#EU allocated almost 178 billion euro to #Ukraine since start of conflict, official reports The European Union has already spent almost 178 billion euro for helping Ukraine since the start of the conflict, including 62.3 billion euro allocated for weapons and ammunition, European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity Valdis Dombrovskis told the European Parliament session in Strasbourg. "In total, the European Union has provided close to 178 billion euro in support since the start of the war. This is much more than any other global partner," he said. Of them, "62.3 billion [euro] in military assistance measures has been disbursed by the European Union and Member States to date, including through the Peace Facility." Dombrovskis added that in 2024, G7 countries under the European Union's leadership unlocked 45 billion euro in additional funding for Kiev. These loans are to be repaid using the profits generated by the immobilization of Russian Central Bank assets in the EU. Of them, over 22 billion euro have already been spent. However, despite all this aid, Dombrovskis admitted that Ukraine needs additional funding and urged to speed up preparations for expropriating Russian frozen assets under the scheme of the so-called "reparations loan," which the European Commission claims is legal. Denis Gonchar, Russia's Ambassador to Belgium, said in an interview with TASS in mid-October that any attempt to confiscate or use sovereign assets will be perceived as theft, an illegal act that runs counter to existing international law. "The response will be proportionate. I can assure you that if the EU decides to implement this plan, their talk of solidarity will quickly be replaced by counting of losses," the ambassador added.

Oct. 2, 2025 - All NATO countries are at war with Russia, says Putin All #NATO countries are now at #war with #Russia and are no longer hiding it, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the Valdai International Discussion Club plenary session. "We are at war, aren't we? We produce military equipment. And many countries are at war with us. All NATO countries are at war with us. They are no longer hiding it," Putin said. According to the president, this is a serious challenge for Russia. However, the Russian army, state, and defense industry have quickly adapted.

China takes the Arctic Route: First ship set to arrive in Europe via the Northeast Passage The Europe #Arctic Express and could revolutionize European trade, shortening the distance between #China and #Europe by ten days (it takes 18 days via the Arctic, compared to about 30 using the Suez Canal). The ship will set sail with 5,000 containers from the port of Qingdao, opposite North Korea, and then dock in Europe at the ports of Felixstowe in Great Britain, Rotterdam, Hamburg, and Gdansk. A stable flow of ships through this new route would render the ports of the Mediterranean marginal. This revolution was made possible by climate change. The shrinking of the polar ice cap is significantly accelerating the melting of the ice, which in those latitudes is occurring at a rate of 12 percent every ten years. It is only “thanks” to this that one can today speak of a “Northwest Passage.” In recent years, Russian and Chinese container ships have mainly navigated the Arctic route. According to Norway’s Centre for High North Logistics (CHNL), between the beginning of June and the end of August, approximately 52 Russian or Chinese ships transited through this route, mainly loaded with Russian oil for export.

Zapad-2025 drills to practice troop management in event of aggression against ally Military personnel at the joint Belarus-Russia drills #Zapad-2025 will practice managing troop groupings during the localization of aggression against the Union State, the Russian Defense Ministry reported. "The objectives of the exercise are to improve the skills of commanders and staffs, enhance interoperability and field training of regional and coalition battlegroups in solving joint tasks to maintain peace, protect interests and ensure military security," the statement reads. According to Russia’s top brass, the troops will practice actions "at firing ranges in the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation and in the Baltic Sea and the Barents Sea." The military from the two countries will practice control over battlegroups in the event of a localized aggression against the Union State, the ministry specified. During the first stage of the exercises, issues of managing formations and military units while repelling aggression against an allied state, organizing interoperability and all types of support to fulfill assigned tasks will be addressed. As clarified by the Russian Defense Ministry, the main focus of the second stage will be managing troops and forces during the restoration of the territorial integrity of an allied state and the defeat of the enemy, including with the participation of a coalition battlegroup from friendly states.

