Sergei Ivanov, the country’s former Defense Minister, who is said to be closest to Russian President Vladimir Putin, died on Friday (June 26, 2026) at the age of 73. Ivanov was a key member of an influential group known as the siloviki, or powerful people. The members of this group, like President Putin, had emerged from the Soviet Union’s intelligence agency KGB and after Putin came to power, they had a major influence on Russia’s politics and security system. Sergei Ivanov, a member of this group, was once seen as a possible successor to President Vladimir Putin.

Putin expressed condolences to the former defense minister

According to Reuters, after Ivanov’s death, the Kremlin issued a short official statement on Friday (June 26, 2026) and shared information about it. In the statement, the Kremlin said, ‘Vladimir Putin has expressed his deep condolences to Sergei Ivanov’s family and friends on his death.’

However, the interesting thing is that the first announcement about Ivanov’s death was made by a basketball organization named VTB United League, of which Ivanov was the honorary president. After the announcement of this organization, the Kremlin confirmed his death.

Ivanov’s important contribution in strengthening Russia- Lavrov

According to the report, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also expressed his condolences on the demise of the former Defense Minister. In his condolence message, he described Ivanov as an excellent politician who made an invaluable personal contribution to the development of modern Russia.

He wrote on the website of the Ministry of External Affairs, ‘He made a significant contribution to strengthening the national security and defense capability of our country, further strengthening our position in the world, as well as to the modernization of the domestic military-industrial complex.’

Why was Ivanov considered Vladimir Putin’s successor?

According to the report, like Putin, Ivanov, born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), studied languages, after which he was recruited into the KGB. Early in his career, Ivanov worked for Putin. At the same time, after the breakup of the Soviet Union, Ivanov advanced in the successor agencies of the KGB and became the Deputy Director of the FSB Security Service under Putin’s leadership. After this, in 2001, he was appointed as the Defense Minister of Russia under the leadership of Putin and became the first civilian to reach this post in modern Russian history.

In 2005, Ivanov was made the Deputy Prime Minister of the country and in 2007 he was again appointed the First Deputy Prime Minister. At the time when Putin had to step down after completing his two presidential terms, Ivanov was considered one of the strongest contenders among his potential successors. However, Putin later chose Dmitry Medvedev as his successor.

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A new ray of hope has once again appeared towards ending the Russia-Ukraine war that has been going on for more than four years. Russia has agreed to hold peace talks with Kiev amid continuous attacks from Ukraine. Russia has said that it is ready to negotiate peace with Ukraine and Moscow is ready to resume talks from the same point where these talks had previously stopped.

What did Lavrov say on talks with Kyiv?

According to Reuters report, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made a big announcement in this regard on Tuesday (June 23, 2026), saying that Russia is ready to resume peace talks with Ukraine from the same point where it had stopped earlier. Speaking to journalists, he said, ‘We are ready for talks with Kiev, as we always have been.’

During this time, he also mentioned the talks held in Istanbul immediately after the start of the war in the year 2022 and the talks that started again in the year 2025. However, Lavrov’s statement did not indicate any change in Moscow’s demand, which Kiev (the capital of Ukraine) has already rejected. In fact, Russia still wants Ukraine to give up the rest of the Donbass region, which it has so far successfully defended against Russian forces.

Europe is becoming a threat to international peace and security- Lavrov

According to the report, this statement of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has come after the claims made by the European Union (EU) leaders at the summit held on Thursday (June 18, 2026), in which the EU leaders had said that Russia is not at all serious about holding peace talks, it does not want to take the talks forward. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday (June 23, 2026), ‘Europe is becoming the biggest threat to international peace and security by continuously providing military assistance to Ukraine.’

It is noteworthy that the last US-mediated peace talks between Russia and Ukraine took place in February this year, but after this, America and Israel started war against Iran, due to which international diplomatic priorities shifted towards the Middle East.

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On one side is the friendly hand of Russia which is assuring cheap oil, while on the other side is the whip of America which is bent on making every import expensive with the threat of tariffs and sanctions. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had to say that people should use less petrol and diesel, because the area from which the world gets the most oil is burning in the fire of war. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gave a statement just before the BRICS meeting to be held in Delhi, ‘India should not worry about oil at all.’ The question is, when the figures show a completely opposite picture, is this trust really enough?

The real stake behind Lavrov’s assurance

The Russian Foreign Minister openly said in an interview to RT India that the relations between India and Russia date back to before independence and no power in the world can weaken it. When he was asked why India’s imports fell after the ban on Russian oil companies Lukoil and Rosneft due to American sanctions, he directly targeted America.

