistance at the scene of strike and the injured woman will receive outpatient treatment.
The strike damaged an apartment and blew out the windows of several nearby buildings, Hanzha said.
Xi Jinping may visit North Korea as early as next week
07:49 , Arpan Rai
Chinese president Xi Jinping may visit North Korea as early as next week, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported quoting a senior government official.
Another government source was cited as saying a team of Chinese security service and protocol officials were in Pyongyang recently and that a visit by Xi late in May or early June was likely.
Xi, who hosted Vladimir Putin this week and US president Donald Trump last week, will try to act as a mediator between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the senior official was quoted as saying.
South Korea's foreign ministry did not immediately comment on the report.
China is a key economic and political ally of North Korea and the two have made efforts to reinforce ties that had cooled during the Covid-19 pandemic.
North Korean leader Kim visited Beijing last year and stood alongside Xi and Putin at a major military parade.
Russia kickstarts major nuclear wargames with Belarus today: What to expect
07:20 , Arpan Rai
Russia has delivered nuclear munitions to field storage facilities in Belarus as part of major nuclear drills as the two allies start a three-day nuclear exercise.
The military drills will be taking place across Russia and Belarus.
“As part of the nuclear forces exercise, nuclear munitions were delivered to the field storage facilities of the missile brigade's position area in the Republic of Belarus," the ministry said.
Russia said the missile unit in Belarus was carrying out training to receive special munitions for the mobile Iskander-M tactical missile system, including loading munitions onto launch vehicles and secretly moving to a designated area for launch preparation.
Footage released by Russia’s defence ministry showed a truck driving through a forest amid lightning and unloading an item. It was not immediately clear what they were unloading.
The Iskander-M, a mobile guided missile system code-named "SS-26 Stone" by Nato, replaced the Soviet "Scud". Its guided missiles have a range of up to 500km (300 miles) and can carry conventional or nuclear warheads.
Zelensky indicates movement on peace talks with US
07:11 , Arpan Rai
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky says there has recently been productive contact with the US regarding talks to end the war.
"If, in the coming weeks, we manage to return to meaningful trilateral communication and involve the Europeans, this would be the right outcome," Zelensky said in his overnight video message.
“For our part, we are ready for such steps. I count on our partners to be ready as well – and that the Russians will not hide,” he said.
EU members are discussing whether former European Central Bank president Mario Draghi, or former German chancellor Angela Merkel, could represent the bloc in talks for potential negotiations with the Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Russia delivers nuclear munitions to Belarus as part of drills
06:37 , Arpan Rai
Russia delivered nuclear munitions to field storage facilities in Belarus as part of major nuclear drills, the Russian defence ministry said this morning.
“As part of the nuclear forces exercise, nuclear munitions were delivered to the field storage facilities of the missile brigade's position area in the Republic of Belarus," the ministry said.
Russia said the missile unit in Belarus was carrying out training to receive special munitions for the mobile Iskander-M tactical missile system, including loading munitions onto launch vehicles and secretly moving to a designated area for launch preparation.
From Putin's guest of honour to hosting nuclear weapons: How Belarus has become a closer ally to Putin
06:28 , Arpan Rai
The Russian defence ministry said this morning that more of its nuclear munitions have been delivered to field storage facilities in Belarus as part of nuclear drills.
This came just hours after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv has bolstered its defences and will send reinforcements to its northern regions in bid to step up diplomatic pressure on Belarus to counter what Kyiv believes are Russian plans to launch a new offensive north of the capital.
Minsk has remained one of Moscow's staunchest supporters in the war, which was initially launched in part by Russian forces passing through Belarus. Russian drones have frequently crossed Belarus while attacking Ukraine, and Minsk said it deployed the Russian Oreshnik intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile system.
"As of now, we haven’t detected any movement of equipment or personnel directly at our border, but of course, we can see the pressure Russia is putting on Belarus," Ukraine's border guards spokesperson, Andriy Demchenko, told Ukrinform news agency.
On Monday, Belarus said it launched joint drills with Russia to practice the use of nuclear weapons that Moscow has deployed on the territory of its neighbour and ally.
The two countries have ramped up their cooperation in recent months, with the inclusion of Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko as Vladimir Putin's guest of honour in his Victory Day parade earlier this month.
