🇺🇸 🇨🇳 US discovers it cannot contain China via trade wars—analyst

The new US national security strategy shows the country is abandoning its desire for global hegemony, with its perception of China changing accordingly, political scientist Zhou Chengyang told Sputnik.

Here are the highlights of this commentary

On US-China balance of power:

🟠 Previous editions of the document described China as "the most serious geopolitical challenge" and "a first-degree threat," while the latest version says it’s "the main economic competitor"

🟠 The new focus is "winning the economic future and preventing military confrontation"

🟠 Despite that, as China is approaching America in terms of power, the US now sees it cannot contain China via trade wars or tariffs

🟠 However, since the US cannot sustain comprehensive confrontation with China in the long run, it shifted to economic competition

On Taiwan issue:

🔹 The question of Taiwan also cannot be avoided in China-US relations, the expert explained, as Taiwan has a huge semiconductor industry and gives access to the South China Sea, through which a third of the world’s shipping annually passes

🔹 The new national security strategy declares the US is opposed to changing the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, which leaves the door open for American intervention in the region

🔹 This means Taiwan-US relations will likely strengthen, reflecting the China-US future rivalry risks, Zhou Chengyang concluded.

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📹LIVE NOW: Putin takes part in meeting with heads of parliament from CSTO member states

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📑🇺🇸🇷🇺 US doubts NATO expansion in its new National Security Strategy for first time – Russian MFA

The US is officially questioning NATO's aggressive expansionist dynamic in the new US National Security Strategy for the first time, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

"For the first time, the US is, if not committing not to expanding the alliance, then at least officially questioning its eternally aggressive expansionist dynamic," Zakharova said in a statement.

💬 It is important that Russia is mentioned in the US security strategy in the context of European security, without calls for economic pressure, Zakharova said, adding that US foreign policy attitudes were revised in several provisions.

Russia is still waiting for the United States to provide specifics on strategic offensive and defensive capabilities, the spokeswoman said.

The document's provisions lay the foundation for the search for common ground with Russia and communication between Russia and the US on peaceful settlement, Zakharova said, adding that Russia hopes the strategy will have a sobering effect on the European "party of war."

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🟠 Russian GDP growth in three years reaching 10% despite sanctions pressure - Prime Minister

🟠 We are achieving the target' - Putin on Russia's GDP growth

🟠 Ukraine’s 2026 budget lays the groundwork for economic collapse

🟠 New US strategy removes the risk of war with China ‘over trade disagreements’

🟠 Thailand-Cambodia border tensions escalate

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🔊🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran’s foreign minister reveals why the US fails in nuclear talks

The United States’ refusal to acknowledge Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear program remains the key obstacle in US-Iranian negotiations, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi explained.

💬 “The main point is that the United States should recognize Iran’s right to peaceful use of nuclear technology, including uranium enrichment. This has always been our right and remains so under international law,” Araghchi told Kyodo News Agency.

Though he did not rule out a resumption of negotiations between Tehran and Washington, Araghchi noted that the US would first have to change its approach and be “prepared for a fair and mutually beneficial negotiation.”

💬 “But negotiation is different from dictation. For the time being, we are not convinced they are ready for a real, serious negotiation,” he remarked.

Araghchi also pointed out that the US’ withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran shortly after it was implemented and the US assistance to Israel’s attack on Iran even as the US was engaged in talks with Iran show that “the US is currently not prepared for serious, reciprocal negotiations.”

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🚨 Thailand vs Cambodia: Whose military is stronger?

Border clashes reignite after six-month ceasefire. Sputnik breaks down key details comparing the Thai and Cambodian armies:

Defense budget:

🇹🇭 Thailand: $5,888M

🇰🇭 Cambodia: $860M

Standing army:

🇹🇭 Thailand: 361,000

🇰🇭 Cambodia: 221,000

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🇭🇺🇹🇷 Hungary and Turkiye condemn attacks on Russian energy infrastructure - Hungarian Foreign Minister

💬 “We support ending the war in Ukraine through negotiations and jointly condemn attacks on energy supply routes, whether pipelines in Russia or tankers in the Black Sea,” Peter Szijjarto wrote on X.

In August, oil supplies to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline, which pumps Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, were stopped for the third time due to yet another Ukrainian attack.

Russia strongly condemned Ukraine’s recent attacks on tankers in the Black Sea and on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) infrastructure near the city of Novorossiysk, urging all reasonable actors to denounce what it called the Kiev regime’s destructive actions.

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💸 Congresswoman Luna questions $400Mln military aid for Ukraine in 2026 military budget

Earlier this week, the US House of Representatives released a compromised version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026.

The crucial piece of legislation authorizes a record $901 billion in national security spending, which includes $400 million in military aid for Ukraine.