Lavrov said, ‘This is an illegal decision of America. India has nothing to do with this. We will ensure that this game does not affect our contracts and India’s interests are not harmed. He sarcastically said that America’s only objective is that you should not buy cheap Russian oil, but buy my expensive oil and LNG so that I can rule the world’s energy.

Why are ground reality figures scaring?

Trust in words is a good thing, but the real story is told by the numbers. India imports about 90 percent of its total crude oil requirement. The cheap oil that Russia started providing after the Ukraine war changed the entire mathematics. In July 2024, Russia became India’s largest oil supplier and its share in total imports reached a record level of 44.6%. But then America made a series of threats of strict sanctions and tariffs.

The result was that within just one and a half years, by January 2026, this share fell directly to 20.6%. Suppose, if your cheap LPG cylinder suddenly becomes less than half, then you will definitely be worried. This is the condition of India’s energy security.

Direct battle between experts: be afraid of America or make allies with Russia?

Opinion is divided on this issue in the diplomatic circles of Delhi. Ajay Srivastava, former commerce official and head of the Global Trade Research Initiative, clearly advises adopting an aggressive approach. He told the BBC that this is an ’emergency-like situation’. He explains, ‘About 50 percent of the oil coming from the Gulf countries is stuck due to the Strait of Hormuz and the remaining 30 percent that we were taking from Russia has stopped due to American pressure. We should set aside America’s legitimate and illegitimate threats and make an agreement for 30-50 years from now. His argument is that America does not have enough oil to replace Russia, because its refineries will be built only for the next 10 years.

But on the other hand, ORF America’s Fellow Researcher Vivek Mishra points towards the bitter truth that India is currently not in a position to openly confront America. He said, ‘A strategic plan is needed to buy oil from Russia. America has imposed sanctions on Russian oil purchases. If India buys oil, it may have to pay a heavy price. PM Modi has appealed to save oil and gas, which should be strictly implemented. Not towards buying sanctioned Russian oil.

This is why the Government of India has adopted a very clever ‘blurring’ policy. Neither was it ever announced that oil purchases from Russia had been stopped nor were the purchase figures ever discussed openly. There was also a slight increase in the purchase of Russian oil in February-March 2026, but this is going on completely behind the scenes.

What will be the way forward for India?

This tension is not limited to oil only, but divisions are also clearly visible on forums like BRICS. While America is pulling India towards itself, Iran has created a new polarization along with Russia and China.

Lavrov may be consoling, but until India finds a permanent diplomatic solution to avoid American tariffs and sanctions, cheap Russian oil will remain an ‘option’, but it will not have the freedom to use it fearlessly. It is like walking on the tip of a needle, where on one side is energy security and on the other is the American market and investment.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said that Russia will fully support the agenda of the BRICS group under the chairmanship of India. He said this in an interview given to RT on Monday. Lavrov said that in view of the current situation, the agenda put forward by India is very important and practical. It includes important issues like fighting terrorism, energy security, food security and new technology.

Lavrov said that the direction that BRICS is setting under the chairmanship of India will not only help in finding solutions to today’s problems, but will also prepare for future challenges. He clearly said that Russia will actively support this agenda.

Appreciation of India on the issue of terrorism

The Russian Foreign Minister especially appreciated India’s stand on the issue of terrorism. He said that today many parts of the world are affected by terrorism. Terrorist activities are continuously being seen in the Afghanistan border, India-Pakistan-Afghanistan region and other areas. In such a situation, it has become very important to work together against terrorism. Lavrov also told that Russia and India are working together on a global anti-terrorism framework in the United Nations. The draft of this proposal has been prepared, but the consensus of all the countries has not been reached yet. Despite this, both the countries are making continuous efforts in this direction.

India is emphasizing on AI- Lavrov

Apart from this, food security and energy security are also being given priority under the chairmanship of India. Lavrov said that in the current global situation, both these issues are very important for every country. India is also emphasizing on information technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI). He told that India is going to host an Artificial Intelligence summit, in which Russia has also been invited. Russia will play an active role in this conference and India’s technical agenda. Overall, Russia has made it clear that India’s BRICS chairmanship can prove important for global stability, security and development.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made a big statement on Tuesday saying that Greenland is not a ‘natural part’ of Denmark. He also said that the problem of former colonies (colonial territories) is now becoming more serious.

Russia has no intention of interfering in Greenland

According to IANS, on January 20, 2026, Lavrov said in a press conference in Moscow that Russia has no intention of interfering in Greenland’s affairs. Also, he said that America knows that Moscow has no plans to occupy Greenland itself. Russia does not challenge anyone’s authority, but it cannot allow itself to be ignored either.

Speaking at a conference on the results of Russian diplomacy in 2025, Lavrov talked about crisis trends within the West, with Greenland being the latest example as it is causing a lot of tension among NATO countries. He said, ‘For the last decade, Western countries have been actively opposing the basic nature of international law. Russia is keeping an eye on the serious geopolitical situation around Greenland.

Russia will not allow legal rights to be ignored

According to Lavrov, Greenland was neither a natural part of Norway nor of Denmark. This is part of a colonial victory. It is another matter that now the people there have become accustomed to it and feel comfortable. Along with this, he talked about the power of Russia and said in a challenging manner that Russia will not allow anyone to ignore its legal rights.

He said, ‘Russia will always protect its interests. Will not challenge anyone’s legal rights, but will not allow his own legal rights to be taken lightly either. European countries have said Trump’s Greenland tariff announcement would violate a trade deal signed with his administration last year. EU leaders will discuss possible retaliation at an emergency conference in Brussels on Thursday.

This statement has come at a time when US President Donald Trump has said that he wants complete US control over Greenland due to national security. On Saturday, Trump announced the imposition of tariffs on European allies who are opposing the American occupation.

The people of Greenland are protesting against Trump

The report by Dmitry Antonov and Vladimir Soldatkin mentions a photo in which people are protesting in Greenland’s capital Nuuk on January 17, waving Greenlandic flags. They are against Trump’s demand that Greenland be handed over to America. The protesters are saying that Greenland should decide its own future. This report was written by Gleb Stolyarov and edited by Andrew Osborn.

Russian External Affairs Minister Sergei Lavarov has made a big charge against European countries regarding peace talks between Russia-Ukraine. He said that the Western countries are hindering the ongoing peace talks to end the war going on between the two countries. He said that due to diplomatic activities, talks are seen to be interrupted.

‘European countries are looking for pretext to stop peace talks’

US President Donald Trump wants a bilateral meeting between Jailonsky and Putin, but the two are accusing each other of not allowing peace talks to succeed. The Russian Foreign Minister alleged that the European country is just looking for an excuse to stop peace talks.

‘Jailonski is adopting a stubborn attitude with Putin’

In an interview to Russia’s government TV channel, Lavarov said, “Ukrainian President Volodimir Jailonski is adopting a stubborn attitude with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. They are placing conditions and demanding immediate meeting at any cost. We hope that the western countries will not succeed in trying to wipe out peace talks.”

No Western leader will be tolerated in Ukraine- Russia

Jailonsky has expressed his desire to meet Putin, but this will happen only when his colleagues (European countries) will agree on the security guarantee for Ukraine. So that after the fight stops, Russian attacks can be stopped in future. Russia says that such conditions cannot be obstructed for peace talks. Russia has made it clear that the presence of Europe leaders in Ukraine will not be tolerated at all.

Moscow on Sunday (24 August 2025) accused Ukraine of attacking a nuclear power plant in Russia’s western region Kursk. According to Russian officials, the transformer of the plant was damaged by the drone attack. This attack took place at a time when Ukraine was celebrating the completion of 34 years of its independence.

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After the meeting of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska, there is a round of discussions in the US regarding the peace agreement in Ukraine. The White House held a meeting of Trump-Jalensky as well as several leaders from European countries, in which there was a discussion about the Ukraine War. After a meeting at the White House, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavarov praised Donald Trump and targeted European leaders fiercely. According to Lavrov, Trump wants a peace agreement, which is long, while the European country is in favor of ceasefire.

Putin’s close praise Trump

Sergei Lavarov said in an interview to Russian news channel Russia24, ‘The atmosphere of Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska was very good. It was clear that the US President Trump and his team are trying to stop this war with honesty. They want results that are for a long time, durable and reliable. ‘

European country does not want peace agreement: Lavarov

Referring to the meeting of Trump-Jalensky, Lavrov said, “The US President made it clear that a ceasefire is not needed and a peace agreement can be reached between Russia-Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin also has the same attitude, but Europe does not want so. European leaders only emphasized only on ceasefire, so that they will continue to supply arms to Ukraine later.

European country also reached for meeting with Trump

US President Donald Trump held a meeting with Ukraine President Jelonski and European leaders at the White House on Monday (18 August 2025). It was claimed in the Reuters report that European leaders came in this meeting so that Trump could not be able to pressurize Jailnsky for any agreement. However, Trump-Jalensky met was much better than the last time. The two leaders were seen praising each other in front of the media.

Discussion on giving security guarantee to Ukraine

US President Trump said that the ceasefire is not possible at the moment. However, there was a discussion on giving security guarantee to Ukraine in the meeting. Trump said that America and European countries will work together. In the midst of this meeting, Trump spoke to Putin about 40 minutes on the phone. After the meeting, Jailonsky said that Ukraine would buy US weapons worth $ 90 billion (about 8 lakh crore rupees) from Europe’s money in lieu of security guarantee.

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