Press review: US moves to tweak Ukraine strategy as EU rolls out new Russia sanctions

Press review: US moves to tweak Ukraine strategy as EU rolls out new Russia sanctions Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, July 24thUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov© Russian Foreign Ministry/TASSMOSCOW, July 24. /TASS/. Moscow and Washington appear to be keeping diplomatic channels open as the US searches for a new approach to resolving the Ukraine conflict; the EU’s latest sanctions package reflects a compromise between tightening pressure on Russia and protecting the bloc’s own economic interests; and Germany’s approval of Russian-designed nuclear fuel production underscores Europe’s continued reliance on Russian nuclear technology. These stories topped Friday’s newspaper headlines across Russia. Vedomosti: Lavrov-Rubio meeting signals tactical shift in Ukraine diplomacy New ideas are needed to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on July 23 following a 35-minute meeting with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, held on the sidelines of ASEAN ministerial events in Manila. On its official website, the Russian Foreign Ministry described the meeting with Rubio as "a substantive exchange of views on a broad range of bilateral and international issues." Experts interviewed by Vedomosti believe that while the Lavrov-Rubio meeting shows that both sides are still committed to diplomacy, Washington is pivoting to a new approach to negotiations, given the failure of previous efforts. Read alsoFACTBOX: Key takeaways from the Lavrov-Rubio meeting One of the main topics of discussion was the normalization of the operating conditions for the two countries’ diplomatic missions. Regarding Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement emphasized that Lavrov had briefed his US counterpart on the actual situation along the line of combat engagement and stressed the inadmissibility of continued arms supplies to the Kiev government, as well as what Moscow described as the broader destabilizing policies of European countries. Russia’s top diplomat also reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to settle the conflict and its "commitment to the proposals put forward by the American side" at last year’s bilateral summit in Anchorage. The United States is trying to take a new approach in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Pavel Koshkin, a senior research fellow at the Institute for US and Canadian Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Vedomosti. According to him, Moscow and Washington regarded the Alaska summit as a way to find common ground rather than reach a final settlement. "From the outset, both sides viewed the prospects for resolving the conflict between Moscow and Kiev with very cautious optimism. However, that does not mean diplomacy has been abandoned. It continues. One approach has failed, so they will look for another. The question is when they will find it and at what cost," Koshkin said. The Lavrov-Rubio meeting undoubtedly reflects both sides’ interest in negotiations, although that interest is driven by different objectives, political analyst Alexey Naumov told the newspaper. He explained that Russia views the preliminary agreements reached in Anchorage as carrying a lot of weight, while "the United States under Trump approaches those negotiations with far less reverence," the expert noted. At the same time, Naumov believes that genuine negotiations are not yet possible and are not needed by either side, as developments are currently being decided on the battlefield. Vedomosti: EU’s new Russia sanctions marked by oil cap freeze, LNG exemption The European Union has approved the main provisions of its new 21st sanctions package against Russia, which include a one-year freeze of the price cap for EU-compliant buyers of Russian oil at its current level of $44.1 per barrel. In addition, the European Commission approved sanctions against another group of Russian banks and cryptocurrency exchanges, new sanctions targeting the Moscow Exchange, and Russia’s defense industry enterprises. Experts interviewed by Vedomosti believe that the EU’s new sanctions package will have only a limited impact on Russian oil exports because European carriers are no longer central to Urals shipments, while Greece is expected to continue resisting EU efforts to curb Russian LNG shipping due to its own economic interests. Read alsoFACTBOX: Oil price cap freeze, bank restrictions in EU’s 21st sanctions package The nearly six-month conflict in the Middle East drove global oil prices higher, creating pressure to raise the price cap in a way that would contradict its original purpose, Igor Yushkov, expert at the Financial University under the Russian Government, told the newspaper. "The freeze is designed for the moment when Urals prices decline, so that the cap can then be lowered further," he said. According to energy expert Kirill Rodionov, such a decline in oil prices may occur after the Iranian conflict is settled in the fall, around the time of the Knesset elections in Israel and the US midterm congressional elections. EU companies are not the key carriers of Urals crude, so the 21st sanctions package is unlikely to have a significant impact on oil trade, Rodionov