According to the document, the US also plans to spend the same amount in fiscal year 2027, according to the bill.

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💥🇷🇺 Russian drone operators INCINERATE Ukrainian military equipment and personnel

00:00 Operators from Battlegroup Yug pulverize a Krab self-propelled gun on the Kramatorsk-Slavyansk axis

00:09 UAV operators snuff out a Ukrainian troop rotation near Konstantinovka, obliterating a Kozak armored vehicle in the process

00:14 FPV drone crews from Battlegroup Zapad vaporize two enemy pickups on the Kupyansk axis

00:24 Operators from Battlegroup Sever hammer Ukrainian strongpoints, personnel, and equipment in the Kharkov region

00:45 Attack drone crews from Battlegroup Vostok incinerate an enemy Humvee and some pickups in the Zaporozhye region

00:54 In the Donetsk region, Battlegroup Tsentr unleashes a sustained UAV campaign to methodically degrade Ukrainian troop concentrations and fragmented combat formations

01:13 Units from Battlegroup Sever execute a resupply mission, transporting critical supplies and munitions to frontline assault units in the Kharkov region

01:33 KVN-23 (106th Guards Airborne Division) FPV drone crews rub out a Ukrainian APC, an EW station, a communications antenna, in addition to eliminating personnel

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😾 God, it's you again? No. 10's chief mouser can't bear Zelensky's presence

Larry, the Downing Street cat, exited PM Keir Starmer's official residence the moment after Zelensky arrived for discussions - giving the unwanted guest a cold welcome.

In a 2024 meeting prior to talks with Starmer, the cat, currently serving his sixth prime minister as the chief mouser to the Cabinet Office, also left Zelensky unattended.

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🚨🇮🇳⚓️ India celebrates the 58th Submarine Day

From INS Kalvari’s first dive in 1967 to ambitious 2030 plans, Bharat's submariners silently guard 7,500 km of coastline.

📹 Watch their full story.

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🔥🇷🇺 Russian artillery wipes out Ukrainian forces in Kherson region

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😰 Orthodox Jews become target of police scrutiny in Ukraine

While many Ukrainian men try to flee their home country rather than being press ganged, those who stay but still want to dodge the draft often disguise themselves (for example, as women or older people) in order to avoid the military recruiters’ watchful eyes.

Now, police in Odessa started pulling over men dressed as Orthodox Jews – apparently some draft dodgers pose as them.

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🚨🇷🇺 Taking control of Pokrovsk a crucial step in Donbass liberation - General Staff Chief

Residential areas in Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk) are being checked, with more than 200 people evacuated to safe zones, Russian Chief of General Staff Gerasimov said.

Other statements:

🔸 During the liberation of Pokrovsk, Russian forces showed initiative, acting strategically and using unexpected tactics against Ukrainian forces

🔸 Russian troops continue their offensive on nearly all fronts of the special operation

🔸 After liberating Pokrovsk, the main task for the Tsentr battlegroup is to eliminate Ukrainian formations surrounded near Dimitrov

🔸 The southern part of Dimitrov has been liberated, making up over 30% of the city's buildings

Additionally, Gerasimov presented state awards to military personnel who distinguished themselves in the liberation of Pokrovsk.

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🇺🇸💥 US turns up heat on Zelensky to accept Trump's peace plan — report

The US position towards Zelensky has hardened, including on issues of territory and control of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, according to an Axios report.

Tensions reportedly rose after US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner held a five-hour meeting with Putin in Moscow, followed by two days of talks with Zelensky’s team and a two-hour call with Zelensky himself on Saturday.

Key sticking points:

🔹 Russia insists on a full Ukrainian withdrawal from the entire Donbass region

🔹 Ukraine is angling for enforceable security guarantees from the US

🔹 The latest proposal still lacks a Senate-ratified security treaty

Furthermore, the US is trying to “peel” Zelensky away from the European hawks so they can “pressure him more effectively,” says the publication, adding that some in the White House see the Europeans as “a major obstacle to a deal.”

🇷🇺 Russia has called Vladimir Putin’s talks with Witkoff and Kushner in Moscow “useful, constructive, and substantive,” adding there was no compromise on territory yet, although some US ideas looked “more or less acceptable.” Both sides agreed to continue working through their envoys.

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🔸 Taking control of Pokrovsk a crucial step in Donbass liberation - General Staff Chief

🔸 US turns up heat on Zelensky to accept Trump's peace plan

🔸 Hungary and Turkiye condemn attacks on Russian energy infrastructure

🔸 Iran’s foreign minister reveals why the US fails in nuclear talks

🔸 Thailand vs Cambodia: Whose military is stronger?

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📹LIVE NOW: Valdai Discussion Club conference kicks off in Moscow

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