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Ukraine

Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe after Russia, gaining independence from the Soviet Union and declaring neutrality in 1991. In February 2022, Russia's President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine under the auspices of a "special military operation" to "de-nazify" the country. The move turned Moscow into a global pariah, and the Ukrainian army - backed financially and militarily by the US and western European countries - continues to fight off the invading forces. Nuclear-armed Russia has warned of consequences if Nato interferes in the war, while strategic ally China urges a peaceful, diplomatic solution.

Capital

Kyiv

Head of State

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Head of Government

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin meets with representatives of international news agencies on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Ukraine war

Putin says Trump ideas could bring peace in Ukraine, urges Kyiv to compromise

Zelensky, meanwhile, proposed face-to-face negotiations in a public letter addressed directly to the Russian leader.

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United States

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European Union

Ukraine, Hungary agree on minority rights, paving way for EU accession talks

The long-running dispute had strained ties between Budapest and Kyiv and complicated Hungary’s support for Ukraine’s EU ambitions.

4 Jun 2026 - 5:02AMvideocam

Hungary’s Prime Minister Peter Magyar attends a press conference in Paris, France, on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

United Nations

Portugal and Austria defeat Germany for seats on UN Security Council

Kyrgyzstan beat the Philippines by a vote of 143-49 to join the council for the first time.

4 Jun 2026 - 2:39PM

Ukraine war

Ukraine drone strikes causing ‘panic’ for Kremlin, EU’s Kallas says

Russia is increasing attacks on civilians because it doesn’t know how to respond to attacks deep in its territory, the top EU diplomat says.

4 Jun 2026 - 2:15AM

Russia

Ukraine drones target St Petersburg as ‘Russia’s Davos’ opens

Black smoke rises over major fuel terminal as city hosts Vladimir Putin’s global economic summit.

3 Jun 2026 - 6:01PM

Black smoke over St Petersburg after a Ukrainian drone attack. Photo: AP

Ukraine war

Major Russian air attack on Ukrainian cities kills at least 23, wounds dozens

Ukraine says Russia ⁠launched more than 650 drones and 70 missiles overnight, mainly targeting Kyiv.

3 Jun 2026 - 9:27AM

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Exclusive | Trump ‘personally called for China’s help’ to end Ukraine war in summit with Xi

Washington is also not happy about Beijing’s rare earth controls, according to people familiar with the talks.

2 Jun 2026 - 2:41PMvideocam

United States

Powell uses JFK award speech to defend Fed from political pressure

Former Fed chair urges protection of America’s democratic institutions, warns they face a ‘stress test’.

1 Jun 2026 - 11:35AM

China-UK relations

In sign of easing UK-China ties, British Foreign Secretary set for 3-day visit

Announcement comes days after delegations from both countries sat down at Shangri-La Dialogue to discuss concrete military engagement.

31 May 2026 - 7:40PMvideocam

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper will visit China from Monday to Wednesday, including a trip to Shenzhen, before heading to India. Photo: EPA

Malaysia

Malaysia blasts ‘conspicuously muted’ response over axed Norway missile deal

Defence Minister Khaled told the Shangri-La Dialogue that Oslo’s move was ‘destructive’ to the credibility of the rules-based global order.

31 May 2026 - 6:23PMvideocam

Ukraine war

Russia says Ukraine drone struck Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

Kyiv denies being behind the attack, calling the Russian claims ‘yet another propaganda ploy’.

31 May 2026 - 1:06PMvideocam

Ukraine war

Nato and Romania accuse Russia after drone hits block of flats

Drone strikes a 10-storey building in Galati, causing an explosion and civilian injuries in an apparent spillover of the Ukraine conflict.

29 May 2026 - 9:10PM

Investigators examine the rooftop impact zone of a building in Galați, Romania, after it was struck by an exploding Russian drone. Photo: AFP

War and conflict

Israel, Russia hit back after being added to UN blacklist for sexual violence in conflicts

UN documentation of alleged abuses sparks furious denials from both nations.

29 May 2026 - 4:25PM

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has faced fierce diplomatic pushback from both Israel and Russia. Photo: Reuters

Diplomacy

Opinion | 3 paths to stability in a conflict-ridden world

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Drones

South Korea aims to join top tier of ‘loyal wingman’ combat drone race

Planned indigenous engine for the most complex UAV technology to support crewed fighter jets ‘a deliberate bid’ by Seoul.

27 May 2026 - 6:19PMvideocam

United States

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26 May 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

US President Donald Trump delivers a speech about the economy at Rockland Community College Fieldhouse in Suffern, New York, the US, on May 22. Photo: AFP

Ukraine war

Russia tells US to pull its diplomats and citizens from Ukraine capital

Sergey Lavrov warns Marco Rubio of Russian plans to attack Kyiv facilities and ‘decision-making centres’.

26 May 2026 - 3:16PM

Ukraine war

Exiled Belarus opposition leader visits Ukraine as Kyiv warns of escalation

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya meets foreign minister during working trip as Kyiv reels from heavy Russian strikes.

26 May 2026 - 2:16PM

Ukraine war

Ukraine demands emergency UN Security Council meeting over Russia strikes

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also called for a ‘strong response’ after the overnight attacks, which mainly targeted the Kyiv region.

25 May 2026 - 2:20AM

Firefighters work at the scene of a fire in a destroyed block of flats following a Russian missile attack in Kyiv, Ukraine on Sunday. Photo: SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire / dpa

Ukraine war

‘Deranged’: 600 drones, 90 missiles, hit Kyiv in retaliation for dorm attack

The latest strikes – including the use of a nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile – killed four people and wounded dozens.

24 May 2026 - 7:54PM

Fire and smoke rise following an explosion during a huge Russian missile and drone strike on Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sunday. Photo: Reuters

Cannes Film Festival

‘Fjord’ by Romania’s Mungiu wins Palme d’Or at Cannes

The film stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve as a couple who have their children taken from them by child services for spanking them.

24 May 2026 - 9:03AM

China manufacturing

China told the solar industry to cut capacity. Firms built new factories anyway

Beijing has been striving to rein in severe overcapacity in the solar industry. But the sector is still plagued by illegal facilities, an insider says.

23 May 2026 - 4:00PMvideocam

Iran

UN event on nuclear non-proliferation treaty stumbles, US and Iran clash

There was no consensus among the 191 parties to the NPT, the third failure in a row at a conference reviewing the treaty.

23 May 2026 - 10:09AM

A plenary session of the review conference for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty held on Friday at the UN headquarters in New York. Photo: Kyodo

War and conflict

As I see it | How China wins by avoiding war

Trump, Putin and Netanyahu have all gone to war to prove how strong and powerful they are. The results should give any strongman pause.

23 May 2026 - 9:30AMvideocam

Fu Cong, China’s Permanent Representative to the UN, addresses the Security Council during a meeting on the Middle East, at the UN headquarters in New York City, on February 18. Photo: Reuters

Ukraine war

Putin accuses Ukraine of deadly attack on student dorm, vows retaliation

Ukraine says it struck an elite drone command unit in Starobilsk, denying Russia’s accusations.

23 May 2026 - 2:06AM

Science

China’s Tsinghua University honours German Gref, Russian banker sanctioned by US

Sberbank CEO accompanied Vladimir Putin during Russian leader’s recent trip to Beijing for summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

22 May 2026 - 12:00PMvideocam

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Ukraine

Putin says Trump ideas could bring peace in Ukraine, urges Kyiv to compromise

Zelensky, meanwhile, proposed face-to-face negotiations in a public letter addressed directly to the Russian leader.

Trump foe John Bolton to plead guilty in classified information case

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Asia has to learn the lessons of war while it still can

Ukraine, Hungary agree on minority rights, paving way for EU accession talks

The long-running dispute had strained ties between Budapest and Kyiv and complicated Hungary’s support for Ukraine’s EU ambitions.

Portugal and Austria defeat Germany for seats on UN Security Council

Kyrgyzstan beat the Philippines by a vote of 143-49 to join the council for the first time.

Ukraine drone strikes causing ‘panic’ for Kremlin, EU’s Kallas says

Russia is increasing attacks on civilians because it doesn’t know how to respond to attacks deep in its territory, the top EU diplomat says.

Ukraine drones target St Petersburg as ‘Russia’s Davos’ opens

Black smoke rises over major fuel terminal as city hosts Vladimir Putin’s global economic summit.

Major Russian air attack on Ukrainian cities kills at least 23, wounds dozens

Ukraine says Russia ⁠launched more than 650 drones and 70 missiles overnight, mainly targeting Kyiv.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Exclusive | Trump ‘personally called for China’s help’ to end Ukraine war in summit with Xi

Washington is also not happy about Beijing’s rare earth controls, according to people familiar with the talks.

Powell uses JFK award speech to defend Fed from political pressure

Former Fed chair urges protection of America’s democratic institutions, warns they face a ‘stress test’.

In sign of easing UK-China ties, British Foreign Secretary set for 3-day visit

Announcement comes days after delegations from both countries sat down at Shangri-La Dialogue to discuss concrete military engagement.

Malaysia blasts ‘conspicuously muted’ response over axed Norway missile deal

Defence Minister Khaled told the Shangri-La Dialogue that Oslo’s move was ‘destructive’ to the credibility of the rules-based global order.

Russia says Ukraine drone struck Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

Kyiv denies being behind the attack, calling the Russian claims ‘yet another propaganda ploy’.

Nato and Romania accuse Russia after drone hits block of flats

Drone strikes a 10-storey building in Galati, causing an explosion and civilian injuries in an apparent spillover of the Ukraine conflict.

Israel, Russia hit back after being added to UN blacklist for sexual violence in conflicts

UN documentation of alleged abuses sparks furious denials from both nations.

Opinion | 3 paths to stability in a conflict-ridden world

History moves in cycles, and today’s turbulence will settle into a new order. Will the US reassert dominance, China emerge as the leader, or will we see a world with two centres?

South Korea aims to join top tier of ‘loyal wingman’ combat drone race

Planned indigenous engine for the most complex UAV technology to support crewed fighter jets ‘a deliberate bid’ by Seoul.

As I see it | Trump makes everything worse but he didn’t start it

Essays from over a decade ago show that America’s institutional decay and populist revolt predate the current US president’s rise to power.

Russia tells US to pull its diplomats and citizens from Ukraine capital

Sergey Lavrov warns Marco Rubio of Russian plans to attack Kyiv facilities and ‘decision-making centres’.

Exiled Belarus opposition leader visits Ukraine as Kyiv warns of escalation

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya meets foreign minister during working trip as Kyiv reels from heavy Russian strikes.

Ukraine demands emergency UN Security Council meeting over Russia strikes

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha also called for a ‘strong response’ after the overnight attacks, which mainly targeted the Kyiv region.

‘Deranged’: 600 drones, 90 missiles, hit Kyiv in retaliation for dorm attack

The latest strikes – including the use of a nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile – killed four people and wounded dozens.

‘Fjord’ by Romania’s Mungiu wins Palme d’Or at Cannes

The film stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve as a couple who have their children taken from them by child services for spanking them.

China told the solar industry to cut capacity. Firms built new factories anyway

Beijing has been striving to rein in severe overcapacity in the solar industry. But the sector is still plagued by illegal facilities, an insider says.

UN event on nuclear non-proliferation treaty stumbles, US and Iran clash

There was no consensus among the 191 parties to the NPT, the third failure in a row at a conference reviewing the treaty.

As I see it | How China wins by avoiding war

Trump, Putin and Netanyahu have all gone to war to prove how strong and powerful they are. The results should give any strongman pause.

Putin accuses Ukraine of deadly attack on student dorm, vows retaliation

Ukraine says it struck an elite drone command unit in Starobilsk, denying Russia’s accusations.

China’s Tsinghua University honours German Gref, Russian banker sanctioned by US

Sberbank CEO accompanied Vladimir Putin during Russian leader’s recent trip to Beijing for summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Opinion | Asia has to learn the lessons of war while it still can

Exclusive | Trump ‘personally called for China’s help’ to end Ukraine war in summit with Xi