ZELENSKY COMPULSIVELY SQUARES OFF AGAINST TRUMP OVER LAND BORDERS, CEASEFIRE
Today in Brussels, Ukraine acting President Volodymyr Zelensky met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, after which they gave a press conference. They also both attended the European Coalition of the Willing virtual meeting. They both are now on their way to Washington, D.C. to meet at the White House on August 18 […]
ZELENSKY AND EUROPEANS MEET WITH TRUMP ON UKRAINE
Following on the successful August 15 Alaska summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, at which concrete steps toward ending the Ukraine war were discussed, Trump held a series of meetings today at the White House with acting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and with a gaggle of seven European leaders, who […]
PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA RECEIVES BRIEFING FROM PRESIDENT PUTIN
President Cyril Ramaphosa has today, 18 August 2025, received a briefing from President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, on the outcome of the meeting with President Donald Trump, that was recently held in Anchorage, Alaska in the United States of America. President Putin expressed satisfaction with the manner in which his talks with President […]
DON’T BE AN ARMCHAIR PESSIMIST: STAND UP AND ORGANIZE
“Global Britain” (which includes a good slice of American politicians, media, and intelligence operatives) is in a full mobilization in every imaginable domain (and some we don’t want to imagine) to sabotage the Alaska meeting between the leaders of the two nuclear superpowers scheduled for this Friday, August 15. Typical is the Wall Street Journal’s take: “Russia […]
DIRCO AND UNISA HOST A SEMINAR ON “THE UN AT 80: THE POST-WORLD WAR II PEACE ARCHITECTURE AND THE NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and the University of South Africa (UNISA) are hosting a public seminar on Wednesday, 06 August 2025, under the theme: “The United Nations (UN) at 80: The post-World War II peace architecture and the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty”. The year 2025 marks 80 years since the establishment of […]
TRUMP’S UNIPOLAR TARIFFS MAKE THE US LOOK LIKE “A MONKEY PLAYING WITH A GRENADE” – EXPERT
President Donald Trump’s yo-yoing foreign policy continues to cause unprecedented ructions in international relations, with his sudden adoption of a hard stance against Russia the latest example of the dreaded unpredictability in diplomacy. One expert has likened President Trump’s cantankerous approach to foreign relations to a “monkey playing with a hand-grenade”. In a typical flip-flop […]
PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA ADDRESSES THE 17TH BRICS LEADERS’ SUMMIT
“I would like to thank you, President Lula, for your warm welcome and for hosting us, as Chair of the 17th BRICS Summit, in Rio de Janeiro. I extend my warmest welcome to our dear friends, the Republic of Indonesia, as the newest member of the BRICS formation. We are witnessing a dramatic reshaping of […]
IMPERFECT AS HE IS, PRESIDENT TRUMP’S EFFORTS TOWARD PEACE ARE COMMENDABLE
US President Donald Trump attracts avalanches of international scrutiny for all the right reasons – he is after all the commander-in-chief of the world’s most potent army and presides over an economy with significant global influence. Washington’s penchant for a cantankerous foreign policy that is replete with unpredictability is also an added reason to the […]
“NORMAL LIFE” IN ST PETERSBURG BELIES RUSSIA’S HEAVY FIGHTING WITH UKRAINE
The captivating sense of calmness, the throngs of people milling about and the huge traffic volumes throughout St Petersburg belies the reality that Russia is in a state of war. St Petersburg is a sprawling cosmopolitan city. It is regarded as the mecca of Russia’s culture and heritage, an epicentre of values as well as […]
ANTON KOBYAKOV IS RUSSIA’S RISING FORCE WITH PENCHANT TO “SAIL UNDER THE RADAR”
Anton Kobyakov, remember the name! He is a soft-spoken, erudite and affable Russian politician who serves as an adviser to the Russian President, Vladimir Putin. He also serves at the highest echelons of Roscongress, a state-owned enterprise responsible for various strategic initiatives, including international events assemble and management as well. The unassuming Kobyakov holds a […]
“THE DOMINANCE OF THE WEST IS OVER,” SAYS RUSSIA’S PRESIDENT PUTIN
Russian President Vladimir Putin sounded like a man on a mission to change the world. But any thoughts of Putin toying with the international world order needs a quick rethink because, in his own words, he is not. Instead, Putin told a packed St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) this week that he is merely […]
“SPIEF 2025” SHOWS RUSSIA IS AT THE CENTRE OF A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD ORDER
This week, Russia is hosting some 20,000 participants from over 170 countries to the 28th edition of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). The theme of SPIEF 2025 is: “Shared Values: The Foundation of Growth in a Multipolar World.” Russia has held SPIEF annually since 1997. It is held under the auspices of the office […]