Two killed in drone attack on Syzran in Russia's Samara
06:24 , Arpan Rai
At least two people were killed in a drone attack on the town of Syzran in Russia's Samara region on the Volga river, said Vyacheslav Fedorishchev, governor of the Samara region.
The independent Telegram channel Exilenova Plus reported that a refining unit at Rosneft's Syzran oil refiner was struck in the drone attack.
Ukrainian MP says lifting sanctions on Russian oil puts ‘question mark’ over friendship with UK
06:03 , Arpan Rai
A Ukrainian politician has condemned the British government for loosening sanctions on Russian oil, saying it “puts a question mark” on the UK’s friendship with Ukraine.
The government has faced widespread criticism after a trade licence that allows for the import of Russian jet fuel and diesel refined in third countries came into effect on Wednesday. Some sanctions on the transport of Russian liquefied natural gas were also lifted.
Experts have described the policy as a “carve-out”, which creates an exemption from tighter restrictions on processed oil products derived from Russian crude.
Oleksiy Goncharenko, a Ukrainian MP, said he was “deeply disappointed” by the government’s decision.
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Ukrainian MP: Easing Russian sanctions puts ‘question mark’ over friendship with UK
This is why easing Russia’s oil sanctions is a gut punch to Ukraine
05:46 , Arpan Rai
After a week in which Xi Jinping bestrode global politics by hosting the two most powerful leaders in the world, China’s president looks like a Colossus. Keir Starmer, meanwhile, has revealed himself as a minnow among men.
His capitulation to short-term, local British politics, by quietly easing restrictions on the importation of refined Russian fuel to the UK, shows he has no capacity for strategic thought, or leadership: he has run up a white flag in an act of battlefield cowardice he doesn’t even comprehend.
After hosting Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, Xi continued his efforts to show China as a force for stability in a world in which international law is ignored by both Russia and the US, by calling for respect for global legal practices.
Starmer’s smalltime decision to allow Russian diesel and jet fuel into the UK, so that Britons can enjoy cheap flights over the summer, is a blow to Ukrainians fighting to protect their democracy. It is also a violation of his agreements with allies to choke off the Kremlin’s money pipe, and a violation of the UK’s written commitments.
This is why easing Russia’s oil sanctions is a gut punch to Ukraine
UK warns Moscow against 'dangerous' warplane flybys: 'Won't deter us'
05:19 , Arpan Rai
Two Russian jets last month intercepted a Royal Air Force surveillance plane over the Black Sea, in what the Ministry of Defence (MoD) yesterday was a dangerous incident that raised the risk of potential escalation between Nato and Russia.
The Rivet Joint aircraft was unarmed and carrying out routine surveillance in international airspace over the Black Sea, the ministry said in a statement.
“A @RoyalAirForce Rivet Joint aircraft operating in international airspace over the Black Sea was dangerously intercepted by Russian military jets – flying as close as six metres and triggering onboard emergency systems,” the MoD said yesterday in a post on X, sharing a video of the interception.
It said the incident reflected “ongoing Russian aggression and heightened military activity across Eastern Europe and the High North", adding: "The UK will continue to stand firm with its allies, united in the defence of Nato.”
The incident was the most dangerous Russian action against a UK surveillance plane since 2022 when a nearby Russian plane released a missile over the Black Sea, in what Moscow later called a technical malfunction.
A @RoyalAirForce Rivet Joint aircraft operating in international airspace over the Black Sea was dangerously intercepted by Russian military jets – flying as close as six metres and triggering onboard emergency systems.
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) May 20, 2026
Despite these reckless manoeuvres, RAF crew completed their… pic.twitter.com/QyUP7dE4OJ
Watch: Zelensky warns Moscow planning possible northern offensive targeting Kyiv
05:12 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine drone attacks force shutdown of central Russia's oil refineries
04:50 , Arpan Rai
Virtually all major oil refineries in central Russia have been forced to halt or scale back fuel output following Ukrainian drone attacks in recent days, according to official data and sources.
Moscow had already introduced a gasoline exports ban from April until the end of July.
One of Russia’s largest facilities, the Kirishi oil refinery, has been shut since 5 May, sources said.
The combined capacity of refineries that have fully or partially halted operations exceeds 83 million metric tonnes per year, or around 238,000 tonnes per day.
That accounts for around one quarter of Russia's total refining capacity, according to data and sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
In recent weeks, Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure, doubling the number of oil refineries targeted since the start of the year, according to various posts on social media by Russian officials.
