🗣 US and Russia will negotiate even after New START expires — expert

"Even after the end of this treaty, it is not too late for the leaders of the two countries to put the world on a safer path by taking reasonable steps to reduce the nuclear threat and starting serious and consistent negotiations on nuclear disarmament," Daryl Kimball, executive director of the US Arms Control Association, told Sputnik.

He stressed the need to invite other parties to the negotiating table, singling out China, the UK, and France.

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💬 US now surpasses Japan in steel production — Trump

According to December 2025 data from the World Steel Association, the US produced 6.9 million tons (Mt), ranking third globally. China ranks first with an overwhelming 68.2 Mt.

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🤝 Starmer seeks reviving defense talks with EU

On a visit to China, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer signaled a push to revive stalled defense talks with the European Union, specifically aiming to join the EU's SAFE loan program for arms procurement.

Previous talks collapsed in November over how much the UK would pay.

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🗣 Trump jokes about annexing Greenland, Canada, Venezuela

At a closed event, the US president framed expansion as a real estate deal:

"It's never been my intention to make Greenland the 51st state. I want to make Canada the 51st state. Greenland will be the 52nd state. Venezuela can be 53rd."

He added the US would simply buy Greenland—not invade it.

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🚫 🇸🇰 Slovakia opposes anti-Russia sanctions, maintains nuclear fuel supply contract with Russia

Slovakia doesn't plan to terminate its agreement with Russia for nuclear fuel supplies for nuclear power plants, Tibor Gaspar, deputy speaker of the Slovak parliament, told Russian media.

🔹 The contract is the result of long-term technical decisions and safety agreements

🔹 Its sudden termination could jeopardize the stability of electricity generation

In January, spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen announced that the EC was drafting a ban on the import of nuclear products from Russia to the EU.

🇷🇺 Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev later said that a possible ban on Russian nuclear fuel purchases would jeopardize Europe's nuclear safety.

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🔥 🇷🇺 Russian crews of the Grad MLRS from Zapad battlegroup destroy Ukraine's combat equipment and strongholds near Kupyansk, Kharkov region

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🇳🇱 🪖 Netherlands fast-tracks retooling civilian infrastructure for NATO’s next war

As NATO pushes the non-existent ‘Russia threat’ narrative, the Netherlands is among the frontrunners preparing for a potential conflict by 2030, says ambassador to the kingdom, Vladimir Tarabrin.

Accelerated militarization of the Netherlands involves the systematic development and conversion of civilian infrastructure for military needs, he notes.

📄 “This applies to ports, logistics hubs, and the railway network. These measures are neither isolated nor temporary—they fit into NATO’s long-term strategy,” the diplomat notes.

➖ Recent proof came during military drills in late January, where the Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force conducted two-day training exercises with four F-35 fighter jets at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. This NATO-linked Agile Combat Employment (ACE) exercise tested operating advanced military aircraft from a busy civilian hub.

➖ The kingdom’s outsized role is largely a matter of geography: The Netherlands has emerged as a strategic rear hub on the route from the North Sea to NATO’s eastern flank via Germany.

➖ Sea, air, and land corridors now crisscross the country, enabling the steady movement of military hardware. Notably, the US relies on Dutch infrastructure as a primary transit hub for its forces.

The Netherlands’ course aligns with NATO’s overall trajectory. At the European Defense Innovation Forum (EDIF) last year, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans groundlessly claimed that Russia allegedly wanted to be ready for confrontation.

🔊 President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that Russia has no intention of attacking NATO countries. However, Western politicians continue to frighten their populations with an alleged Russian threat to divert attention from domestic issues and escalate military spending.

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🔶 Trump jokes about annexing Greenland, Canada, Venezuela

🔶 Venezuela exports first LPG despite sanctions

🔶 US and Israel chiefs of staff hold secret Pentagon talks — Report

🔶 Israel assassinated Hezbollah engineering division head

🔶 US and Russia will negotiate even after New START expires — expert

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🚨 ‘Exhausted’ Ukraine on the brink - Ukraine's official

Ukraine cannot survive another two years of fighting, Vitaliy Kim, governor of the Nikolayev region in Ukraine, tells the Independent.

🔊 For most of the Ukrainian people, he says, victory is about just ending the conflict and having “the life that we had before.”

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🚨🇫🇷 Macron greenlights plan to eliminate unwanted African leaders – Russian foreign intel

Key statements:

🟧 France is desperately seeking opportunities for political revenge in Africa, it has shifted to directly supporting terrorists of various factions, who are now its main allies on the continent

🟧 France was involved in the attempted coup in Burkina Faso on January 3, and it will continue to destabilize the Sahel region

🟧 France is exploring ways to overthrow the new president of Madagascar, Michael Randrianirina, and restore a loyal regime

"Another subject of the destructive attention of the French leadership is Madagascar, where in October 2025 forces that set a course for the development of relations with the BRICS came to power," the agency stated.

