Pyongyang says the paper demonizes legitimate relations between sovereign states
North Korea has slammed a report by a Western sanctions monitoring group’s on its ties with Russia, calling it a “political provocation.” Cooperation with Moscow is a “legitimate exercise of the DPRK’s sovereign rights,” Pyongyang has insisted.
The report was released last week by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Group (MSMT), created by the US and South Korea to monitor enforcement of UN sanctions against North Korea.
It alleges “illegal” military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang, including purported arms transfers from North Korea to Russia, troop deployments and training, excess petroleum shipments, and financial coordination.
Citing data from its 11 members and open-source intelligence, the report claims these actions violate UN Security Council resolutions aimed at curbing North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.
Pyongyang considers the MSMT report a “hostile act” and the organization a “ghost group without any legitimacy” and a “political tool” operating “according to the geopolitical interests of the West.”
“The hostile acts of the MSMT… are a flagrant violation of the international legal principles of sovereign equality and non-interference in internal affairs and a mockery of the fair and just international community,” the country’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said in its statement on Sunday, as cited by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The ministry called the report a fabrication and denounced it as politically biased and “provocative.”
Military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang is “aimed at protecting the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security interests” of the countries and “ensuring peace and stability in the Eurasian region,” the ministry claimed. It stressed that it is a “legitimate exercise of sovereign rights” of both countries in accordance with the UN Charter.
Moscow has not yet commented on the MSMT report.
In June 2024, Russia and North Korea signed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement, which includes a clause providing for military and other assistance in the event of armed invasion of either side. Several weeks later, South Korean and US media reported the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia’s Kursk Region, which at the time was under Ukrainian attack. Moscow and Pyongyang confirmed the military presence in late April after Russian forces declared the region fully liberated.
The MSMT group was created last October after the disbandment of the UN Panel of Experts on DPRK, which had monitored the implementation of UN sanctions on North Korea until a Russian veto ended its mandate. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova at the time called MSMT “illegal,” saying it was created by “uninvited enthusiasts bypassing the UN Security Council” who “demonstrate blatant disregard for international law.”
The US president shared a social media post suggesting his predecessor was “executed” in 2020
US President Donald Trump has shared a claim on social media that his predecessor, Joe Biden, was secretly executed and replaced by a “robotic entity.”
The original post, published by an anonymous user on Saturday afternoon, included a link to an article alleging that Biden’s family feared they were “running out of time to exploit” the former president following his cancer diagnosis.
“There is no #JoeBiden – executed in 2020. #Biden clones doubles & robotic engineered soulless mindless entities are what you see. #Democrats don’t know the difference,” the message read. Trump reposted it on his Truth Social platform hours later without comment.
Biden, who has shown signs of cognitive decline for years, abruptly withdrew his candidacy from the 2024 presidential race after a disastrous debate performance that alarmed the Democratic Party. He named then-Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement, who subsequently lost to Trump.
Republicans have long accused the Democratic leadership of covering up Biden’s mental and health issues during his presidency and reelection campaign. Last month, Biden revealed that he was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer, which spread to his bones.
In their recently released book ‘Original Sin’, journalists Jake Tapper of CNN and Alex Thompson of Axios detail how Biden’s staff worked to conceal his decline from the public. The authors claim that a “Politburo” of Biden’s family members and close aides were the real decision-makers during his term in office.
The White House’s letter to Tehran was far from a compromise, a person familiar with the matter has said
The US proposal for a new nuclear agreement with Iran is unacceptable, an Iranian source familiar with the matter told RT. Washington recently outlined its terms in a letter to Iran after five rounds of talks mediated by Oman.
“Iran views the US written elements as extremely far from what could possibly be regarded as a fair and realistic basis for a likely compromise,” the source said.
“Iranians were dismayed to see such a fanciful, one-sided text that is so out of touch with reality,” the source added.
The White House said on Sunday that President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, sent “a detailed and acceptable proposal” to Tehran. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt reiterated Washington’s position that “Iran can never obtain a nuclear bomb.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Islamic Republic would provide a response “in line with the principles, national interests, and rights of the people of Iran.”
Trump earlier insisted on a “total dismantlement” of Iran’s nuclear program, suggesting the country should not be allowed to enrich uranium even for civilian purposes. Araghchi rejected these terms, saying the US must lift all sanctions and “uphold Iran’s nuclear rights, including enrichment.”
