After reimposing crippling sanctions on Iran this week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened that Iran should “act like a normal country, or see its economy crumble.” But, how exactly does a ‘normal’ country act? Since the dictat was issued from Washington DC, it seems only fair to start there. Is the United States itself a ‘normal’ country? What makes a ‘normal’ country as [...]

Europe’s desire to create its own army and stop relying on Washington for defense is not only understandable, but would be “positive” for the multipolar world, Vladimir Putin said days after Donald Trump ripped into it. [...]

Russian Ambassador to France Alexey Meshkov said in an interview with Sputnik that French President Emmanuel Macron's call to build a new security architecture in Europe jointly with Russia was an encouraging signal. [...]

As the United States continues to slap Iran with sanctions, Washington allowed several countries, including South Korea, to purchase certain limited amount of Iranian oil without fear of reprisal. The governments of Iran and South Korea have agreed to forgo the use of US dollar in bilateral trade and instead switch to their respective national currencies in such transactions as Washington moves to [...]

Earlier this week, the French president called for the creation of a "real European army" to defend Europe against "China, Russia, and even the United States." French historian Dr. Edouard Husson has taken issue with Emmanuel Macron's interpretation of history in his remarks in Verdun on Tuesday, including Macron's call to protect Europe from Russia, which the president said was "on our bor [...]

French President Emmanuel Macron referred to nationalism as a “betrayal of patriotism” in pointed Armistice Day remarks that many consider to have been specifically directed at US President Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ policies, according to several reports. [...]

DONETSK/KIEV (Sputnik) - The final turnout in the elections of the leader and members of parliament in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) has amounted to 80.1 percent, head of the breakaway republic's Central Election Commission Olga Pozdnyakova said. [...]

US President Donald Trump’s no-show at a Saturday WW1 commemoration outside of Paris - on the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day - has resulted in rising criticism worldwide, according to reports. Adding to a growing wave of derision, a UK minister of defense expressed his critique of Trump's decision to avoid a key commemorative event on Saturday due to the rain. [...]

The Russian embassy in the United States said it expected the popularity of Crimean health resorts, recently targeted by the US sanctions, to increase, noting that Crimea welcomed tourists from the United States. "We expect that the popularity of these very resorts will grow. We are sure they will introduce special fares for US tourists. Crimea is waiting for guests from the United States to visit [...]

The news provoked a flood of comments online, most of which were meant to rebuke the current “pathetic” “White House occupant,” whereas others butted in with more light-hearted remarks, calling attention to Trump’s earlier reported “inability” to operate umbrellas. [...]

Kronen Zeitung earlier reported that a former colonel of the Austrian Armed Forces had been detained on suspicion of spying for Russia for 20 years. Meanwhile, Austrian newspaper Die Presse reported that the suspect in the espionage scandal had already confessed to committing the crime. [...]

Three Femen activists were detained on Saturday morning after trying to organise a nude protest at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris – World War I commemoration site, BFM reported. Holding banners, which read ‘Welcome war criminals,’ three activists from the infamous Femen movement briefly exposed their breasts, with the words ‘Fake Peacemakers/Real Dictators’ written on their chests, on 10 N [...]

Western leaders argue that the growth of NATO along Russia’s border together with the militarization of Eastern Europe is necessary for preserving peace with Moscow. Nothing could be further from the truth. There has been an unmistakable trend in the realm of geopolitics since the start of the new millennium – of which Ukraine and Georgia may represent the next phase – and it bodes absolutel [...]

The US pressed China to halt militarization of the South China Sea during a joint news conference on talks aimed at smoothing already tense relations ahead of this month's G20 summit in Argentina. “We have continued concerns about China's activities and militarization in the South China Sea,” US Secretary for State Mike Pompeo told media following talks on Friday with US Defence Secretary Jame [...]

From traffic accidents to troops relieving themselves in public places and bars left without beer, this year's edition of NATO-led Trident Juncture drills has every chance to leave lasting memories in Norway and beyond. [...]

The recordings that could reveal the killing of Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi embassy in Turkey in shocking detail have been shared with France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, the UK, and the US, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said. [...]

French President Macron did his best to show through body language that his bromance with Donald Trump was still alive. But the US leader, who came to Paris after calling Macron’s EU army plan “insulting” didn’t seem interested. Emmanuel Macron smiled, winkled and hugged Trump as the two met at the Elysee Palace in the French capital on Saturday. [...]

German conservative Friedrich Merz said Thursday that Brexit would have a major impact on continental Europe's economy. He added that Brexit was the biggest threat the EU could be facing at the moment but didn't hope to see another referendum in the UK. [...]

Much has been made of the possible geopolitical motivations behind the decision to price the $5 billion Russian-Indian S-400 deal in roubles, and Moscow and Beijing are eyeing another rouble/yuan-based trade compact. However, Sputnik has discovered that there's also a purely economic reason for the three countries to move away from the dollar. [...]

The unusually frank quarterly report to Congress on the US's military operations against Daesh* in Syria and Iraq also hints that Washington has no exit strategy once the terrorists are defeated. [...]

A Ukrainian parliament hearing on a high-profile murder became heated after the prosecutor general lashed out, calling some MPs barely printable names and reportedly saying “suck my c**k” after a vote of confidence. The Rada, the Ukraine parliament, has witnessed many heated debates and quite a few fistfights. But the Tuesday session will probably be well remembered thanks to an impassion [...]

Israel will do utmost to prevent such incidents like the downing of a Russian Il-20 plane near Syria from happening again, Yacov Livne, the director of the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s Euro-Asia Department, said on Monday. [...]