https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/524410/feed The latest news and updates on Sergey Lavrov, a seasoned diplomat, he has served as Russia’s Foreign Minister since 2004, making him the longest-serving in this role since Andrei Gromyko. His extensive career began as a Soviet diplomat in Sri Lanka, followed by significant posts at the UN, including Permanent Representative for Russia from 1994 to 2004. Known for assertively defending Russia’s foreign policy interests, his responsibilities encompass shaping international relations and engaging... en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Kyodo Kyodo Tokyo on Monday rebuked Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov after he voiced opposition over the weekend to Japan’s drive for permanent membership of the UN Security Council, claiming the country was on a “path of militarisation”. Lavrov’s comments came as the security council, tasked with safeguarding peace, is facing calls for reform amid accusations it failed to prevent recent conflicts such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, due largely to the veto power of its five permanent members:... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369042/japan-denies-militarisation-after-russia-opposes-permanent-un-council-seat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369042/japan-denies-militarisation-after-russia-opposes-permanent-un-council-seat?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 07:40:22 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Moscow at the United Nations on Wednesday that his nation would strike back and make the coming winter deeply painful for Russia, if the two sides cannot agree a truce on energy attacks before the cold sets in. Ukraine and its allies are racing to secure limited agreements on energy infrastructure and Black Sea shipping before winter, fearing renewed Russian strikes on power and heating ‌facilities, while Moscow continues to show little interest in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3368566/ukraines-zelensky-warns-painful-winter-russia-if-energy-truce-talks-fail?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3368566/ukraines-zelensky-warns-painful-winter-russia-if-energy-truce-talks-fail?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 21:01:32 +0000 Reuters Reuters Germany is planning a broad package of measures to strengthen its defences against drone attacks, cyber intrusions and other forms of Russian sabotage after a failed airport drone attack ‌last month, an interior ministry spokesperson said on Sunday. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper, which first reported the plans, that Russia’s hybrid attacks had become a part of daily reality. “These attacks will increase, but we can ⁠defend and protect ourselves,”... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3366553/germany-plans-anti-sabotage-shield-after-airport-drone-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3366553/germany-plans-anti-sabotage-shield-after-airport-drone-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Sep 2026 12:09:28 +0000 Shi Jiangtao,Liu Zhen Shi Jiangtao,Liu Zhen Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin both vowed to strengthen the role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) during their meeting on Monday, as the two countries seek to deepen strategic coordination amid mounting tensions with Washington and its allies. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Xi said the SCO has a mission to safeguard regional stability and promote regional development amid growing uncertainty and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365890/xi-putin-vow-deepen-strategic-ties-after-meeting-sco-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365890/xi-putin-vow-deepen-strategic-ties-after-meeting-sco-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 17:06:33 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Moscow said on Monday it had summoned the Japanese ambassador after Tokyo condemned President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to Russia’s far-eastern Kuril Islands, which are also claimed by Japan. Russian-Japanese relations have long been dogged by the contested islands, known in Japan as the Northern Territories and seized by the Soviet Union in 1945. Putin, 73, travelled to the islands after visiting the nearby Russian island of Sakhalin, prompting Japan to summon Russia’s ambassador in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3364347/russia-summons-japan-ambassador-over-disputed-kuril-islands-row-after-putin-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3364347/russia-summons-japan-ambassador-over-disputed-kuril-islands-row-after-putin-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Aug 2026 22:30:14 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met his Philippine counterpart in Manila on Wednesday, with both sides highlighting the need for “reducing the risk of miscalculation” and maintaining stability in the South China Sea. The meeting on the sidelines of the Asean foreign ministers’ gathering marked the first formal talks between the top diplomats since Maria Theresa Lazaro assumed office in July last year. It also came days after fresh tensions in the disputed waters, with Chinese coastguard and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3361490/china-philippines-should-avoid-south-china-sea-miscalculation-top-diplomats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3361490/china-philippines-should-avoid-south-china-sea-miscalculation-top-diplomats?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jul 2026 11:38:21 +0000 Reuters Reuters Russia has accused the ⁠US of failing to deliver on “understandings” reached between presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump at a summit in Alaska last August, a shift that suggests growing frustration in Moscow. In the space of three days, three senior Russian officials have said, without providing specifics, that Washington has not followed through. Their comments follow an intensification of Ukraine’s drone strikes deep inside Russia – including two attacks last week on a Moscow oil... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3358109/pummelled-ukraine-russia-says-us-hasnt-delivered-trump-putin-understandings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3358109/pummelled-ukraine-russia-says-us-hasnt-delivered-trump-putin-understandings?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Jun 2026 17:54:58 +0000 Gabriela Bernal Gabriela Bernal Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent Pyongyang visit may ultimately be remembered as a turning point in the international debate over North Korea’s nuclear weapons. While most headlines focused on the visit’s timing and the many pledges made by the two leaders aimed at expanding cooperation, the most significant development may have been what was left unsaid. Throughout the visit, neither side publicly referenced the denuclearisation issue. On the contrary, Xi called for expanded cooperation in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3356668/time-us-wishful-thinking-north-korean-denuclearisation-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3356668/time-us-wishful-thinking-north-korean-denuclearisation-over?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Jun 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is set to visit the Russian city of Kazan next week in a trip that would mark the first high-level talks between leaders from both sides since the city state imposed sanctions on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, sources have confirmed. Wong will attend the Asean-Russia Commemorative Summit from June 17 to June 19 to mark the 35th anniversary of dialogue relations between Moscow and Asean, according to sources who spoke to This Week in Asia on condition... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3356593/singapore-pm-lawrence-wong-visit-russias-kazan-first-ukraine-war-sanctions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3356593/singapore-pm-lawrence-wong-visit-russias-kazan-first-ukraine-war-sanctions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Jun 2026 06:31:57 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow A summit between Russia and Asean next week promises to ease Southeast Asia’s energy crisis and Moscow’s diplomatic isolation – but not all of the bloc’s leaders are expected to show up. Analysts are also divided on whether Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, the current Asean chair, will travel to Kazan for the meeting, hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 17–18. The summit marks the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3356460/putin-courts-southeast-asia-does-russia-need-asean-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3356460/putin-courts-southeast-asia-does-russia-need-asean-more?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Jun 2026 09:00:06 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Iran’s top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, is expected to rally support for Tehran’s war against the US during the Brics foreign ministers’ meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, amid a fragile ceasefire with its adversary. India, which holds the Brics chair this year, is hosting the gathering from the expanded bloc that now includes Iran and the United Arab Emirates – countries at odds over the conflict launched by the United States and Israel on February 28. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3353511/irans-anti-american-rhetoric-tests-indias-balancing-act-brics-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3353511/irans-anti-american-rhetoric-tests-indias-balancing-act-brics-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 05:20:23 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen China-Russia ties can withstand any potential containment efforts despite Washington’s long-standing hopes of driving a wedge between the two, a senior Chinese policy adviser has said, citing deep-seated US-Russia “contradictions” within what he called a “great triangle” of relations. Wu Dahui, deputy director of the Russian Research Institute at Tsinghua University, said while China and Russia were not formally allies, their relationship was “better than an alliance” and took the form of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352894/why-china-russia-ties-are-better-alliance-and-immune-us-containment-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3352894/why-china-russia-ties-are-better-alliance-and-immune-us-containment-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A pro-Kremlin Japanese politician has said Russia is trying to arrange a meeting of the two nations’ foreign ministers in July, although analysts suggest that Muneo Suzuki’s efforts to act as a go-between are unlikely to bear fruit. Suzuki, who represents a constituency in Hokkaido and returned to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in 2025 after 23 years as an independent member of the Diet, met senior Russian government officials in Moscow on Monday. Andrey Rudenko, deputy foreign minister in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3352516/why-japanese-politicians-goal-reset-ties-russia-long-shot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3352516/why-japanese-politicians-goal-reset-ties-russia-long-shot?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 01:30:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the United States of ⁠abandoning internationally recognised diplomatic ⁠conventions in pursuit of its ⁠own interests, particularly in dominating energy markets, in an interview broadcast on Friday. Lavrov, interviewed by Russian state television, said Washington, in its dealings with Latin America and the Middle East, was “taking us back to a world where ‌nothing existed” in international law. “The United States has officially declared that no one... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3351393/russia-accuses-us-using-coups-kidnappings-defend-its-well-being-any-cost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3351393/russia-accuses-us-using-coups-kidnappings-defend-its-well-being-any-cost?