Russia

"Entangled in its own internal problems, the White House is again trying to cultivate the image of an external enemy. We have repeatedly commented on this American policy, which is devoid of logic and meaning and only more and more worsens bilateral relations," an online statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry read.

This foreign pressure, the president said, is not of a healthy competitive nature but rather part of a series of direct actions aimed at forcing Russia to succumb to external control. Putin also the president thanked the FSB for providing timely information concerning planned external "provocations."

Russia never initiated the decline in relations with the EU, Peskov told a daily briefing on Monday, stressing the need to build a partnership based on non-interference and respect for each other's interests. Peskov's comments came the same day after Josep Borrell, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, made pessimistic remarks on Russia-EU ties.

At a press conference after an online meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Merkel on Friday reiterated that the stance of the German government on the project has not been changed. The 1,230-km Nord Stream 2 pipeline is designed to transport natural gas from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea.

Navalny, a Russian opposition politician backed by the West, hogged international media limelight after he had organised anti-Putin protest demonstrations in Russia. Last year, he was hospitalized after being allegedly poisoned with a nerve agent. He has blamed President Vladimir Putin for the incident.

Russian deputy chief of mission Roman Babushkin said that the partnership between the two countries is complementary and important for security. He also added that a large Russian delegation of over 100 participants is attending Aero India 2021 in Bengaluru to take the relation between the two countries to a new level.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that it exchanged diplomatic notes on the completion of all domestic procedures required for the treaty's extension with the US Embassy, Xinhua news agency reported.

Blinken noted that Washington would use the five-year extension period to seek arms control with Moscow that addresses all of the Russian nuclear weapons. The New START, which limits the numbers of deployed strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550 and delivery systems to 700 for each, is the last remaining nuclear arms control pact in force between the two nuclear superpowers.

On Friday, the frigate's air defence crew practiced detecting air targets and using electronic warfare equipment, Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry as saying in a statement.

The validity period of the New START will be extended by five years to February 5, 2026, Xinhua news agency quoted the Kremlin as saying in a statement issued on Friday. On Tuesday, Moscow and Washington exchanged notes on extending the key arms control pact.