believes. Any European price cap has little effect on the physical ability to deliver oil to buyers in India, Turkey, and China. What is being lost is freight capacity provided by companies from Greece, Cyprus, and Malta, Alexander Belogoryev, Research Director at the Institute of Energy and Finance, told Vedomosti. However, when benchmark oil prices are high and selling Urals crude at $44.1 per barrel becomes economically irrational, the loss of European shipping narrows freight availability and drives up transportation costs, Belogoryev said. "It is European shipowners, primarily Greek ones, who suffer from the price cap. When oil prices rise, the cap begins to work, but not in the way EU politicians imagine," he added. The attempt to ban European companies from transporting Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) to third countries encountered resistance from Greece and shipping company Dynagas, which is owned by Greek shipowners. Dynagas is a partner in the Yamal LNG project, Russia’s only supplier of liquefied natural gas to Europe. The company owns a 49% stake in the tanker consortium transporting Yamal LNG cargoes, alongside China’s China LNG Shipping and Sinotrans Shipping. A ban on providing maritime services to Russia is economically unacceptable for Greece, and the country will likely continue clashing with the European Commission over the issue once the current exemption expires, Belogoryev believes. Izvestia: Germany turns to Russian nuclear technology for reactor fuel production Germany has authorized the French company Framatome to produce nuclear fuel based on Russian technology at its plant in Lingen, in coordination with Rosatom. The authorities of Lower Saxony approved the production of fuel for VVER (water-water energetic reactors) at Framatome’s facility. Experts pointed out to Izvestia that Europe cannot simply abandon Russian technology overnight. The plant is owned by Advanced Nuclear Fuels (ANF), a subsidiary of Framatome. To launch the new production line in Lingen, part of the equipment will be modernized and additional machinery for fuel assembly and inspection will be installed. According to German media reports, the Russian-licensed equipment has already been delivered to Germany and placed in a separate building adjacent to the main production site. ANF employees have also completed training to operate the equipment. Russia is positioned well as more than just a supplier of fuel for VVER reactors. European Union countries continue to purchase Russian enriched uranium or related services, Izvestia writes. During the first four months of this year alone, the EU imported eight times more enriched uranium than during the same period last year. France remains the largest buyer, importing €141.2 mln worth of products. Germany ranks second with €13.8 mln, followed by the Netherlands with nearly €8.6 mln. Despite the EU’s political course, Europe is still unable to quickly abandon Russian nuclear technologies, Vice President of the Association of Exporters and Importers Irina Zasedatel told Izvestia. "The appropriate instrument for limiting such cooperation should not be national legislation, but EU-wide sanctions covering the nuclear sector. However, the necessary consensus on this issue does not currently exist within the European Union. Despite Berlin’s critical stance toward cooperation with Russia, it is forced to take this into account," she said. "Europe simply cannot abandon Russian technologies in this field overnight. This is not only a matter of politics, but also of the stable and safe operation of existing nuclear power plants," the expert added. The project also has technological and strategic significance for Russia, Olga Veretennikova, Vice President of analytical company Borsell, told the newspaper. In her view, it confirms the continued demand for Russian expertise and helps preserve Russia’s presence in the European nuclear market. Izvestia: Russia protects trade with foreign partners by further moving away from dollar Russia’s trade with the countries of the Asia-Pacific region is now conducted almost entirely in rubles and the national currencies of friendly countries, according to Russia’s Ambassador-at-Large at the Foreign Ministry Marat Berdyev. Total trade between Russia and the countries of the region has reached approximately $500 bln. Experts polled by Izvestia believe that switching to settlements in national currencies is a necessary response to sanctions and shields Russia’s foreign trade from dollar-related external pressure. This approach is especially stark in trade with China - more than 99% of mutual payments are now made in rubles and yuan, while the use of the US dollar and the euro has virtually ceased, the newspaper writes. The shift to settlements in national currencies was precipitated by sanctions, including secondary sanctions, PhD in Economics and Associate Professor at the Department of International Business of the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics Anastasia Prikladova told Izvestia. However, if there are no currency swap agreements between the countries, or if a foreign partner acts as an intermediary or payment agent, two separate currency conversion transactions are required, resulting in higher banking fees. Expanding settlements in national