During his first term in office, Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 UN-backed Iran nuclear deal, accusing the country of secretly violating it, and reimposed sanctions as part of his ‘maximum pressure’ campaign. Tehran denied that it violated the 2015 agreement, but has since increased uranium enrichment.
The candidate backed by the Law and Justice party has defeated Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski
Conservative candidate Karol Nawrocki was elected president of Poland in a runoff vote on Sunday, narrowly defeating centrist pro-EU Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski.
According to the National Electoral Commission, Nawrocki secured 50.89% of the vote, while Trzaskowski garnered 49.11%.
Turnout was 71.63%, among the highest in recent Polish elections. Trzaskowski performed strongly in major cities, while Nawrocki led in rural areas and among older voters.
Nawrocki, backed by the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, ran on a platform of Catholic values, greater national sovereignty, and rebalancing Poland’s relationship with the EU. He leads the Institute of National Remembrance, a state-sponsored research center responsible for promoting Polish history and investigating crimes committed in Poland during both the Nazi occupation and the socialist era.
Nawrocki met with US President Donald Trump at the White House last month.
“President Trump said, ‘You will win,’” he later told Polish media, according to Reuters.
Trzaskowski is a senior figure in Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s Civic Coalition. He campaigned on strengthening ties with the EU, advancing judicial reforms, easing abortion restrictions, and introducing civil partnerships for LGBTQ couples.
Both candidates pledged to increase defense spending, responding to calls from Trump for Europe to contribute more to NATO. They also support continued aid to Ukraine. However, Trzaskowski backs NATO membership for Ukraine, calling it vital to Poland’s security. Nawrocki has said he would not ratify it, warning it could drag the bloc into a war with Russia.
“Poland needs a president who will defend the constitution and our values,” Nawrocki said during his final campaign appearance on Friday. Trzaskowski told supporters he envisions “a modern European Poland that protects freedoms and the rule of law.”
The FBI is treating the incident in Boulder as a terrorist attack
A man was detained in Boulder, Colorado on Sunday after throwing Molotov cocktails at attendees of a demonstration in support of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Videos from the scene show a shirtless man carrying what appear to be bottles of flammable liquid while shouting pro-Palestinian slogans. He is later seen lying on the ground as police move in to detain him.
“We are aware of and fully investigating a targeted terror attack in Boulder, Colorado. Our agents and local law enforcement are on the scene already, and we will share updates as more information becomes available,” FBI Director Kash Patel said on X.
Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said officers responded to a report of a suspect “setting people on fire.” He confirmed that several people had been hospitalized, with injuries ranging “from very serious to more minor.”
FBI Special Agent Mark Michalek later confirmed that the man yelling “Free Palestine” injured six people. He identified the suspect as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman. “Sadly, attacks like this are becoming too common across the country,” Michalek said.
A pro-Hamas domestic terrorist threw molotov cocktails at some pro-Israel demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado.
From the violence on campuses across the country, to violence on our streets, it’s past time these thugs were labeled as domestic terrorists.pic.twitter.com/QwcT8gQLMc
Heated demonstrations in support of both Palestine and Israel have taken place in many countries since the war between Hamas and Israel broke out in October 2023. The US has seen a wave of anti-Semitic incidents, with pro-Palestinian activists targeting Jewish institutions and individuals demonstrating in support of Israel.
Last month, a man shouting pro-Palestinian slogans fatally shot two Israeli Embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum in downtown Washington.
London will invest $8 billion in long-range missile production, John Healey has said
The UK plans to mobilize billions of pounds to bolster its military-industrial base in preparation for a potential conflict with Russia, Defense Secretary John Healey has said.
The statement comes ahead of the publication of the government’s Strategic Defense Review on Monday. According to the BBC, the report is expected to portray Russia and China as major threats to the UK.
The review is expected to allocate £1.5 billion ($2 billion) toward building six new munitions factories. Over the next five years, London will dedicate around £6 billion to manufacturing long-range weapons, including Storm Shadow missiles, Healey told the BBC on Sunday. The missile, developed jointly with France, has reportedly been used by Ukraine to strike civilian targets in Russian territory, according to Moscow.
“This is a message to Moscow as well. This is Britain standing firm – not only strengthening our Armed Forces, but also reinforcing our industrial base. It’s part of our readiness to fight, if required,” Healey said.
Western support for Ukraine has exposed serious weaknesses in arms production, with British military leaders warning that weapons stockpiles are dangerously low, the BBC reported.
