VICTORIA NULAND

The head of U.S. intelligence says fighting in Russia's war in Ukraine is running at a "reduced tempo" and suggests Ukrainian forces could have brighter prospects in coming months.

KYIV, Ukraine — (AP) — The head of U.S. intelligence says fighting in Russia’s war in Ukraine is running at a “reduced tempo” and suggests Ukrainian forces could have brighter prospects in coming months. The survey, commissioned by the Kremlin, found that 55% of respondents backed peace talks with Ukraine while 25% wanted the war to go on. Australia, Britain, Canada, Japan, the United States and the 27-nation European Union agreed Friday to cap what they would pay for Russian oil at $60 per barrel. The limit is set to take effect Monday, along with an EU embargo on Russian oil shipped by sea. In yet another show of Western support for Ukraine's efforts to battle back Russian forces and cope with fallout from the war, U.S.

KYIV, Ukraine — (AP) — The head of U.S. intelligence says fighting in Russia’s war in Ukraine is running at a “reduced tempo” and suggests Ukrainian forces could have brighter prospects in coming months. Australia, Britain, Canada, Japan, the United States and the 27-nation European Union agreed Friday to cap what they would pay for Russian oil at $60 per barrel. The limit is set to take effect Monday, along with an EU embargo on Russian oil shipped by sea. In yet another show of Western support for Ukraine's efforts to battle back Russian forces and cope with fallout from the war, U.S. “As President Putin knows best, this war could stop today, if he chose to stop it and withdrew his forces — and then negotiations can begin,” she added.

The head of U.S. intelligence says Russia’s war against Ukraine is running at a “reduced tempo” and suggests Ukrainian forces may have the upper hand in coming months

The head of U.S. intelligence says Russia’s war against Ukraine is running at a “reduced tempo” and suggests Ukrainian forces may have the upper hand in coming months.

The head of U.S. intelligence says fighting in Russia’s war in Ukraine is running at a “reduced tempo” and suggests Ukrainian forces could have brighter prospects in coming months. Avril Haines alluded to past allegations by some that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s advisers could be shielding him from bad news — for Russia — about war developments, and said he “is becoming more informed of the challenges that the military faces in Russia.” “But it’s still not clear to us that he has a full picture of at this stage of just how challenged they are,” the U.S. director of national intelligence said late Saturday at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California.

The U.N. General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to condemn Russia’s “attempted illegal annexation” of four Ukrainian regions and demand that Moscow immediately reverse its action.

Top diplomats from the Group of Seven wealthy nations have gathered in northern Germany for a three-day meeting centered on Russia’s war against Ukraine and the wider impact it is having around the world.

Islamic State FILE - A motorist passes by a flag of the Islamic State group in central Rawah, 175 miles (281 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad, Iraq, July 22, 2014. Members of the global coalition fighting the Islamic State group are meeting in Morocco on Wednesday May 11, 20222 to discuss ongoing efforts in the campaign. Islamic extremists in Nigeria also have carried out violence under the banner of a group they call the Islamic State West Africa Province. Mozambique’s extremist rebels are also aligned with the IS group and announced this week it is known as the Islamic State Mozambique Province. Numerous Moroccans have traveled to Syria, Iraq and elsewhere to join extremist groups in recent years.

Members of the global coalition fighting the Islamic State group are meeting in Morocco to discuss the campaign.

U.S. Treasury says the actors are pivotal to helping extremists travel to Syria and other regions where IS operates. The sanctions, imposed by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, block any property or other assets the individuals have in the U.S. and those who engage in business with the sanctioned people could receive secondary sanctions. The announcement comes just two days ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers from the global anti-IS coalition that is happening in Morocco on Wednesday. The U.S. government refers to the group as ISIS, which stands for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

The U.S. announced Monday it is imposing financial penalties on five people accused of fundraising for the Islamic State group and using the funds to help traffic children to serve as fighters for the organization.

(AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) (Petros Karadjias)NICOSIA, Cyprus — (AP) — A proposed pipeline to deliver natural gas from deposits in the east Mediterranean to European markets is too expensive, not economically viable and will take too long to help countries seeking alternatives to Russian gas any time soon, a senior U.S. diplomat said Thursday. But she said the proposed East Med pipeline project wouldn't be able to immediately deliver the gas Europe now needs to swiftly wean itself of Russian energy because it would run in very deep water and construction would take more than a decade. Nuland said the U.S. and regional partners including Israel, Greece, Cyprus and Turkey are looking for alternative ways to get gas to markets. One project that has U.S. backing is an electric cable linking Israel and Cyprus to the European continent. Cyprus Energy Minister Natasa Pilides told The Associated Press last October that transferring gas by pipeline to Egyptian processing plants where it would be liquefied for export aboard ships is the “most likely option” to quickly get gas to mainland Europe.