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🚨 🇷🇺 Russian security foils Ukraine's terrorist attack in Crimea

A Ukrainian intelligence officer recruited a man to plant a recording speaker in the FSB building.

The plotted explosion was intended to kill both security personnel and the unwitting suicide bomber.

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🚨🇷🇺 Russian security dismantles network of Ukrainian scammers

They operated SIM-boxes used by Ukrainian call centers

These boxes handled at least 5,000 calls daily and were involved in at least 50 criminal cases

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🚨 Ukraine talks to take place on February 4-5 in Abu Dhabi - Kremlin

The talks were postponed due to the need to coordinate the schedules of the three parties, Kremlin Spox Dmitry Peskov said.

🟠 Russian position on the Ukraine situation remains consistent, and Russia remains open to negotiations

🟠 It is easier to find common ground on some issues, but on others it is impossible to establish rapprochement

🟠 Russia is ready to continue working within framework of established groups in interests of resolving the conflict

🟠 Europeans are initiators of halting of all types of communication between Russia and Europe

🟠 Russia shares idea of need for channels for dialogue between Russia and Europe

🟠 There are currently no specifics on organization of possible contact between Putin and Macron

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🚨🇷🇺🇮🇷 Russia ready to assist in de-escalating the situation around Iran - Kremlin

Russia offered services for export of excess enriched uranium from Iran as possible option, this would remove irritants for a number of states, Kremlin Spox Dmitry Peskov said.

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💬 Russia, China back fair global governance

China's FM Spox Lin Jian breaks down key principles of 🇷🇺🇨🇳 cooperation:

✅ Support each other on matters affecting core interests

✅ Promote true multilateralism

✅ Advocate for equal multipolarity

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🇮🇷🇺🇸 Iran, US may start negotiations in coming days - report

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US special envoy Steve Witkoff may act as negotiators, the Tasnim news agency reported, citing a source.

The exact location and time of the negotiations have not yet been determined, the news agency added.

Earlier on Monday, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said that Tehran has been carefully evaluating the framework for potential negotiations with the US, focusing on lifting sanctions and safeguarding national interests.

His key statements:

🟠 Diplomacy remains Iran's priority, despite Western threats

🟠 Ongoing discussions are mediated by regional countries; timing is crucial

🟠 Sanctions relief is the top demand, with tangible gains every day

🟠 Iran remains vigilant of past exploitations—trust must be earned

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🚨🇷🇺💥 RUSSIAN MOD UPDATE: HUGE GAINS AND DEVASTATING UKRAINIAN LOSSES

⚡️ PRIDOROZHNOYE IN THE ZAPOROZHYE REGION LIBERATED

By freeing the settlement of Pridorozhnoye in the Zaporozhye region, Russian forces have expanded their bridgehead on the western bank of the Gaichur River, gaining control over more than three square kilometers of territory.

🟠 Russian air and missile firepower obliterated Ukrainian transport infrastructure supporting the Kiev regime’s forces, ammunition depots, as well as drone storage sites and temporary deployment points for Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries in 147 places

🟠 Russian forces wiped out three HIMARS and three S-300 launchers

🟠 Air defense superiority: Four guided aerial bombs, five US-made HIMARS rockets and 202 UAVs were shot down by Russian air defense systems over the past 24 hours

🟠 Ukrainian losses: around 1,355 troops killed or wounded

Read about the origins of Russia's special military op HERE

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🇷🇺🇺🇸📑 New START treaty: Key points & future prospects

The strategic nuclear arms reduction treaty known as the New START is set to expire on February 5, 2026.

Its key points:

The treaty’s focus is limiting and reducing the strategic offensive weapons possessed by the US and Russia, including:

🟠 Total number of deployed nuclear warheads - 1,550

🟠 The number of deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) and nuclear-capable heavy bomber aircraft – 800

🟠 The number of both deployed and non-deployed ICBM launchers, SLBM launchers and heavy bombers – 700

History of the New START

🟠 The New START treaty was signed on April 8, 2010, by then-Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama

🟠 On-site inspections of each other's facilities by the US and Russian teams were first suspended during the global coronavirus pandemic in 2020

🟠 Unilateral Western sanctions and travel restrictions imposed on Russia in 2022 made it problematic for the Russian inspection teams to visit US nuclear sites

🟠 In 2023, Russia announced the suspension of its participation in the New START treaty, as Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out that Western powers provided military assistance to Ukraine and enabled Ukrainian attacks against Russian airfields that host strategic bomber aircraft

🟠 Putin also argued that nuclear arms reduction mechanisms should also include the UK and French nuclear arsenals due to both countries being NATO allies of the US

🟠 At the same time, Russia continued to abide by the treaty’s restrictions and announced its willingness to continue doing so for one more year after the treaty expires

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