Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Samotlorneftegaz, one of Rosneft’s key production assets, provided support for the jubilee 10th Reindeer Herders’ Mastery Competition for the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra Governor’s Cup. The competition is timed to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory.
The large-scale event was attended by more than 1.5 thousand people. The competition among reindeer herding families in Yugra is included in the regional calendar of event tourism and is a large-scale celebration of the national culture and sports traditions of the Khanty and Mansi peoples. Participants competed in five all-around disciplines – harnessing reindeer, reindeer sled racing, transporting firewood on sleds, throwing a tynzyan (lasso) on a khorey (a pole for driving reindeer), and running on hunting skis. In addition, the skills of reindeer herding were assessed.
The competition site recreated the authentic atmosphere of a camp of indigenous peoples of the North: tents were installed, a procession of festive reindeer teams was held. Guests saw an extensive musical and interactive program with performances by folk groups. Craft workshops, play areas, sports grounds were open, and northern delicacies were offered.
Preservation of the national culture of the indigenous peoples of the North and their traditional way of life is one of the significant areas of Rosneft’s social policy. The Company’s enterprises implement many social projects in the regions of their operations, develop the infrastructure of northern villages, help reindeer herder families, improve the material and technical base of educational institutions, social and medical facilities in the areas of original residence of indigenous peoples.
Reference:
JSC Samotlorneftegaz, one of the key production enterprises of NK Rosneft, carries out production activities in the Nizhnevartovsk region of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra. It develops the largest Samotlor field in Russia, the industrial exploitation of which began in 1969. The total area of the enterprise’s licensed areas exceeds 2.9 thousand square kilometers.
Under the agreement between Rosneft and the Government of Yugra, Samotlorneftegaz is implementing projects aimed at improving the quality of life of indigenous peoples of the North. Since 2020, the company has been supporting a unique program to equip national camps with modern information and communication technologies. Currently, the project covers about 3,650 people, which is 72% of the indigenous peoples of Yugra leading a traditional way of life.
Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft March 3, 2025
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –
On February 25 and 26, the RusHydro Group Youth Technical Council Conference was held at the Technopolis Polytech Research Building. Young specialists from the company’s branches and subsidiaries discussed improving work efficiency, developed plans for 2025, and communicated with experts.
The Youth Technical Council (YTC) includes young specialists who jointly solve production, scientific, technical and scientific research tasks facing the company. The members of the council act as experts of the collegial bodies of RusHydro. This work opens access to new professional skills and contacts, which contributes to the formation of future technical leaders and key specialists of the industry.
The first MTS conference was held in March 2024 in Moscow. At the second meeting at the Polytechnic, the participants summed up the results of MTS activities in 2024, spoke to experts in the TED format, developed proposals for the MTS Regulation, making adjustments to it for better work. Representatives of the collegial bodies, represented by the management of the production unit of the executive office of the RusHydro Group, reviewed each change. During a lively discussion, experts and young workers discussed proposals and possible formats for motivating MTS participants.
Sergey Kondratyev, member of the board, first deputy general director and chief engineer of PJSC RusHydro, spoke at the conference. At the meeting with him, participants and experts defined the role of MTS in the system of collegial bodies of the RusHydro Group.
In addition, several expert presentations took place. Deputy Head of the Hydrotechnical Department of JSC Lenhydroproject Konstantin Purgin made a report on the procedure for preparing an examination, issued comments, and the organization of the activities of the scientific and technical council during the examination. Head of the Standardization Department of the Technical Regulation Department of PJSC RusHydro Grigory Bondarenko presented the results of work with the NTD.
During the discussions in the groups, the participants formed plans for work and cross-sectional interaction for 2025 and elected the chairman and secretary of the MTS.
The final events of the conference were reference visits to enterprises in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region that are partners of the RusHydro Group.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Matthew Sussex, Associate Professor (Adj), Griffith Asia Institute; and Fellow, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University
Has any nation squandered its diplomatic capital, plundered its own political system, attacked its partners and supplicated itself before its far weaker enemies as rapidly and brazenly as Donald Trump’s America?
The fiery Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday saw the American leader try to publicly humiliate the democratically elected leader of a nation that had been invaded by a rapacious and imperialistic aggressor.
And this was all because Zelensky refused to sign an act of capitulation, criticised Putin (who has tried to have Zelensky killed on numerous occasions), and failed to bend the knee to Trump, the country’s self-described king.
The Oval Office meeting became heated in a way that has rarely been seen between world leaders.
What’s worse is Trump has now been around so long that his oafish behaviour has become normalised. Together with his attack dog, Vice President JD Vance, Trump has thrown the Overton window – the spectrum of subjects politically acceptable to the public – wide open.
Previously sensible Republicans are now either cowed or co-opted. Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is gutting America’s public service and installing toadies in place of professionals, while his social media company, X, is platforming ads from actual neo-Nazis.
The Department of Health and Human Services is helmed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine denier, just as Americans have begun dying from measles for the first time in a decade. And America’s health and medical research has been channelled into ideologically “approved” topics.
At the Pentagon, in a breathtaking act of self-sabotage, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered US Cyber Command to halt all operations targeting Russia.
And cuts to USAID funding are destroying US soft power, creating a vacuum that will gleefully be filled by China. Other Western aid donors are likely to follow suit so they can spend more on their militaries in response to US unilateralism.
What is Trump’s strategy?
Trump’s wrecking ball is already having seismic global effects, mere weeks after he took office.
The US vote against a UN General Assembly resolution condemning Russia for starting the war against Ukraine placed it in previously unthinkable company – on the side of Russia, Belarus and North Korea. Even China abstained from the vote.
In the United Kingdom, a YouGov poll of more than 5,000 respondents found that 48% of Britons thought it was more important to support Ukraine than maintain good relations with the US. Only 20% favoured supporting America over Ukraine.
And Trump’s bizarre suggestion that China, Russia and the US halve their respective defence budgets is certain to be interpreted as a sign of weakness rather than strength.
The oft-used explanation for his behaviour is that it echoes the isolationism of one of his ideological idols, former US President Andrew Jackson. Trump’s aim seems to be ring-fencing American businesses with high tariffs, while attempting to split Russia away from its relationship with China.
These arguments are both economically illiterate and geopolitically witless. Even a cursory understanding of tariffs reveals that they drive inflation because they are paid by importers who then pass the costs on to consumers. Over time, they are little more than sugar pills that turn economies diabetic, increasingly reliant on state protections from unending trade wars.
And the “reverse Kissinger” strategy – a reference to the US role in exacerbating the Sino-Soviet split during the Cold War – is wishful thinking to the extreme.
Putin would have to be utterly incompetent to countenance a move away from Beijing. He has invested significant time and effort to improve this relationship, believing China will be the dominant power of the 21st century.
Putin would be even more foolish to embrace the US as a full-blown partner. That would turn Russia’s depopulated southern border with China, stretching over 4,300 kilometres, into the potential front line of a new Cold War.
What does this mean for America’s allies?
While Trump’s moves have undoubtedly strengthened the US’ traditional adversaries, they have also weakened and alarmed its friends.
Put simply, no American ally – either in Europe or Asia – can now have confidence Washington will honour its security commitments. This was brought starkly home to NATO members at the Munich Security Conference in February, where US representatives informed a stunned audience that America may no longer view itself as the main guarantor of European security.
Vice President JD Vance delivers a strong message to European leaders.
The swiftness of US disengagement means European countries must not only muster the will and means to arm themselves quickly, but also take the lead in collectively providing for Ukraine’s security.
Whether they can do so remains unclear. Europe’s history of inaction does not bode well.
US allies also face choices in Asia. Japan and South Korea will now be seriously considering all options – potentially even nuclear weapons – to deter an emboldened China.
There are worries in Australia, as well. Can it pretend nothing has changed and hope the situation will then normalise after the next US presidential election?
The future of AUKUS, the deal to purchase (and then co-design) US nuclear powered submarines, is particularly uncertain.
Does it make strategic sense to pursue full integration with the US military when the White House could just treat Taipei, Tokyo, Seoul and Canberra with the same indifference it has displayed towards its friends in Europe?
Ultimately, the chaos Trump 2.0 has unleashed in such a short amount of time is both unprecedented and bewildering. In seeking to put “America First”, Trump is perversely hastening its decline. He is leaving America isolated and untrusted by its closest friends.
And, in doing so, the world’s most powerful nation has also made the world a more dangerous, uncertain and ultimately an uglier place to be.
Matthew Sussex has received funding from the Australian Research Council, the Atlantic Council, the Fulbright Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation, the Lowy Institute and various Australian government departments and agencies.
In a year with few surprises in the awards categories, there was also a dearth of surprises on the red carpet. The sartorial themes included sparkling metallics, coloured menswear and bows, bows and more bows.
Metallic gowns that resemble the Oscar statue are a familiar sight at the Academy Awards and this year was no different. Some of the standouts included best actress nominee Demi Moore in a magnificently glittering silver Armani Privé gown, Selena Gomez in custom Ralph Lauren encrusted with 16,000 individual blush-toned jewel teardrops, and Emma Stone in a minimalist Louis Vuitton sheath covered in iridescent fish scales.
In the menswear category, tuxedos reign supreme. This year was notable only for the diversity of colours in which these suits came.
Best actor nominee Timothée Chalamet lived up to his reputation for monochrome, richly hued ensembles in a custom butter yellow leather suit by Givenchy, paired with a matching silk shirt and delicate neck brooch in place of a tie. His best actor nominated compatriot, Colman Domingo (one of the best dressed men in Hollywood) was pristine in a double-breasted red silk jacket with black lapels, black trousers and matching red shirt by Valentino, similarly eschewing a tie in favour of a fine gold brooch. Andrew Garfield wore louche chocolate brown Gucci and Jeremy Strong wore a suit by Loro Piana in an unusual tone of olive green.
Bows of varying size and stature were perhaps the strongest theme of the night.
Best actress winner Mikey Madison in black and pink Dior, best supporting actress nominee Felicity Jones in shimmering liquid silver Armani, Elle Fanning in white and black Givenchy and Lupita Nyong’o in white Chanel were all adorned with bows at their waists.
The most remarkable bow of the night though was best actress nominee Cynthia Erivo in a structured deep emerald-green velvet Louis Vuitton gown, the broad, wing-like sleeves of which were crafted as a bow.
Notable mentions must also go to those attendees who do not fit neatly into any thematic category. Best supporting actress nominee Ariana Grande wore a meticulously crafted pale pink Schiaparelli confection and Lisa (of Blackpink and now White Lotus fame) perfected a feminine take on masculine suiting in a tuxedo dress by Markgong.
The only real surprise was the lack of political statements on display. Unlike recent years, when pins and ribbons in support of Ukraine and Palestine were widely worn, this year only Guy Pearce was spotted wearing a Free Palestine pin, Conclave writer Peter Straughan wore a Ukrainian flag pin and Kayo Shekoni had “free Congo” emblazoned on the sole of her high heels.
– Harriette Richards
The best picture: Anora
And the best picture Oscar goes to … Anora – the film that was favoured to win, so no surprises here.
Though he had been working for more than a decade at the time, writer-director-editor Sean Baker came onto the independent movie scene with a bang with 2015’s Tangerine, a gimmicky film that was mainly celebrated for being shot on an iPhone. Why this would be celebrated is anyone’s guess. I suspect it’s because of the “I could do it too” factor – something the average person certainly couldn’t say if we’re talking 35mm celluloid.
Since then, Baker’s films have relished in embracing the digital, neon world, but always in a kind of sentimental and shallow, rather than critical, register. None of his films are awful – and maybe that’s saying something in this day and age. Anora also is not awful, but it’s not particularly memorable either.
Anora follows a run of the mill American dream-type story about a hard-working stripper who seems to strike fairytale gold when a young, fun Russian oligarch falls in love with her. Only the dream turns out to be more of a nightmare (kind of) when things don’t quite work out and the film ends with the titular character once again independent and free.
The idea of undercutting the fairytale setup of the typical rom-com is not at all original, and the film strikes me as even more schmaltzy in its rejection of the fairytale dream than if it had embraced it and played like a tween-focused Nickelodeon film (it’s about as poignant as this).
The film’s cardinal sin, however – and it’s certainly not alone in this – is its critical overlength. Each of the film’s sections could have had some 20 minutes cut and we would have had an enjoyably tight romp at 80 minutes. Instead, Anora drags on, swept up in its imagining of its own profundity – at times pretentious, but mainly tedious.
– Ari Mattes
Not the year to stick a neck out
The speeches this year were conspicuously meek. No announcer majorly insulted anyone else. No winner assaulted anyone else. Even the James Bond retrospective lacked energy. What’s going on in Hollywood?
There are clues that help explain this curious flatness. Host Conan O’Brien mentioned the pressure of “divisive politics” while reflecting on California’s wildfires. Several winners spoke about the importance of shared experience, of what unites us, of film as a medium that brings people together, a force for “good and progress in the world” and “a reminder not to let hate go unchecked”.
The directors of No Other Land, receiving their Oscar for best documentary, shared the one clear critical voice. Palestinian Basel Adra wished his newborn daughter a life without the fear that governs daily life in his homeland. Israeli co-director Yuval Abraham agreed: “There is another way. It’s not too late for life and for the living. There is no other way.”
However, that was the only moment people at the Oscars seemed willing to confront the political elephant in the room.
Anora director Sean Baker used his last (of four!) acceptance speeches to compel more people to help keep cinema doors open. He made his point passionately: this was the best way to sustain an industry that could continue to make brilliant movies. That said, the most emotive speeches of past Oscars events went much further than just commenting on the bread and butter concerns of the film industry.
