World, US, Culture, Market, and Sci-Tech News Aggregation from MSM and Independent News
News Source
EXCERPT:
Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has hailed the opposition win in Hungary as “the victory of light over darkness,” as he called for “pragmatic, friendly” relations with the new administration.
Speaking alongside the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, Zelenskyy said that he hoped for “pragmatic” and “friendly” relations with the new Magyar government – in sharp contrast with hostile Orbán administration.
“I am sure we will cooperate with Hungary,” he said, expressing hope Ukraine will be able to “build our relations” with the new government based on “cooperation” and “respect for each other.”
He said that the damaged Druzhba pipeline which has been at the heart of tensions between Ukraine and Hungary in recent months will be repaired by the end of April. “Not completely, but enough to function,” he said.
Zelenskyy also briefly commented on the outcome in the Hungarian election, saying:
“The elections when the Hungarian people made their choice were on Sunday, 12 April. In
Magyar’s remarks on energy supplies from Russia cause tensions in Kiev — media – World– tass.com
News Source
EXCERPT:
MOSCOW, April 14. /TASS/. The stance of Peter Magyar, leader of the Tisza party – victorious in Hungary’s recent elections – regarding oil and gas supplies from Russia is poised to influence Hungary’s relations with Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian media outlet Strana.
The publication suggests that Magyar’s apparent intention to preserve Russian energy imports could be a significant source of tension between the two nations.
News Source
Russian troops continue special military operation after Easter truce ends — top brass – Russian Politics & Diplomacy – tass.com
EXCERPT:
MOSCOW, April 13. /TASS/. Russian troops continued their special military operation in Ukraine after the Orthodox Easter truce ended, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Monday.
“With the end of the truce, the Russian Armed Forces continued the special military operation,” the ministry said in a statement.
All the Russian battlegroups strictly observed the ceasefire and stayed in their previously held positions, the ministry reported.
“In compliance with an order by the supreme commander-in-chief of the Russian Armed Forces, all the battlegroups in the special military operation area strictly observed the ceasefire from 4:00 p.m. on April 11 to the end of April 12 and stayed in their previously held positions,” the ministry said.
In case you were still wondering why the Democrats were so militant about funding Ukraine and why Democrats and RINOs are now targeting Orban.
Watch Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, lay out explosive charges that Ukrainian funds were funneled through Europe to influence U.S. elections and benefit Democrats.This major scandal has serious legal and national security implications, raising urgent questions about foreign money, campaign integrity, and the handling of U.S. taxpayer funds tied to the Ukraine war.
WATCH:
🚨BREAKING:
🇭🇺 This is HUGE! Hungary REVEALS Ukraine Funnelled Billions to SUPPORT Kamala Harris in U.S Elections.
“Zelensky billions of dollars through Hungary to the West, Ukrainian funds were used for the Democrats Campaign.” pic.twitter.com/PGXjvkvPmM
— Based Hungary 🇭🇺 (@HungaryBased) March 27, 2026
According to Zelenskyy, Kyiv has information that Moscow shared data on “some 50–53 facilities in total,” adding that these are civilian infrastructure sites with no military significance.
“It resembles the lives of Ukrainians under Russian attacks, when they target our energy grid or water supply systems,” Zelenskyy said.
“Of course, all the experience Russia has obtained during the war against Ukraine is being shared with Iran. This was the case with Shaheds, the same drones the Russians have, only used under a different name and upgraded to newer generations.”
CAIRO — Ukrainian forces are operating in western Libya under a covert deal endorsed by the West, and they used the Northern African country’s territory to strike a Russian tanker in the Mediterranean last month, two Libyan officials said Tuesday.
The Russian-flagged Arctic Metagaz, carrying 61,000 tons of liquefied natural gas, was badly damaged in a suspected sea drone attack near Maltese waters early in March. It has since drifted off Libya. All 30 crew members were rescued and put on another vessel heading to the Libyan city of Benghazi, the Libyan Maritime Authority said.
Iran’s regime is publicly rejecting a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal, escalating tensions even as President Donald Trump signals a willingness to negotiate an end to the conflict.
State-run outlets in Tehran reported Wednesday that Iran “will not accept a ceasefire offer from the United States.”
The rejection underscores the regime’s refusal to de-escalate despite mounting international pressure.