The strikes, which have also hit pipelines and storage facilities, have reduced Russia's oil output – the world's third-largest after the US and Saudi Arabia – adding pressure to Moscow's federal budget, where oil and gas taxes account for roughly a quarter of revenue.
Residents of Lithuania's capital told to shelter amid drone alarms
04:34 , Arpan Rai
Residents of Lithuania's capital were told to take shelter and the president and prime minister were taken to safe locations yesterday after an alarm over drone activity near the border with Belarus.
An emergency announcement from the military urged people in the region of Vilnius, the country's capital, to “immediately head to a shelter or a safe place.”
The alert, which lasted for about an hour, also led to the closure of the airspace over Vilnius Airport.
President Gitanas Nauseda and prime minister Inga Ruginiene were taken to shelters, and there was also an evacuation order at Lithuania's parliament, the Seimas, the BNS news agency reported.
The incident underlined jitters on Nato's eastern flank over incursions related to Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine.
It was the first major alert that sent residents and political leaders in a European Union and Nato capital rushing to shelters since Russia’s invasion of neighbour Ukraine in February 2022.
It came hours after a Nato jet shot down a Ukrainian drone over southern Estonia. Ukraine apologised for that “unintended incident,” without specifying what had happened.
Zelensky says Ukraine will beef up northern defences over Russian offensive plans
04:13 , Arpan Rai
Ukraine will send reinforcements to its northern regions and step up diplomatic pressure on Belarus to counter what Kyiv believes are Russian plans to launch a new offensive north of the capital, Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
Zelensky said Kyiv had become aware of five scenarios Russia had drawn up to expand the war through the north.
"We analysed in detail the available data from our intelligence agencies on Russia's planning of offensive operations in the Chernihiv-Kyiv direction," Zelensky said on X, referring to a city north of the capital on the highway to Belarus.
"Our forces in this sector will be increased."In recent weeks, Zelensky has given fresh warnings about a potential threat to Ukraine's north from Belarus, a close Russian ally.
He has said Ukraine recorded unusual activity at the border, without providing details.
Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine's top army commander, said on Tuesday that Kyiv had data that the Russian General Staff was actively calculating and planning offensive operations from the north.
I held a Staff meeting. We analyzed in detail the available data from our intelligence agencies on Russia’s planning of offensive operations in the Chernihiv-Kyiv direction. We are preparing responses to every possible course of enemy action – if the Russians do indeed dare to…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 20, 2026
Xi Jinping may visit North Korea as early as next week
04:09 , Arpan Rai
Chinese president Xi Jinping may visit North Korea as early as next week, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported quoting a senior government official.
Another government source was cited as saying a team of Chinese security service and protocol officials were in Pyongyang recently and that a visit by Xi late in May or early June was likely.
Xi, who hosted Vladimir Putin this week and US president Donald Trump last week, will try to act as a mediator between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the senior official was quoted as saying.
South Korea's foreign ministry did not immediately comment on the report.
China is a key economic and political ally of North Korea and the two have made efforts to reinforce ties that had cooled during the Covid-19 pandemic.
North Korean leader Kim visited Beijing last year and stood alongside Xi and Putin at a major military parade.
Zelensky says he and Starmer discussed sanctions on Russia
04:03 , Arpan Rai
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had been in contact with Britain, having sent signals on the "sensitive" issue of sanctions on Russia, with hopes to discuss the issue further this week.
"This issue is always very sensitive... We conveyed our signals on the matter to London," he said in his nightly video address.
"We expect that everything will be discussed this week on a bilateral level."
Zelensky did not refer directly to Britain's decision to continue to allow imports of diesel and jet fuel refined from Russian crude in third countries, but said sanctions from its allies were the most effective means of influencing Russia.
Zelensky later said on X that he had spoken to prime minister Keir Starmer by telephone and thanked him for the support provided for Ukraine.
He said the two sides were coordinating diplomatic positions and "working to reinvigorate substantive diplomacy".
Starmer's office said the prime minister reaffirmed Britain's support for Ukraine.
Both leaders reiterated the need to maintain pressure on Russia and welcomed the strength of the UK-Ukraine relationship.
Recap: UK says surveillance plane dangerously intercepted by Russian jets last month
04:00 , Bryony Gooch
Two Russian jets last month intercepted a British Royal Air Force surveillance plane over the Black Sea, in what Britain's defence ministry said on Wednesday was a dangerous incident that raised the risk of potential escalation between NATO and Russia.