This year, there were more clues in what people did not say. There were feints at Russian dictators – but nobody mentioned the war in Ukraine. There was no discussion of a certain election result, nor of filmmakers’ fears that Washington is now in the control of a governing faction that loathes them. Most revealing of all: nobody raised a peep about the President or his friends.
Hollywood’s collective discipline was on show tonight – and 2025 is not the year to stick a neck out.
– Tom Clark
A banner year for independent film
Independent films were the big winners for this year’s Oscars. While many of the technical awards went to the big budget films, such as Wicked (the US$145 million film won costume design and production design) and Dune: Part 2 (made at a budget of US$190 million, and winning sound and visual effects), the night’s major awards went to small productions.
While the definitions of “independence” and “studio” films don’t exist in a neat binary when it comes to production and global distribution, we can distinguish between film juggernauts and smaller films.
Three independent films won significant awards that are of note. Latvian film Flow was the first independent film to win best animated feature, up against major films Inside Out 2 (Pixar Films) and The Wild Robot (DreamWorks).
The film follows a cat, a dog, a capybara, a secretary bird and a ring-tailed lemur navigating a post-apocalyptic world with rising sea levels. The film also only used free and open-source software Blender and mostly used sounds from real world counterparts of the various characters. It was made for a budget of just €3.5 million (A$5.9 million).
The best documentary film nominees were dominated by independent films. Notably, the winner No Other Land has sadly been unable to find a distributor to release the film in the United States. (It is available for streaming in Australia on DocPlay, and in select cinemas.) The film was only eligible because the Film Lincoln Centre in New York facilitated a one-week, qualifying theatrical run.
The night’s top glories went to Anora, made on a budget of just US$6 million (A$9.7 million) and taking home the awards for best film, director, actress, screenplay and editing.
In his acceptance speech for best director, Sean Baker spoke of the importance of films getting a theatrical release. Films, he said, are about humanity – and that is best experienced in watching a film with other people.
During awards season, Baker has often spoken about the importance of small budget films in the expression of core human experiences.
The final message of the night went to Baker when he thanked the Academy for recognising a truly independent film: “Long live independent film!”
Indeed, independent films ruled this year’s Oscars.
– Stuart Richards
Best actor and actress
Mikey Madison, who won the best actress award for Anora, is quite good in the role. That said, it’s difficult to evaluate her performance in such a meandering film.
She tries hard playing a stripper who falls for Prince Charming – a Russian oligarch (Hollywood’s anti-Russian sentiment has certainly grown in recent years) who turns out to be a bit of a weakling with meanie parents. But Madison never really convincingly embodies the character, and we’re ever aware as we watch the film that she’s an actress working her way through relevant emotions and intensities.
That said, Madison is good at yelling and stripping, and this is the main way she shows her chops here. She screamed well in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019), too. The bar this year was admittedly pretty low, and truth be told Madison’s performance in Anora (aside from Fernanda Torres for I’m Still Here) is probably the best out of the nominees.
In contrast, Adrien Brody, who won the best actor award, is absolutely unforgettable in the flawed but magnificent The Brutalist – the best he’s been since The Pianist, and the deserved winner by a mile out of a similarly mediocre field. Brody is simply a pleasure to watch, and drives, in a wholly embodied way, this grandiose and exceedingly long film (the fact it doesn’t feel long is largely due to his magnetism).
The screenplay, in which the character comes across as a combination of arrogant, sweet and at times comedic, allows Brody to display the full range of his talent, and he plays the whole thing with an endearing vulnerability. But, again, it’s unfair to compare Brody and Madison – The Brutalist is a spectacularly accomplished cinematic epic, while Anora feels as stylish and profound as a social media video (I know that’s the point, but that doesn’t make it any more compelling).
– Ari Mattes
A lacklustre year for music
This was a strong year for music-based films, with three of the most nominated ones being musicals of various types: the big-budget Broadway adaptation Wicked, the original film musical Emilia Pérez, and the musician biopic A Complete Unknown.
The music of the ceremony itself was nicely assembled, with a live orchestra (conducted by Michael Bearden) accompanying proceedings from above the stage.
But the show was marred by an absence: the best song nominations were not performed live. The new songs this year were so bland, however – especially when compared to the Wicked score and Bob Dylan – that I can hardly blame the producers. The nominations included a dull Elton John song, some soft guitar rock from Sing Sing, Diane Warren’s 16th (!) nominated song (more soft rock), and two forgettable songs from Emilia Pérez (one of which, El Mal, was the winner).
So little faith did the Academy have in the songs that only a few seconds were played from each, mostly covered by a montage of interviews with the songwriters.
This year’s nominated best scores were not much more memorable, but Daniel Blumberg deserved his win for The Brutalist. It demonstrates a high level of composition and orchestration craft. It uses edgy instrumental textures to increase the feelings of uncertainty and imbalance that the film imparts.
The show included a lot of Wizard of Oz. Ariana Grande sang Over the Rainbow from the 1939 film and Cynthia Erivo sang Home from The Wiz, the 1974 soul musical based on the book. Then they performed Defying Gravity from Wicked together.
Another subtle Wizard of Oz nod was the music played during the commercial breaks: a loop based on Brand New Day from The Wiz, whose 1979 film version had its music produced by the late Quincy Jones. Queen Latifah and backup dancers brought some much needed energy to the last hour of the ceremony with Ease on Down the Road, also from The Wiz, as part of a Jones tribute.
One surprise was an unnecessary but enjoyable James Bond sequence featuring Margaret Qualley dancing to John Barry’s famous theme, a performance of Live and Let Die by K-pop star Lisa, Doja Cat singing Diamonds Are Forever, and Raye’s rendition of Skyfall.
This plus the various numbers from the Oz Musical Universe only highlighted how lacklustre this year’s nominated music was.
– Gregory Camp
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
On February 28, the first online seminar in 2025 was held for teachers and staff of higher education institutions, dedicated to the issues of introducing project-based learning into the educational process.
The webinar was organized by the State University of Management as an interregional educational and methodological center for project-based learning and the Association of Project-Oriented Organizations of Science and Higher Education.
The webinar featured four informative presentations, each of which highlighted important aspects of project activities at the university.
Artem Merenkov, associate professor of the Department of Transport Complex Management at the Institute of Industry Management at the State University of Management, shared the successful experience of the department in the field of project-based learning, highlighting seven key principles that contribute to the effective implementation of this methodology in the educational process.
Ekaterina Kupriyanova, head of the “Office of Initiative and Project Management” project, senior lecturer of private and entrepreneurial law at Surgut State University, spoke about the path of development of the project-based learning system at Surgut State University – from the creation of an initiative group to the full integration of the project approach into the educational model.
Veniamin Manukyan, leading specialist of the business incubator of the Yaroslavl State University named after P.G. Demidov, CEO of the startup studio “Struktura”, presented a methodology for working in an educational environment that allows creating a pipeline of startups and leading to a product with a turnover of several million rubles.
Oksana Chulanova, professor of the Department of Public and Municipal Administration and Personnel Management at Surgut State University, presented a unique model of project-based learning based on the bionic approach using the example of Surgut State University. This innovative approach allows integrating interdisciplinary knowledge and practical skills, creating conditions for students to deeply immerse themselves in real professional tasks.
Thank you all for your active participation. We are confident that the knowledge and ideas gained will help make project-based learning an even more effective tool for training future specialists.
Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 03.03.2025
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –
The International Youth Math Challenge (IYMC) is a prestigious competition that provides students with the opportunity to test their knowledge of mathematics and become part of a global community of young mathematicians. The competition is coordinated by Edu.Harbour from Heidelberg, Germany and is held annually. Since its inception in 2018, IYMC has attracted more than 30,000 participants from around the world.
Alam Md Mustaqim Bin, master’s student Physics Department of NSU from Bangladesh, was among the top 8% of the best performers and won the silver award. A total of 5,280 students from all over the world competed for the victory this year. Alam Md Mustaqim Bin also won the national award of second degree.
The main objective of IYMC is to create an innovative platform for students to learn mathematics in depth and develop problem solving skills. The final round of the competition is highly competitive, with participants required to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in a timed online exam.
— I am interested in astrophysics and astronomy, I am interested in mathematics, so I participated in IYMC for the second time. I also wanted to test my skills. The competition was held online all over the world and consisted of three stages: selection, pre-final and final. All stages were monitored using proctoring (a special monitoring system for conducting an online exam or testing), — said Alam Md Mustaqim Bin.
The competition required solving various typical mathematical problems and analyzing scientific papers.
— In 2020, I represented Bangladesh and won a bronze award. This year, I won silver and the second national award (second result in the country). It is a great honor for me to represent NSU, and I am proud to be a student of this university, — the student shared his impressions.
Mathematics is not just numbers and formulas, it is a way of thinking. It helps to understand not only the laws of physics, but also many phenomena in life.
On behalf of the university, we congratulate the winner!
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Peter Dutton says if he became prime minister he would lobby US President Donald Trump “to reconsider his position” on Ukraine.
The opposition leader, who previously rejected Trump’s description of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “dictator”, has gone further in distancing himself from Trump after the shouting match in the Oval Office, when Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelensky.
“I was disappointed by the scenes out of the White House,” Dutton told a Monday news conference. “I believe that President Zelensky requires the support of European countries, of the United States, and countries like Australia as well.”
He said the United States has been “an incredibly important ally” for Australia and he regarded it as a reliable one.
But making decisions in Australia’s best interests sometimes meant “standing up to your friends and to those traditional allies because our views have diverged.
“In relation to Ukraine, the Australian view at the moment is different to the United States, and my job as prime minister will be to lobby the president of the United States to reconsider his position in relation to Ukraine. Because I think it’s in all of our collective best interests if we’re able to provide support to Ukraine, and that’s something I’m dedicated to.”
Dutton’s criticism of Trump is at odds with some in his base and some right wing commentators, who are wedded to Trump, right or wrong.
Unlike policy on the Middle East, where bipartisanship has broken, both sides of Australian politics have remained firmly behind Ukraine from the start of the war. There is no sign of the bipartisanship being under pressure.
Australia has supplied Ukraine with about $1.5 billion worth of assistance, of which $1.3 billion is military aid.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, speaking at the start of Monday’s cabinet’s meeting, reiterated Australia’s strong backing for the embattled country in its war with Russia.
“We regard this as an issue of doing what’s right, but also what is in Australia’s national interest.
“The brave people of Ukraine, led so extraordinarily by President Zelensky, are fighting not just for their national sovereignty and for their democracy. They are fighting for the international rule of law.
“And it is an easy choice that Australia has made.”
On Sunday Treasurer Jim Chalmers said “I think President Zelensky is a hero”.
Dutton on Monday used similar language. “President Zelensky is a modern-day hero. He’s a war hero and he deserves support.”
On another front – Australia’s bid to avoid the US tariffs on aluminium and steel – while there is bipartisanship, the opposition is from time to time critical of the government’s handling of the issue.
Shadow finance minister Jane Hume said on Monday: “The Coalition wholeheartedly supports the government’s efforts to make sure that these tariffs are not imposed by the US.
“We would hope that the government will pull out all stops here in order to make sure that Australia’s national interests, our economic interests, are protected. I do note that Anthony Albanese is the only member of the Quad, which is one of our most important diplomatic relationships with the US, that hasn’t met directly with Donald Trump yet.”
The new tariffs are due to come into effect on March 12.
Australia has been further alarmed by an article published late last week by Trump’s trade advisor, Peter Navarro.
Navarro wrote: “Consider Australia. Its heavily subsidised smelters operate below cost, giving them an unfair dumping advantage, while Australia’s close ties to China further distort global aluminium trade”.
“Australia and Canada represent frontal assaults on our aluminium markets.”
Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The number of asylum applications received in the EU+ decreased by over one tenth (11 %) in 2024, with applications from Syrians, Afghans and Turks all decreasing significantly. While Germany continued to receive the most applications in the EU+, these were down by one third last year. Cyprus continued to receive the most applications per capita. In 2024, almost half of all received applications (48 %) were from citizenships for which the recognition rate is low (≤ 20 %).
The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) has just published its annual analysis of asylum trends in 2024. Some 1 014 000 asylum applications were received in the EU+, an 11 % decrease year-over-year. Several of the main citizenships of asylum applicants in the EU+ each recorded a significant decrease in 2024. Applications from Syrians (151 000), Afghans (87 000), and Turks (56 000), each decreased by 17 %, 24 % and 45 %, respectively, compared to 2023.
Latin American citizenships also recorded notable changes in protection requests in 2024. Venezuelans (74 000) lodged a record number of applications, up by around a tenth (9 %) compared to 2023; while applications from Colombians (52 000) decreased by almost a fifth (- 18 %) in 2024. Taken together, not only did these two nationalities account for a majority of all visa-free applicants in the EU+, they also represented over three fifths of applicants in Spain. After a surge of boat arrivals in the Canary Islands, Malians (17 000) and Senegalese (14 000) both lodged more than twice as many applications in the EU+, compared to 2023.
Changing trends in key receiving EU+ countries
In 2024, Germany (237 000) again received the most asylum applications in the EU+, though the number was a third lower (- 29 %), year-over-year. While Spain (166 000), Italy (159 000) and France (159 000) received rather similar numbers of asylum applications in 2024, at around 16 % of the EU+ total, each; these Member States were faced with new dynamics. For example, Peruvians (27 000), who continued to lodge significant numbers of applications in the EU+, shifted to applying mostly in Italy in 2024, where they became the 2nd most populous citizenship.
However, the number of asylum applications received does not convey the full measure of protection needs in the EU+. In December 2024, around 4.4 million persons displaced from the Russian invasion of Ukraine were receiving temporary protection. Ukrainians (27 000) lodged significantly more asylum applications in 2024 in the EU+, up by 90 % compared to 2023; half did so in France and one quarter in Poland. The number of Ukrainian applications received in 2024 was reminiscent of initial figures in 2022, after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began.
