Russia–United States relations

Vladimir Putin has dismissed the dossier published last week about alleged links between Moscow and Donald Trump, describing the people who ordered it as “worse than prostitutes”.

The United States and Russia have engaged in a dangerous diplomatic spat, after the former issued sanctions on the latter over their involvement in hacking U.S. political groups in the 2016 presidential election, which sparked reaction from Russia.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has called for "reinforcing the country's military nuclear potential."

"We need to strengthen the military potential of strategic nuclear forces, especially with missile complexes that can reliably penetrate any existing and prospective missile defense systems," Putin said.

U.S. President Barack Obama and European leaders pledged Nov. 18 to maintain NATO cooperation, and vowed to keep up sanctions against Russia, in their first meeting since the shock election of Donald Trump as the new U.S. president sparked fears of drastic policy shifts.

Lithuania has warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin could to test NATO in the weeks before Donald Trump becomes U.S. president.

Lithuanian officials have said that "the Russian threat is growing" - while fear of a possible "Russian invasion" is spreading.

At the meeting of the defence ministers of NATO countries on Wednesday, the UK undertook the obligation to send fighter jets to Romania in 2017, while the USA promised Poland military forces, tanks and artillery - the biggest deployment of the alliance at Russia's borders since the end of the Cold War, reported Reuters.

No options can be taken off the table, including imposing new sanctions on Russia, says German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

She made this statement ahead of tomorrow's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with whom she will discuss the situation in Syria.

BELGRADE - Despite increased tensions between Washington and Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov does not believe the two countries are on the brink of war, .

"Well, I don't think so. It is not our intention at all. We read of course statements of American military that the war is inevitable with Russia. I leave this on their conscience."

U.S. President Barack Obama said April 25 that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin was trying to undermine European unity, which he sees as a threat.

Speaking to CBS News in an interview set to air on April 26, Obama said Europe's migrant crisis was also a problem for the United States.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Moscow on Friday that the army must "immediately destroy" all forces threatening Russian military in Syria.

The military operation in Syria is not dictated by geopolitical interests, but is designed to protect the country, said Putin, according to RT, and added that "terrorists in Syria are a direct threat to Russia."