The UK Rivet Joint aircraft was unarmed and carrying out routine surveillance in international airspace over the Black Sea, the ministry said in a statement.
It was repeatedly intercepted by a Russian Su-35 aircraft, which flew close enough to trigger emergency systems on the British plane, it said. A Russian Su-27 conducted six passes, flying six metres from the Rivet Joint's nose.
The incident was the most dangerous Russian action against a UK surveillance plane since 2022 when a nearby Russian plane released a missile over the Black Sea, in what Moscow later called a technical malfunction.
RAF planes routinely carry out surveillance with allies to secure NATO's eastern flank.
This week there has been a series of security incidents in the Baltic region, with a drone violating Lithuanian airspace, and a fighter jet shooting down a suspected Ukrainian drone over Estonia.
Comment: Our addiction to Russian oil puts Ukraine in peril. Putin knew it would
03:00 , Bryony Gooch
Our addiction to Russian oil puts Ukraine in peril. Putin knew it would
Watch: ‘Question mark’ over UK’s friendship with Ukraine after easing of Russian oil sanctions
02:00 , Bryony Gooch
What is Russia’s Power of Siberia 2 natural gas pipeline to China?
01:00 , Bryony Gooch
The 2,600km gas pipeline from Russia China that Putin hopes will rescue economy
In pictures: Rescuers put a drone debris in a vehicle following a Russian air attack
Thursday 21 May 2026 00:01 , Bryony Gooch
Russia may be planning fresh offensive on Kyiv, warns Zelensky
Wednesday 20 May 2026 23:44 , Alex Croft
We’ve heard from Volodymyr Zelensky, who has warned that Russia could be planning a fresh offensive against northern Ukraine targeting the capital of Kyiv.
The possible invasion could be made possible by deeper involvement from Belarus, he warned.
"Together with our military leadership, intelligence services, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we discussed in detail the latest developments along the Belarus-Bryansk region direction," the Ukrainian president said in his evening address.
"It is precisely from there that the Russians are considering scenarios for additional attacks against Ukraine – targeting our northern regions, our Chernihiv-Kyiv direction."
Kyiv is already issuing orders to strengthen the region’s defence .
Relevant instructions have been issued to the military command, but separately, we are also taking preventive steps regarding both Belarus and designated parts of Russia from which the threat originates," he added.
His government will also look persuade international partners to ramp up the diplomatic pressure on Kyiv.
Chernobyl disaster zone has more wildlife than Ukraine’s reserves
Wednesday 20 May 2026 23:00 , Bryony Gooch
Chernobyl disaster zone has more wildlife than Ukraine’s reserves
In pictures: The Xi-Putin summit
Wednesday 20 May 2026 22:00 , Bryony Gooch
Watch: Starmer under fire after UK quietly eases strict sanctions on Russian oil
Wednesday 20 May 2026 21:00 , Bryony Gooch
Germany to invest in everyday shelters, shifting from Cold War bunkers
Wednesday 20 May 2026 20:00 , Bryony Gooch
Germany's government approved a new Civil Defense Plan on Wednesday, shifting from Cold War bunkers to everyday sites such as underground parking garages, tunnels and subway stations.
Debate over civil defense has intensified in Europe since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and Germany has sharply increased military spending since then.
The plan is part-funded from a special fund exempt from debt rules that was approved last year, the Interior Ministry said.
Germany currently has 579 shelters for around 480,000 people, many of which have not been in use since the Cold War, according to government data released with the plan.
The government plans to invest €10 billion (£8.65 billion) to boost civil defence, alongside a wider military spending drive.
The money will be used to buy more than 1,000 special vehicles and protective suits and to upgrade the mass alert network.
The Interior Ministry also plans to install a central control unit to coordinate work across public entities.
"This concept from the 1980s, which has never worked, must be discarded in today’s modern security environment", said interior minister Alexander Dobrindt. He said the new plan aims to improve protection in people's homes and provide quicker access to safe places in public spaces.
