Global markets slide as Iran conflict drives oil surge and recession fears
Stock markets across Asia fell on Monday as escalating conflict involving Iran drove oil prices sharply higher, fuelling fears of inflation and a p...
Dmitry Medvedev has warned that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could face the same fate as Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, following what he described as a U.S. ‘abduction’ of the Venezuelan president.
In a wide-ranging statement released on Sunday, the Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council accused Washington of orchestrating Maduro’s detention and suggested European governments had responded with ‘cowardice’.
The former Russian president said Zelenskyy could become the next target of a U.S.-backed removal if he failed to comply with Washington’s demands.
Medvedev made the remarks to Russia’s state news agency TASS, presenting Maduro’s detention not as a democratic process but as a ‘kidnapping’ driven by U.S. interests in natural resources.
Medvedev strongly criticised European reactions to events in Caracas, describing them as a ‘classic case of double standards’ and accusing EU leaders of subservience to the United States.
Using inflammatory language, he dismissed European arguments about the legitimacy of Venezuela’s leadership and claimed Brussels was seeking to justify what he described as a "flagrant violation of international law."
He singled out European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, likening her to a cartoon villain from Soviet-era animation for portraying the U.S. operation as a democratic transition.
Medvedev drew a direct comparison between Maduro and Zelenskyy, repeating the Kremlin’s claim that the Ukrainian president’s term had expired.
He warned that if the U.S. was prepared to detain a Latin American leader on drug trafficking charges, it could apply similar logic to Ukraine should its leadership refuse a potential agreement with Donald Trump.
Medvedev suggested Zelenskyy’s removal could happen in the near future, using derogatory language to describe the Ukrainian leadership and nationalists.
Resources and power politics
While condemning the legality of the U.S. operation in Venezuela, Medvedev said it reflected a consistent approach by Trump, which he characterised as the forceful pursuit of U.S. national interests.
He claimed Washington’s primary motivation was access to oil in Latin America and rare earth minerals in Ukraine, describing U.S. foreign policy as operating on the principle of "the right of the strongest".
Medvedev also speculated that other countries could be at risk, making sarcastic references to Greenland and German politics.
Concluding his remarks, Medvedev dismissed the United Nations as ineffective, arguing it had failed to prevent wars or genocides.
He said nuclear weapons remained the strongest guarantee of national security, claiming Russia’s arsenal was the main factor restraining Western powers.
Medvedev warned that the U.S. operation in Venezuela could prompt non-nuclear states to reconsider their security strategies.
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
NASA is aiming to launch its Artemis 2 mission on Wednesday (1 April), sending astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon, officials confirmed. According to the Space Administration, the launch window is due to open at 23:24 GMT, with additional opportunities to 6 April if delays occur.
The four astronauts selected for NASA’s Artemis II mission have arrived in Florida, entering the final phase of preparations for the first crewed journey towards the Moon in more than five decades
Iranian Military Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Zulfiqari has warned that American soldiers will become 'food for sharks' if U.S. President Donald Trump launches ground attacks against Iran. The threat comes after the U.S. military said it was deploying thousands of Marines to the region.
Weekend strikes hit Iran’s Natanz nuclear site and missile facilities near Isfahan, as Tehran responded with missiles and drones targeting Tel Aviv, Haifa Bay, and Gulf assets. With U.S. reinforcements deployed and Hormuz tensions rising, the region faces a sharply escalated crisis.
Two sailboats carrying humanitarian aid from Mexico arrived safely in Havana on Saturday, the Mexican Navy said, concluding a journey in which the vessels were delayed by bad weather and briefly reported missing.
China imposed sanctions on Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya on Monday, who is a close aide of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, due to his "collusion with Taiwan independence" forces, in its latest move in a diplomatic row over Taiwan.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he talked about a possible security partnership on Sunday with Jordan's King Abdullah over defending against drone attacks amid rising tensions over the Iran conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he had "no problem" with any country sending crude to Cuba as a Russian tanker neared a Cuban port with a badly needed shipment, signalling he was reversing course on blocking oil shipments to the country on Sunday.
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment