Russia ends missile deployment ban

December 29, 2024

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov speaks during the Doha Forum 2024 on Dec. 7, 2024.

DOHA Qatar Copyright: xNOUSHADx via Reuters

Russia no longer considers itself bound by its unilateral moratorium on the deployment of intermediate and shorter-range nuclear-capable missiles, clearing the way for Moscow to deploy the weapons across Europe and Asia. Russia had voluntarily imposed the moratorium following the US withdrawal from the two nations’ Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019 over alleged Russian breaches and concerns about China’s missile capabilities.

Moscow had signaled the move in October, when it refused to commit to an extension of its New START nuclear arms treaty with Washington, scheduled to expire in February 2026. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov repeated Sunday that there were currently “no conditions” for a strategic dialogue with the US.

Russia had already suspended its participation in New START in 2023 over US aid to Ukraine and in November 2024 fired an intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile known as “Oreshnik” at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro in response to strikes on its territory by Ukrainian forces with US and British missiles – an act Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened last week to repeat. With components of the Oreshnik allegedly reliant on Western technology, however, Russia faces potential hurdles in this latest chapter in the post-Cold War arms race.

Syria sees worst fighting since Assad’s fall

Syrian forces head to Latakia after fighters linked to Syria's ousted leader Bashar Assad mounted a deadly attack on government forces on Thursday, March 6, 2025.

REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano

Nearly 50 people were killed on Thursday in the deadliest clashes Syria has seen since the overthrow of Bashar Assad. Pro-Assad militants attacked security checkpoints around the western coastal town of Jableh, a stronghold of the former regime.

US may target Iranian tankers

The Liberian-flagged tanker Ice Energy, chartered by the US government, takes Iranian oil from Iranian-flagged Lana (formerly Pegas) as part of a civil forfeiture action off the shore of Karystos, on the Island of Evia, Greece, in May 2022.

REUTERS/Costas Baltas/File Photo

The Trump administration is reportedly considering a strategy to disrupt Iran’s oil exports by stopping and inspecting Iranian oil tankers at sea. The US would use the Proliferation Security Initiative, established in 2003 to prevent the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction, as a legal justification for the inspections.

Is the Trump revolution off to a good or bad start?

President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol on March 4, 2025.

Win McNamee/Pool via REUTERS

You didn’t need to sit through all 99 minutes of Trump’s peroration to know that he gave himself an A++ on his first six weeks in office, writes GZERO Publisher Evan Solomon. But if Trump gets to grade himself, maybe it’s time for a more objective report card — one that looks at two criteria: Trump as a dealmaker and Trump as a manager.

Key findings on global energy security, innovation, and market viability

BMW Foundation

The Energy Security Hub at the 2025 Munich Security Conference featured in-depth discussions on energy innovation, security, and market viability. Fatih Birol, IEA executive director, discussed growing global energy demand, especially the rapid rise in electricity outpacing overall growth. He noted electricity demand is projected to increase six times faster than total energy in 10 years, underscoring the need for electrification and grid expansion. As energy systems become decentralized and digitalized, the CEO of E.ON, Leonhard Birnbaum, said: “You’re either fully digitized – or you’re done.” Key takeaways: Energy security requires developing and securing electricity grids Technological openness is a unifying element for getting to net zero Bridge the “Valley of Death” to scale markets New global partnerships will help Europe stay competitive Public acceptance will strengthen democracy You can read the full Executive Summary from the BMW Foundation here.

Supreme Court orders release of foreign aid funds

a crowd of people outside of a white building

Photo by Ian Hutchinson on Unsplash

In a 5-4 split decision, the US Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the Trump administration to disburse nearly $2 billion in foreign aid funds for work completed by contractors and grant recipients under the US Agency for International Development and the State Department. Does this tell us much about how the top court will handle future Trump-related cases?

Russia ends missile deployment ban

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Russia ends missile deployment ban

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More from GZERO Media

Nearly 50 people were killed on Thursday in the deadliest clashes Syria has seen since the overthrow of Bashar Assad. Pro-Assad militants attacked security checkpoints around the western coastal town of Jableh, a stronghold of the former regime.

EU leaders met in Brussels on Thursday to answer two big questions: How can Europe defend Ukraine in the short term and defend itself in the long term?

The outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported on Thursday that US employer layoffs surged by 245% last month — the largest spike since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

30: The United Nations has released a new report assessing progress on women’s rights worldwide 30 years after the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark agreement for advancing gender equality, was adopted.

GZEROMEDIA

Subscribe to GZERO Media's newsletter: Signal

US presidents don’t typically talk to organizations the US government has labeled terrorist groups, but Donald Trump is not a typical US president.

Which country has recently seen a big spike in applications for citizenship from US nationals?