currencies better protects foreign trade from external pressure, the Russian Finance Ministry’s press service told Izvestia. The ministry said this is an important factor supporting further growth in trade turnover, while the scale of that growth will also depend on the development of economic cooperation and mutual demand. The transition to settlements in rubles and the currencies of friendly countries strengthens the resilience of Russia’s foreign economic activity, promotes the development of the national financial infrastructure, and reduces the impact of external restrictions on cross-border payments. "For businesses, this means greater predictability and reliability in processing payments. The main challenges in further expanding the use of national currencies in international trade are the need to continue developing payment infrastructure, increase the liquidity of certain currencies, and coordinate financial mechanisms with foreign partners," the ministry said. Kommersant: Gold boom dampens as Russian miners face rising costs, tax pressures Revenue and EBITDA of Russian gold mining companies are expected to continue growing in 2026, albeit at a more moderate pace due to pressure on prices, analysts predict. However, the industry’s main risks may come from costs rising faster than initially forecast, as well as the prospect of a new windfall profit tax, Kommersant writes. According to a report by Expert RA, the conflict in the Middle East triggered an increase in oil prices and intensified inflationary pressures, leading to a correction in gold prices. Gold prices have fallen from their record highs reached earlier this year ($5,620 per ounce) to around $4,000 per ounce by mid-July. According to Comex data as of July 23, gold was trading at $4,040 per ounce, down 3.5% month-on-month. According to Alfa-Bank, under its baseline scenario, gold will continue trading in the $4,000-5,000 per ounce range over the next 12 to 18 months. Expert RA noted that, over the long term, prices will be supported by steady demand from central banks around the world and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty. Since global gold production is increasing only slowly, any significant rise in demand could push prices higher, Director of the Foreign Exchange and Precious Metals Market at the Moscow Exchange Arina Kostryukova told Kommersant. According to Expert RA, alongside rising gold prices, companies have also faced an increase in unit production costs. "The situation with costs remains unfavorable," Managing Director at the NKR rating agency Dmitry Orekhov told the newspaper. According to him, production costs are being driven higher by inflation in the prices of materials and services, rising wages, a heavier tax burden, and declining metal content in ore. Alexander Khrushch, President of the Seligdar holding company, said that when preparing its 2026 budget, the company assumed a gold price of approximately $3,900 per ounce. According to him, gold prices are currently being influenced by too many variables, but over the long term the company expects prices to rise, supported in part by continued interest in gold from central banks, including those in Asia, as well as by rising production costs for gold miners. TASS is not responsible for the material quoted in these press reviews Press review: Zelensky gives army chief the heave-ho and US, Saudi Arabia tie nuclear knotTop stories from the Russian press on Thursday, July 23rdRead morePentagon blacklists 32 Russian research institutes, universities to 'protect US tech'The decision means that the Pentagon will not engage in research cooperation with those organizations it has placed on this listRead moreFACTBOX: Oil price cap freeze, bank restrictions in EU’s 21st sanctions packageThe EU has banned its banks from conducting cross-border transactions with 32 Russian banks, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen saidRead moreForeign mercenaries threw grenades at Kursk residents — Investigative CommitteeAccording to Alexander Bastrykin, there is no reasonable explanation for this behaviorRead moreMinsk shares with Warsaw evidence of risk of terrorist attack — Belarusian MFAAccording to the statement, the primary target appears to be 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moreRussia’s Battlegroup North destroys 24 Ukrainian drones in Sumy area over past dayAccording to the UAV company commander with the call sign Amur, the neutralized drones were used by Ukrainian forces for reconnaissance, fire adjustment, weapon targeting, and delivering strikesRead moreMost Moldovans oppose unification with Romania, NATO accession — pollThe poll surveyed 1,015 respondents between July 10 and 20Read moreZelensky confirms that ships cannot enter Ukrainian portsEarlier, Agrarian Policy and Food Minister Taras Vysotsky said that carriers had suspended operations with Ukrainian sea ports starting on July 22Read moreEU blacklists Inter RAO energy companyNaming the reasons for sanctioning Inter RAO, EU officials said that it s one of Russia’s largest energy companies with around 19 million consumers, and that it plays a significant role in Russia’s economyRead moreEC acknowledges EU failed to ban entry for participants in Russia's military operationThe European Commission president made no mention