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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that he held an extended phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump following the Paris meeting of the Coalition of the Willing , where 26 countries pledged post-ceasefire troop deployments to support Ukraine.  European leaders reportedly participated in the call, marking it as a multi-party consultation on the next steps toward peace and deterrence . Image Source: BFMTV In a public statement, Zelenskyy described the call as “long and very detailed,” with discussions focused on the conditions required to bring the ongoing war to an end, particularly by leveraging economic pressure against Russia.  “We talked about how to push the situation toward real peace. The most important element is pressure — strong economic measures to deprive Russia’s war machine of money and resources,” Zelenskyy stated. Zelenskyy Proposes U.S.-Backed Format to Shield Ukraine’s Skies A significant portion of the call reportedly focused on Ukraine...

Russia has publicly stated its position again, that any future peace settlement in Ukraine must include formal recognition of the territorial changes resulting from the taking over of Crimea and four other Ukrainian regions.  Addressing a plenary session of the UN General Assembly , Russia’s Permanent Representative Vasily Nebenzya said that ignoring these "new territorial realities" would render any agreement unsustainable.  File Photo Source: Nick Sortor “For peace to be truly durable, all interested parties must acknowledge the new territorial realities that emerged after Crimea and four regions joined Russia. This acknowledgment is essential,” Nebenzya told the Assembly in New York. The remarks come as Western allies, led by France, confirmed the formation of a 26-nation “Coalition of the Willing”, which plans to deploy military contingents to Ukraine in a support role immediately following a ceasefire or peace agreement. Coalition Formed to Guarantee Ukraine’s Post-Wa...

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a joint telephone conversation on Wednesday with European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The leaders stated the shared commitment to conclude the long-pending India–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and to deepen the strategic partnership across key sectors. Image Source: Ursula von der Leyen The call comes amid intensifying geopolitical realignments and ahead of the planned India–EU Summit expected to be held in New Delhi in early 2026. Both sides agreed to work toward finalising a joint strategic agenda, with trade, technology, security, and sustainability at the core of bilateral cooperation.  “We also remain fully committed to concluding the Free Trade Agreement negotiations by the end of the year. To achieve this, progress is needed now,” von der Leyen said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Had a very good conversation with European Council President António Costa and European ...

India and Singapore unveiled an expansive roadmap for their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) on Thursday, outlining concrete plans for joint cooperation in semiconductors, defence, digital payments, maritime security, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing, as both countries marked 60 years of diplomatic ties. Image Source: MEA India The announcement followed wide-ranging talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong during Wong’s first official visit to India since assuming office in 2024.  “This is a partnership with purpose -- rooted in shared values, guided by mutual interests, and driven by a common vision for peace, progress, and prosperity,” Indian Prime Minister Modi said in a joint press statement. Had a productive start to my visit in New Delhi. Last evening, I joined overseas Singaporeans and friends of Singapore for a special SG60 reception. Many had travelled from different parts of India — Chennai, Mumbai, an...

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that a multipolar world order “has taken shape” and warned that any Western move to confiscate Russia’s frozen assets would amount to “economic suicide,” in wide-ranging remarks to the press at the conclusion of his four-day official visit to China. Image Source: Fox News on X Speaking after meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders in Tianjin and Beijing, Putin positioned Russia, China, and India as the key poles of a post-Western international system.  “Multipolarity does not mean new hegemons,” he said. “It means equality in global governance.” Putin dismissed the notion that multipolarity remains aspirational. “Its contours have already formed,” he stated, pointing to platforms like BRICS and the SCO as realigning forces. He emphasized that sovereignty and equality--not bloc politics--should define international cooperation. Also Read:  India, Russia, and China Signal New ...

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is open to direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but questioned the Ukrainian leader’s constitutional legitimacy and rejected any notion of territorial concessions in exchange for security guarantees. Speaking to Russian and international media at the close of his four-day official visit to China, Putin dismissed as “false framing” the idea of a "land-for-peace" formula that would see Russia give up or secure territory in exchange for broader diplomatic settlements.  Image Source: The Spectator Index “We have never raised the issue in this way, nor have we ever discussed it in such terms,” he said. Putin’s remarks came just days after trilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and amid public signs of a shifting diplomatic atmosphere following private discussions with former U.S. President Donald Trump during their Alaska summit.  Also Read:  Russia–China Pipeli...

The Power of Siberia 2 natural gas pipeline emerged as the defining outcome of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s official four-day visit to China, with the Russian leader confirming that a deal had been reached with Beijing to expand energy exports through Mongolia. Image Source: NomNomTubeTub on X Speaking to media in Beijing following multiple bilateral and multilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Putin described the agreement as the result of years of technical and economic negotiation -- and stressed it had nothing to do with geopolitics or diplomacy. “There is no charity on either side,” Putin said.  “These are mutually beneficial agreements implemented on market principles, using objective pricing formulas specific to the region.” The Power of Siberia 2 project -- expected to deliver up to 50 billion cubic metres of gas annually -- would more than double Russia’s current pipeline exports to China.  Gazprom, Russia’s state-owned energy giant, currently...

India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council has approved a sweeping set of tax reforms aimed at reducing costs for consumers and simplifying the indirect tax regime.  The measures, announced after the 56th meeting of the GST Council in New Delhi, include rate cuts on essential medicines, household items, food products, vehicles, and building materials. Image Source: Screengrab PIB Broadcast Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the changes as “next-generation reforms” designed to benefit the “common man.”  Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who chaired the marathon 10.5-hour session, said the reforms were consensus-driven and aimed at correcting anomalies in the current multi-tier structure. Among the most notable changes is a reduction of GST from 12% to 0% on 33 life-saving drugs, including those used for cancer and rare diseases. Spectacles and goggles will now be taxed at 5%, down from 28%. Essential agricultural equipment such as tractors, threshers, and composting ...

Chinese President Xi Jinping used the occasion of the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World War II to deliver a speech that blended historical remembrance with assertive messages about modern geopolitics, Chinese identity, and future global leadership. Image Source: Mao Ning Addressing foreign dignitaries, military personnel, and party officials at a formal reception following a large-scale military parade in Beijing, Xi described the war’s outcome as a “historic turning point” that helped lift China out of crisis and launch its long path toward “national rejuvenation.”  He noted that the Chinese people fought the 14-year war “bitterly and heroically” and credited the contributions of Allied forces and international support — without naming specific countries. The speech emphasized the value of multilateral cooperation and global peace but also carried pointed references to sovereignty, national strength, and vigilance against external aggression.  Xi warne...