Last May, NATO invited 10 Ukrainians to act as an opposing force during Hedgehog 2025, one of NATO’s largest exercises in the Baltics. The Ukrainians successfully simulated the destruction of 17 armored vehicles and conducted 30 strikes in half a day, effectively neutralizing two NATO battalions before dinner. One observing commander summed up the broader implication in three words: “We are finished.” Ominously, the exercise occurred without American forces.
The Western debate on Ukraine is sometimes framed as an act of generosity, with NATO propping up a beleaguered partner. This perspective is wrong and dangerously blind to a strategic asset for the alliance hiding in plain sight. Ukraine’s expertise has already proven vital, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announcing that Ukrainian experts are deploying to the Middle East to assist in countering Iranian Shahed drones, offering the United States concrete solutions to an otherwise expensive problem. Four years ago, the West answered Ukraine’s call for military aid. Now, Ukraine is ready to answer back.
The Coming Drone-War Inflection in Ukraine IEEE Spectrum
from news.google.com
Russia and Ukraine have targeted each other’s energy facilities in tit-for-tat attacks, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power, officials from both countries said, as the world’s attention has shifted to the US-Israel war on Iran.
Nearly half a million people were left without electricity in Russia’s Belgorod region, while 150,000 consumers in the city of Chernihiv and surrounding areas were without power on Wednesday.
The European Union on Tuesday postponed the unveiling of a law that would permanently ban Russian oil imports, coming amid supply disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East.
The April 15 unveiling date has reportedly been removed from the European Commission’s REPowerEU roadmap calendar.
EU Commission energy spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said a new date has not yet been determined, but stressed that Brussels remains “committed to making this proposal.”
After a few rounds of trilateral talks between the US, Ukraine and Russia, the diplomatic process aimed at putting an end to Moscow’s full-scale invasion has largely stalled with no clear progress in sight.
Kyiv’s delegation returned from two days of meetings in Miami with few tangible results, following what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as a discussion over “the key points, opportunities and challenges”.
“The most important thing is to work out security guarantees in such a way that they bring us closer to ending the war. Security is the key to peace.”
Putin Expands Firearm Use for Energy Facility Defense Devdiscourse
from news.google.com
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in London on Tuesday for talks on peace and sanctions on Russia.
The meeting comes at a time when the Iran war has revived Russia’s ailing economy through increased oil revenue, robbed US-brokered talks to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine of momentum and could soon limit Kyiv’s access to vital Western air defence systems that are needed in the Middle East.
“We can’t lose focus on what’s going on in Ukraine and the need for our support,” Starmer said alongside Zelenskyy for talks at 10 Downing Street, which NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also attended.
“Putin can’t be the one who benefits from the conflict in Iran, whether that’s oil prices or the dropping of sanctions,” Starmer said. “It is really important we keep our resolve in relation to supporting Ukraine, doing everything we can to weaken the hand of Putin.”
Ukraine Deploys US-Made Phantom MK-1 Humanoid Robot on the Battlefield — The Future of War Has Arrived Dainik Jagran MP CG
from news.google.com
Russia is hitting Ukraine with “thousand cuts” tactic in 12 places in north, while Kyiv runs successful counteroffensives in south Euromaidan Press
from news.google.com
The United States has proposed another round of Russia-Ukraine talks next week, mediated by Washington, on ending four years of war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday.
Two rounds of trilateral talks failed to reach a breakthrough to end Europe’s worst conflict since World War II, launched by Moscow in 2022.
Zelensky said in an audio message sent to reporters, including AFP, that talks — initially planned for last week in the United Arab Emirates — had been postponed until next week by the U.S.
Ukraine Deploys Armed Ground Robots as Drones Intensify Attacks mezha.net
from news.google.com
Russia has reportedly provided Iran with information that could help the regime target U.S. military assets across the Middle East, a development that adds a dangerous new layer to a war that is already widening by the day.
U.S. intelligence officials believe Moscow passed along information that could be used against American warships, aircraft and other military positions in the region. The officials told The Associated Press there is no indication Russia is directly ordering Tehran how to use the information, but the disclosure still marks the clearest sign yet that Moscow may be trying to assist Iran as the conflict intensifies.