of the ban on transporting Russian liquefied natural gas to third countriesRead moreTop US diplomat calls ICC 'stupid organization'According to Marco Rubio, the US will not tolerate it if the ICC attempts to take action against American citizens now or in the futureRead moreUkraine's security services try to trick Russia into striking civilian sites-intel officerA military intelligence officer cited as an example the received coordinates of a target in Zaporozhye transmitted by the Ukrainian security services several days agoRead moreEU blacklists manufacturers of Russian drones Gortenzia and VeterokThe measures against Russia’s defense industry were imposed as part of the European Union’s 21st package of anti-Russian sanctionsRead moreHumanity in for all-time high oil prices — DmitrievThe energy crisis tsunami is coming, Russian Presidential Special Representative for Investment and Economic Cooperation with Foreign Countries said Read moreTwo civilians wounded in Ukrainian shelling attacks on DPR in past dayIn all, 34 munitions of various types were fired in the reported periodRead moreRussia, Turkey discuss actions if Ukraine syphons off gasRead moreZelensky admits Ukraine not yet prepared for winterVladimir Zelensky said that it is crucial to step up the workRead moreKiev’s Western handlers consider civilian transport legitimate target — officialOleg Murachev said the Ukrainian armed forces are also increasing the use of various types of AI-powered unmanned systems, primarily of Western manufactureRead moreVenezuela being run by US Secretary of Energy — TrumpDonald Trump asserted that the US has a great relationship with VenezuelaRead moreUS to retaliate against Iran for Houthi attacks — TrumpEarlier on Thursday, the Houthis fired ballistic missiles and drones at two oil tankers of the kingdom, which violated their naval blockade of Saudi ArabiaRead moreLavrov wants clarifications regarding Rubio’s remark about 'failed' Anchorage agreementsSergey Lavrov recalled that Russian President Vladimir Putin had brought US proposals approved by American leader Donald Trump and accepted by Russia to the Alaska summitRead moreWoman detained in Moscow for plotting to attack Russian security officer — FSBIt was established that the suspect had established contact with a curator on messengers to tell him that she is willing to take part in terrorist activity in exchange for assistance in departure for the permanent residence in an EU country, the FSB specifiedRead moreLavrov refutes Kiev’s lies about situation at front to Rubio — MPThe Russian foreign minister also confirmed the readiness of the Russian side for negotiationsRead moreOne killed, three injured as Turkish cargo ship en route from Russia hit in Black SeaAccording to Oksijen newspaper, the attack occurred in international waters off the coast of Turkey's Samsun provinceRead moreTrump says considers massive attack on Iran — AxiosThe US president did not specify 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to TASSAnna Paulina Luna didn't give specific dates because of security reasonsRead morePutin to hold meeting with lawmakers on July 27 — KremlinAccording to Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the discussion is expected to focus on results of the work of the current convocationRead moreKremlin spokesman addresses US contact, nuclear non-proliferation, peaceful nuclear energyDmitry Peskov said that Russia and the United States maintain contact on Ukraine but it would be premature to say that efforts to resolve the conflict are being stepped upRead moreUkraine's losses from port shutdown estimated at $2 bln per monthAn alternative export route runs through Romanian ports, but its capacity is limitedRead moreAkkuyu project under Western pressure, affecting costs — Rosatom CEO"That is precisely why the issue of mitigating risks and improving the project's overall economic efficiency has become critically important," Alexey Likhachev saidRead moreUS sets import tariffs for Russia at 12.5% — documentThe tariffs will replace the temporary global tariffs on American imports that were introduced on February 24 for a 150-day periodRead moreEU slaps several Russian gold mining companies with sanctionsThe blacklist also includes First Diamond Company, a diamond exporting company created in May 2022 by former Alrosa employeesRead moreEU blacklists Indian branches of Russian banks VTB and SberbankAlso, the EU blacklist includes Indian companies Falcon Toolings, and Zepto Microwave and Chip Devices AssemblyRead moreIran attacks US bases in Bahrain, Jordan with drones — armyIranian drones attacked fuel storage tanks, warehouses, large hangars with equipment, and deployment areas of the American terrorist army at Isa Air Base in BahrainRead moreTalks between Lavrov, Rubio have concluded, lasting more than half hourDuring the conversation, the parties planned to focus particular attention on the settlement of the conflict in UkraineRead moreUkraine tries to prevent Russia evacuating citizens from Konstantinovka — officerThe deputy commander said the enemy fires back at the civilian population while the evacuation is underwayRead moreFormer Ukrainian soldier recounts story of his desertion, coming to RussiaAccording to Vladimir Lipka, while he was serving in the Sumy area, he saw Americans