Moscow

NATO foreign ministers have celebrated the alliance's 75th anniversary to warnings that Moscow was as great a threat as ever and concern over stalled US aid for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

Austria finds itself embroiled in a burgeoning espionage scandal with connections to Bulgaria, as suspicions of Russian espionage within the Federal Office for Internal Security continue to mount.

The tension between Russia and NATO has escalated to a level of "direct confrontation," according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. He pointed out that the US-led alliance's involvement in the conflict in Ukraine, coupled with its continued expansion toward Russia's borders, has exacerbated the situation.

French President Emmanuel Macron has initiated confidential talks with US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, advocating for a change in the West's approach to Russia's ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

This Thursday, NATO foreign ministers convene in Brussels to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the alliance's establishment, marked by the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington on April 4, 1949. Central to NATO's mission is the principle of collective defense, wherein an attack on any member nation is considered an attack on all.

Russian air attacks killed six people in northeast Ukraine on Thursday, authorities said, as President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of cynically targeting civilians.

Russian forces have stepped up their aerial bombardment of Ukraine in recent weeks, resulting in power cuts for thousands of people as the country's electricity grid is targeted.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday that alliance members must guarantee long-term weapon deliveries for Ukraine, as ministers discussed a proposal for a 100-billion-euro, five-year fund.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has reported a significant increase in the number of individuals expressing willingness to join the war in Ukraine, citing the recent attack on Crocus City Hall in the Moscow region as a primary motivator.

Russia announced its efforts to remove the Taliban from its list of banned terrorist organizations. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated on Tuesday that there are crucial matters to address with Afghanistan's Taliban leadership, emphasizing the need for dialogue due to the Taliban's de facto authority in the country, Reuters reported.

Moldova's domestic gas supplier Energocom said it will supply its consumers with test volumes of US-origin liquefied natural gas (LNG) for the first time on Monday and Tuesday. Moldova relied almost exclusively on Russian gas under a deal with state-controlled Gazprom but stepped up diversification efforts following Moscow's full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine two years ago.