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 01:29:14 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji The global balance of power has tilted to major emerging economies such as China and India as US hegemony is increasingly undermined – much of it by its own actions, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. In his speech on Saturday at the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, Lavrov argued that the foundations of globalisation powered primarily by America had “come to an end”. He added that the trend had been under way during former US president Joe Biden’s administration, and that... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3350598/russias-lavrov-says-balance-power-shifting-emerging-economies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3350598/russias-lavrov-says-balance-power-shifting-emerging-economies?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 15:42:35 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Russia can help China and other nations weather energy supply disruptions stemming from the war in Iran, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. “Russia can, without a doubt, compensate for the shortfall in resources that has arisen”, Lavrov told reporters in response to a question about the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. He also said that Chinese-Russian ties are “unshakeable in the face of any storms”. Lavrov confirmed that Russian... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3350178/china-cements-russia-ties-both-win-us-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/world/middle-east/article/3350178/china-cements-russia-ties-both-win-us-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:49:50 +0000 Junjie Wang Junjie Wang Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Vietnamese leader To Lam are the latest world leaders to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid global trade tensions and the war in Iran. Xi also this week met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Abu Dhabi’s crown prince, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The president of Mozambique arrives in China this week as well. US President Donald Trump delayed his trip to China to May 14-15 in order to focus on the conflict in the Middle... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/article/3350157/xi-jinping-meets-foreign-leaders-tracker-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/news/china/article/3350157/xi-jinping-meets-foreign-leaders-tracker-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:45:40 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Amid escalating turmoil in the Middle East and mounting global uncertainty, Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged China and Russia to elevate their strategic partnership to new heights by deepening “all-round cooperation” and reinvigorating the authority of the United Nations. During a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Beijing on Wednesday, he cast the growing bilateral relationship as a stabilising force in a volatile world, rooted in history, driven by strategic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350167/strong-china-russia-relations-are-stabilising-force-turbulent-landscape-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350167/strong-china-russia-relations-are-stabilising-force-turbulent-landscape-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 09:01:36 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Russia and China’s top envoys met in Beijing on Tuesday to discuss the Iran war, Ukraine and Taiwan as Beijing stepped up its Iran war diplomacy and tensions with Washington increased. In a jab at Washington and US President Donald Trump that did not mention either by name, a Chinese readout of the meeting between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov noted that the world is increasingly marked by turmoil and instability. The two top diplomats also discussed plans... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350099/top-russian-and-chinese-envoys-meet-beijing-discuss-iran-ukraine-and-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350099/top-russian-and-chinese-envoys-meet-beijing-discuss-iran-ukraine-and-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:59:47 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Major powers are closely watching Hungary’s election next week – a vote seen as a referendum on Europe’s right and crucial for Chinese interests in the EU. Recent polls show self-styled “illiberal democrat” Viktor Orban’s Fidesz trailing challenger Peter Magyar’s Tisza Party by between 19 and 23 points among likely voters ahead of an election on Sunday that has been described as “Europe’s most consequential”. For China, Russia and the United States under President Donald Trump, an Orban defeat... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349109/orban-brink-could-hungarys-election-dent-chinas-influence-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349109/orban-brink-could-hungarys-election-dent-chinas-influence-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 04:00:08 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen As missiles fly throughout the Middle East, China is walking a diplomatic tightrope between strategic partner Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council states, with whom it has deep economic ties. All six GCC members have been struck as Tehran has widened its retaliation for US and Israeli attacks that killed its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and senior officials. Its strikes have also expanded beyond United States’ assets to include landmark buildings and airports, causing death and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345443/china-must-find-path-between-iran-and-gulf-states-tehran-strikes-across-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345443/china-must-find-path-between-iran-and-gulf-states-tehran-strikes-across-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 11:19:08 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim The massive American military strikes on Iran could add a new layer of uncertainty to US President Donald Trump’s high-stakes trip to China at the end of the month, observers warn. They said that while the visit was expected to go ahead as planned, the escalating conflict in the Middle East could fuel fresh concerns in Beijing over Washington’s global assertiveness and ambitions. Large-scale US and Israeli strikes on Iran since Saturday have killed senior Iranian figures including the supreme... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345181/will-iran-attack-derail-trumps-high-stakes-china-visit-meet-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345181/will-iran-attack-derail-trumps-high-stakes-china-visit-meet-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 15:06:00 +0000 Zhao Ziwen Zhao Ziwen China has strongly condemned the killing of the Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, which has left Tehran in turmoil and the Middle East facing a major regional escalation. However, analysts believe that China’s position as Iran’s top oil buyer and trade partner will endure through any political upheaval. They also expect Beijing to adopt a pragmatic approach towards Iran’s next leadership, despite the potential threat to Chinese diplomatic and defence ambitions in the Middle East... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345051/khamenei-dead-chinas-ties-iran-will-endure-heres-why?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345051/khamenei-dead-chinas-ties-iran-will-endure-heres-why?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A tour bus carrying Chinese tourists plunged through the ice on Russia’s Lake Baikal, killing eight people, officials said. One of the Chinese tourists managed to escape from the bus, which was crossing the frozen lake on Friday, Irkutsk regional Governor Igor Kobzev wrote in a Telegram post on Saturday. He said the dead included seven Chinese tourists and the driver. The bus plunged into a three-metre-wide (10-foot-wide) ice crevasse, Russia’s Emergencies Ministry reported. The lake is 18... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3344231/bus-chinese-tourists-crashes-through-ice-russias-lake-baikal-killing-8?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3344231/bus-chinese-tourists-crashes-through-ice-russias-lake-baikal-killing-8?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 17:53:15 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Russia’s Federal Security Service said on Sunday that the man suspected of shooting a deputy chief of Russia’s military intelligence agency in Moscow was detained in Dubai and handed over to Russia. Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev was hospitalised after being shot several times on Friday by an assailant at a residential building in northwestern Moscow, Investigative Committee spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko said. The attack followed a series of assassinations of senior military officers... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3342833/russia-says-suspect-shooting-top-general-detained-dubai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3342833/russia-says-suspect-shooting-top-general-detained-dubai?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 10:31:25 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier The United States accused China on Friday of failing to disclose a 2020 nuclear test, violating what a US official suggested was an understanding involving a 1996 nuclear test ban treaty that both countries signed but neither ratified. This came as Washington called this week for a broad new arms-control treaty to include China, Russia and the US after it declined to extend the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Start), the world’s last binding nuclear arms control agreement. Russia had... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342733/us-accuses-china-secret-nuclear-testing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342733/us-accuses-china-secret-nuclear-testing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 18:52:37 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Russia’s call to revive a troika with China and India is unlikely to be greeted with enthusiasm by New Delhi, with critics pointing to tense border stand-offs and India’s reluctance to be seen as part of an “anti-West” grouping. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier this month lauded Moscow’s bilateral ties with Delhi and Beijing, calling for the revival of the Russia-India-China (RIC) trialogue. First mooted in 1998 by then Russian prime minister Yevgeny Primakov, the RIC has not taken... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3341882/will-india-warm-russias-bid-revive-troika-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3341882/will-india-warm-russias-bid-revive-troika-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump said his message to Russian leader Vladimir Putin was that the war in Ukraine has to end, ‍after what he said were “good” talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Davos on Thursday. US and Ukrainian officials have spent weeks in frenetic shuttle diplomacy as Kyiv faces pressure from Trump to secure peace in the nearly four-year-old war, despite few signs Moscow wants to stop fighting. After a meeting with the Ukrainian leader that lasted around an hour,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3340899/trump-sends-message-putin-war-has-end-after-good-meeting-zelensky?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3340899/trump-sends-message-putin-war-has-end-after-good-meeting-zelensky?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:03:48 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg US envoy Steve Witkoff said he and Jared Kushner will travel to Russia on Thursday for talks with President Vladimir Putin on the latest proposals for a peace plan to end the war in Ukraine. “The Russians have invited us to come and that’s a significant statement from them,” Witkoff said in an interview with Bloomberg Television at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday. “Jared and I will leave Thursday night and arrive in Moscow late at night.” US President Donald Trump remains “focused... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340726/us-envoy-witkoff-meet-putin-moscow-pivotal-peace-talks-thursday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340726/us-envoy-witkoff-meet-putin-moscow-pivotal-peace-talks-thursday?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 12:33:44 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump on Sunday told reporters that US officials have determined that Ukraine did not target a residence belonging to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a drone attack last week, disputing Kremlin claims that Trump had initially greeted with deep concern. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last week said Ukraine launched a wave of drones at Putin’s state residence in the northwestern Novgorod region that the Russian defence systems were able to defeat. Lavrov also... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3338731/trump-says-ukraine-did-not-target-putin-residence-disputing-russian-claim-drone-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3338731/trump-says-ukraine-did-not-target-putin-residence-disputing-russian-claim-drone-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 05:04:18 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Russian officials on Thursday said a Ukrainian drone strike killed 24 people and wounded at least 50 more as they celebrated the New Year in a Russian-occupied village in Ukraine’s Kherson region, as tensions between the two nations continue to spike despite diplomats hailing productive peace talks. Three drones struck a cafe and hotel in the resort town of Khorly on the Black Sea coast, the region’s Moscow-installed leader, Vladimir Saldo, said in a statement on Telegram. He said that one of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3338424/russia-claims-24-killed-ukrainian-drone-strike-occupied-kherson-despite-peace-progress?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3338424/russia-claims-24-killed-ukrainian-drone-strike-occupied-kherson-despite-peace-progress?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 12:30:40 +0000 dpa dpa The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has concluded that Ukraine did not target Russian President Vladimir Putin or one of his residences in a recent drone attack, US media have reported. Various media, including The Wall Street Journal as well as the broadcasters PBS and CNN, cited unnamed US government officials in their reports published on Wednesday evening, contradicting serious accusations made by Moscow at the start of the week. Initially, US President Donald Trump also criticised... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3338416/cia-concludes-ukraine-did-not-target-putins-residence-drone-strike?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3338416/cia-concludes-ukraine-did-not-target-putins-residence-drone-strike?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 10:27:57 +0000 dpa dpa Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday threatened Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with imminent death in a text peppered with insults on Telegram. Medvedev, who is now deputy head of the Russian Security Council and is known for his invective against Ukraine and its allies, referred to the Christmas address of Zelensky, saying he had wished death upon “a person” – presumably Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. “It is clear to everyone that he wishes death not only on ‘one person’,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3338199/russias-medvedev-claims-grim-reaper-coming-zelensky-vile-threat-ukraine-leader?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3338199/russias-medvedev-claims-grim-reaper-coming-zelensky-vile-threat-ukraine-leader?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 13:40:57 +0000 Reuters Reuters Following angry exchanges on Monday, Russia dealt a fresh blow to diplomatic efforts on Tuesday by refusing to substantiate claims of a Ukrainian attack on President Vladimir Putin’s residence, instead using the unverified incident as justification to harden its position in conflict negotiations with Kyiv. US President Donald Trump said Putin had told him about the alleged attack in a phone call on Monday morning, which had angered him. Still, Trump repeated his belief that a peace deal may be... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3338073/russia-says-ukraine-tried-attack-putins-residence-kyiv-says-moscow-lying?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3338073/russia-says-ukraine-tried-attack-putins-residence-kyiv-says-moscow-lying?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 16:58:23 +0000 dpa dpa Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed confidence in victory for his war in Ukraine during a meeting with senior military officials on Wednesday amid a renewed diplomatic push to achieve a peaceful solution to the conflict. He said that more than 300 localities in the neighbouring country have been conquered this year alone. “Among them are also large cities that have been turned by the enemy into fortress nodes with permanent defensive installations,” Putin said. The Russian president said... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3336865/putin-vows-victory-ukraine-us-and-russia-prepare-miami-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3336865/putin-vows-victory-ukraine-us-and-russia-prepare-miami-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 05:10:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday that US President Donald Trump had been sent a proposal on territorial concessions Ukraine is ready to make to end its war against Russia. Merz said the proposal was sent after he and other European leaders had spoken by phone with Trump on Wednesday. “It mainly concerns the question of what territorial concessions Ukraine is prepared to make,” Merz said. He cautioned however that ultimately “the Ukrainian president and the Ukrainian people have... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3336094/proposals-territorial-concessions-ukraine-sent-trump-germanys-merz-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3336094/proposals-territorial-concessions-ukraine-sent-trump-germanys-merz-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:17:53 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo A 2026 calendar issued by a North Korean publisher for Chinese tourists features a new beach resort on the country’s east coast, a copy obtained by Kyodo News showed on Wednesday. The Wonsan Kalma tourist area with hotels and leisure facilities was launched in the summer, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visiting there in July for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Before North Korea shut its borders in early 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many Chinese tourists had... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3335934/north-korea-beckons-chinese-tourists-beach-resort-2026-calendar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3335934/north-korea-beckons-chinese-tourists-beach-resort-2026-calendar?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 12:01:59 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang China and Russia have reached a “high degree” of strategic consensus on issues related to Japan and jointly oppose the revival of “Japanese militarism”, Beijing said after Foreign Minister Wang Yi met chief Kremlin security aide Sergei Shoigu in Moscow. Statements from the World War II allies after Tuesday’s meeting indicated continued solidarity amid growing China-Japan tensions. Shoigu, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, also told Wang that Russia could achieve its “strategic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335058/wwii-allies-china-russia-take-united-stand-against-japanese-militarism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335058/wwii-allies-china-russia-take-united-stand-against-japanese-militarism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 09:42:57 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday he was ready to advance a US-backed framework for ending the war with Russia and discuss disputed points with US President Donald Trump in talks he said should include European allies. US and Ukrainian officials have been trying to narrow their gaps over Trump’s plan to end Europe’s deadliest and most devastating conflict since World War II, with Ukraine wary of being strong-armed into accepting a deal largely on Russian terms, including... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3334146/ukraine-ready-advance-peace-plan-will-discuss-disputed-points-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3334146/ukraine-ready-advance-peace-plan-will-discuss-disputed-points-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 18:46:15 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his plan for a swift meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin was on hold because he did not want it to be a “waste of time”. It was the latest twist in Trump’s stop-and-go effort to resolve the war in Ukraine. The decision to hold off on the meeting in Budapest, Hungary, which Trump had announced last week, was made following a call on Monday between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. “I don’t want to have a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3329859/trump-says-ukraine-talks-putin-now-doesnt-want-wasted-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3329859/trump-says-ukraine-talks-putin-now-doesnt-want-wasted-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 22:28:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Russia’s top diplomat Sergey Lavrov and US counterpart Marco Rubio discussed preparations for a coming summit in Hungary between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump in a call on Monday, both sides said. Rubio “emphasised the importance of upcoming engagements as an opportunity for Moscow and Washington to collaborate on advancing a durable resolution of the Russia-Ukraine war”, Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesman for the US State Department, said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3329718/lavrov-and-rubio-discuss-putin-trump-summit-zelensky-seeks-invite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3329718/lavrov-and-rubio-discuss-putin-trump-summit-zelensky-seeks-invite?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2025 18:17:54 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India in December, a trip that could test New Delhi’s delicate balancing act between Moscow and Washington amid escalating pressure from the United States over oil and weapons purchases from the sanctioned country. Analysts say the visit is likely to deepen India’s defiance of Western demands as it strengthens energy and defence ties with Russia. But it could also complicate Delhi’s strategic ambitions – including a potential trade deal with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3327828/putins-visit-test-india-us-sticky-ties-amid-pressure-over-oil-weapons-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3327828/putins-visit-test-india-us-sticky-ties-amid-pressure-over-oil-weapons-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Oct 2025 11:34:27 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ukraine said on Sunday that Russia pounded the country with “hundreds” of drones and missiles overnight, killing at least four people in the capital alone, as neighbouring Poland scrambled jets to secure its airspace. The attacks came after Russia warned Nato against taking sterner action in response to alleged incursions into airspace covered by the military alliance. The barrage also followed the revelation by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Kyiv had received a US-made Patriot air... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3327137/russia-pummels-ukraine-massive-missile-and-drone-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3327137/russia-pummels-ukraine-massive-missile-and-drone-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Sep 2025 07:53:47 +0000 Reuters Reuters Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the West on Saturday that any aggression against Moscow would face a “decisive response”, warning against attempts to down aircraft in Russian airspace and accusing Germany of militaristic rhetoric. As Russia’s war rages in Ukraine, tensions have mounted along Nato’s eastern flank in recent weeks as Estonia said Moscow sent three fighter aircraft into its airspace and Nato warplanes shot down Russian drones over Poland. “Any aggression against my... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3327122/russia-tells-west-any-aggression-will-be-met-decisive-response?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3327122/russia-tells-west-any-aggression-will-be-met-decisive-response?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Sep 2025 23:05:46 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US Vice-President J.D. Vance warned on Wednesday that Donald Trump was “growing incredibly impatient” with Moscow as Washington’s stance on Russia hardens after diplomatic efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine stalled. Trump performed a stunning about-turn at the United Nations on Tuesday, suggesting that Ukraine could not only retake all of the territory it lost to Russia militarily, but also take even more. Trump “doesn’t feel like they’re putting enough on the table to end the war. If the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3326804/us-russia-spar-over-ukraine-war-amid-calls-killing-stop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3326804/us-russia-spar-over-ukraine-war-amid-calls-killing-stop?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 06:32:03 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Russia on Friday ruled out an immediate meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, as diplomatic tension escalated with the Ukrainian president, and US mediation efforts appeared to stumble. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said “no meeting” between Vladimir Putin and Zelensky was planned, as Nato chief Mark Rutte visited Kyiv, largely to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine. US President Donald Trump raised expectations for a swift summit between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents by saying... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3322888/ukraine-war-russia-rejects-zelensky-meeting-nato-chief-visits-kyiv-amid-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3322888/ukraine-war-russia-rejects-zelensky-meeting-nato-chief-visits-kyiv-amid-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 15:32:51 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Russia said on Wednesday it had to be part of any discussion on security guarantees for Ukraine and downplayed the likelihood of an imminent summit with President Volodymyr Zelensky, tempering hopes for a quick peace deal. Nato military chiefs, meanwhile, held a virtual summit on security guarantees for Ukraine, the latest in a flurry of global diplomacy aimed at brokering an end to the nearly three-and-a-half year conflict. “On #Ukraine, we confirmed our support. Priority continues to be a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3322580/russia-says-it-must-be-part-ukraine-security-talks-nato-military-chiefs-meet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3322580/russia-says-it-must-be-part-ukraine-security-talks-nato-military-chiefs-meet?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Aug 2025 22:14:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Switzerland would grant Russian President Vladimir Putin immunity if he came to the country for talks on peace in Ukraine, despite the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant, it said on Tuesday. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis told a press conference that, under certain circumstances, he would be allowed to set foot in Switzerland. Last year, the Swiss government defined “the rules for granting immunity to a person under an international arrest warrant. If this person comes for a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3322409/switzerland-offers-putin-immunity-ukraine-peace-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3322409/switzerland-offers-putin-immunity-ukraine-peace-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Aug 2025 12:34:11 +0000 Shi Jiangtao,Alyssa Chen Shi Jiangtao,Alyssa Chen The highly anticipated US-Russia presidential summit in Alaska had raised hopes for progress on ending the Ukraine war, but instead left more questions than answers. Still, observers viewed Vladimir Putin’s diplomatic return to US soil – his first in a decade – as a symbolic win for Moscow. The nearly three-hour talks, which both Putin and Donald Trump described as “productive”, signalled a potential thaw in the fraught US-Russia relationship despite concluding without a ceasefire agreement,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322104/will-trump-putin-thaw-alaska-leave-china-facing-3-way-dilemma?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322104/will-trump-putin-thaw-alaska-leave-china-facing-3-way-dilemma?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Aug 2025 14:24:28 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan The South China Morning Post’s live blog for the Trump-Putin summit is online. Check it out now for updates on the talks and ground reports from Anchorage. The highly anticipated talks between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, ended without a deal and without clear answers – only broad assurances from both sides that the summit was “productive” and that progress had been made towards peace in Ukraine. Addressing a joint press conference... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3322061/trump-putin-soon-sit-down-high-stakes-ukraine-talks-alaska?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3322061/trump-putin-soon-sit-down-high-stakes-ukraine-talks-alaska?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 14:56:05 +0000