The German government has rejected a proposal by the presidents of France and the US to invite Russia to the Group of Seven (G7) summit in 2020. According to Steffen Seibert, official spokesperson for the German government, Moscow needs to show that it is willing to change its stance on the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Only after that will the Seven consider inviting Russia, DPA reports.

Ahead of a visit to Moscow on Wednesday, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said that he has “fundamentally …

At the press conference after talks with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö , Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia doesn't want to participate in the Council of Europe at any cost, and if other members don't want to see Russia there, Moscow can live without membership in this organization.

Finnish journalist, addressed Putin and  pointed out that Moscow does not comply with the rules of the organization. The journalist reminded of dispersal of protests in Moscow. Putin replied that …

The exchange of detainees between Russia and Ukraine will take place before the end of August, including sailors detained in the Kerch Strait in November, reports the newspaper Kommersant .

According to the publication, the lists of detainees are still under review. In addition to sailors, other detainees could be transferred to Ukraine. It is unknown whether Russia considers the possibility of transfer to Ukraine the imprisoned director Oleg Sentsov, who was sentenced in Russia to 20 years of …

President of Finland Sauli Niinistö, before his visit to Ukraine, discussed the conflict settlement in the Donbas with Russian President Vladimir Putin, reports EuroIntegration news outlet.

"We had a little talk about Ukraine. I am going to visit Ukraine in a few weeks, and as far as I understand, certain practical initiatives are implemented, and practical work is being carried out. For my part, I will support this process," he said.

Niinistö added that Helsinki had made efforts to return …

Russia is ready to help Iran and Israel establish a dialogue, RIA Novosti reports, citing "a source in Russian diplomatic circles."

"Our vision regarding how to address security issues in the region is completely different. Instead of demonizing one state, one force, we believe that the interests of all should be taken into account. And when the interests of all countries in the region are taken into account, a collective dialogue is the way that will lead to strengthening security," the …

Russian Su-35S fighters may have intercepted Turkish F-16s and forced the Turkish pilots to leave Syrian airspace. Al-Masdar News reports that the F-16s were 30-40 kilometers into Syrian airspace in the Idlib region, after which they returned to Turkish airspace.

The fact that Turkish fighters entered Syrian airspace and yet returned so quickly could indicate that the F-16 pilots received a warning from the Russian Aerospace Forces, or detected the incoming Russian aircraft on their radars, Al- …

Leader of Venezuela's National Assembly Juan Guaido spoke out against the possible presence of Russian warships in the Venezuelan territorial waters.

"We did not approve the presence of Russian warships in the country, as it would be a serious violation of the country's sovereignty," said the leader of the opposition on the Union Radio.

Guaido also believes that the current Venezuelan government is trying to demonstrate that it has international support by inviting foreign warships to the …

A member of a criminal group that has stolen nearly 100 yachts in the last two years has been arrested in Moscow. The most recently stolen ship was a $2 million Ghost 3 yacht. The thieves fled from the Turkish port in Marmaris.

A Jeanneau 64 Ghost 3 yacht was hired from the Marmaris yacht club on July 13 by two Russians, who disconnected the sailboat’s tracking device and, disappearing off the radar, headed in an unknown direction.

On July 19, when the rental period ended, the company …