Rutte: Russia is massively outproducing NATO, despite its far smaller economy.
Speaking to members of the European Parliament, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized the growing partnership between NATO and the European Union, calling for even closer collaboration and complementarity between the two organizations.
He outlined NATO’s key priorities, including increased defense spending and production, stressing that the current 2% target is insufficient. Rutte argued that alliance members must aim to spend more than 3% of GDP to “stay safe.”
Rutte also highlighted a striking disparity in military production, noting that despite Russia’s relatively small economy, it is managing to outproduce NATO by a factor of four—producing in just three months what takes NATO an entire year.
🔗 NATO News
BRICS is growing — and Trump's tariff threat isn't expected to put off aspiring members.
President-elect Donald Trump has threatened a 100% tariff on BRICS nations if they undermine the U.S. dollar, but analysts believe the move is unlikely to halt the bloc’s expansion.
Imposing such tariffs could alienate neutral nations and harm U.S. interests, especially since many BRICS members continue to regard the U.S. as a crucial trade partner.
Moreover, despite the rhetoric, observers point out that BRICS remains too loosely organized to pose a serious threat to the dollar. Bold initiatives from Brazil and Russia, such as a unified currency or a SWIFT alternative, have so far failed to gain traction.
🔗 CNBC
India faces potential oil shock and inflation spike from latest U.S. sanctions against Russia.
The recently announced sweeping U.S. sanctions against Russia’s energy companies and oil transporters could disrupt India’s ability to import cheap Russian crude, potentially driving up inflation in Asia’s third-largest economy.
Observers highlight that Russia accounted for around 40% of India’s oil imports in recent years. Full compliance with the newly imposed U.S. sanctions could disrupt up to 500,000 barrels per day of the country’s supply. Additionally, if Washington moves to curb Iranian crude, Brent prices could climb to $90 per barrel.
Analysts note that the Indian economy is highly vulnerable to fluctuations in oil prices. Beyond paying more for the crude it consumes, the country will also incur higher delivery costs due to rising tanker rates. When coupled with a stronger U.S. dollar and a weaker rupee, these factors will further amplify the strain on the economy.
🔗 CNBC
Hello to everyone that’s still here!
We’d like to start by apologizing to our active followers for the long period of inactivity on this channel. As some of you may have guessed, Russian American Daily has always been a passion project rather than a full-time job, which made it challenging to maintain at times.
That said, we’re thrilled to announce that the channel is returning — with a fresh start, a slightly larger team, and a new name: BRICS Direct.
The new name reflects an expanded focus and aims to address the information gap surrounding the countries that comprise BRICS.
We hope you’ll enjoy the refreshed direction as we explore major global developments in an increasingly turbulent geopolitical environment, sharing information from reputable sources along with fact-based analysis and commentary.
Thank you to everyone who stuck around, and welcome to all who are joining us for the first time!
❗️Putin orders the dispatch of rescuers to Iran following an emergency meeting with top Russian officials and the Iranian ambassador to Moscow.
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Ukraine’s military situation is on the edge and rapidly moving toward critical, spy chief Budanov tells NYT from a bunker.
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Reuters: Blinken arrives in Kiev to send a strong signal of reassurance to the Ukrainians who are in a very difficult moment.
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Putin appoints former Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu as Secretary of the Security Council, replacing Nikolai Patrushev.
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The U.S. can't let Ukraine fall and must finish the job of stopping Russia in what is ‘a Churchill or Chamberlain moment,’ says House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
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Ukraine cannot rule out resorting to a request for direct foreign intervention if its own forces are unable to stop the Russian advance, says lawmaker Goncharenko.
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President of Congo: Russia and China don’t treat Africa with arrogance or come with lectures like the West does.
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“My favorite foreign minister!” — Hot mic catches world-renowned economist and Columbia University professor Jeffrey Sachs praising Russia’s Lavrov on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
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WSJ: U.S. intelligence agencies conclude that Putin did not order the killing of Navalny, deepening the mystery into his death.
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Lloyd Austin: The U.S. and its allies will be able to keep up with and eventually surpass Russia’s defense industrial capacity.
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Russia and Iran deepen strategic partnership during high-profile talks in Moscow.
Discussions between Presidents Putin and Pezeshkian focused on several economically and geopolitically significant initiatives. Key topics included the expansion of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the development of the North-South Transport Corridor designed to boost trade, and the construction of a gas pipeline capable of transporting up to 55 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas to Iran annually.
It was noted that, in 2024, over 95 percent of bilateral trade was conducted in local currencies, with both countries continuing efforts to establish sustainable lending and banking channels, as well as to align their national payment systems.
Furthermore, Russia and Iran reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening regional integration within a multipolar international system, rejecting unipolar dominance and external interference in global affairs.
🔗 Joint Press Conference
Brazil announces Nigeria’s entry into the rapidly expanding BRICS partner network.
As part of its pro tempore presidency of BRICS, the Brazilian government announced on January 17, 2025, the formal admission of Nigeria as a partner country in the grouping.
The announcement highlights that, as Africa’s most populous nation and one of the continent’s major economies, Nigeria shares common interests with other BRICS members and plays a key role in advancing cooperation and advocating for the reform of global governance.
Partner status within BRICS, established at the bloc’s October 2024 Summit in Kazan, now includes nine countries: Nigeria, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.
🔗 Foreign Ministry of Brazil
BRICS gains strategic foothold in Southeast Asia with Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.
The recent full accession of Indonesia to BRICS, along with Malaysia and Thailand attaining partner status, has strengthened the bloc with both mineral-rich members and influential ASEAN voices.
Indonesia, the world’s largest nickel producer, plays a crucial role in the electric vehicle battery supply chain. Malaysia is a leading exporter of natural gas and a major tin producer, while Thailand ranks among the top global producers of rare earth metals. Their inclusion visibly enhances BRICS’ standing as a rising commodity powerhouse.
For these nations, deepening ties with BRICS presents a strategic opportunity to align policies and foster consensus in safeguarding critical supply chains. Additionally, it empowers them to counteract Western pressures to adopt strategies that could undermine their national or regional interests.
🔗 South China Morning Post
❗️Iranian state media: President Ebrahim Raisi and his entourage, including Foreign Minister Hosein Amir Abdollahian, have died.
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❗️Helicopter carrying Iran’s president and foreign minister crashes in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province. Adverse weather conditions, including heavy fog, are hampering search and rescue efforts.
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NYT: Recent Russian advances in the east and northeast of Ukraine are starting to alter the geometry of the front in dangerous ways.
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“It is incorrect to view the West as our enemy,” said Russia’s new Defense Minister Andrey Belousov in 2023.
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Putin replaces Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu with economist and former first deputy prime minister Andrey Belousov.
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David Cameron: The UK is allowing Ukraine to use British weapons for strikes inside Russia.
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Macron reaffirms the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine at the request of Kiev if Russia breaks through the front lines.
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Speaking at CPAC, El Salvador’s president calls the U.S. financial system ‘a farce’ and warns of the dollar’s global demise.
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Ukraine’s operational and strategic situation on the battlefield is difficult and continues to worsen, Gen. Syrskyi tells Western partners.
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AP: Ukraine pulls U.S.-provided Abrams tanks from the front lines due to losses and pervasive Russian drone raids.
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Michael Kofman: Russia has a narrow window of opportunity to achieve its war aims this year, before their military advantage begins to decline in 2025.
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Sec. Blinken: China is enabling the most extraordinary and rapid Russian military buildup in its modern history, including the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
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