international relations

The commander of the United States military's Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, Colonel Susannah Meyers, has been dismissed from her post after allegedly distancing herself and the base from remarks made by US Vice President JD Vance during his recent visit to the Arctic territory.

A High-Profile Exchange with Diplomatic Implications In a significant development in US-Russian relations, dual Russian-American citizen Ksenia Karelina has been released from Russian custody as part of a prisoner swap with the United States. Karelina had been serving a 12-year prison sentence in Russia after being convicted of treason for donating a modest sum to a US-based charity supporting humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. Her release was exchanged for Arthur Petrov, a German-Russian citizen accused by the US of illegally exporting sensitive microelectronics to Russia.

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown has indicated that he is prepared to renegotiate constitutional ties with New Zealand, emphasizing that any new agreements must clearly reflect his nation's increased independence, rather than reverting to what he describes as a colonial-era relationship.

During a high-profile visit to Greenland’s Pituffik base last week, US Vice-President JD Vance sparked controversy with comments that Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen described as “not how you speak to your close allies.” Vance, who was touring the US military installation alongside top officials, criticized Danish investments in Greenland, claiming that the territory had been “under-invested” in for the benefit of its people. His remarks drew an immediate rebuke from Danish officials and reignited tensions over Arctic security.

US President Donald Trump announced plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to further discussions aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. In a statement made aboard Air Force One while returning from Florida, Trump revealed that negotiators from both sides had already begun talks about “dividing up certain assets” as part of an effort to broker an immediate ceasefire. Among these assets, Trump hinted that discussions would cover “land” and “power plants,” most likely referring to strategic infrastructure such as the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant—the largest in Europe.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed conditional support for a United States-proposed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, emphasizing the need for substantial revisions to address what he considers the fundamental causes of the conflict. This development comes amid ongoing hostilities, particularly in the contested Kursk region, and reflects the complex dynamics of international diplomacy surrounding the war.

At least 14 people were killed and 37 others wounded, including five children, following a wave of Russian missile and drone strikes on the eastern Ukrainian city of Dobropillia. The attack, which targeted residential buildings and infrastructure, underscores the continuing escalation of hostilities as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepares for a new round of talks with US officials.

In a significant legal setback for President Donald Trump, the US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on Wednesday to reject his efforts to maintain a freeze on US foreign aid. The ruling marked the first major legal blow of Trump’s second term, as the high court upheld a lower court's decision to order the immediate release of funds owed to contractors and recipients of grants from the US Agency for International Development (USAID).