Defence minister Boris Pistorius said the plan was based on lessons from Ukraine, where an app warns civilians of attacks and urges them to seek shelter. "We can never expect to have a shelter for all 80 million Germans," Pistorius said
Watch: Badenoch slams Starmer for 'choosing to buy 'dirty Russian oil'
Wednesday 20 May 2026 19:00 , Bryony Gooch
Comment: The Kremlin will now have more money to kill Britain’s allies in Ukraine
Wednesday 20 May 2026 18:00 , Bryony Gooch
The Kremlin will now have more money to kill Britain’s allies in Ukraine
Chernobyl exclusion zone now has more wildlife than Ukraine’s nature reserves, study finds
Wednesday 20 May 2026 17:00 , Bryony Gooch
Chernobyl disaster zone has more wildlife than Ukraine’s reserves
In pictures: Moments from the Putin-Xi summit
Wednesday 20 May 2026 16:00 , Bryony Gooch
Ukraine finalising first defence export contracts with allies
Wednesday 20 May 2026 15:31 , Bryony Gooch
Ukraine is finalising its first defence export contracts under drone deals with its allies, the country's senior security official said on Wednesday.
Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's defence and security council chairman, said on the Telegram app that Kyiv would ease the procedures for issuing defence export licenses.
Ukraine finalising first defence export contracts with allies
Wednesday 20 May 2026 15:31 , Bryony Gooch
Ukraine is finalising its first defence export contracts under drone deals with its allies, the country's senior security official said on Wednesday.
Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's defence and security council chairman, said on the Telegram app that Kyiv would ease the procedures for issuing defence export licenses.
In depth: The harsh economic reality for Putin as he tries to upstage Trump in China
Wednesday 20 May 2026 15:00 , James Reynolds
As Vladimir Putin goes on a charm offensive with his 25th visit to President Xi Jinping just days after Donald Trump was in Beijing, James C. Reynolds takes a closer look at the economic realities facing all three countries as they jostle for power on the world stage:
The harsh economic reality for Putin as he tries to upstage Trump in China
Watch: Badenoch slams Starmer for 'choosing to buy 'dirty Russian oil'
Wednesday 20 May 2026 14:30 , Bryony Gooch
Comment: Starmer had an impossible choice to make over Russian oil. He made the wrong one
Wednesday 20 May 2026 14:00 , Bryony Gooch
Starmer had an impossible choice over Russian oil – and made the wrong one
Ukraine to strengthen northern defences against Russian offensive scenarios, Zelensky says
Wednesday 20 May 2026 13:45 , Bryony Gooch
Russia has five scenarios for expanding its war against Ukraine through the country's north, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday, adding that Ukraine will strengthen its forces in the area to be ready to respond.
"We are preparing responses to every possible course of enemy action – if the Russians do indeed dare to expand their aggression," he said on X.
Zelenskiy added that Russia might use Belarusian territory, and warned that Kyiv was preparing additional diplomatic measures against Minsk.
Germany says China's support for Russia threatens its own security
Wednesday 20 May 2026 13:40 , Bryony Gooch
China's growing support for Russia's war against Ukraine affects Germany's own security, a spokesperson for Berlin's foreign office said on Wednesday.
"Anything that enables Russia to continue this war of aggression against Ukraine also poses a threat to European security, to our security here in Germany," he added.
Watch: ‘Question mark’ over UK’s friendship with Ukraine after easing of Russian oil sanctions
Wednesday 20 May 2026 13:30 , Bryony Gooch
Kremlin says understanding reached on Power of Siberia 2 gas link to China, but no details yet
Wednesday 20 May 2026 13:00 , Bryony Gooch
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that a general understanding with China on their joint Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline had been reached but key details and a timetable for the vast project still needed to be agreed.
Russia and China have been in talks for years over the pipeline, which would bring gas to China via Mongolia from Russia's natural gas heartland in northern Siberia, as pricing and other issues remain elusive.
There is currently one gas pipeline from Russia to China, the Power of Siberia, which carries more than 38 billion cubic metres of gas per year from eastern Siberia.
There was no mention of any oil and gas deals among documents signed during Putin's visit and published by the Kremlin.
Recap: Xi tells Putin world 'risks returning to law of the jungle'
Wednesday 20 May 2026 12:30 , James Reynolds
Xi Jinping told Vladimir Putin that the “world risks returning to the law of the jungle” as he urged the importance of cooperation with Russia during a summit in Beijing.
The Chinese and Russian leaders agreed on Wednesday to further extend their wide-ranging bilateral treaty of cooperation, the so-called Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.
“Today, the international landscape is undergoing momentous changes and the world risks returning to the law of the jungle,” Xi told his Russian counterpart, adding that in this new world, the treaty has further proven its relevance.
