Latest news

Russian invasion  Negotiations
Lavrov: Peace talks are not Russia's priority

Russia is in no hurry to resume peace talks with Ukraine and the US that were put on hold when the Iran war broke out, says Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov according to the Kyiv Independent.

– At the moment, continuing peace talks are not our top priority. [...] Our starting point has always been that we are ready when the other side is ready.

Ukrainian President Zelensky has urged the US and Russia to start new talks, but Trump's negotiators – envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner – are busy with Iran.

The central deadlock between Ukraine and Russia remains: Ukraine wants peace talks to be based on a freeze on the current front line, while Russia wants Ukrainian forces to leave the parts of Donbas that are still under Ukrainian control.

Middle East Crisis  Strait of Hormuz
Iran: Attacks anyone approaching the Strait of Hormuz

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has banned all types of ships from attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, AFP reports.

“Any attempt to approach the Strait of Hormuz will be seen as cooperation with the enemy, and the ship in question will be attacked,” they write on their official news page.

On Saturday, less than a day after announcing that the Strait of Hormuz had been opened to shipping, Iran closed it again because the United States did not lift its blockade of Iranian ports. Since then, several ships have been fired on by the Revolutionary Guard.

Donald Trump, who yesterday claimed that Iran had agreed never to close the strait again, says that the United States will not allow itself to be blackmailed and that “very good talks” are underway with Iran. 

Canada-US Relations
US Commerce Secretary to Canada: “You suck”

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick insults neighboring Canada ahead of upcoming trade talks, reports Semafor.

At an event organized by the news site in Washington, Lutnick commented on a statement by former Canadian trade negotiator Steve Verheul that “time is on our side” in the talks, as the pressure on the US will only increase.

– It’s kind of the worst strategy I’ve ever heard. They suck, says the minister.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney “has a problem with (the US)” because he held trade talks with China, according to Lutnick. He calls the current trade agreement between the US, Canada and Mexico “a bad deal” that needs to be renegotiated.

A spokesperson for the Department of Commerce claims that Lutnick was misquoted and actually meant that Canada is sucking the US economy out.

Elections in Hungary
Final results in Hungary – Tisza’s majority grows

The last postal and foreign votes have been counted in Hungary and the final election results are in, the country’s election authority has announced.

Opposition leader Péter Magyar and his Tisza party will win a total of 141 out of 199 seats – three more than the preliminary figure. This is more than enough to pass the threshold for a supermajority, i.e. two-thirds of the seats, which is 133.

“An unprecedented majority,” Magyar writes in a comment on the results.

The supermajority gives Tisza far-reaching opportunities to reshape the Hungarian political system, including through constitutional amendments.

Outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party will win 52 seats, and the far-right Our Homeland party will win six. Magyar is expected to take office on May 9 or 10 and has promised to immediately launch a comprehensive anti-corruption campaign.