Evaluating which EU+ countries receive the most applications for asylum is important, but a simple like-for-like comparison is not always appropriate because their asylum and reception capacities can vary. Cyprus (6 800) has long been the recipient of the most applications per capita. By the end of 2024, Greece (74 000) received the 2nd most applications per capita. In 2024, both countries received around 1 application for every 140 residents.
State of decision-taking on international protection
In 2024, the EU+ recognition rate remained stable at 42 %, though this aggregate figure masks significant variations across nationalities and a tendency to grant subsidiary protection, rather than refugee status.
The Syrian recognition rate has been above 90% for most of the last two years. However, while recognition rates for Syrians remained relatively aligned among decision-making countries including Greece (90 %), Germany (92 %), and Austria (95 %), there was significant variation in the type of protection granted.
On the other hand, the Afghan recognition rate stood at 63 % at EU+ level, and there was significant variation across EU+ countries including Belgium (39 %), Germany (41 %), France (67 %), Austria (76%), Switzerland (90 %), and Greece (98 %). However, EU+ countries tended to grant refugee status more often than subsidiary protection.
The EUAA notes that in 2024 almost half of all applications received (48 %) were from citizenships for which the recognition rate is low (≤ 20 %). Citizenships in this group included Bangladeshi, Moroccan and Tunisian nationals. The future Asylum Procedure Regulation provides that applications from applicants from countries with a low recognition rate should be subjected to an accelerated examination procedure, and to an asylum border procedure when the relevant conditions are met.
For more information and a series of interactive data visualisations, please visit the EUAALatest Asylum Trends
ING to repurchase shares for employee compensation
ING announced today the start of a share repurchase programme under which it plans to repurchase ordinary shares of ING Groep N.V., for a maximum total amount of €70 million. The purpose of the share repurchase programme is to meet obligations under ING’s share-based compensation plans.
The share repurchase will commence on 3 March 2025 and is expected to end no later than 7 March 2025.
The ECB has approved the repurchase, which will be executed in compliance with the Market Abuse Regulation and within the limitations of the existing authority to acquire a maximum of 20% of the issued shares as granted by the general meeting of shareholders on 22 April 2024.
For further information on ING, please visit www.ing.com. Frequent news updates can be found in the Newsroom or via the @ING_news X feed. Photos of ING operations, buildings and its executives are available for download at Flickr.
ING is a global financial institution with a strong European base, offering banking services through its operating company ING Bank. The purpose of ING Bank is: empowering people to stay a step ahead in life and in business. ING Bank’s more than 60,000 employees offer retail and wholesale banking services to customers in over 100 countries.
ING Group shares are listed on the exchanges of Amsterdam (INGA NA, INGA.AS), Brussels and on the New York Stock Exchange (ADRs: ING US, ING.N).
ING aims to put sustainability at the heart of what we do. Our policies and actions are assessed by independent research and ratings providers, which give updates on them annually. ING’s ESG rating by MSCI was reconfirmed by MSCI as ‘AA’ in August 2024 for the fifth year. As of December 2023, in Sustainalytics’ view, ING’s management of ESG material risk is ‘Strong’. Our current ESG Risk Rating, is 17.2 (Low Risk). ING Group shares are also included in major sustainability and ESG index products of leading providers. Here are some examples: Euronext, STOXX, Morningstar and FTSE Russell. Society is transitioning to a low-carbon economy. So are our clients, and so is ING. We finance a lot of sustainable activities, but we still finance more that’s not. Follow our progress on ing.com/climate.
IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION
Elements of this press release contain or may contain information about ING Groep N.V. and/ or ING Bank N.V. within the meaning of Article 7(1) to (4) of EU Regulation No 596/2014 (‘Market Abuse Regulation’).
ING Group’s annual accounts are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the European Union (‘IFRS- EU’). In preparing the financial information in this document, except as described otherwise, the same accounting principles are applied as in the 2023 ING Group consolidated annual accounts. The Financial statements for 2024 are in progress and may be subject to adjustments from subsequent events. All figures in this document are unaudited. Small differences are possible in the tables due to rounding.
Certain of the statements contained herein are not historical facts, including, without limitation, certain statements made of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those in such statements due to a number of factors, including, without limitation: (1) changes in general economic conditions and customer behaviour, in particular economic conditions in ING’s core markets, including changes affecting currency exchange rates and the regional and global economic impact of the invasion of Russia into Ukraine and related international response measures (2) changes affecting interest rate levels (3) any default of a major market participant and related market disruption (4) changes in performance of financial markets, including in Europe and developing markets
(5) fiscal uncertainty in Europe and the United States (6) discontinuation of or changes in ‘benchmark’ indices (7) inflation and deflation in our principal markets (8) changes in conditions in the credit and capital markets generally, including changes in borrower and counterparty creditworthiness (9) failures of banks falling under the scope of state compensation schemes (10) non- compliance with or changes in laws and regulations, including those concerning financial services, financial economic crimes and tax laws, and the interpretation and application thereof (11) geopolitical risks, political instabilities and policies and actions of governmental and regulatory authorities, including in connection with the invasion of Russia into Ukraine and the related international response measures (12) legal and regulatory risks in certain countries with less developed legal and regulatory frameworks (13) prudential supervision and regulations, including in relation to stress tests and regulatory restrictions on dividends and distributions (also among members of the group) (14) ING’s ability to meet minimum capital and other prudential regulatory requirements (15) changes in regulation of US commodities and derivatives businesses of ING and its customers (16) application of bank recovery and resolution regimes, including write down and conversion powers in relation to our securities (17) outcome of current and future litigation, enforcement proceedings, investigations or other regulatory actions, including claims by customers or stakeholders who feel misled or treated unfairly, and other conduct issues (18) changes in tax laws and regulations and risks of non-compliance or investigation in connection with tax laws, including FATCA (19) operational and IT risks, such as system disruptions or failures, breaches of security, cyber-attacks, human error, changes in operational practices or inadequate controls including in respect of third parties with which we do business and including any risks as a result of incomplete, inaccurate, or otherwise flawed outputs from the algorithms and data sets utilized in artificial intelligence (20) risks and challenges related to cybercrime including the effects of cyberattacks and changes in legislation and regulation related to cybersecurity and data privacy, including such risks and challenges as a consequence of the use of emerging technologies, such as advanced forms of artificial intelligence and quantum computing (21) changes in general competitive factors, including ability to increase or maintain market share (22) inability to protect our intellectual property and infringement claims by third parties (23) inability of counterparties to meet financial obligations or ability to enforce rights against such counterparties (24) changes in credit ratings (25) business, operational, regulatory, reputation, transition and other risks and challenges in connection with climate change and ESG-related matters, including data gathering and reporting (26) inability to attract and retain key personnel (27) future liabilities under defined benefit retirement plans (28) failure to manage business risks, including in connection with use of models, use of derivatives, or maintaining appropriate policies and guidelines (29) changes in capital and credit markets, including interbank funding, as well as customer deposits, which provide the liquidity and capital required to fund our operations, and (30) the other risks and uncertainties detailed in the most recent annual report of ING Groep N.V. (including the Risk Factors contained therein) and ING’s more recent disclosures, including press releases, which are available on www.ING.com.
This document may contain ESG-related material that has been prepared by ING on the basis of publicly available information, internally developed data and other third-party sources believed to be reliable. ING has not sought to independently verify information obtained from public and third-party sources and makes no representations or warranties as to accuracy, completeness, reasonableness or reliability of such information.
Materiality, as used in the context of ESG, is distinct from, and should not be confused with, such term as defined in the Market Abuse Regulation or as defined for Securities and Exchange Commission (‘SEC’) reporting purposes. Any issues identified as material for purposes of ESG in this document are therefore not necessarily material as defined in the Market Abuse Regulation or for SEC reporting purposes. In addition, there is currently no single, globally recognized set of accepted definitions in assessing whether activities are “green” or “sustainable.” Without limiting any of the statements contained herein, we make no representation or warranty as to whether any of our securities constitutes a green or sustainable security or conforms to present or future investor expectations or objectives for green or sustainable investing. For information on characteristics of a security, use of proceeds, a description of applicable project(s) and/or any other relevant information, please reference the offering documents for such security.
This document may contain inactive textual addresses to internet websites operated by us and third parties. Reference to such websites is made for information purposes only, and information found at such websites is not incorporated by reference into this document. ING does not make any representation or warranty with respect to the accuracy or completeness of, or take any responsibility for, any information found at any websites operated by third parties. ING specifically disclaims any liability with respect to any information found at websites operated by third parties. ING cannot guarantee that websites operated by third parties remain available following the publication of this document, or that any information found at such websites will not change following the filing of this document. Many of those factors are beyond ING’s control.
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SINGAPORE, March 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Valeura Energy Inc. (TSX:VLE, OTCQX:VLERF) (“Valeura” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the successful completion of an infill drilling campaign at the Manora field in Licence G1/48 (70% operated working interest), offshore Gulf of Thailand.
Dr. Sean Guest, President and CEO commented:
“Our most recent drilling at Manora has both increased oil production rates and successfully appraised additional targets which will form the basis of future infill development drilling. While the Manora field accounts for only about 10% of our year-to-date production, it is an excellent example of the potential for Gulf of Thailand fields to add many years of economic field life through targeted ongoing activity. In 2025 we intend to pursue a full year of drilling operations across our portfolio, aimed at continuing our proven track record of adding reserves year on year to support continued cash flow generation.”
Valeura drilled a five well programme, comprised of three production-oriented infill development wells and two appraisal wells. In aggregate, the Company’s Manora field working interest share oil production before royalties has increased from 2,144 bbls/d (December 2024 average) to 2,866 bbls/d for the last 14-day period. Additionally, the appraisal objectives of the campaign have yielded between three and five potential future drilling targets, which will be further evaluated for inclusion in a future drilling programme.
The A34 well was drilled for infill development targets within the deep 600-series sands in the field’s eastern fault block. The well was successful and has been completed as a multi-zone comingled producer.
The horizontal A38 well was also drilled into the eastern fault block, with the objective of developing the shallower 300-series sands. It was completed as a producer, with the well design incorporating an innovative downhole autonomous inflow control device (“ICD”) to manage water vs oil production. The Company is monitoring the impact of this, and other ICDs deployed elsewhere on its fields, to optimise the application of this technology across the portfolio.
The A36 well targeted sands across several known producing intervals in the field’s main fault block and has been completed as a multi-zone infill development well. As is normal in many multi-zone wells, only the deepest targets are currently producing and the shallower zones will be brought on production later.
The A35 well successfully appraised several zones of interest within the shallower 300-series sands. While this appraisal well will not be used a producer (and accordingly has been plugged and abandoned), the results encountered have indicated the potential for three further development wells within this reservoir section, which will now be further studied and modelled for inclusion in future development drilling.
The horizontal A37 well was drilled as a combination appraisal and development well. The well encountered an encouraging appraisal target in the 500-series sands, which is now being matured for inclusion in a future drilling campaign. The well’s development target, within the deeper 600-series sands was completed as a producer.
Following completion of the Manora drilling campaign, the Company’s contracted drilling rig has mobilised to Licence B5/27 (100% operated interest) where it is currently conducting a drilling programme on the Jasmine C wellhead platform.
For further information, please contact:
Valeura Energy Inc. (General Corporate Enquiries) Sean Guest, President and CEO Yacine Ben-Meriem, CFO Contact@valeuraenergy.com
+65 6373 6940
Valeura Energy Inc. (Investor and Media Enquiries) Robin James Martin, Vice President, Communications and Investor Relations IR@valeuraenergy.com
+1 403 975 6752 / +44 7392 940495
Contact details for the Company’s advisors, covering research analysts and joint brokers, including Auctus Advisors LLP, Canaccord Genuity Ltd (UK), Cormark Securities Inc., Research Capital Corporation, and Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited, are listed on the Company’s website at www.valeuraenergy.com/investor-information/analysts/.
About the Company
Valeura Energy Inc. is a Canadian public company engaged in the exploration, development and production of petroleum and natural gas in Thailand and in Türkiye. The Company is pursuing a growth-oriented strategy and intends to re-invest into its producing asset portfolio and to deploy resources toward further organic and inorganic growth in Southeast Asia. Valeura aspires toward value accretive growth for stakeholders while adhering to high standards of environmental, social and governance responsibility.
Additional information relating to Valeura is also available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
Advisory and Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information
Certain information included in this news release constitutes forward-looking information under applicable securities legislation. Such forward-looking information is for the purpose of explaining management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes, such as making investment decisions. Forward-looking information typically contains statements with words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “estimate”, “propose”, “project”, “target” or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook.
Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the potential for successfully appraised targets to form the basis of further infill development drilling, and the number of future drilling targets; the Company’s intention to pursue a full year of drilling operations across its portfolio in 2025; and the Company’s expectation to bring shallower zones on production later in the A36 well. In addition, statements related to “reserves” and “resources” are deemed to be forward-looking information as they involve the implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions, that the resources can be discovered and profitably produced in the future.
Although the Company believes the expectations and assumptions reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect.
