The delegation consists largely of key diplomatic figures such as Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Alexander Lavrentiyev
Syria initially appeared to be backing a balancing strategy between East and West but now has taken a firmer stance against Russia and its bases
BREAKING: A high level Russian delegation arrives in Damascus for the first time since Assad's fall in Syria
This aligns with Russian warnings about neocolonialism in Africa but the Kremlin has reason to tread cautiously on blaming Rwanda
Economic ties have strengthened under Kagame and Rwanda has backed Russia's vision in CAR
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Russia has blamed the escalating crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Goma region on mineral exploitation
Tying "external players" to M23's escalatory moves
China is praising its strong ties with Colombia as Trump imposes tariffs
The only silver lining for Lukashenko is that he is seen by many Belarusians as a figure who has resisted dragging Belarus into North Korea-style ground involvement in the Ukraine War
This divides the anti-war community in Belarus
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Political apathy has set in in Belarus as the opposition candidates are disqualified, fear of protests rises and Belarusians abroad are disenfranchised
36% turnout was expected in 2025 compared to 75% in 2020
BREAKING: Belarus exit poll shows that Alexander Lukashenko will win 87.6% of the vote in uncompetitive presidential elections
Hezbollah aligned media has been pushing for Lebanese to return to southern Lebanon and Israel believes it needs more time to vanquish its remaining infrastructure in the border region
Joseph Aoun has gotten a reprieve but perilous moments lie ahead
This breaks from previous reports of a near breakdown of the ceasefire
22 Lebanese deaths transpired as Israel decided to stay in southern Lebanon past the deadline of today
BREAKING: The US confirms that the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire agreement will last until February 18
A NATO flotilla was recently assembled to counter the hybrid threat from Russia against Baltic Sea cables.
It was stationed off Estonia's coast
That doesn't seem to be an adequate deterrent thus-far
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
BREAKING: Sweden announces that at least one data cable between it and Latvia has been destroyed
As Georgia faces protests, Serbia faces US sanctions pressure, and Armenia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have grievances with Russia, Putin will be relieved by smooth elections in Belarus
Belarus's importance in Russia's vision has grown as its influence elsewhere fades /END
A loyalist from within the system, such as ex-Deputy PM and loyal Minsk Oblast enforcer Alexander Turchin could take the reigns
Regardless of whether a dynastic dictatorship or an intra-elite succession process takes place, the 2025-30 period will have some uncertainty /8
When it comes to successors to Luakshenko, the process gets trickier
Viktor Lukashenko is running operations for Lukashenko in the UAE, Dmitry Lukashenko is apolitical, that leaves his youngest son Nikolai who has little credibility /7
The argument that the Ukraine War's end needs to be followed by freedom in Belarus is a popular rallying cry from Tsikhanouskaya's supporters
But aside from saying Luakshenko has no legitimacy like Kaja Kallas did, the EU, US or Britain will do little to bring about change /6
ukashenko's attitude towards his decision to aid the Ukraine War clashes with public opinion (way more Belarusians fought for Ukraine as partisans than who backed Russia)
But it facilitates Russia's Union State endgame which is progressing through stealth integration /5
The Belarus opposition's nominal standard bearer is Hanna Kanapatskaya
Aside from only having 1.7% support, she is not a revolutionary by any means, in fact in her speeches, she has warned against "excessive initiative" to counter Lukashenko's regime /4
Unlike 2020, there is no expectation of major protests in Belarus this time around
The risk of arrest is too high. So Russia's use of Belarus as a launchpad for missile strikes on Ukraine and as a constant pressure axis on Kyiv remains /3
The Belarusian opposition is systematically excluded from the elections and not just by barring their candidates like Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya from standing
300,000 Belarusians who live abroad are denied the vote as absentee voting is not allowed /2
Alexander Lukashenko's re-election is guaranteed
So much so that Lukashenko has refrained from serious campaigning on the grounds that he is too focused on running Belarus
The sole opposition are Communist and right-wing "Liberal Democrats", just like Russia /1
Belarus has elections underway
Here's what the extension of Alexander Lukashenko's tenure in power means for Belarus, Ukraine and European security /THREAD
60,000 Slovaks have protested against Fico's ties to Russia
In 2018, mass protests about the suspicious murder of an investigative journalist presaged Fico's resignation
This unrest is definitely causing some unease in Fico's inner circle
Slovaks stand against Fico's embrace of Russia
The UAE's role in arming Sudan's RSF is back in the spotlight
The US $1.2 billion arms sale to the UAE hinged in part on Abu Dhabi's assurance that it was not arming the RSF
Senator Chris Van Hollen and Congresswoman Sara Jacobs are disputing the UAE's assurances
I appeared on Sky News this afternoon
I discussed the release of Israeli hostages from Hamas custody and the delay in Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon
The conscription age has been lowered to 25 but Ukraine's structural manpower deficits persist
This is a sign that Biden and Trump's united support for lowering the conscription age is resonating with Zelensky's team
BREAKING: Ukraine is set to end draft exemptions to increase the number of 18-25 year old soldiers