🇷🇺Putin sets economic priorities for 2026

Russian President Vladimir Putin convened his first economic meeting of 2026, focusing on growth trends, inflation, and labor productivity.

Key statements:

🔶 Russia’s GDP grew by 1% in 2025

🔶 Growth was weaker than in previous years, a slowdown described as expected and policy-driven to curb inflation

🔶 Inflation eased to 5.6% in 2025 and is expected to move toward 5% by the end of 2026

🔶 A temporary pickup in inflation at the start of the year is linked to a VAT increase

🔶 Raising labor productivity is a priority, especially amid workforce shortages in several sectors

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🚨 Expert outlines three key factors that could decide fate of expiring New START treaty
         
🇬🇧🇫🇷 Firstly, Britain and France are expanding their own strategic offensive arsenals - formally not covered by New START yet "posing a growing threat," Vitaly Arkov, head of the PolitRUS expert-analytical network, tells Sputnik.

🇺🇸 Secondly, the US is reassessing both the format of its participation in NATO and whether the alliance still makes sense in its current form.

🟠 Thirdly, New START was signed by Democrat Barack Obama, and Trump "has personal scores to settle" with him.

🟠 It might suit Trump to portray Democrats as "responsible for weakening US defense capabilities," the analyst speculates.

🟠 Trump could counter with a revised New START proposal — or even roll out an entirely new treaty, crafted largely on US terms.

💬 "Such a move would be pitched by Trump as yet another of his personal triumphs."

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🗣 West’s plan to ‘enforce ceasefire’ with Russia is mere window dressing - analyst

🟠 The ‘military response’ plan that the US, Europe, and Ukraine have allegedly coordinated in case Russia “violates” any peace agreements over Ukraine is intended to placate the Zelensky regime, Russian political scientist Konstantin Blokhin tells Sputnik.

🟠 These promises may be aimed at nudging Ukraine toward further diplomatic settlement, the pundit notes.

🟠 It’s also about keeping up appearances — the West isn’t walking away from Ukraine, it is seen as “making certain commitments,” Blokhin says, adding:

💬 “Western pledges to Ukraine do not necessarily mean they will be carried out as stated.”

🟠 Ukraine has reportedly agreed with its Western sponsors a multi-tiered response to any “breaches” of a peace deal by Russia, the FT reported. As a last-case scenario, the plan allegedly involves a “coordinated military response by a Western-backed force involving the US military.”

🟠 Russia has repeatedly emphasized its willingness to pursue a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, but warned that any deployment of NATO troops in the country is unacceptable and could sharply escalate tensions.

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📹 Golden getaway: Residents of Russia's Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk witness a rare subsun phenomenon

A subsun is a rare halo effect where sunlight reflects off flat ice crystals in clouds, creating a bright white “mirror” of the Sun directly beneath it.

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🇺🇸🇨🇴Trump and Colombia’s Gustavo Petro wrap up nearly two-hour White House meeting, press pool reports

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🔸 Zelensky–Epstein connection: Ukraine in sex predator’s crosshairs and the trafficking crime

🔸 Arms control deadlock: Why the world can’t agree on a New START successor

🔸 Putin & Saudi Crown Prince discuss energy stability and deeper cooperation

🔸 Macron says technical talks underway to set stage for contact with Putin

🔸 Rutte says NATO troops could enter Ukraine after peace deal

🔸 US signals talks with Iran possible, but presents ultimatum - Russian Deputy FM

🔸 US eyes Greenland for missile defense & sub-hunting systems — military analyst

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🚨🇱🇾 Saif al-Islam Gaddafi killed in Zintan attack — source

A source told Sputnik that Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, was killed in an armed attack on the compound where he was staying in Zintan.

The source said his body remains at Zintan General Hospital.

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💰 US House passes $1.2 trillion funding deal to end partial shutdown — reports

The US House of Representatives narrowly approved a $1.2 trillion funding package to end a four-day partial government shutdown, sending the bill to President Donald Trump for his expected signature, The New York Post reported.

The measure passed 217–214 and keeps about 97% of the federal government funded through Sept. 30, following its earlier approval in the Senate. According to the report, Trump urged House Republicans to send the bill to him without changes in order to keep the shutdown brief.

Lawmakers now face a tight deadline to negotiate separate funding for the Department of Homeland Security, with talks expected to focus on immigration enforcement issues, the report said.

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🇮🇷🤝🇷🇺 Iran’s space chief: Cooperation with Russia 'expanding' after Khayyam satellite launch

📍 Space cooperation between Iran and Russia has expanded in recent years, particularly following the development and launch of the Khayyam satellite, head of the Iranian Space Agency Hossein Salarieh has said.

💬 "One of the countries we cooperate with in the space sector is Russia. In recent years, especially after the creation and launch of the Khayyam satellite, our cooperation with Russia has expanded," he said, answering the question from Sputnik correspondent in Tehran.

🗣 "In past years, several Iranian satellites were launched into orbit by Russian launch vehicles, and this process continues as the space industry develops. We have many satellites currently under construction that are scheduled to be launched using both domestic and foreign launch vehicles to consolidate our progress in this field."

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🚨 Trump signs government funding bill, ending partial shutdown

US President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill, bringing the partial shutdown to an end.

The package had previously cleared both chambers of Congress and restores funding for key agencies — including the US Department of Defense, US Department of the Treasury and the US Department of State — through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.

Funding for the US Department of Homeland Security runs only until Feb. 13. The wire said DHS financing remains a key dispute in Congress, including over US Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions and related mass protests, raising the risk of another partial shutdown if no compromise is reached.

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🚨 ‘We are negotiating with them right now’ — Trump on Iran

President Donald Trump said the US is currently in talks with Iran, adding that Tehran “would like to negotiate.”

He declined to say where the meetings are taking place, noting that “there is more than one meeting.”

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🚨 ‘Putin kept his word’ — Trump

US President Donald Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin “kept his word” on a temporary pause in strikes during cold weather.

On January 29, Trump said he had personally asked Putin not to strike Kiev and several other Ukrainian cities until Feb. 1. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the request, saying it was intended to create favorable conditions for talks in Abu Dhabi.

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🗣 Wolf and Epstein conspired against me — Trump

💬 "A reporter named Wolf and Epstein conspired... against me in order to fight like hell to make sure I lose the election," President Donald Trump said.

Trump claimed that was “the only thing” mentioned about him, and argued the issue is “really a Democrat problem.”

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