The Latest Breaking News from Vladimir Putin

Here’s a round-up of Al Jazeera’s Middle East coverage this week.

Wall Street Journal reports the move is part of a broader plan to retain modest forces in the Middle East.

‘All our missiles, et cetera, would fly to the Bundestag, to the Chancellor’s office’

Russian leaders should be put on trial for the invasion of Ukraine even if they cannot be arrested and brought to court in person, Kyiv's top prosecutor said on Thursday.

Nine people killed in Russian strike on Kyiv region; Ukrainian general says Russia continues to try and take Bakhmut ‘at any cost’

Nuclear plant relies on single backup power line; EU leaders to discuss Ukraine’s armament needs; plus, 10 writers face their fiercest food fears

Former Russian leader earlier warned ‘nuclear apocalypse’ was nearing

The ex-president is a painter, his VP an avid fly fisher, while Tony Blair has built a property empire. They appear unrepentant

Chinese President Xi Jinping has invited Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to Beijing for a state visit as Xi tries to galvanize support for China’s peace proposal for Ukraine

Ron DeSantis’ first foray into world affairs as a potential presidential candidate hasn’t gone well. DeSantis’ dismissive description of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as “a territorial dispute” that doesn’t merit U.S. attention spawned a gale of fervent pushback from top Senate Republicans and others in the party.

Whatever else it produced, this week’s visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Moscow did not advance the cause of a just peace in Ukraine. If anything, Xi’s cordial courtship of Vladimir Putin provided the Russian president with a publicity coup days after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants…