Russian President Vladimir Putin declares Russia's Ukraine war goals will be achieved through negotiations or military force as diplomatic efforts.

The move comes days after a deal with Washington that lifted U.S. sanctions against the Belarusian potash industries, a key source of export earnings.

European officials are trying to convince a handful of EU member countries to back controversial plans for providing more financial support to Ukraine.

The annual news conference sets the Kremlin’s tone for the next year and highlights President Vladimir V. Putin’s grip over Russia.

The United States is preparing a further round of sanctions targeting Russia's energy sector to increase pressure on Moscow should it reject a peace deal with Ukraine, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday,

As the White House tries to curb Moscow's energy income, Vladimir Putin enjoys a warm welcome in India, and promises an "uninterrupted supply" of Russian fuel.

The country’s fertility rate was 1.4 births per woman in 2023, according to the most recent UN statistics. That’s well below the 2.1 replacement rate and 20% lower than in 2015. And since then, an estimated quarter of a million Russian men have been killed in Ukraine. “Last year, deaths outpaced births by more than half a million.”

Dmitri N. Kozak had worked with President Vladimir V. Putin for three decades before quitting in September. His associates described his break with the Russian leader.