in the ranks of the Ukrainian armed forcesRead moreEU expands sanctions against Russian financial and banking sectorsThe Council is imposing asset freezes and a prohibition to make funds available to 94 banks and major financial institutions, as well as to an important figure in Russia’s banking establishmentRead moreRussian troops liberate Belitskoye community in Donetsk region over past day — top brassThe Ukrainian army lost roughly 1,420 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hoursRead moreDamage from Ukrainian forces actions exceeds $12.7 bln — Investigative Committee chiefAlexander Bastrykin added that efforts to assess the full scale of damage caused by Ukrainian forces are ongoingRead moreFACTBOX: Key takeaways from the Lavrov-Rubio meetingThe Russian foreign minister reaffirmed Russia's readiness to settle the conflict in Ukraine and its commitment to the agreements reached in AnchorageRead moreAftermath of Ukrainian drone attack on Russian regions, boy killed in Voronezh RegionOne person was killed and four others, including two children, were injured in a Ukrainian attack on CrimeaRead morePress review: Zelensky gives army chief the heave-ho and US, Saudi Arabia tie nuclear knotTop stories from the Russian press on Thursday, July 23rdRead moreUS air campaign against Iran running out of steam — PoliticoAccording to the report, the conflict is unlikely to shift decisively without a major escalation, including the deployment of ground forcesRead moreFailure of information war against Russia forces US to revise approaches — expertSergey Grinyaev noted that the US and its allies had been unable to break the will of the Russian people or weaken the Russian leadershipRead moreSyrsky knew about shady procurement schemes, Germany unhappy with his dismissal — sourcesThe Russian military sources say that German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul explicitly stated that he would review Vladimir Zelensky's personnel decisionsRead moreWashington administration officials plan to visit Russia — US Congress member LunaAnna Paulina Luna did not name these officialsRead moreRussian forces carry out more strikes on Ukrainian ports, infrastructure facilitiesStrikes on the port of Odessa hit infrastructure facilities used to unload and store military cargoRead moreNATO recon aircraft circling in Kaliningrad Region areaOver the past few months, air traffic controllers have recorded nearly a dozen similar flights of the Bombardier Challenger 650 Artemis II near the Kaliningrad RegionRead moreRussian stock market closes higher as major indices post gainsThe yuan edged up 2.85 kopecks to 11.573 rublesRead moreRussian Armed Forces liberate Belitskoye in DPR: what's knownThe Russian Armed Forces are conducting measures to search for and eliminate Ukrainian soldiers still hiding in the basementsRead moreRussia remains open to talks on Ukraine — KremlinHowever, in a situation where the Kiev regime is being prodded by European capitals to continue the war, Russia, too, is pressing ahead with its special military operation, Dmitry Peskov saidRead moreUkrainian agriculture to suffer most from country's port closure — expertAlexander Dudchak said that recently grain terminals in Ukrainian ports reduced their operations by about a third, and cargo transshipment volumes began to decline sharplyRead moreTrump believes Iran not ready for deal, thus US must continue combat operationsIranians "got some evil intentions," the US president said Read moreDvorkovich suspends duties as FIDE chess federation presidentArkady Dvorkovich considers this decision unlawful and unfair, and this decision will be immediately challenged by all possible meansRead moreCongressional approval of new anti-Russian sanctions not inevitable — lawmakerAnna Paulina Luna noted that "Congress members often put forward legislation mainly as messaging, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it's going to be voted on"Read moreNew eurosanctions against Moscow to worsen EU’s economic situation again — Russian missionThe mission said that Moscow will give an effective and adequate responseRead moreRussia to achieve its goals even if US joins EU in burying Alaska agreements — LavrovThe Russian foreign minister said that Russia prefers a political and diplomatic settlementRead moreUkrainian attack wounds four in Belgorod RegionA man in serious condition with multiple shrapnel wounds is being transported to hospitalRead moreEU blacklists founders of FPV drone maker PiranyaThe company manufactures up to 10 000 drones monthly and the Russian Army views its products as being extremely valuable in its military operations, the document readsRead moreEU says imposes sanctions against Russia’s central bank deputy chairmanWithin the Bank of Russia, Sergey Belov oversees the Cash Circulation Department, the Field Institutions Department, the Administrative Department, and the Russian Union of Cash Collection DivisionsRead moreUkraine stands zero chance of EU membership, DPR head saysDenis Pushilin described Western pledges to admit Ukraine as an EU member as a way of manipulationRead moreRussian ambassador explains special military op rationale, aims to Czech foreign ministerAccording to Anna Ponomaryova, appeals for the "end of the war" are baffling, coming from a high-ranking