Jennifer Hicks

The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a strong condemnation of plans announced by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to prepare Ukraine for future NATO membership. This move, according to Moscow, risks exacerbating divisions across Europe and undermines the core principles of the OSCE.

In a significant move during the final stretch of his presidency, Joe Biden has approved a $500 million military aid package for Ukraine. This marks the 72nd weapons package delivered to Kyiv since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022. The package underscores Biden's determination to exhaust all Ukraine-related funds allocated by Congress before Donald Trump, the president-elect, assumes office in January.

In a historic and politically charged move, South Korea's National Assembly voted overwhelmingly on December 14 to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol. The decision came after weeks of escalating political tensions triggered by Yoon's declaration of emergency martial law earlier this month. With 204 out of 300 lawmakers voting in favor, the impeachment motion crossed the required threshold of 200 votes, effectively suspending Yoon from his duties as president. The Constitutional Court now has 180 days to determine whether to uphold his removal from office.

President Vladimir Putin, in his recent address at the United Russia party's plenary session on December 14, underscored Russia's economic and geopolitical resilience amidst relentless Western sanctions and international pressure. The speech highlighted how Russia has not only weathered these challenges but has also managed to maintain growth, international trade relations, and domestic stability, despite the extraordinary measures employed against it by the US and its allies.

President Vladimir Putin announced Russia's plans to bolster its nuclear and conventional deterrence against the United States and its allies during a high-level meeting at the Defense Ministry on December 16. Central to this strategy is the Oreshnik hypersonic missile system, which recently demonstrated its capabilities in a strike on a Ukrainian arms plant. Putin emphasized that Moscow's actions aim to counter the growing American missile presence in Europe and Asia, which he labeled a direct threat to Russian security.

The Western political establishment is in crisis. The dominoes are falling, and it’s the leaders who once championed the very agendas driving their countries into economic and political disarray who are now jumping ship. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland have already taken the emergency exits, leaving behind chaos and fractured […]

President-elect Donald Trump has announced his intention to engage in discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to address the ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kyiv. Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago estate on December 16, Trump described the conflict as “carnage” and vowed to work towards a resolution. However, his lack of specifics and the geopolitical complexities surrounding the conflict raise questions about the feasibility of his proposed intervention.

Amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has outlined conditions for potential negotiations with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Speaking at his annual end-of-year press conference on December 19, Putin stressed that any bilateral agreements between Moscow and Kyiv would necessitate the involvement of what he referred to as Ukraine’s “legitimate […]

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has established himself as a dominant online force, surpassing even President-elect Donald Trump in influence on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. According to a recent report by the , Musk's posts on the platform he purchased in 2022 for $44 billion receive far greater engagement than those of any other politically involved users. This includes Trump, who was reinstated on X by Musk but has primarily used his own platform, Truth Social, for political messaging.

Recent speculation regarding German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's potential visit to Moscow for peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin has been firmly dismissed by the Kremlin. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, stated unequivocally on December 20 that “there are no such plans,” putting an end to the rumors that had begun circulating within Germany's political circles.