Forward-looking information is based on management’s current expectations and assumptions regarding, among other things: political stability of the areas in which the Company is operating; continued safety of operations and ability to proceed in a timely manner; continued operations of and approvals forthcoming from governments and regulators in a manner consistent with past conduct; ability to achieve extensions to licences in Thailand and Türkiye to support attractive development and resource recovery; future drilling activity on the required/expected timelines; the prospectivity of the Company’s lands; the continued favourable pricing and operating netbacks across its business; future production rates and associated operating netbacks and cash flow; decline rates; future sources of funding; future economic conditions; the impact of inflation of future costs; future currency exchange rates; interest rates; the ability to meet drilling deadlines and fulfil commitments under licences and leases; future commodity prices; the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine; the impact of conflicts in the Middle East; royalty rates and taxes; management’s estimate of cumulative tax losses being correct; future capital and other expenditures; the success obtained in drilling new wells and working over existing wellbores; the performance of wells and facilities; the availability of the required capital to funds its exploration, development and other operations, and the ability of the Company to meet its commitments and financial obligations; the ability of the Company to secure adequate processing, transportation, fractionation and storage capacity on acceptable terms; the capacity and reliability of facilities; the application of regulatory requirements respecting abandonment and reclamation; the recoverability of the Company’s reserves and contingent resources; future growth; the sufficiency of budgeted capital expenditures in carrying out planned activities; the impact of increasing competition; the availability and identification of mergers and acquisition opportunities; the ability to successfully negotiate and complete any mergers and acquisition opportunities; the ability to efficiently integrate assets and employees acquired through acquisitions; global energy policies going forward; international trade policies; future debt levels; and the Company’s continued ability to obtain and retain qualified staff and equipment in a timely and cost efficient manner. In addition, the Company’s work programmes and budgets are in part based upon expected agreement among joint venture partners and associated exploration, development and marketing plans and anticipated costs and sales prices, which are subject to change based on, among other things, the actual results of drilling and related activity, availability of drilling, offshore storage and offloading facilities and other specialised oilfield equipment and service providers, changes in partners’ plans and unexpected delays and changes in market conditions. Although the Company believes the expectations and assumptions reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect.
Forward-looking information involves significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Exploration, appraisal, and development of oil and natural gas reserves and resources are speculative activities and involve a degree of risk. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the Company including, but not limited to: the ability of management to execute its business plan or realise anticipated benefits from acquisitions; the risk of disruptions from public health emergencies and/or pandemics; competition for specialised equipment and human resources; the Company’s ability to manage growth; the Company’s ability to manage the costs related to inflation; disruption in supply chains; the risk of currency fluctuations; changes in interest rates, oil and gas prices and netbacks; the risk that the Company’s tax advisors’ and/or auditors’ assessment of the Company’s cumulative tax losses varies significantly from management’s expectations of the same; potential changes in joint venture partner strategies and participation in work programmes; uncertainty regarding the contemplated timelines and costs for work programme execution; the risks of disruption to operations and access to worksites; potential changes in laws and regulations, including international treaties and trade policies; the uncertainty regarding government and other approvals; counterparty risk; the risk that financing may not be available; risks associated with weather delays and natural disasters; and the risk associated with international activity. See the most recent annual information form and management’s discussion and analysis of the Company for a detailed discussion of the risk factors.
Certain forward-looking information in this news release may also constitute “financial outlook” within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Financial outlook involves statements about Valeura’s prospective financial performance or position and is based on and subject to the assumptions and risk factors described above in respect of forward-looking information generally as well as any other specific assumptions and risk factors in relation to such financial outlook noted in this news release. Such assumptions are based on management’s assessment of the relevant information currently available, and any financial outlook included in this news release is made as of the date hereof and provided for the purpose of helping readers understand Valeura’s current expectations and plans for the future. Readers are cautioned that reliance on any financial outlook may not be appropriate for other purposes or in other circumstances and that the risk factors described above or other factors may cause actual results to differ materially from any financial outlook.
The forward-looking information contained in this news release is made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction, including where such offer would be unlawful. This news release is not for distribution or release, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, Ireland, the Republic of South Africa or Japan or any other jurisdiction in which its publication or distribution would be unlawful.
Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
This information is provided by Reach, the non-regulatory press release distribution service of RNS, part of the London Stock Exchange. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
On March 3, 2025, Mikhail Vladimirovich Makarenko, professor of the State University of Management, Doctor of Economics, Honorary Chemist of the USSR, Veteran of Labor, veteran of the Great Patriotic War, will turn 100 years old!
Mikhail Makarenko was drafted into the army in 1943 at the age of 18. He took part in battles on the 3rd and 4th Ukrainian Fronts as part of the 3rd Guards Army of General Dmitry Lelyushenko, liberated Donbass and Zaporozhye, was wounded twice, and went through the entire war to Berlin. He was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War and many medals.
In 1969, Mikhail Vladimirovich was appointed associate professor of the Department of Economics and Organization of the Chemical Industry at the Moscow Engineering and Economics Institute (now the State University of Management). Having defended his doctoral dissertation and received the title of professor, he worked fruitfully at the university until 2014 at the Department of Industrial Business of the Institute of Industry Management.
During his professional and scientific career, Mikhail Vladimirovich has trained 5 doctors and 25 candidates of science, and has about 150 publications to his credit: scientific articles and teaching aids. The professor still leads an active life and even acts as an opponent of dissertations.
The staff of the State University of Management heartily congratulates Mikhail Vladimirovich Makarenko on his 100th birthday and wishes him good health and creative longevity.
Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 03.03.2025
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –
Today, March 3, marks 145 years since the founding of the Aleksandrovsky Commercial School, which served as the historical foundation for the State University of Management.
We told a detailed story with the justification for the direct inheritance of the State University of Management from an educational institution of the Russian Empire era in early February.
Rector Vladimir Stroyev has repeatedly emphasized that a modern university should not be constrained by political prejudices, which is why GUU has returned the sign of the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, which was awarded to the university, to its façade, and a bust of Sergo Ordzhonikidze, after whom our university was named for a long time, to the hall. It is time to restore ties with an even more ancient history.
Yes, it is a bit strange now – last year we celebrated 105 years, and now it is 145. But the basis for this is solid and logical, so let’s gradually get used to the new date.
While there is no grand celebration yet, we still congratulate our university on its 145th anniversary. We wish all students and staff not to be afraid of change, to find only positive aspects in it, the potential for development and positive transformations. Be as noble as the officials of the Russian Empire, as purposeful as the Soviet party leaders, and as progressive as any new generation.
Let the complex of these very best qualities contribute to the solution of the most important state tasks that have always been assigned to our university and its graduates. Do not tarnish the honor of the First Management University of the country, maintain its high status, be worthy of your predecessors and serve as the best example to your followers.
Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 03.03.2025
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
In a year with few surprises in the awards categories, there was also a dearth of surprises on the red carpet. The sartorial themes included sparkling metallics, coloured menswear and bows, bows and more bows.
Metallic gowns that resemble the Oscar statue are a familiar sight at the Academy Awards and this year was no different. Some of the standouts included best actress nominee Demi Moore in a magnificently glittering silver Armani Privé gown, Selena Gomez in custom Ralph Lauren encrusted with 16,000 individual blush-toned jewel teardrops, and Emma Stone in a minimalist Louis Vuitton sheath covered in iridescent fish scales.
In the menswear category, tuxedos reign supreme. This year was notable only for the diversity of colours in which these suits came.
Best actor nominee Timothée Chalamet lived up to his reputation for monochrome, richly hued ensembles in a custom butter yellow leather suit by Givenchy, paired with a matching silk shirt and delicate neck brooch in place of a tie. His best actor nominated compatriot, Colman Domingo (one of the best dressed men in Hollywood) was pristine in a double-breasted red silk jacket with black lapels, black trousers and matching red shirt by Valentino, similarly eschewing a tie in favour of a fine gold brooch. Andrew Garfield wore louche chocolate brown Gucci and Jeremy Strong wore a suit by Loro Piana in an unusual tone of olive green.
Bows of varying size and stature were perhaps the strongest theme of the night.
Best actress winner Mikey Madison in black and pink Dior, best supporting actress nominee Felicity Jones in shimmering liquid silver Armani, Elle Fanning in white and black Givenchy and Lupita Nyong’o in white Chanel were all adorned with bows at their waists.
The most remarkable bow of the night though was best actress nominee Cynthia Erivo in a structured deep emerald-green velvet Louis Vuitton gown, the broad, wing-like sleeves of which were crafted as a bow.
Notable mentions must also go to those attendees who do not fit neatly into any thematic category. Best supporting actress nominee Ariana Grande wore a meticulously crafted pale pink Schiaparelli confection and Lisa (of Blackpink and now White Lotus fame) perfected a feminine take on masculine suiting in a tuxedo dress by Markgong.
The only real surprise was the lack of political statements on display. Unlike recent years, when pins and ribbons in support of Ukraine and Palestine were widely worn, this year only Guy Pearce was spotted wearing a Free Palestine pin, Conclave writer Peter Straughan wore a Ukrainian flag pin and Kayo Shekoni had “free Congo” emblazoned on the sole of her high heels.
– Harriette Richards
The best picture: Anora
And the best picture Oscar goes to … Anora – the film that was favoured to win, so no surprises here.
Though he had been working for more than a decade at the time, writer-director-editor Sean Baker came onto the independent movie scene with a bang with 2015’s Tangerine, a gimmicky film that was mainly celebrated for being shot on an iPhone. Why this would be celebrated is anyone’s guess. I suspect it’s because of the “I could do it too” factor – something the average person certainly couldn’t say if we’re talking 35mm celluloid.
Since then, Baker’s films have relished in embracing the digital, neon world, but always in a kind of sentimental and shallow, rather than critical, register. None of his films are awful – and maybe that’s saying something in this day and age. Anora also is not awful, but it’s not particularly memorable either.
Anora follows a run of the mill American dream-type story about a hard-working stripper who seems to strike fairytale gold when a young, fun Russian oligarch falls in love with her. Only the dream turns out to be more of a nightmare (kind of) when things don’t quite work out and the film ends with the titular character once again independent and free.
The idea of undercutting the fairytale setup of the typical rom-com is not at all original, and the film strikes me as even more schmaltzy in its rejection of the fairytale dream than if it had embraced it and played like a tween-focused Nickelodeon film (it’s about as poignant as this).
The film’s cardinal sin, however – and it’s certainly not alone in this – is its critical overlength. Each of the film’s sections could have had some 20 minutes cut and we would have had an enjoyably tight romp at 80 minutes. Instead, Anora drags on, swept up in its imagining of its own profundity – at times pretentious, but mainly tedious.
– Ari Mattes
Not the year to stick a neck out
The speeches this year were conspicuously meek. No announcer majorly insulted anyone else. No winner assaulted anyone else. Even the James Bond retrospective lacked energy. What’s going on in Hollywood?
There are clues that help explain this curious flatness. Host Conan O’Brien mentioned the pressure of “divisive politics” while reflecting on California’s wildfires. Several winners spoke about the importance of shared experience, of what unites us, of film as a medium that brings people together, a force for “good and progress in the world” and “a reminder not to let hate go unchecked”.
The directors of No Other Land, receiving their Oscar for best documentary, shared the one clear critical voice. Palestinian Basel Adra wished his newborn daughter a life without the fear that governs daily life in his homeland. Israeli co-director Yuval Abraham agreed: “There is another way. It’s not too late for life and for the living. There is no other way.”
However, that was the only moment people at the Oscars seemed willing to confront the political elephant in the room.
Anora director Sean Baker used his last (of four!) acceptance speeches to compel more people to help keep cinema doors open. He made his point passionately: this was the best way to sustain an industry that could continue to make brilliant movies. That said, the most emotive speeches of past Oscars events went much further than just commenting on the bread and butter concerns of the film industry.
This year, there were more clues in what people did not say. There were feints at Russian dictators – but nobody mentioned the war in Ukraine. There was no discussion of a certain election result, nor of filmmakers’ fears that Washington is now in the control of a governing faction that loathes them. Most revealing of all: nobody raised a peep about the President or his friends.
Hollywood’s collective discipline was on show tonight – and 2025 is not the year to stick a neck out.
– Tom Clark
A banner year for independent film
Independent films were the big winners for this year’s Oscars. While many of the technical awards went to the big budget films, such as Wicked (the US$145 million film won costume design and production design) and Dune: Part 2 (made at a budget of US$190 million, and winning sound and visual effects), the night’s major awards went to small productions.
While the definitions of “independence” and “studio” films don’t exist in a neat binary when it comes to production and global distribution, we can distinguish between film juggernauts and smaller films.
Three independent films won significant awards that are of note. Latvian film Flow was the first independent film to win best animated feature, up against major films Inside Out 2 (Pixar Films) and The Wild Robot (DreamWorks).
The film follows a cat, a dog, a capybara, a secretary bird and a ring-tailed lemur navigating a post-apocalyptic world with rising sea levels. The film also only used free and open-source software Blender and mostly used sounds from real world counterparts of the various characters. It was made for a budget of just €3.5 million (A$5.9 million).
The best documentary film nominees were dominated by independent films. Notably, the winner No Other Land has sadly been unable to find a distributor to release the film in the United States. (It is available for streaming in Australia on DocPlay, and in select cinemas.) The film was only eligible because the Film Lincoln Centre in New York facilitated a one-week, qualifying theatrical run.
The night’s top glories went to Anora, made on a budget of just US$6 million (A$9.7 million), and taking home the awards for best film, director, actress, screenplay and editing.
In his acceptance speech for best director, Sean Baker spoke of the importance of films getting a theatrical release. Films, he said, are about humanity – and that is best experienced in watching a film with other people.
During awards season, Baker has often spoken about the importance of small budget films in the expression of core human experiences.
The final message of the night went to Baker when he thanked the Academy for recognising a truly independent film: “Long live independent film!”
Indeed, independent films ruled this year’s Oscars.
– Stuart Richards
Best actor and actress
Mikey Madison, who won the best actress award for Anora, is quite good in the role. That said, it’s difficult to evaluate her performance in such a meandering film.