As one of Kiev’s strongest backers in Europe, London has provided Ukraine with around €15.16 billion ($17.2 billion) in aid, more than two-thirds of which is military support, according to data from Germany’s Kiel Institute.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have both advocated for placing Western troops in Ukraine. They have lobbied for a peacekeeping force to be deployed in the event of a full ceasefire.
Russia has warned that any NATO troops deployed to Ukraine – even under the designation of peacekeepers – would be treated as legitimate targets. It has also stated that foreign involvement would only escalate the conflict and ultimately fail to prevent Russia from achieving its military objectives.
The bloc does not need militarization, but rather peace talks between Moscow and Kiev to succeed, the Hungarian prime minister has said
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has unveiled a proposal to increase the power of EU members and limit the authority of its bureaucracy. Calling it a “patriotic plan” for the bloc, he said in a series of weekend social media posts that it will revive the “European dream.”
The EU elites in Brussels have exploited every crisis to amass more power, Orban claimed in a post on X. This course has so far only translated into less sovereignty for member states and “failed policies,” according to the prime minister. “Brussels hijacked our future” by disrupting public safety through migration and eroding prosperity with “green dogmas,” he stated in another post.
“Europe can’t afford this any longer, it’s time to take back control,” he said.
The prime minister’s plan is based on what he calls four pillars: A path toward peace on the continent and defusing tensions with Russia, removing Brussels’ “centralized control” over finances, “bringing back free speech” and strengthening Europe’s Christian identity, and tightening control over immigration.
“We want peace, we don’t need a new Eastern front,” Orban said, commenting on his plan and stating that the bloc should not accept Ukraine as a member. “We don’t want our money poured into someone else’s war,” he added.
A military buildup and defense increase actively promoted by some EU nations could easily lock the bloc in an “arms race” with Russia, Orban warned. Such a development would “devour… taxpayers’ money,” he said. Instead of pouring more resources into the military, the bloc needs to contribute to the peace process between Moscow and Kiev, the prime minister maintained, praising US President Donald Trump’s efforts in this regard.
The EU needs to start “arms limitation talks with the Russians as soon as possible. Otherwise, all our money will be swallowed by the arms industry instead of being spent on peaceful… goals,” Orban argued.
European nations once united to create the “safest and the most advanced continent” in the world, but this dream was “stolen,” the prime minister said, calling on EU nations not to allow Brussels to use the Ukraine conflict “as an excuse to take more of our money.”
Keith Kellogg has echoed Moscow’s characterization of the hostilities
Russian President Vladimir Putin is right in considering the Ukraine conflict a proxy war against Russia, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Keith Kellogg told Fox News in an interview on Sunday.
He said that while he believes the peace process will ultimately succeed, “escalatory issues” remain. Kellogg referred to comments by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who last month indicated that Berlin would be open to supplying Kiev with Taurus cruise missiles.
Kellogg addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s perspective, saying “he considers this a proxy war by NATO. And frankly… in a way it is.”
“The escalatory issues are still there,” Kellogg said. “Chancellor Merz has said: well, I’m going to give the Ukrainians the Taurus missile system.”
The German cruise missiles have a range of roughly 300 miles (482 km), which can allow Ukrainian strikes to reach deep into Russian territory, Kellog said. He added that Putin has made it clear: if such weapons are supplied to Ukraine, Russia will regard the suppliers as a party to the conflict.
“He considers this a proxy war by NATO. And frankly… in a way it is.”
Russia can clearly see the other Western military support Ukraine is receiving, Kellogg added.
“Everybody has got to be willing to step back a bit,” and compromise, to get the peace process “to an end state,” the envoy said.
Last week, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted that Merz’s “provocative” statements “hinder peaceful efforts.” Moscow has stressed that any Ukrainian use of German Taurus missiles against Russian territory will be viewed as Berlin’s direct involvement in the Ukraine conflict, as the armaments’ use is impossible without the participation of Bundeswehr service members.
Last year, after Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden allowed the use of US ATACMS ballistic missiles in long-range strikes on Russian territory, Moscow retaliated by revamping its strategic doctrine and lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. Russia now considers any strike by a non-nuclear state backed up by a nuclear one as a joint attack.
Both Kellogg and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio have previously characterized the conflict as a proxy war.
“Frankly, it’s a proxy war between nuclear powers – the United States, helping Ukraine, and Russia,” Rubio said in March, noting that the current White House administration is eager to see it end.
Moscow has long designated the Ukraine conflict as a Western proxy war against Russia and repeatedly condemned arms supplies to Kiev as counterproductive to the peace process.