The report lands as U.S. and Israeli forces continue pounding Iranian targets and as Tehran keeps launching retaliatory attacks against American positions and U.S. partners in the Gulf.
The White House believes the United States is “well on its way” toward controlling Iranian airspace and expects its core military objectives could be completed within four to six weeks. President Donald Trump has also taken a harder public line, demanding Iran’s “unconditional surrender” as the campaign moves deeper into its second week.
VLADIMIR Putin is reportedly willing to accept a deal on Ukraine, according to a senior aide to President Zelenskyy.
Ukrainian Chief of Staff Kyrylo Budanov made the surprise claim during an interview on Ukrainian television.
“At the last talks, the Russian side said, for example, that they would accept the security guarantees offered to Ukraine by the United States,” he said.
The Kremlin has not confirmed the remarks.
If accurate, they would represent the most significant shift in negotiations since the conflict began four years ago.
It remains unclear what form those US security guarantees would take.
The crude oil shipment destined for MOL Group is already being loaded at the state-owned Janaf’s Omišalj terminal, the Croatian oil company announced on Wednesday, per a report from HVG. According to the statement, this will not be the only shipment, as seven more tankers will arrive by the beginning of April.
Janaf emphasized in its statement that it is not Russian crude oil that is being supplied to Hungarians, and yet, the company is ready to meet the entire annual demand of refineries in both Slovakia and Hungary.
TRUMP AND ZELENSKY SPEAK: A day after President Donald Trump publicly ignored the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and barely mentioned the war in his State of the Union address, the president resumed his pressure campaign to convince Volodymyr Zelensky he has little choice but to make a quick deal to end the war before things get worse.
“I just spoke with @POTUS Donald Trump,” Zelensky posted on X yesterday after a phone call with Trump, Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner. “I thanked them for all their work and for their active involvement in the negotiations and the efforts to end the war.”
In the 30-minute call, Trump told Zelensky he wants to see an end to the war “as soon as possible,” Axios reported, citing “a Ukrainian official and two other sources with knowledge of the call.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a ruthless attack order in the face of peace efforts(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Russia launched a mass overnight onslaught of almost 500 bombs on Ukraine injuring at least 26 people – as the Kremlin dampened peace talk hopes.
At least 420 deadly drones and dozens of missiles were used in the attack, plus anti-ship , ballistic and cruise weapons , many of which were aimed at Kyiv and seven other regions.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has announced he will ask the Slovak Electricity Transmission System (SEPS) to stop emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine in retaliation for Kyiv’s refusal to resume Russian crude oil shipments via the Druzhba pipeline.
In a video message posted on social media on Sunday, Fico said he would visit SEPS on Monday to request the suspension of electricity deliveries, further increasing tensions between so-called “dissenting” member states like Slovakia and Hungary, and the European Commission.
“If Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tells us to buy gas and oil elsewhere than in Russia — even though it is more difficult and expensive, which costs us a lot of money — then we have the right to respond,” Fico told followers.
The European Commission is just giving its daily midday press briefing, and it has confirmed plans to adopt the new, 20th, round of sanctions against Russia by 24 February, the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion on Ukraine.
Foreign affairs spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said:
“We keep on working on measures to deprive Russia of the funds, goods and technologies sustaining its war against Ukraine.
This indeed includes the 20th package that you have mentioned, and indeed we aim to adopt it … by 24 February, as the High Representative [Kaja Kallas] mentioned at the last foreign affairs council. Member states are discussing it.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that he met with Democrat senators to discuss plans for ramping up “pressure” on Russia.
Zelensky confirmed that he met with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
The meeting highlights the continued efforts from Democrats to influence Ukrainian leadership as the war with Russia drags on.
In a video included in a post on X, Blumenthal can be heard greeting Zelensky and expressing interest in further cooperation.
WASHINGTON – This month marks four years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Casualties are on track to exceed two million this year, two-thirds of them from Russia.
Kyiv warns that the fight to regain control isn’t limited to the battlefield. It’s also playing out through Moscow’s ties to a branch of the Orthodox Church, which the Ukrainian government is now moving to sever.
“The activity of (the) Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate is not prohibited in Ukraine,” explained Viktor Yelenskyy, who oversees religious affairs for the government.
“(The) Ukrainian government asked (the) Ukrai