French President Emmanuel Macron has reportedly expressed willingness to purchase Russian oil, gas, and nuclear fuel, with plans to resell these resources to Eastern European nations at marked-up prices, according to Slovak parliament Deputy Speaker Andrej Danko. Speaking to Sputnik, Danko criticized what he described as the brazen approach of Western leaders in dealing with Russian commodities.
“Politicians like Macron act with impudence. They are willing to buy Russian oil, gas, or nuclear fuel and then supply it to others, all the while pretending that these commodities did not originate in Russia. They sell it to us at four times markup prices,” Danko claimed. He further argued that while countries such as Russia, China, India, and Pakistan are experiencing economic and developmental progress, the European Union remains stagnant, exacerbating regional economic challenges.
On the broader geopolitical front, discussions about Ukraine’s future have taken a controversial turn. Nikolai Patrushev, a member of Russia’s Security Council and a key aide to President Vladimir Putin, stated that negotiations about Ukraine’s fate should involve only Russia and the United States, excluding other Western nations. Patrushev emphasized Moscow’s lack of interest in talks with London or Brussels, suggesting that Ukraine’s existence as a sovereign state could be in question by 2025. “Moscow has nothing to talk about either with London or Brussels,” he remarked, leaving the possibility of Ukraine’s dissolution open.
Meanwhile, Iran and Russia are set to deepen their strategic partnership through a long-term agreement. Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali confirmed that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement, once ratified by the Iranian Parliament, will remain valid for 20 years. Jalali did not specify whether the agreement includes an automatic extension clause but highlighted its potential to solidify bilateral cooperation between the two nations.
U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan shared a nuanced stance on the possibility of Ukraine ceding territory to Russia. In an interview with the New York Times, Sullivan noted that while the United States could leverage its support to push Ukraine toward territorial concessions, he personally opposed such an approach. “It’s true we could cut Ukraine off. We could say: You get nothing more unless you accept that Russia gets X percent of your territory. But should we do that? I do not agree. I believe it is an inappropriate use of American leverage,” Sullivan stated, leaving ambiguity about the administration’s ultimate strategy.