She tries hard playing a stripper who falls for Prince Charming – a Russian oligarch (Hollywood’s anti-Russian sentiment has certainly grown in recent years) who turns out to be a bit of a weakling with meanie parents. But Madison never really convincingly embodies the character, and we’re ever aware as we watch the film that she’s an actress working her way through relevant emotions and intensities.
That said, Madison is good at yelling and stripping, and this is the main way she shows her chops here. She screamed well in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019), too. The bar this year was admittedly pretty low, and truth be told Madison’s performance in Anora (aside from Fernanda Torres for I’m Still Here) is probably the best out of the nominees.
In contrast, Adrien Brody, who won the best actor award, is absolutely unforgettable in the flawed but magnificent The Brutalist – the best he’s been since The Pianist, and the deserved winner by a mile out of a similarly mediocre field. Brody is simply a pleasure to watch, and drives, in a wholly embodied way, this grandiose and exceedingly long film (the fact it doesn’t feel long is largely due to his magnetism).
The screenplay, in which the character comes across as a combination of arrogant, sweet and at times comedic, allows Brody to display the full range of his talent, and he plays the whole thing with an endearing vulnerability. But, again, it’s unfair to compare Brody and Madison – The Brutalist is a spectacularly accomplished cinematic epic, while Anora feels as stylish and profound as a social media video (I know that’s the point, but that doesn’t make it any more compelling).
– Ari Mattes
A lacklustre year for music
This was a strong year for music-based films, with three of the most nominated ones being musicals of various types: the big-budget Broadway adaptation Wicked, the original film musical Emilia Pérez, and the musician biopic A Complete Unknown.
The music of the ceremony itself was nicely assembled, with a live orchestra (conducted by Michael Bearden) accompanying proceedings from above the stage.
But the show was marred by an absence: the best song nominations were not performed live. The new songs this year were so bland, however – especially when compared to the Wicked score and Bob Dylan – that I can hardly blame the producers. The nominations included a dull Elton John song, some soft guitar rock from Sing Sing, Diane Warren’s 16th (!) nominated song (more soft rock), and two forgettable songs from Emilia Pérez (one of which, El Mal, was the winner).
So little faith did the Academy have in the songs that only a few seconds were played from each, mostly covered by a montage of interviews with the songwriters.
This year’s nominated best scores were not much more memorable, but Daniel Blumberg deserved his win for The Brutalist. It demonstrates a high level of composition and orchestration craft. It uses edgy instrumental textures to increase the feelings of uncertainty and imbalance that the film imparts.
The show included a lot of Wizard of Oz. Ariana Grande sang Over the Rainbow from the 1939 film and Cynthia Erivo sang Home from The Wiz, the 1974 soul musical based on the book. Then they performed Defying Gravity from Wicked together.
Another subtle Wizard of Oz nod was the music played during the commercial breaks: a loop based on Brand New Day from The Wiz, whose 1979 film version had its music produced by the late Quincy Jones. Queen Latifah and backup dancers brought some much needed energy to the last hour of the ceremony with Ease on Down the Road, also from The Wiz, as part of a Jones tribute.
One surprise was an unnecessary but enjoyable James Bond sequence featuring Margaret Qualley dancing to John Barry’s famous theme, a performance of Live and Let Die by K-pop star Lisa, Doja Cat singing Diamonds Are Forever, and Raye’s rendition of Skyfall.
This plus the various numbers from the Oz Musical Universe only highlighted how lacklustre this year’s nominated music was.
– Gregory Camp
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met and interacted with various dignitaries at the NXT Conclave in Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi today. The list of dignitaries includes Mr. Carlos Montes, Prof. Jonathan Fleming, Dr. Ann Liebert, Prof. Vesselin Popovski, Dr. Brian Greene, Mr. Alec Ross, Mr. Oleg Artemyev and Mr. Mike Massimino.
In separate posts on X, he wrote:
“Interacted with Mr. Carlos Montes today at the NXT Conclave. He has made rich contributions to furthering social innovations. He has been appreciative of India’s strides in digital technology, FinTech and more.”
“Met Prof. Jonathan Fleming, who is associated with the MIT Sloan School of Management. His work in life sciences, both in the public and private sectors, is exemplary. His passion for mentoring upcoming talent and innovation in this field is equally inspiring.”
“Delighted to meet Dr. Ann Liebert. Her work in treating Parkinson’s disease is commendable and will ensure a better quality of life for several people in the times to come.”
“It was a pleasure meeting Prof. Vesselin Popovski. He has done appreciable work in deepening the understanding of international relations and geo-politics in a rapidly changing world.”
“Happy to meet Dr. Brian Greene, a leading academic with a strong passion towards physics and mathematics. His works are widely admired and will shape academic discourse in the coming times. @bgreene”
“Pleased to meet Mr. Alec Ross today. He has made a mark as a prolific thinker and author, emphasising aspects relating to innovation and learning.”
“Pleased to meet Mr. Oleg Artemyev, a leading Cosmonaut from Russia. He has been at the forefront of some of the most pioneering expeditions. His accomplishments will motivate many youngsters to shine in the world of science and space. @OlegMKS”
“Delighted to meet the distinguished astronaut, Mr. Mike Massimino. His passion towards space and also making it popular among the youth are widely known. It is also commendable how he is working to promote learning and innovation. @Astro_Mike”
Interacted with Mr. Carlos Montes today at the NXT Conclave. He has made rich contributions to furthering social innovations. He has been appreciative of India’s strides in digital technology, FinTech and more. pic.twitter.com/IfCknRNSBX
Met Prof. Jonathan Fleming, who is associated with the MIT Sloan School of Management. His work in life sciences, both in the public and private sectors, is exemplary. His passion for mentoring upcoming talent and innovation in this field is equally inspiring. pic.twitter.com/uWrPuXombR
Delighted to meet Dr. Ann Liebert. Her work in treating Parkinson’s disease is commendable and will ensure a better quality of life for several people in the times to come. pic.twitter.com/s3B6VB9s2d
It was a pleasure meeting Prof. Vesselin Popovski. He has done appreciable work in deepening the understanding of international relations and geo-politics in a rapidly changing world. pic.twitter.com/IdA0LX1tzE
Happy to meet Dr. Brian Greene, a leading academic with a strong passion towards physics and mathematics. His works are widely admired and will shape academic discourse in the coming times.@bgreenepic.twitter.com/OJLTcKLH7z
Pleased to meet Mr. Alec Ross today. He has made a mark as a prolific thinker and author, emphasising aspects relating to innovation and learning. pic.twitter.com/lP0fPGt44f
Pleased to meet Mr. Oleg Artemyev, a leading Cosmonaut from Russia. He has been at the forefront of some of the most pioneering expeditions. His accomplishments will motivate many youngsters to shine in the world of science and space. @OlegMKSpic.twitter.com/stqZS4wlxm
Delighted to meet the distinguished astronaut, Mr. Mike Massimino. His passion towards space and also making it popular among the youth are widely known. It is also commendable how he is working to promote learning and innovation. @Astro_Mikepic.twitter.com/SdadJFksyl
ING announced today that it has reached an agreement with Reggeborgh Groep B.V. on the acquisition of a 17.6% stake in Van Lanschot Kempen N.V., a specialist wealth manager serving Private, Institutional and Investment banking clients, operating predominantly in the Netherlands and Belgium. Together with an existing 2.7% stake, ING will hold a 20.3% stake in Van Lanschot Kempen after completion of the transaction.
“Van Lanschot Kempen is a respected, listed, well-capitalised, profitable wealth manager with a strong specialist position in amongst others the Netherlands and Belgium. Their history goes back almost three centuries. Acquiring this stake presents an attractive financial opportunity and with this transaction we are executing on our goal to enhance our position in private banking and wealth management,” said ING CEO Steven van Rijswijk. “We see this transaction as a long-term financial investment and we support Van Lanschot Kempen’s management, recognising the strong progress in the execution of their strategy.”
Under the terms of the agreement, ING has directly acquired a stake of 7.2%, bringing its stake in Van Lanschot Kempen to 9.9%. The remainder of the transaction is subject to regulatory approval. The transaction is expected to have a minimal impact on ING’s CET1 ratio.
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Some 640,000 women and girls in Ukraine will be affected by cuts to psychosocial support, gender-based violence services, safe spaces, and economic empowerment programs following the confirmation from US authorities to end practically all financial contributions to the UN reproductive and sexual health agency (UNFPA).
A young mother, five children in tow, steps off a train in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, holding a small bag. She is fleeing Russian attacks in the Zaporizhzhia region, she is also escaping a violent partner, a man who once beat her so severely she suffered a miscarriage.
She needs urgent medical attention, legal assistance and a safe place for her children. “We met her at the train station,” says Tetiana, a psychologist with a mobile team since 2022. “We also organized a medical escort and lawyers to help with her documents and referrals.”
Trauma, distress and surging domestic abuse
Tetiana’s unit is one of 87 UNFPA psychosocial support teams, on call for emergency interventions. She can also refer survivors for longer-term assistance, job training and access to legal aid. These resources remain critical for survivors of abuse long after the initial danger has passed – especially in a country where three years of war have caused widespread trauma and deep psychological distress.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion three years ago, reports of intimate partner violence, domestic abuse, sexual violence and other forms of gender-based violence have surgedmore than threefold in Ukraine. An estimated 2.4 million people – mostly women and girls – are in urgent need of gender-based violence prevention and response services. “Even after finding some physical safety in Dnipro, many struggle with lingering panic attacks, nightmares and depressive symptoms,” says Tetiana.
UNFPA’s mobile psychosocial support teams are often the first to respond to cases of gender-based violence after the police.
Almost two thirds of households in Ukraine report dealing with some form of anxiety, depression or extreme stress, thwarting people’s ability to find work or care for family members. Financial hardship, mass job losses, deaths of loved ones and fears of future attacks are only intensifying their distress. Without proper counselling and care, the cycle of trauma can also be passed down to future generations, risking long-term and wider-spread harm to the community
Surviving is just the beginning
Roman joined the team in Dnipro as a social worker in April 2022, arranging coordination with social services and public organizations. “We have built a response system for people’s safety and support,” he said, explaining that they are often the first to respond to cases of gender-based violence, after the police. “We are an ambulance of sorts for gender-based violence incidents.”
These services are vital, especially for women without stable income or housing, as the war has put many at risk of economic exploitation or renewed violence.
“Many people think surviving the initial threat is the end of the story,” added Tetiana. “But the real healing only starts once they are physically safe. Without psychosocial support, it’s difficult for them to recover from trauma or prevent further harm.”
Tetiana has worked as a psychologist with UNFPA’s mobile psychosocial support team in Dnipro since early 2022.
In crisis settings, the risk of violence against women and girls escalates – including conflict-related sexual violence – and the demand for protection and response services spikes. Yet, as displaced women often lack social networks to turn to and are stigmatized if they report abuse, the police can request the mobile team’s support on-site to coordinate further interventions, such as safe housing or counselling.
Health workers under fire
It’s a situation fraught with danger, and response workers themselves can come under fire. “When we arrive at the sites of attacks or in cases of violence. We don’t have time to slow down,” explained Roman. “We switch on immediately and start providing services. It’s like our own reactions are on hold. Only later, when we look back and discuss it, do we realize how difficult it actually was.”
Since February 2022, the World Health Organization has confirmed over 2,200 attacks on healthcare facilities, services and personnel in Ukraine by the Russian Federation. Last year, over 300 of these affected medical facilities – a threefold increase on 2023.
While his work is critical, Roman said it takes a toll. “With each shelling, it builds up – one after the other. Depending on the severity of the damage, you feel it differently each time. But for the most part, we stay focused on what must be done, putting our feelings aside on the spot. Then, once the immediate crisis is handled, we turn to our own support networks and process it all.”
Why these services must endure
Since 2022, more than 50 of UNFPA’s mobile psychosocial teams have been funded by the US Government, and play an indispensable role in helping Ukraine’s most vulnerable. “The city services function, but they lack the same impact and reach. That’s why the mobile teams are essential, especially in times of war, as we navigate the wave of displaced people,” said Tetiana.
Women are fundamental to the resilience of Ukraine’s families, workforce and larger community, but they have endured immense suffering over years of conflict. Ensuring they are supported throughout their personal recovery will be crucial to safeguarding Ukraine’s long-term recovery.
With uncertainty now surrounding funding for humanitarian work around the world, the continuity of this vital work is under threat. 640,000 women and girls will be affected by cuts to psychosocial support, gender-based violence services, safe spaces, and economic empowerment programs. Protection for refugees and crisis-affected communities will be diminished.
Essential health services to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, support to women-led organizations, and programmes promoting women’s economic empowerment are all at risk of closure – gravely endangering the safety and well-being of millions of people.
Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –
As part of the popular science marathon “Darwin Week”, this year the dean Faculty of Physics, Novosibirsk State University, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Vladimir Blinov gave a lecture on how people’s ideas about the origin and structure of the Universe have changed and what role relic radiation plays in this.
“My lecture is a story about how humanity tried to understand the structure of the world in which it lives. And I will tell you how the history of the Universe appears in the light of relic radiation,” he began his speech.
People have been trying to understand how the Universe works and to build a model of it for quite some time. Even before our era, in ancient Alexandria, the scholar and scribe Claudius Ptolemy wrote an encyclopedia of astronomical and mathematical knowledge of the ancient Greek world, known today as the Almagest. In his picture, the center of the universe was a flat Earth, around which the Sun, planets, and fixed stars were located.
Interestingly, at about the same time, another scientist from Alexandria, Eratosthenes, used mathematics to prove that the Earth is spherical and even calculated its approximate dimensions. True, he was wrong in his calculations by about 10%, but given the imperfection of his instruments, this was excusable. However, it was Ptolemy’s concept that became officially recognized for a long time.
