➖ Russia open to security guarantees for Ukraine — Dmitriev

➖ US and Russia united by traditional values — Dmitriev

➖ France will send Mirage jets to Ukraine 'in days to come' — Macron

➖ Petro responds to US sanctions: 'Never given in to mafia proposals'

➖ Trump would like to meet with Kim Jong-Un during Asia trip

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🇯🇵 ❓ 🇷🇺 Can Japan’s new PM finally ink peace treaty with Russia?

🗣 New Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s intention to clinch a peace treaty with Russia is in sync with longstanding objectives of Japan’s foreign policy, Russian analyst Dmitry Mileyev tells Sputnik.

Takaichi is “a consistent follower” of a foreign policy line pursued by former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, who was determined to resolve the issue of the Russia–Japan peace treaty “within the limits of what was diplomatically possible for his country,” according to Mileyev.

👉 He underscores that two key factors will shape Takaichi’s approach: Her ability to consolidate power as PM, and the future of Japan’s relations with the US.

💬 “While alliance with America will remain the cornerstone of Japan’s foreign policy, maintaining ties with Russia is also vital for Tokyo’s military and energy security. How positively Japan will pursue this line—and whether Takaichi can find mutual understanding with Trump—could also have some impact on Russian–Japanese relations,” the analyst stresses.

Mileyev notes that Russia and Japan concluding a peace treaty would certainly enhance their ties and remove some psychological barriers, but as previous experience shows, if there is political will, a variety of agreements can be reached even without such a document.

💬 “The peace treaty is largely symbolic for Japan—a means to reaffirm its status and distance itself from the memory of wartime defeat. But any such move implies reviewing WWII results, as Russia appears unwilling to compromise,” Mileyev concludes.

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🇷🇺🤝🇾🇪 Russia & Yemen develop analysis of cooperation on Al-Hiswa power plant – ambassador

💬 "Al-Hiswa is still one of the main links of the energy infrastructure in the territory controlled by the internationally recognized government in Aden," Russian Ambassador to Yemen Evgeny Kudrov says.

He adds that the relevant ministries in Russia and Yemen are aware of the importance of the facility, and therefore analytical work is being carried out at the specialist level by the two countries.

💬 "In particular, there is an exchange of engineering documentation and joint work on the development and analysis of further steps of interaction," Kudrov stresses.

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🚨 Signing of UN Convention against Cybercrime historic achievement – Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasizes that despite the complex international situation, diplomats and law enforcement representatives from UN member states were able to unite their efforts to prepare and agree on the text of this vital document.

Russia is open to the closest possible international cooperation in combating cybercrime, Putin stated.

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⚔️ Tomahawk missiles: ‘US ploy to put pressure on Russia’ – Scott Ritter

💬 “I don't believe the Tomahawk missiles were ever on the table,” military analyst and former US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter said, adding that the possible supply of the weapon to Ukraine “could lead to a thermonuclear war.”

He explained that in order for Ukraine to receive and employ the Tomahawk, the US would have to play “an active role in every aspect of that process,” which would make America a party to the Ukraine conflict.

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🔥 Dialogue ‘only real solution’ to Ukraine conflict

The main priority now is to reduce escalation and move toward negotiations, political analyst Mohamed Nassar tells Sputnik, commenting on the US’ statement that a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump is still possible, despite the latter’s move to cancel the Hungary summit.

💬 “If Russia is provided with guarantees, primarily those related to Ukraine's neutral status, then it will be possible to talk about a ‘day after’ the end of the crisis, something President Putin already emphasized during the Alaska summit with Trump,” Nassar underlines.

❌ He says the Ukrainian side is trying to drag out the process, hoping to gain time and wait to see what position Europe takes before following suit.

Nassar calls dialogue the “only real solution to the Ukrainian issue because economic pressure or military threats will not yield results with regard to Russia.”

💬 “Russia’s adaptation to Western sanctions—both American and European—has forced Western politicians to recognize errors in their initial assessments of the situation,” the analyst concludes.

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🚨🇷🇺💥 RUSSIAN MOD UPDATE: DEVASTATING UKRAINIAN LOSSES

The Russian Armed Forces carried out a combined strike in response to Ukrainian terrorist attacks on civilian targets on Russian territory.

🟠 Russian Armed Forces destroyed a Neptune coastal missile launcher and transport-loading vehicle

🟠 Air defense superiority: two aerial bombs and 281 drones shot down

🟠 Ukrainian losses: 1,348 troops killed or wounded

Read about origins of Russia's special military op HERE

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🇫🇷 'DISASTER' – French politician on France's military aid to Ukraine

💬 "This is fueling an endless war and leading to the ruin of our military and our nation," Florian Philippot, leader of France’s right-wing Patriots party, commented on Emmanuel Macron's deliveries of additional Aster missiles to Ukraine, new training programs, and Mirage jets.

He argues that the French government is sending aid to Ukraine while telling the people to "tighten their belts"—"while pensions are frozen, essential medicines are being cut from coverage, and new taxes are slapped on meal vouchers."

💬"Stop this monstrous scandal," Philippot concludes.