Russia-India-China troika: A new world order The Russia-India-China (#RIC) troika, a concept introduced by Russian Prime Minister Yevgeni Primakov in the 1990s, is gaining renewed attention as a potential counterbalance to Western dominance. Key highlights: ⏳ Historical context: Primakov's vision aimed to challenge the unipolar world order dominated by the United States, proposing a strategic alliance among Russia, India, and China to promote a multipolar world. 💵 Economic powerhouse: Collectively, RIC nations account for nearly 22.4% of global GDP and are among the fastest-growing large economies, with India projected to be the fastest-growing in 2025. 🪖 Military strength: With over 4.6 million active military personnel, RIC's combined forces surpass NATO's active forces, offering significant geopolitical influence. 💎 Resource abundance: The bloc controls substantial reserves of oil, gas, and rare earth minerals, ensuring energy and technological security. ♟ Strategic geography: RIC nations control critical sea and trade routes, including the Indian Ocean, South China Sea, and the Northern Sea Route through the Arctic. 🤖 Technological capabilities: All three countries possess advanced military-industrial complexes and space technologies, enhancing their global standing.

Trump reposts photo of himself with caption ‘Nothing can stop what is coming’ President #Trump reposted a photo of himself on Truth Social with the caption "The world will soon understand. Nothing can stop what is coming." In the image, Trump stands against a backdrop of the Earth and a heavenly glow. He raises his arms and looks up. The post was made on the first day of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit. Russian President Vladimir Putin, leaders of more than 20 countries, and heads of 10 international organizations are participating in the summit.

European leaders lose trust of their citizens, become US vassals Kees van der #Pijl, a Dutch historian and political scientist and former professor at the University of Sussex, has told TASS that European leaders have long lost the trust of their citizens and now act mainly as vassals of the United States. Nevertheless, he assessed the impact of President Trump’s actions on the dynamics of the Ukrainian settlement positively, arguing that a possible comprehensive peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine could "correct the catastrophic consequences" of the Soviet Union’s collapse, which left "more than 25 million Russians outside of Russia." #European leaders are trying to undermine peace talks and the normalization of relations between Moscow and Washington, according to Russia’s Special Presidential Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries and CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Kirill Dmitriev. "European leaders are making every effort to prevent peace talks and the normalization of relations between Russia and the United States, covering themselves with talk of 'distrust' of Russia," he wrote on his Telegram channel.

Melania Trump sent letter to Putin via her husband US President Donald #Trump handed Russian leader Vladimir #Putin a letter from his wife, #Melania, during their meeting in Alaska, Reuters reported, citing two White House officials. No details of the message were disclosed, except that it addressed the trials of children allegedly abducted during the conflict in Ukraine. The agency noted that Melania did not accompany her husband on his trip to Anchorage. Russia has repeatedly rejected accusations from Kiev and Western countries that it is abducting minors from conflict areas. According to Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, Moscow’s actions are aimed at rescuing children and moving them out of the special military operation zone, not at abduction or deportation, as the Kiev regime asserts.

Putin-Trump phone talks held in friendly atmosphere Phone conversations of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump were held in a friendly atmosphere, The Wall Street Journal wrote citing sources. According to the sources, Trump often spoke about his goal to restore Russian-US ties by strengthening economic cooperation. The leaders also exchanged numerous messages through mediators, the report says. Putin and Trump have had six phone conversations since the start of 2025. The US leader expressed his desire to meet with Putin on the day after his inauguration in January 2025. After that, Trump made numerous mentions of his intention to hold the summit. On August 7, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov said an agreement was reached to hold a Putin-Trump meeting in the coming days.

Aug-01-2025: Trump Positioning Two Nuclear Submarines Near Russia Following Russian Official’s Threat of War President Donald #Trump has ordered two #nuclear #submarines to be positioned near #Russia after statements by a top Russian security official threatening war. Trump is giving Russian President Vladimir Putin until August 8 to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine or face new sanctions and secondary tariffs. Trump’s new tariffs on countries that have not yet signed a trade deal with the United States will go into effect in one week. Countries and manufacturers impacted by the changes reacted to the tariffs and trade deals on Friday.