official of a country that is actively producing weapons and supplying them to the conflict zone for UkraineRead moreAt least 256 children killed by Ukrainian forces in DPR since 2014The republic’s human rights commissioner Darya Morozova added that a total of 1,076 children have been wounded in the reported periodRead moreNearly 1,500 killed in Ukrainian attacks across Russia since 2022 — top investigatorAlexander Bastrykin said the cases document artillery and missile strikes, drone attacks, and cross-border incursions carried out by Ukrainian nationalistsRead moreBlasts heard in several Iranian cities, Qeshm Island — agencyOther details are unknown at this pointRead moreEU adds AFK Sistema to sanctions listsThe EU calls Sistema a large business conglomerate, without making any other accusations, except that it is a legal entity engaged in an industry that provides a significant source of income to the governmentRead moreUkraine repeatedly fails at International Court of Justice — Russian diplomatAccording to Anna Yevstigneeva, the International Court of Justice has managed to defend its independenceRead moreUS completes another wave of strikes on Iran — CENTCOMAccording to the statement, the strikes targeted Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communication networks, coastal surveillance sites, and maritime capabilitiesRead moreUkrainian army retreating from Pisarevka in Sumy Region to Khoten as Russia advancesAccording to Andrey Marochko, Russian troops regularly strike Khoten with fireRead moreSituation with Middle East conflict getting out of control — UN secretary-generalAntonio Guterres said that "it is time to step back", noting that "there is no military solution to the conflict"Read moreEU’s 21st package of anti-Russian sanctions blacklists 15 Chinese firmsThe blacklist also includes three companies from Turkey, three from Kyrgyzstan, two from Kazakhstan, two from the United Arab Emirates and one from IndiaRead moreRussia observing positive momentum in special military operation — KremlinDmitry Peskov said that Moscow is open to negotiationsRead moreZimbabwe joins BRICS New Development BankFinance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said that it is a positive step in securing credit linesRead moreEU blacklists businessman Mikhail Gutseriyev, Russian energy companiesOther blacklisted companies include Slavneft-affiliated Baikit Oil and Gas Exploration Expedition, Slavneft-Nizhnevartovsk, Obneftegazgeologiya and Tatneft-SamaraRead moreUS lawmaker points to attempts to set people of Russia, US against each other — lawmakerUS Congress member Anna Paulina Luna stressed that сlaims about Russia’s interference in the US presidential election were disseminated in the United States as part of a political campaignRead moreUse of depleted uranium munitions to bring down Ukraine’s agro-exports — Russian militaryEarlier, the UK’s Minister of State for Defense Annabel Goldie said, in a written response to an inquiry by a member of the House of Lords, that the British authorities would provide Ukraine with shells containing depleted uranium, which were particularly effective against armored vehiclesRead moreRussia’s Lavrov arrives in Kyrgyzstan to take part in meeting of SCO foreign ministersThe ministers are expected to discuss current issues of the international and regional agenda, including the situation in the SCO space, ensuring security and stabilityRead moreIranian tanker passes through US blockade, entering Gulf of Oman — state televisionOn July 14, the United States renewed its naval blockade of IranRead moreEU imposes sanctions on three oil refineries in Russia and one in BelarusThe EU is also imposing a ban on transactions with a Georgian refinery allegedly involved in trading and refining Russian oilRead moreFACTBOX: What is known about Russian forces’ group strikes on Ukrainian portsAccording to the Russian Defense Ministry, tanks with fuel and lubricants for the Ukrainian armed forces were struck at the port of OdessaRead moreHuman rights advocates call US nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia extremely irresponsibleThe International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons urged Washington to reconsider its decision and the US Congress to ensure that "the strongest safeguards to prevent proliferation" are included in the agreementRead moreCombat trainer aircraft crashes in Moscow Region — Russian Defense MinistryThe flight was carried out without ammunitionRead moreLast night's Ukrainian attack on Russian regions one of year’s largest — TASS estimatesAccording to estimates, 571 Ukrainian drones were intercepted and neutralized over Russian regionsRead moreIDF to deal 'crushing blow' to Iran, if it attacks Israel — YnetDefense Minister Israel Katz stressed that Israel is ready for any development of eventsRead moreRussia to seek adequate UN response to crimes of Ukraine’s military — Foreign MinistryDeputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov and Russian Commissioner for Human Rights Yana Lantratova placed special emphasis on the importance of deepening interaction and intensifying joint effortsRead moreIRGC Navy’s HQ in northern Iran comes under US attack — authoritiesAccording to preliminary information, no one has been reported injured in the attackRead more