The Trump administration has lifted sanctions on a kleptocratic ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was removed this month as president of the Serb territory within Bosnia and Herzegovina for chipping away at the US-brokered peace deal that ended bloody ethnic violence in the Balkans in the 1990s.

Touting new weapons tests, Moscow signals to Washington that it must contend with the Kremlin’s power and negotiate.

President Vladimir Putin is voicing concern about the ongoing internal problem of “falling birth rates” in his own country and suggesting state action to address the issue.

Against the backdrop of a US military build-up in the Caribbean, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has appealed to Russia, China and Iran for military assistance. Details: Maduro's requests to Moscow were set out in a letter that was to be delivered to Russian ruler Vladimir Putin by a "senior aide".

Trump said he had agreed to meet Putin in Alaska to find out “whether or not a deal can be made” with the Russian leader. In an effort to bring Putin to the negotiating table in Alaska, Trump announced a 50-day deadline for new sanctions on Russia — a deadline that was soon shortened to 10 days .

The announcement comes as part of nuclear messaging from the Kremlin, which has resisted Western pressure for a ceasefire in Ukraine.

The Kremlin’s constant nuclear boasts may have finally struck a chord in the White House, with President Donald Trump ordering the resumption of US nuclear weapons tests.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) warned that the 2028 presidential election will be a “[Russian President Vladimir] Putin election” if his party doesn’t “stand up.” “I’ll tell you what, we

North Korea's top diplomat has visited the Kremlin for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting follows last month's meeting between Putin and Kim Jong Un in Beijing.

The United States has cancelled a planned Budapest summit between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin following Russia's firm stance on hardline demands regarding Ukraine, the Financial Times reported on Friday. The decision came after a tense call between the two countries' top diplomats, the Financial Times said.