Xi told reporters that China and Russia should together oppose “all unilateral bullying and actions that reverse history” and vowed wider cooperation in AI and technology innovation.
Russia's threats against Baltic are 'unacceptable' says EU Commission president
Wednesday 20 May 2026 12:21 , Bryony Gooch
Russian threats to the Baltic countries are "unacceptable" and will be seen as threats to the whole European Union, commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday.
"Russia's public threats against our Baltic States are completely unacceptable," von der Leyen said in a post on X.
"A threat against one member state is a threat against our entire union."
Von der Leyen said Russia and Belarus had "direct responsibility for drones endangering the lives and security of people" on the EU's eastern flank.
Russia’s public threats against our Baltic States are completely unacceptable.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 20, 2026
Let there be no doubt.
A threat against one Member State is a threat against our entire Union.
Russia and Belarus bear direct responsibility for drones endangering the lives and security of people…
EU remains committed to sanctions on importing Russian oil and gas
Wednesday 20 May 2026 12:07 , Bryony Gooch
The European Union remains committed to its sanctions on imports of Russian oil and gas, the EU Commission said on Wednesday in response to Britain's decision to allow imports of diesel and jet fuel refined abroad from Russian crude under a sanctions carve-out.
"We reaffirm our commitment to our sanctions on imports of Russian oil and gas, and we reiterate our desire that Russia does not benefit from the war," a commission spokesperson said.
The Independent View: Trump and Putin agree on one thing – Xi is key to ending their wars in Iran and Ukraine
Wednesday 20 May 2026 12:00 , James Reynolds
Editorial: The leaders of both declining superpowers have headed to Beijing stuck in conflicts they started but cannot finish – giving China a chance to build a role in the world where it actively works for peace rather than against it:
Xi is key to ending the wars in Iran and Ukraine
Hungary's Magyar hopes to meet Zelensky in June after talks on minority rights
Wednesday 20 May 2026 11:40 , Bryony Gooch
Hungary's prime minister Peter Magyar said on Wednesday that he hoped current talks with Ukraine about the rights of the ethnic Hungarian minority there would close successfully and he could meet president Volodymyr Zelensky in June in western Ukraine.
Magyar also told a briefing after meeting Polish prime minister Donald Tusk in Poland that Ukraine had its right to protect its territorial integrity with all possible means, and the war should be ended as soon as possible, with a lasting peace guaranteed internationally.
Poland's Tusk says NATO may face situation where it needs to react firmly to Russia
Wednesday 20 May 2026 11:34 , Bryony Gooch
Russia's war in Ukraine may lead to a situation in which Poland and its Nato allies have to react strongly, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said on Wednesday, after Lithuania issued an "air danger" warning due to a drone violating its airspace.
"I want to repeat, and fortunately I am not alone today, that the Ukrainian-Russian war may soon lead to a situation where we will have to react firmly," Tusk told a news conference.
UK defends decision to relax sanctions on Russian crude oil
Wednesday 20 May 2026 11:30 , Athena Stavrou
The UK government has been forced to defend its decision to relax sanctions on Russian crude oil, as its accused of “letting down” Ukrainians.
The government has announced it will now to allow for the import of jet fuel and diesel refined in third countries amid surging costs.
Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson told Sky News that the government needed to make sure it was “protecting the UK national interest”.
He said: “What we have to do as a government is make sure that we’re protecting the UK national interest, making sure that this impact of conflicts that wash up on our shore, that we’re protecting individual families.”
But chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Dame Emily Thornberry told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that people of Ukraine have been “very let down” by the decision.
“We are talking about our allies in Ukraine who have been fighting a war bravely against Russia for years and years with our support,” she said.
“They have looked to Britain as one of their most important allies, and they don’t understand, given that we promised that we would stop this loophole in October, and we still haven’t done it. In fact, it seems to have got worse. People feel very let down.”
In depth: The harsh economic reality for Putin as he tries to upstage Trump in China
Wednesday 20 May 2026 11:00 , James Reynolds
As Vladimir Putin goes on a charm offensive with his 25th visit to President Xi Jinping just days after Donald Trump was in Beijing, James C. Reynolds takes a closer look at the economic realities facing all three countries as they jostle for power on the world stage:
The harsh economic reality for Putin as he tries to upstage Trump in China
