Russian invasion

Sanctions
US: Will impose new sanctions on Russia

The US will impose new sanctions on Russia, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced according to AFP.

– We will either announce this afternoon or tomorrow morning a significant increase in sanctions, he told reporters.

Bessent did not give details, but said the sanctions would be “large and powerful” and added that Donald Trump is disappointed with how the peace talks are going, according to Reuters. He also said that Putin has not been “honest and straightforward” with Trump.

The announcement comes after the meeting between Trump and Vladimir Putin in Budapest was canceled. At the same time, the EU announced that it is ready to vote through its 19th sanctions package on Thursday morning.

EU’s 19th sanctions package against Russia is ready

The EU has agreed on a new sanctions package against Russia, the 19th in a row. The Danish presidency of the Council of Ministers announced this according to TT.

The package includes, among other things, an earlier phasing out of Russian gas, new listings of ships in the shadow fleet and restrictions on travel by Russian diplomats in the EU.

It was ready a month ago, but Slovakia blocked it. They have now lifted their veto, and the package is expected to be voted through at 08:00 on Thursday morning.

At the same time, the US announces that new sanctions against Russia are in the works.

The world's response
Trump brings Europe's spies closer together

European security services have abandoned decades of mutual distrust and begun to cooperate more against the Russian threat, reports Politico.

Many countries have stationed intelligence personnel in Brussels in the past year, and the EU is also considering building up more extensive, CIA-like, joint intelligence capabilities – something previously seen as unthinkable.

This is a consequence of the US abdicating in several respects as Europe's traditional ally – in particular, the abrupt decision to stop sharing intelligence with Ukraine last spring is said to have driven the decision.

– Trump deserves a Nobel Prize for bringing together Europe's intelligence services, says a Western intelligence source.

The fighting
US gives Ukraine the green light for new missile attacks

The US has unexpectedly lifted restrictions on Ukraine using British-made Storm Shadow missiles against targets in Russia, reports the Wall Street Journal.

On Tuesday, Ukraine used a Storm Shadow in an attack on a Russian explosives and rocket fuel factory in Bryansk. The General Staff describes it as a successful attack that broke through Russian air defenses.

The Americans have previously been able to veto such attacks because Storm Shadow, which is fired from Ukrainian fighter jets and has a range of almost 300 miles, uses American tracking data.