After about one and a half thousand years, Renaissance scientists finally debunked it, and through the efforts of Nicolaus Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler and Isaac Newton, the model of a heliocentric solar system and a universe based on the laws of classical mechanics was established in science.
— This state of affairs lasted for about 300 years, and during this time, data gradually accumulated that could not be explained from the standpoint of classical Newtonian mechanics. And then Einstein appeared, who created the Special and General Theories of Relativity and, on their basis, created a model of the Universe, — Vladimir Blinov continued.
This model no longer operated with classical mechanics, but with relativistic mechanics. And one of the first predictions of the General Theory of Relativity was the explanation of the anomalous precession of the orbit of the planet Mercury.
And a few decades later, the American astronomer Hubble established that the Universe is expanding. Then, physicists, relying on the results obtained by Hubble, abandoned the stationary model of the Universe (from which, by the way, Einstein also proceeded) and came to the conclusion that it used to be more compact, hotter, and approximately 13.8 billion years ago its expansion began. Simply put, this is how the cosmological concept, better known as the Big Bang Theory, was born.
By the way, the age of the Universe determines the radius of the part of the Universe visible to us due to the finiteness of the speed of light.
— But this gives scientists a huge bonus: the further away from us the observed object is, the younger we see it. Therefore, thanks to the development of telescopes, astrophysicists and cosmologists can see and study the history of the Universe with their own eyes, rather than reconstructing it from indirect data, — Vladimir Blinov emphasized.
He then briefly described the various stages of the history of the Universe, starting from the time when it was in a state of helium-hydrogen plasma. It was the recombination of this plasma, according to astrophysicists, that led to the appearance of individual atoms, from which stars and other structures in the Universe were later formed. The consequence of this, in particular, according to scientists’ calculations, was the emergence of radiation with a high degree of isotropy and a spectrum characteristic of an absolutely black body with a temperature of 2.73 K. Soviet astrophysicist I.S. Shklovsky designated it with the term “relict radiation”.
At first it was a theory, but in 1965, astronomers Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson of Bell Telephone Laboratories, while investigating the effects of cosmic radiation on radar, discovered that the antenna had an excess noise temperature of 3.5 K, which they could not explain. It was only after consulting with physicists at Princeton University, who had been trying to detect the relic radiation for a year, that it became clear that this was it.
— This became proof that the Big Bang model works, that at the age of 380 thousand years the Universe consisted of plasma with a temperature of 3000 K and this radiation is the noise of that same plasma. But further observations began to give rise to new questions, — the dean of the Physics Department emphasized.
In particular, why is this temperature the same at different, distant points in the Universe, which could not contact each other at that time. There were other inconsistencies. They were explained using the inflationary model of the expansion of the Universe, to the creation of which Soviet physicists Andrei Starobinsky, Andrei Linde and their American colleague Alan Guth contributed.
In its framework, the expansion of space occurred as a result of quantum fluctuations of a scalar field similar to the field proposed by Higgs, whose quantum, the Higgs boson, was discovered in 2021 at the Large Hadron Collider, and it was almost instantaneous and led to the formation of many “bubble” universes. Precise calculations showed that the sizes of these bubble universes were many orders of magnitude larger than the visible radius of our Universe. For this reason, we do not observe “walls” separating these “bubble” universes.
— This is how the concept of the Multiverse was born, in which an infinite number of Universes with different properties were, are, and will be formed. Some of them quickly collapse, some do not. We live in one of these universes, — the speaker concluded.
And since the number of universes is infinite, and the number of particles in them is finite, all possible scenarios of their composition and evolution are realized. Even exact copies of our Universe are possible, and perhaps somewhere at this time the same lecture is being given by Vladimir Blinov’s double.
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) shakes hands with visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in front of 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, March 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Sunday that Britain will allow Ukraine to use 1.6 billion pounds (2 billion U.S. dollars) of British export finance to purchase more than 5,000 air defense missiles.
“This will be vital for protecting critical infrastructure and strengthening Ukraine,” Starmer told a press conference following a summit with Western leaders in London.
The goal is “to put Ukraine in the strongest position” so the country can negotiate from a position of strength, he added.
Western leaders, including more than a dozen European heads of state and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, gathered in London on Sunday for a defense summit aimed at advancing a peace plan for Ukraine.
Starmer said leaders at the summit had agreed on a four-step plan to guarantee peace in Ukraine: to maintain military aid to Ukraine while the conflict continues and increase economic pressure on Russia; to ensure that any lasting peace guarantees Ukraine’s sovereignty and security, with Ukraine at the table for any negotiations; to deter “any future invasion by Russia” in the event of a peace deal; and to establish a “coalition of the willing” to defend Ukraine and uphold peace in the country.
The leaders also agreed to meet again soon to sustain the momentum behind these efforts, Starmer said.
The prime minister reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to supporting the peace plan with “boots on the ground, and planes in the air.”
“Europe must do the heavy lifting,” he said, emphasizing that the agreement needs U.S. backing.
“Let me be clear, we agree with Trump on the urgent need for a durable peace. Now we need to deliver together,” he said.
Earlier on Sunday before the summit, Starmer announced that Britain, France and Ukraine will work on a ceasefire plan to present to the United States. He named three essential points to achieve “lasting peace” — a strong Ukraine, a European element with security guarantees, and a U.S. backstop, with the last one being the subject of “intense” discussion.
The summit took place amid diplomatic tensions, following a heated exchange earlier this week between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, which led to the cancellation of an anticipated raw materials agreement between the two countries.
On Saturday, Zelensky met with Starmer at 10 Downing Street, where the British prime minister reaffirmed the UK’s “unwavering determination” to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine. Following the meeting, Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko announced that Britain and Ukraine had agreed on a loan of 2.26 billion pounds to support Ukraine’s defense capabilities. (1 pound = 1.26 U.S. dollar)
A trap or a misstep? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sit-down with Donald Trump and JD Vance heads south.AP Photo/ Mystyslav Chernov
“A president just disrespected America in the Oval Office. It wasn’t Zelenskyy.”
That was the verdict of the editorial team at the Kyiv Independent, one of Ukraine’s leading media outlets, on a remarkable spat in the Oval Office that played out on Feb. 28, 2025.
The online newspaper European Pravda characterized the “quarrel at the highest level” as a diplomatic failure, but added that it was “not yet a catastrophe.”
Some Ukrainians I have spoken to since the fractious encounter, during which Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy was repeatedly hectored by U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, have indeed characterized it as disastrous for the country. But for others, the incident has been calmly accepted as the new reality in U.S.-Ukraine relations.
There have been some questions directed at Zelenskyy – did he allow himself to be baited into an an argument that could have real consequences? Should he have remained silent? But for the most part, the treatment of Ukraine’s president by Trump and Vance has produced a presumably unintended consequence: It has unified a war-weary Ukrainian people.
As one friend who has been displaced by war from the now occupied city of Nova Kakhovka told me, there has not been this level of mobilization and patriotism in three years.
‘The country needs unity’
This unity is seen in the response across Ukraine’s political divide.
Petro Poroshenko, an often outspoken opponent of Zelenskyy and leader of the opposition party European Solidarity, said on March 1 that, to the surprise of many, he will not criticize Zelenskyy’s performance at the White House. “The country does not need criticism, the country needs unity,” he said in the video posted on X.
Anecdotally, even those Ukrainians who did not vote for Zelenskyy have told me that events in the Oval Office made them feel more supportive of Zelenskyy.
However, a sense of realism is sinking in over the shifting stance of the U.S. administration. Trump’s stated trust in Vladimir Putin and his conciliatory comments over Russian aggression – including a refusal to acknowledge Russian war crimes – have, for many Ukrainians, set low expectations that the White House can help achieve a quick and lasting peace. Yet, as Inna Sovsun of the opposition party Holos noted, “It was difficult to watch a president who’s been a victim of Russian aggression being attacked by the leader of the free world.”
Setting the record straight
The Feb. 28 meeting between the U.S. and Ukrainian leaders followed weeks of increasingly harsh Trump rhetoric toward Zelenskyy. Since being inaugurated on Jan. 20, Trump has called the Ukrainian leader a “dictator without elections,” claiming – incorrectly – that Zelenksyy had 4% approval ratings. He also indicted that the invasion by Russian troops in February 2022 was Ukraine’s fault.
Such comments had already made Ukrainians rally around Zelenskyy, who has a healthy 63% approval rating, according to the latest polls.
The ugly scenes in the Oval Office could see a further rallying around Zelenskyy, especially if he can successfully characterize his role in the dispute as that of defender of his people. Doing so would tap into growing popular resentment over the new U.S. administration’s apparent unwillingness to acknowledge Russian war crimes.
Large U.S. and Ukrainian flags hang on the Kyiv River Port building on March 2, 2025 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Photo by Pierre Crom/Getty Images
The angry exchanges in the Oval Office seemed to have been sparked by Zelenskyy’s objection to Trump’s assertion that Russian President Vladimir Putin is a man of his word.
That refusal to call out Putin – who faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court – angers Ukrainians who have suffered Russian aggression for three years. To hammer that point home, Zekenskyy showed Trump and others in the Oval Office photos of Ukrainian prisoners of war who return from Russian captivity tortured and abused.
As Ukrainian human rights lawyer and Nobel Prize winner Oleksandra Matviichuk noted in a Feb. 17 speech, 65% of Ukrainians polled early in the conflict said their main disappointment in ending the war would be “impunity for Russian crimes.” Three years of conflict will have only hardened that sentiment – yet the U.S., under Trump’s leadership, looks increasingly willing to let Putin off the hook.
Defender of the nation – and truth
A large section of Ukrainian media – both traditionally pro- and anti-Zelenskyy alike – have since Feb. 28 portrayed the president in the role of a defender of both his nation and the truth.
He was, this framing has it, forced into the difficult position of having to set the record straight and challenge untrue statements in real time, and in front of the seemingly antagonistic leader of the world’s largest economy, whose support has been crucial in Ukraine’s attempt to repel the invading Russian army.
To some, keeping silent would have been tantamount to capitulation, but others have questioned Zelenskyy’s approach.
While still maintaining that Zelenskyy’s key message was correct, some Ukrainians have suggested that his emotional tone in the Oval Office was not constructive.
Opposition lawmaker Oleskiy Goncharenko suggested in an interview on CNN that Zelenskyy should have been more “diplomatic” and more “calm” given that the stakes were so high.
Meanwhile, there were also those who questioned the decision to hold such an important conversation in front of the press, especially without the use of professional translators who potentially could have tamped down the rhetoric and slowed the pace of the exchange. Thus, as Tymofiy Mylovanov, the adviser to the office of the president and head of the Kyiv School of Economics put it, some things could “have been lost in translation.”
‘Zelensky is our democratic leader’
So where does the Oval Office dispute leave both Zelenskyy and U.S.-Ukrainian relations?
In the aftermath of the dispute, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham – who has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine – suggested that Zelenskyy should resign, the implications being that his relationship with Trump was so broken that his presence is now counterproductive for Ukraine’s priorities.
Moreover, to many Ukrainians the barrier to harmonious Ukraine-U.S. relations is not Zelenskyy, but Trump.
Mustafa Nayyem, who served in Zelesnkyy’s government, summed up the view of many Ukrainians by claiming in a social media post that the Trump administration “does not just dislike Ukraine. They despise us.” The “contempt is deeper than indifference, and more dangerous than outright hostility,” he added in the Feb. 28 post.
Intentional provocation
Serhii Sternenko, a Ukrainian activist lawyer and blogger, described the Oval Office spat as an intentional provocation on behalf of Trump to discredit Ukraine as an unreliable partner in the peace negotiations.
Sternenko is not alone in his assessment. Journalist and blogger Vitaly Portnikov argued that the spat was the result of Trump’s unrealistic promise of ending the war quickly being confronted with the reality that perhaps Russia does not want to make any concessions. The thinking here is Putin has shown no indication that he will bend on his war goals, so for Trump, framing Zelenskyy as “not ready for peace” allows the U.S. president to walk away from his campaign promise without accepting defeat.
Among friends: Zelenskyy with Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and France’s President Emmanuel Macron on March 2, 2025. Justin Tallis – WPA Pool/Getty Images
A new reality
Beyond the headlines and initial reactions from Ukrainian politicians, journalists and civilians, there is also another sentiment that is emerging: resignation to the new reality.
Most Ukrainians want an end to war, but in a way that preserves their sovereignty and guarantees future security. Until recently, that was shared by the occupants of the White House. It is becoming increasingly clear to many Ukrainians that, in regards the war in Ukraine, the U.S. will play a different role under Trump – meaning Ukraine will increasingly look to European leaders as primary partners.
Perhaps Goncharenko, the opposition member of Ukraine’s Parliament, best summed up the consequences of the Oval Office spat: “It was not Ukraine, it was not the United States who won … it was Putin.”
Lena Surzhko Harned does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Flags of European Union (EU) and Ukraine are seen at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 24, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
French President Emmanuel Macron proposed on Sunday that the European Union (EU) member states should raise their defense spending to 3 to 3.5 percent of the EU’s total gross domestic product (GDP).
Speaking to the French daily Le Figaro after participating in a defense summit in London, Macron said EU member states should invest “heavily” in European defense to prepare for America’s eventual disengagement and to ensure Europe’s security.
The French president suggested raising considerable amounts together through joint loans or even the European Stability Mechanism. “We probably need initially 200 billion euros (208 billion U.S. dollars) to kick off,” he added.
According to statistics published by the European Council, in 2024, the EU member states’ total defense expenditure reached an estimated 326 billion euros (338 billion U.S. dollars), about 1.9 percent of the EU’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Regarding Ukraine, Macon told Le Figaro that he didn’t believe in the possible ceasefire signed by the Americans and Russians.
He, along with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, had proposed a one-month “truce” in Ukraine, he said.
Macron stressed again that the European troops would only be deployed to Ukraine after the peace should be established.
Quick results from thawing Russia-U.S. relations shouldn’t be expected, but the two countries are seeking to outline their priorities for cooperation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
“It seems to me that even now we need to outline the range of possible topics for cooperation, but we should not expect any quick results in this area right now,” Peskov said during a recent interview with local media.
There will be much to do to repair the badly-damaged Russia-U.S. relations, Peskov said.
Meanwhile, he stressed that normalizing Russia-U.S. relations could be achieved more quickly if both Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump have the political will to do it.
The U.S. administration is reshaping its foreign policy contents, which are largely consistent with Russia, he added.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) shakes hands with visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in front of 10 Downing Street in London, Britain, March 1, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Sunday that Britain will allow Ukraine to use 1.6 billion pounds (2 billion U.S. dollars) of British export finance to purchase more than 5,000 air defense missiles.
“This will be vital for protecting critical infrastructure and strengthening Ukraine,” Starmer told a press conference following a summit with Western leaders in London.
The goal is “to put Ukraine in the strongest position” so the country can negotiate from a position of strength, he added.
Western leaders, including more than a dozen European heads of state and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, gathered in London on Sunday for a defense summit aimed at advancing a peace plan for Ukraine.
Starmer said leaders at the summit had agreed on a four-step plan to guarantee peace in Ukraine: to maintain military aid to Ukraine while the conflict continues and increase economic pressure on Russia; to ensure that any lasting peace guarantees Ukraine’s sovereignty and security, with Ukraine at the table for any negotiations; to deter “any future invasion by Russia” in the event of a peace deal; and to establish a “coalition of the willing” to defend Ukraine and uphold peace in the country.
The leaders also agreed to meet again soon to sustain the momentum behind these efforts, Starmer said.
The prime minister reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to supporting the peace plan with “boots on the ground, and planes in the air.”
“Europe must do the heavy lifting,” he said, emphasizing that the agreement needs U.S. backing.
“Let me be clear, we agree with Trump on the urgent need for a durable peace. Now we need to deliver together,” he said.
Earlier on Sunday before the summit, Starmer announced that Britain, France and Ukraine will work on a ceasefire plan to present to the United States. He named three essential points to achieve “lasting peace” — a strong Ukraine, a European element with security guarantees, and a U.S. backstop, with the last one being the subject of “intense” discussion.
The summit took place amid diplomatic tensions, following a heated exchange earlier this week between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, which led to the cancellation of an anticipated raw materials agreement between the two countries.
On Saturday, Zelensky met with Starmer at 10 Downing Street, where the British prime minister reaffirmed the UK’s “unwavering determination” to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine. Following the meeting, Ukrainian Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko announced that Britain and Ukraine had agreed on a loan of 2.26 billion pounds to support Ukraine’s defense capabilities. (1 pound = 1.26 U.S. dollar)
The Oval Office encounter was expected to be an on-camera meeting between the president and the Ukrainian head of state before the signing of a crucial minerals deal between the two countries that was meant to be a key step toward ending war in Ukraine.
But as reporters described it, the initially routine meeting devolved into a “fiery exchange” in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance “berated” and “harangued” Zelenskyy after he pushed back on Vance’s assertion that Trump’s diplomatic skills would ensure that Russian president Vladimir Putin would honor a cease fire agreement.
Trump’s compulsion to dominate both alliesand enemies seems to have caused him to jettison the negotiation the moment that Zelenskyy declined to perform subservient fealty. The meeting, which was ended by Trump with no agreement signed, illustrated why authoritarians are lousy dealmakers, particularly when autocratic instincts are exacerbated by what’s known as toxic masculinity.
Toxic masculinity is a version of masculinity that discourages empathy, expresses strength through dominance, normalizes violence against women and associates leadership with white patriarchy. It devalues behaviors considered to be “feminine” and suggests that the way to earn others’ respect is to accrue power and status.
Trump’s reaction to Zelenskyy in the Oval Office illustrates how these inclinations stymie the president’s purported dealmaking abilities, undermine democratic values and make the world a more dangerous place.
Excerpts from the Feb. 28 Oval Office meeting, featuring U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Diplomat, dealmaker or mafia don?
Trump staged the public Oval Office meeting with Zelenskyy to showcase his ostensible prowess as – in his words – an “arbitrator” and “mediator.” Trump insisted during the first 40 minutes that “my whole life is deals” and asserted that he has what it takes to make Putin conform to a peace agreement with an embattled Ukraine.
Apparently eager to project a persona as a successful diplomat and powerful dealmaker, Trump rejected a reporter’s suggestion that “you align yourself too much with Putin” and not with democratic values.
Trump contended that in order to successfully negotiate, he couldn’t alienate either Putin or Zelenskyy. “If I didn’t align myself with both of them,” he said, “you’d never have a deal.” Instead, he claimed, “I’m aligned with the United States of America and for the good of the world. I’m aligned with the world.”
Vance initially echoed Trump’s message, casting Trump as a consummate diplomat and arguing, “What makes America a good country is America engaging in diplomacy.”
But Vance’s tone shifted the moment Zelenskyy challenged Trump’s framing.
Zelenskyy provided historical examples of U.S. diplomatic failures and observed that Trump and other presidents had been unable to contain Putin. Vance responded by castigating Zelenskyy for not “thanking the president” and repeatedly instructed him to “say thank you” as the exchange grew more volatile.
Trump, seemingly angered after Vance pointed out Zelenskyy’s lack of deference, dropped his diplomatic tone and informed Zelenskyy, “You’ve got to be more thankful because let me tell you, you don’t have the cards. With us, you have the cards, but without us, you don’t have any cards.”
After the meeting, both the New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman and Slate’s Kaplan compared Trump to a mafia don. The Daily Beast writer David Rothkopf suggested he was more like “the Luca Brasi for mob boss Vladimir Putin,” invoking Don Corleone’s henchman in the movie “The Godfather.”
After Trump suspended negotiations, canceled lunch and expelled the Ukrainian delegation from the White House, Reuters reported that “most Republicans rallied behind Trump and Vance.”
President Donald Trump, center, and Vice President JD Vance meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on Feb. 28, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Many of his supporters voted for Trump in 2016 because they wanted a “dealmaker in chief,” as one poll characterized it, who could get things done in a fractured Congress.
In his second term, despite having a Republican congressional majority, Trump has established himself as the nation’s sole authority, embracing toxic masculinity’s theory of power and respect. Doing an end run around Congress and flouting the law, Trump initiated scores of policy changes via executive order and asserted that neither lawmakers nor judges have the authority to challenge or constrain him.
Trump’s blow-up at Zelenskyy is much more than a foreign policy snafu. It’s a preview of what will happen when toxic masculinity drives U.S. foreign policy.
Toxic masculinity on the world stage
A screenshot of various U.K. newspapers’ headlines about the Oval Office meeting. CBS Evening News
Trump initially acknowledged that Russian abuses were “tough stuff,” but concern for Ukrainians seems to have vanished after Zelenskyy politely challenged Trump.
Decrying Zelenskyy’s insufficient gratitude and escalating the conflict, Trump asserted, “You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country, that’s backed you far more than a lot of people said they should have.”
Vance similarly shifted focus from the needs of Ukrainian civilians to paying homage to Trump, demanding that Zelenskyy “offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who is trying to save your country.”
A common tactic employed by abusers is to demand that the person they are bullying show them gratitude.
In their berating, bullying and humiliation of Zelenskyy, the president and vice president of the United States used the language and rhetoric of abusers in an apparent attempt to try to force the proud and dignified leader of a country at war to grovel and get in line.
Their lack of discipline and decorum also upended the negotiation, jeopardizing a deal aimed at halting the fighting in Ukraine and advancing U.S. interests.
In my view, the toxic masculinity on display in the Oval Office on Feb. 28, 2025, was a bald demonstration of something new and alarming to a public accustomed to decorum and diplomacy in that formal setting.
For many, the enduring image of that meeting is an anxious Zelenskyy being hectored by a furious Trump.
But there’s another image that captures equally well the dynamic unfolding in the room. Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova sat in a chair just in front of the assembled members of the press. Papers held steady in her lap with one hand, the normally unflappable member of the diplomatic corps buried her head in her other hand, unable to even look at what was happening.
Karrin Vasby Anderson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
This morning, the Trump Administration was out in force across the TV networks as they updated the American people on President Trump’s agenda.
Here’s what you missed:
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on ABC This Week
On negotiations to end the war in Ukraine: “The sooner everyone grows up around here and figures out that this is a bad war that’s heading in a bad direction… the more progress we’re going to be able to make. But the president is crystal clear… he is going to be a president that tries to achieve peace.”
On President Trump’s desire for peace: “Shouldn’t we all be happy that we have a president who’s trying to stop wars and prevent them instead of start them? And I just don’t get it. I really don’t, other than the fact that it’s Donald J. Trump. If this was a Democrat that was doing this, everyone would be saying, well, he’s on his way to the Nobel Peace Prize. This is absurd. We are trying to end a war. You cannot end a war unless both sides come to the table, starting with the Russians. And – and that – that is the point the president has made.”
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on State of the Union
Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick on Sunday Morning Futures
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Fox News Sunday
On the danger of continuing the war in Ukraine: “The longer this goes on, not only are more Ukrainians losing their lives, but it increases the potential of this escalation towards World War III … That’s not a cost that President Trump is willing to accept.”
Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent on Face the Nation
On rebuilding the economy: “President Trump’s been in office five weeks… interest rates — the 10-year bond… have been down every week since President Trump was President. Mortgage rates have been down every week. So, that’s a pretty good start.”
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Media Buzz
On cameras being able to witness President Trump’s Oval Office meeting with Ukraine: “President Trump is the most transparent president in history. And as he said, it was great for the cameras to be in there because the American people — and the world — were able to see what the president and his team have seen behind the scenes in negotiating with President Zelenskyy’s team. They have continually denied the pragmatic reality of where their country stands today.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
Chair’s Statement: Leaders Meeting on Ukraine, London, 2 March 2025
Chair’s Statement from the Leaders Meeting on Ukraine in London on 2 March 2025.
Today, I hosted counterparts from across Europe including Türkiye, as well as the NATO Secretary General and the Presidents of the EU Commission, EU Council and Canada, in London to discuss our support for Ukraine.
Together, we reaffirmed our determination to work for a permanent peace in Ukraine, in partnership with the United States. Europe’s security is our responsibility above all. We will step up to this historic task and increase our investment in our own defence.
We must not repeat the mistakes of the past when weak deals allowed President Putin to invade again. We will work with President Trump to ensure a strong, just, and lasting peace that ensures Ukraine’s future sovereignty and security. Ukraine must be able to deter and defend itself against future Russian attack. There must be no talks on Ukraine without Ukraine. We have agreed that the UK, France and others will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting which we will discuss further with the US and take forward together.
Equally importantly, we discussed further rapid steps to enhance our support for Ukraine in pursuit of ‘peace through strength’. We will step up our military support, ensuring Ukraine has the support it needs to train its armed forces and accelerating our support in areas of greatest need. To help bring President Putin to the table, we will put further pressure on Russia by increasing sanctions, including on Russia’s energy revenues, while tightening enforcement of existing measures.
We also agreed that Ukraine must have robust security arrangements in place at the time of any future peace deal so that Russia does not invade again. We will accelerate plans to build up Ukraine’s own armed forces and border defences after any deal, and ensure that Ukraine can draw on munitions, finance and equipment to defend itself.
In addition, many of us expressed readiness to contribute to Ukraine’s security, including through a force consisting of European and other partners, and will intensify our planning.
We will continue to work closely together to drive forward next steps, and will take decisions in the coming weeks.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Historic £1.6bn deal provides thousands of air defence missiles for Ukraine and boosts UK jobs and growth
Deal will create 200 jobs in Northern Ireland and provide 5000 air defence missiles missiles to Ukraine.
200 new jobs will be created and hundreds more supported at one of the UK’s leading defence manufacturers, after a £1.6bn deal was announced by the Prime Minister today to supply thousands of advanced air defence missiles to Ukraine.
The latest measures in the UK’s support for Ukraine to achieve peace through strength, the deal will also provide a major boost to the UK economy and support 700 existing jobs at Thales in Belfast, which will manufacture more than 5,000 lightweight-multirole missiles (LMM) for Ukraine’s defence. The deal will see production of LMMs at Thales’s factory treble and will also benefit companies in the Thales Supply Chain across the UK – putting more money in working people’s pockets.
It is the largest contract ever received by Thales in Belfast and the second largest MOD has placed with Thales, building on a previous contract with Thales, signed in September 2024 for 650 missiles. The first batch of missiles were delivered before Christmas, and this new contract will continue deliveries.
The deal comes after the Prime Minister announced the Government’s commitment to increase spending on defence to 2.5% of GDP by April 2027 and confirmed an ambition to spend 3% of GDP on defence in the next parliament, in order to keep Britain safe and secure for generations to come. This investment will be an opportunity to translate defence spending into British growth, British jobs, British skills, and British innovation.
The deal helps deliver on the Government’s pledge in its Plan for Change to improve the lives of people in every corner of the UK by growing the economy. By spending more on defence we will deliver the national security that underpins economic growth, and unlock new jobs, skills and opportunities across the country.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
My support for Ukraine is unwavering. I am determined to find a way forward that brings an end to Russia’s illegal war and guarantees Ukraine a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security.
I am also clear that national security is economic security. As well as levelling up Ukraine’s air defence, this loan will make working people here in the UK better off, boosting our economy and supporting jobs in Northern Ireland and beyond.
