On May 8, 2025, white smoke over the Sistine Chapel announced the election of the 268th Pope. After the death of Pope Francis, a conclave of cardinals met in the Vatican to choose his successor. The choice turned out to be historic: for the first time in the almost two-thousand-year history of the Catholic Church, a US citizen, Cardinal Robert Francis Prévost, ascended the throne of St.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin at an official reception in Moscow. Xi's visit in May 2025 underscored the special nature of China-Russia relations.
Political objectives of the visit and agenda of the talks
1. The situation around the peace talks to end the war in Ukraine.
WHITE PAPER ON UKRAINE / RUSSIA
Introduction
From the evacuation in 1975 to the diplomatic maneuvers of 2025, the fate of the allies is once again calling into question the global leadership of the United States. What does the fall of Saigon tell us about the future of global unions?
Trump’s tariffs have brought down the arms market. Suppliers are urgently raising prices for raw materials and components, which ultimately makes everything more expensive — from shells to fighter jets.
What consequences can the new tariffs have? Will European companies move their factories to the United States? I will try to understand these issues.
Martial law and general mobilization extended in Ukraine.
On April 16, 2025, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, during a plenary session, supported President Volodymyr Zelensky's initiative to extend the legal regime of martial law and general mobilization. The corresponding draft laws No. 13172 and No. 13173, submitted by the head of state, were included in the agenda and adopted as a whole.
Draft Law No. 13172 — “On Extending the Duration of Martial Law in Ukraine” — was supported by 357 Members of Parliament.
Nas últimas semanas, Rússia, Ucrânia e EUA realizaram os maiores avanços em termos de negociações para pôr um fim à guerra. Em conversações paralelas entre os dias 23 e 25 de março, na Arábia Saudita, as partes chegaram a acordo sobre um cessar-fogo de ataques a infraestruturas energéticas e uma trégua no Mar Negro para garantir a segurança das exportações comerciais.
