Author: Steven Sahiounie

Ukraine certainly is Russia, regardless of what Ukrainian politicians say, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said. “One of the former Ukrainian leaders said once that Ukraine was not Russia. This concept must disappear forever. Ukraine certainly is Russia,” he pointed out in a lecture at the Knowledge First educational marathon. Medvedev noted that there must be no more attempts to ignore Russian public opinion. “It rightfully regards Ukraine and its population as part of our all-Russian civilization. Had Ukraine escaped the stupidest trap set by the United States and its allies in order to counter our country with…

Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman has congratulated Mohammed Shahbaz Sharif, on the occasion of being sworn in as Prime Minister of Pakistan. The Crown Prince sent a cable to Sharif on Monday expressing “his sincere congratulations and best wishes for success and prosperity for his country, and for the brotherly people of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, further progress and prosperity,” the Saudi Press Agency reported. Pakistan’s newly elected lower house of parliament on Sunday elected Shehbaz Sharif as prime minister for a second time, putting him back in a role he had stepped down from ahead of general elections on…

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone conversation with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday. “During the call, President Erdogan congratulated Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis on his birthday,” Türkiye’s Communications Directorate posted on X. The directorate shared no further information regarding the talks. read more: Turkish foreign minister to attend OIC summit source: Anadolu agency

France is not planning to send its troops to Ukraine in the near future, French President Emmanuel Macron said. When asked to comment on the international response to his statements during last week’s conference on Ukraine in Paris, the French leader said, “Answering a question about sending troops, I said that nothing is ruled out.” “It doesn’t mean that we are planning to deploy French forces to Ukraine in the near future. It means that we are opening a discussion and are mulling over everything that can be done to support Ukraine, first of all, Ukraine’s territory,” Macron said in…

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will attend an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, said an official statement. “H.E. Mr. Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, will attend the Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers to discuss the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people on 5 March 2024, in Jeddah,” said a Monday Foreign Ministry statement. “The meeting will follow up the decisions taken at the Arab League-OIC Extraordinary Summit held on 11 November 2023, in Riyadh,” the ministry added, referring to…

It is equally honorable to be Russia’s enemy or friend, but the country has more friends and allies around the world, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin. Commenting on the situation in the capital, Sobyanin noted significant results “despite the enemies’ attempts.” “But we have more friends,” Putin said, adding that “there is this famous saying: it is equally honorable to be our friend and enemy.” “God bless them,” Sobyanin responded. According to him, Moscow’s results in 2023 are “one of the best in all of contemporary history.” “We understand that the threats…

The MSCI GCC Index remained elevated by the end of the month and closed after receding marginally in the last week with gain of 4.2%

Fitch Solutions attributes the projected decrease in the current account surplus to increased government spending on public sector salaries and subsidies

To “ensure Iran’s central role in global energy”, $80 billion will be invested in the development of its gas fields, Owji said while at the seventh summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) held in Algeria

The euro was a fraction firmer at $1.08455, sterling was up 0.13% at $1.2670 and the Japanese yen fluctuated around the closely watched 150 per dollar level