By doubling down on our support, working closely with key partners, and ensuring Ukraine has a strong voice at the table, I believe we can achieve a strong, lasting deal that delivers a permanent peace in Ukraine.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:
Three years since Putin launched his full-scale invasion, we are now at a critical moment for the future of Ukraine and the security of us all in Europe.
We all want a secure and lasting peace. As today’s meeting has showed, the UK will continue to lead international efforts to support Ukraine in securing a ceasefire and durable peace. And we will not jeopardise the peace by forgetting about the war. This new support will help protect Ukraine against drone and missile attacks but it will also help deter further Russian aggression following any end to the fighting.
This new deal delivers on the UK’s ironclad commitment to step up military support for Ukraine, whilst boosting jobs and growth at home.
Today’s deal marks a historic step for industrial relations between the UK and Ukraine, building on the 100 Year Partnership signed recently by the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy in Kyiv. The contract will enable Ukraine to draw on £3.5bn of export finance to acquire military equipment from UK companies, boosting both the UK’s and Ukraine’s defence industrial bases and support investment in further military capabilities.
Ukraine has already put the highly capable LMM missile to use as part of its air defences where it has proven to be incredibly effective in protecting civilians and critical infrastructure from Russia’s bombardment. A £162m contract announced in September last year saw 650 LMM missiles supplied to Ukraine as an initial order to ramp up production – deliveries started in December 2024.
Thales Northern Ireland will deliver the contract – worth an initial £1.16bn with the potential for around a further £500m of work to be added – in collaboration with a Ukrainian industry partner, which will manufacture launchers and command and control vehicles for the missiles in Ukraine.
The contract has been placed by the MOD’s procurement arm Defence Equipment & Support on behalf of the Ukrainian Government, to be funded by a loan underwritten by United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF) after a deal signed last year to allow Ukraine to draw on £3.5bn worth of support from UKEF to spend with UK industry.
As set out in the Plan for Change, national security is the first duty of the Government – and a strong economy is built on the bedrock of strong security. Increased defence spending will support highly skilled jobs and apprenticeships across the whole of the UK. Last year, defence spending supported over 430,000 jobs across the UK, the equivalent to one in every 60, and 68% of defence spending goes outside of London and the Southeast, benefitting every nation and region of the country.
Andy Start, DE&S CEO and UK National Armaments Director said:
The UK’s Defence Industry has supported Ukraine from the start of the war and this important contract underlines industry’s ability to scale up production at pace to deliver the world-class defence equipment Ukraine requires.
This contract is a critical next step in the work of Task Force HIRST in developing lasting partnerships between the UK and Ukraine’s defence industries. The substantial increase in LMM production capacity will benefit both Ukraine’s fight tonight, as well as the longer-term security of the UK.
The deal marks the next milestone in the work of the MOD’s Taskforce HIRST and the first of a series of “mega projects” to be delivered for Ukraine, with the HIRST team working to build long-term relationships with Ukrainian industry to restore and modernise their defence industrial base, support its future defence and economic growth.
Earlier this month, the Defence Secretary announced a new £150m military support package to support Ukrainian troops fighting Russia on the frontline, part of the UK’s unprecedented £3 billion annual pledge to Ukraine.
The UK has committed to spending £3bn next financial year to support Ukraine, with an additional £1.5bn from interest on seized assets through the Extraordinary Revenue Accelerator – taking the total to £4.5Bn. This will ensure Ukraine can achieve peace through strength and underscoring the new 100 Year Partnership between the UK and Ukraine.
For over three years, Ukraine has fought with extraordinary courage and resilience against Russia’s illegal, full-scale invasion. This ongoing aggression is not only a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty, but also a direct attack on the rules-based international order, freedom, and democracy everywhere. Canada remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine and its people as they continue to defend their independence.
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today participated in the Securing our Future Summit in London, United Kingdom. Hosted by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer, the Summit brought together Euro-Atlantic and NATO leaders to promote unity, reinforce collective security, and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to Ukraine in the face of Russia’s continued aggression.
During the Securing our Future Summit, the Prime Minister announced new sanctions against 10 individuals and 21 entities, including paramilitary organizations and their leaders, to help counter Russia’s reliance on third-party organizations and countries to advance its political and military objectives in Ukraine. To date, Canada has imposed sanctions on over 3,000 individuals and entities complicit in Russia’s aggression – and we remain committed to working with our partners to increase economic pressure on Russia.
Throughout the Summit, the Prime Minister engaged with his counterparts on the future of international support for Ukraine, emphasizing the urgent need for continued and co-ordinated action in the face of growing global instability and uncertainty. Together, the leaders agreed that there can be no sustainable peace in Europe without security for Ukraine, that any peaceful end to the conflict must include Ukraine at the negotiating table, and that any peace deal should include robust security guarantees.
At a plenary session, Prime Minister Trudeau underlined that strengthening security and stability in Ukraine and the Euro-Atlantic region will remain a top priority for Canada, including as part of our G7 Presidency this year. He underscored our leadership in supporting Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, which includes almost $20 billion in multifaceted assistance ranging from military aid – such as armoured vehicles and drone technology – to humanitarian and financial assistance to help Ukraine rebuild and recover.
The Prime Minister highlighted the ongoing work of members of the Canadian Armed Forces in the United Kingdom and Poland under Operation UNIFIER. Since 2015, they have provided military training to over 44,000 Ukrainian troops. Canada continues to engage closely with Ukraine, Allies, and partners on how best to enhance support through Operation UNIFIER to help Ukraine defend itself.
Prime Minister Trudeau also emphasized the importance of standing together to hold Russia accountable for its violations of international law, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.
Canada’s commitment to Ukraine is unwavering. We will continue to stand with Ukraine and work closely with our Allies to provide the necessary military, economic, and humanitarian support to push back against Russian aggression. We are stronger when we work together. And together, we can ensure Ukraine is able to defend itself, rebuild, and secure a just and lasting peace.
Quote
“Ukraine’s fight for sovereignty is a fight for freedom and democracy everywhere. The important discussions we had today reinforced our shared resolve: as Allies, we will remain steadfast in our support for Ukraine. Canada will be there for Ukraine until there is a just and lasting peace. Slava Ukraini!”
Quick Facts
In London, the Prime Minister held a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer. Before returning to Canada tomorrow, he will also have an audience with His Majesty King Charles III.
The new sanctions announced today include nine leaders of post-Wagner paramilitary organizations, one member of the affiliated senior Russian military leadership, nine paramilitary organizations operating in Ukraine and in the Kremlin’s Africa-network, and 12 affiliated organizations that are responsible for resource extraction within this network.
Since the beginning of 2022, Canada has committed almost $20 billion in multifaceted support to Ukraine. This includes:
Over $12.4 billion in direct financial assistance, the highest in the G7 on a per capita basis.
$4.5 billion in military assistance, such as M777 howitzers, Leopard 2 main battle tanks, armoured combat support vehicles, hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition, high-resolution drone cameras, thermal clothing, body armour, fuel, and more.
$585 million in development assistance, including support to Ukraine’s energy system.
$372.2 million in humanitarian assistance, including support for emergency health interventions, protection services, and essentials such as shelter, water, sanitation, and food. Programming also addresses child protection, mental health support, and prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence.
Nearly $225 million in security and stabilization assistance.
As announced by the Prime Minister in Kyiv last month, Canada has started delivering on its commitment of a $5 billion contribution toward the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) Loans mechanism. Launched at last year’s G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy, the ERA Loans aim to bring forward future revenues from frozen Russian sovereign assets to provide Ukraine with approximately US$50 billion in additional funding as it continues to defend its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.
In February 2024, Prime Minister Trudeau and President Zelenskyy signed the historic Agreement on Security Cooperation between Canada and Ukraine, establishing a new strategic security partnership between our two countries. This included $3.02 billion in critical financial and military support to Ukraine for 2024.
Launched by Canada and Ukraine in 2024, the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children co-ordinates joint efforts and co-operation between Ukraine and partner states to address the issue of the unlawful deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children by Russia. To date, 41 states and the Council of Europe have joined the Coalition, helping successfully facilitate the safe return of over 1,000 children.
As part of the 2024 Fall Economic Statement, the federal government announced last year its intention to double down on our efforts to support Ukraine, including through proposed legislative changes that will ensure profits from frozen Russian assets are used to rebuild Ukraine.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Canada has welcomed more than 220,000 Ukrainians. We are helping Ukrainian families find a safe, temporary home and have put support services in place for their arrival. This includes temporary financial assistance and access to federally funded settlement services, such as language training and employment-related services.
Canada and Ukraine have long been steadfast partners and close friends. In 1991, Canada became the first Western country to recognize Ukraine’s independence. Today, 1.3 million people of Ukrainian descent call Canada home – the largest Ukrainian diaspora in the Western world. In 2022, total bilateral trade between our two countries was valued at over $421 million.
This was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s 11th official visit to the United Kingdom.
Canada and the United Kingdom share a strong relationship rooted in deep historical ties and common values. We work closely together to advance shared priorities, including sustainable growth, rules-based international trade, gender equality, the fight against climate change, democracy and media freedom, and support for Ukraine.
In 2023, the United Kingdom was Canada’s third-largest destination for goods and services exports, with trade valued at $47 billion.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
News story
PM call with leaders of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania: 2 March 2025
The Prime Minister spoke to President Alar Karis of Estonia, Prime Minister Evika Siliņa of Latvia and President Gitanas Nausėda of Lithuania this morning.
The Prime Minister spoke to President Alar Karis of Estonia, Prime Minister Evika Siliņa of Latvia and President Gitanas Nausėda of Lithuania this morning.
The Prime Minister reiterated that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are key partners of the UK, including through the Joint Expeditionary Force, and welcomed their leading contributions in support of Ukraine since Russia’s illegal invasion began.
The Prime Minister updated them on his discussions with the leaders of Ukraine, France and the United States in recent days – and underlined his focus on securing a lasting peace in Ukraine that ensures their future sovereignty, backed up by strong security guarantees.
They all agreed that Europe must unite and drive forward urgent action that will secure the best outcome, which will be vital for Europe’s future security.
The Prime Minister updated on his plans to convene leaders in London later today for further discussions and they agreed to stay in close contact in the coming weeks.
Tel-Aviv, Israel, March 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EllomayCapital Ltd.(NYSE American; TASE: ELLO) (“Ellomay” or the “Company”), a renewable energy and power generator and developer of renewable energy and power projects in Europe, Israel and the USA, today reported that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Ellomay Holdings Luxembourg Sarl (“EllomayLuxembourg”), which owns a portfolio of 198 MW solar facilities in Italy, among other assets, that includes operating and “ready to build” projects (the “ItalianSolarPortfolio”), entered into a set of agreements governing the procurement of financing (the “Project Finance”) with a reputable European institutional investor (the “Lender”), intended to finance the construction and related expenses of the Italian Solar Portfolio. The Italian Solar Portfolio includes three solar facilities, in the aggregate capacity of approximately 38 MW, which are already constructed and connected to the grid, and additional projects with an aggregate capacity of approximately 160 MW that have reached ready-to-build status.
The Project Finance in an amount of up to €110 million will be provided by way of senior secured notes to be issued in multiple tranches during the construction phase by a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ellomay Luxembourg. All notes are due on December 31, 2047 and to be repaid in semi-annual installments. The notes bear interest from and including the issue date to and excluding the maturity date at the rate of 4.50% per annum, to be paid semi-annually in arrears.
The financial closing of the Project Finance is expected to occur in the coming weeks.
AboutEllomayCapital Ltd.
Ellomay is an Israeli based company whose shares are registered with the NYSE American and with the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “ELLO”. Since 2009, Ellomay Capital focuses its business in the renewable energy and power sectors in Europe, USA and Israel.
To date, Ellomay has evaluated numerous opportunities and invested significant funds in the renewable, clean energy and natural resources industries in Israel, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Texas, USA, including:
Approximately 335.9 MW of operating solar power plants in Spain (including a 300 MW solar plant in owned by Talasol, which is 51% owned by the Company) and approximately 38 MW of operating solar power plants in Italy;
9.375% indirect interest in Dorad Energy Ltd., which owns and operates one of Israel’s largest private power plants with production capacity of approximately 850MW, representing about 6%-8% of Israel’s total current electricity consumption;
Groen Gas Goor B.V., Groen Gas Oude-Tonge B.V. and Groen Gas Gelderland B.V., project companies operating anaerobic digestion plants in the Netherlands, with a green gas production capacity of approximately 3 million, 3.8 million and 9.5 million Nm3 per year, respectively;
83.333% of Ellomay Pumped Storage (2014) Ltd., which is involved in a project to construct a 156 MW pumped storage hydro power plant in the Manara Cliff, Israel;
Solar projects in Italy with an aggregate capacity of 285 MW that have reached “ready to build” status; and
Solar projects in the Dallas Metropolitan area, Texas, USA with an aggregate capacity of 49 MW that are under construction.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including statements that are based on the current expectations and assumptions of the Company’s management. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding the Company’s plans and objectives, expectations and assumptions of management are forward-looking statements. The use of certain words, including the words “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “expect,” “believe” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on the Company’s forward-looking statements. Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those that may be expressed or implied by the Company’s forward-looking statements, including the non-fulfillment of any of the conditions to closing set forth in the Project Finance documentation, changes in electricity prices and demand, regulatory changes, increases in interest rates and inflation, changes in the supply and prices of resources required for the operation of the Company’s facilities (such as waste and natural gas) and in the price of oil, the impact of the war and hostilities in Israel and Gaza, the impact of continued military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, technical and other disruptions in the operations or construction of the power plants owned by the Company and general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates, including Israel, Spain, Italy and the United States. These and other risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business are described in greater detail in the filings the Company makes from time to time with Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 20-F. The forward-looking statements are made as of this date and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