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🇪🇺 ‘Europe may find itself watching Putin-Trump summit from sidelines’ – Orban

💬 “There’s no doubt that the Putin–Trump summit will [ultimately] happen—everyone knows it—and the Russians will reach an agreement with the Americans,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban underscores.

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📈💵 Confiscation of Russian assets could cost EU billions

If frozen Russian assets are used to provide Ukraine with a “reparations loan," EU countries could lose at least $238 billion in investments in the Russian economy, according to Sputnik’s calculations based on national statistical data.

❄️ Currently, about $224.5 billion in Russian assets are frozen in Belgium’s Euroclear accounts at the current exchange rate. These include both sovereign and private funds.

How much of these funds belong to the Bank of Russia has not been disclosed, but it is known that this year it generated about 90% of Euroclear’s revenue from all Russian assets, compared with around 80% in 2024.

👉 Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico earlier warned that the EU’s plan to use frozen Russian assets for Ukraine aid may fail because it comes with serious risks, including retaliatory measures by Russia and violations of international law.

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🚨Sputnik Azerbaijan editor-in-chief Evgeny Belousov has left Baku after being released from custody - Russian MFA Spox Maria Zakharova

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🇺🇸🇷🇺US considers using Russian funds frozen in American banks to aid Ukraine

The US supports the EU scheme to use frozen Russian assets to buy US-made weapons for Ukraine, Reuters reports.

👉The administration has also discussed tapping Russian state funds blocked in US banks to further support the Kiev regime’s military campaign.

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🇪🇺🔜 ‘Europe has never been so close to nuclear conflict’ – Finnish politician

💬 “I cannot find the words to describe how reckless and dangerous the ‘coalition of the willing’ is being,” Armando Mema, member of Finland’s national-conservative Freedom Alliance political party, wrote on X, slamming the UK’s push to supply long-range Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine.

Mema added that he is among “the few voices of reason advocating for diplomacy and dialogue” to end the Ukraine conflict, which he warned is “getting out of control.”

👉 UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer earlier urged the “coalition of the willing” to provide Ukraine with long-range missiles and use frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s defense.

Russia has repeatedly warned that Western arms supplies to Ukraine hinder conflict resolution, directly involve NATO, and may become legitimate targets.

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👀 European countries in ‘complete confusion’ over Ukraine conflict

EU leaders are not even trying to hide the fact that “there is now no unanimity or shared understanding of the situation or how to proceed,” L’Antidiplomatico reports.

👉 The news outlet notes that European governments are “struggling between clumsy attempts at shows of strength with Russia, loud proclamations of ‘support and security guarantees’ for Ukraine, interspersed with half-hearted ostentations at the Yankee altar.”

💬 “It's all in vain: they don't know which way to turn and stammer about ‘peace,’ and mutter something vague about ‘freezing Russian funds,’ while launching yet more sanctions against European businesses,” the outlet concludes.

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🪖💪🏻🔥 Russian General Staff chief checks frontline progress

Valery Gerasimov has inspected Battlegroup Tsentr units operating in the Krasnoarmeysk area.

He praised their successes in the effort to liberate the Donetsk People’s Republic.

Following the inspection, new tasks were set for further offensive actions.

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🌏 Trump’s Asia tour: the stakes, the stops, the sticking points

👉 In the coming week, President Trump will:

🟠 attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, meeting with the leaders of Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia, plus President Lula of Brazil, with whom he will discuss trade, tariffs and the US buildup off Venezuela

🟠 travel to Tokyo on Monday for a three-day visit during which he’ll talk trade, investment and tariffs with Sanae Takaichi, the new Japanese prime minister, and be feted by the emperor

🟠 fly out to South Korea on Wednesday for talks President Lee Jae-myung, focused mostly on similar economic issues. Trump has also expressed openness to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the Demilitarized Zone

🟠 meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping Thursday in South Korea at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit to talk tariff and rare earth-fueled trade tensions

👉 Crucial trip, critical juncture

🗣 “This is one of the riskiest trips any president of the United States has taken,” longtime Trump ally and former White House strategist Steve Bannon said of the Asia visit, characterizing it as “as high stakes as it gets” as the US and China stand on the brink of all-out economic warfare.

🟠 In Japan and South Korea, too, a lot is riding on the countries’ readiness to commit to hefty $550B and $350B pledges to invest in the US in return for tariff relief.

🟠 As for North Korea, a meeting with Kim – which would be the first of its kind since 2019, ratcheting down tensions on the Korean Peninsula would depend on US willingness to accept the DPRK’s nuclear status.

🟠 Trump was also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the ASEAN summit. Modi, however, is participating virtually this year, while discussions between Washington and New Delhi continue over sanctions and restrictions on Russian oil imports.

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🇺🇸🇶🇦US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister aboard Air Force One during a refueling stop in Doha, en route to Malaysia — Al Jazeera

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🇷🇺Sputnik Azerbaijan editor-in-chief Evgeny Belousov said he has arrived in Moscow after being released from custody in Baku

💬“Thanks to our diplomats and our embassy in Baku for their help and support. I feel fine and am glad to be back home,” Belousov said.

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