A senior U.S. diplomat says a proposed pipeline to deliver natural gas from deposits in the east Mediterranean to European markets is too expensive, not economically viable and will take too long to help countries seeking alternatives to Russian gas any time soon.

A U_S_ State Department official says Russian “disinformation” about its war against Ukraine needs to be exposed, including on Russia’s “war crimes.”

Israel is grappling with how to deal with dozens of Jewish Russian oligarchs as Western nations step up sanctions on businesspeople with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Ukraine will never be a victory for Putin," Biden said as he announced a U.S. ban on Russian energy imports on Tuesday. But Ukraine might not be a complete defeat for Putin either. The sanctions and military aid may have been effective in slowing the Russian advance in Ukraine and perhaps discouraging Putin from targeting other countries. “The endgame has to be decided by the Ukrainians in terms of what they will accept,” he said. Appearing beside Blinken, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss suggested the Western response may go beyond hopes of getting Russia out of Ukraine.

“Ukraine will never be a victory for Putin,” Biden said as he announced a U.S. ban on Russian energy imports on Tuesday. But Ukraine might not be a complete defeat for Putin either. The sanctions and military aid may have been effective in slowing the Russian advance in Ukraine and perhaps discouraging Putin from targeting other countries. “The endgame has to be decided by the Ukrainians in terms of what they will accept,” he said. Appearing beside Blinken, British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss suggested the Western response may go beyond hopes of getting Russia out of Ukraine.

As Western leaders congratulate themselves for their speedy and severe responses to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, they’re also scratching their heads with uncertainty about what their actions will accomplish.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ trip to Warsaw to thank Poland for taking in Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion is taking an unexpected turn.

In a deeply sexist segment, the Fox News host tries to rewrite his advocacy for the Russian president.

The U.S. has technical information linking Russia to the attacks, says the deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger.

The following is a transcript of an interview with Victoria Nuland, undersecretary of state for political affairs, that aired Sunday, January 30, 2022, on "Face the Nation."

Mitt Romney Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, speaks during a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations to examine U.S.-Russia policy with testimony from Victoria Nuland, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, in Washington. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo, File)Sen. Mitt Romney tested positive Friday for COVID-19, according to a statement released by his office. Nearly 64% of Americans, or 211.3 million people, have been fully vaccinated, and over 41% of those who have been fully vaccinated have gotten booster shots, CDC data shows. Officials have confirmed more than 74 million COVID-19 infections and reported over 882,000 deaths nationwide, according to numbers compiled by Johns Hopkins University. More than 369.3 million COVID-19 cases have been reported worldwide, resulting in 5.6 million deaths, according to the university.

Rob Portman Sen. Rob Portman said he tested positive Monday night for COVID-19 ahead of his planned return to Washington, according to WHIO-TV. My statement after receiving a positive COVID test result: https://t.co/G83WtzaSFk pic.twitter.com/NAdckmBal9 — Rob Portman (@senrobportman) January 4, 2022Pressley has represented Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2019. Since the start of the pandemic, several lawmakers have tested positive for COVID-19, including Sens. More than 292.6 million COVID-19 cases have been reported worldwide, resulting in over 5.4 million deaths, according to the university.

U.S. President Joe Biden says that he has warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that Moscow will face a severe economic pain if it tries to attack Ukraine, but promised prospective talks to address Russia’s concerns about NATO’s expansion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says the Kremlin has “constructive” relations with the Biden administration and has voiced hope that mutual interests would eventually help normalize U.S.-Russia ties.

Amid an epidemic of ransomware attacks, the U.S. is discussing cybersecurity strategy with 30 countries while leaving out one key player: Russia.

MOSCOW — (AP) — Russia offered the U.S. on Tuesday to roll back several rounds of sanctions that have hampered the activities of their diplomatic missions, but reaffirmed its strong opposition to any U.S. military presence in Central Asia. The Russian Foreign Ministry reiterated Moscow's readiness to respond in kind to any unfriendly U.S. actions and called for rolling back a slew of sanctions and restrictions on diplomatic missions. "We strongly reaffirmed the unacceptability to Russia of any form of U.S. military presence in Central Asian countries,” he said, according to Interfax. But Russia, which has maintained close political, economic, security and military ties with the Central Asian countries, has bristled at any such U.S. presence. The U.S. also used a base in Kyrgyzstan but that country asked the U.S. to leave in 2014 under pressure from Russia.

MOSCOW — (AP) — Russia on Tuesday reaffirmed its strong opposition to any U.S. military presence in Central Asia to a visiting senior U.S. diplomat. "We strongly reaffirmed the unacceptability to Russia of any form of U.S. military presence in Central Asian countries,” he said, according to Interfax. But Russia, which has maintained close political, economic, security and military ties with the Central Asian countries, has bristled at any such U.S. presence. It also used a base in Kyrgyzstan but it asked the U.S. to leave in 2014 under pressure from Russia. During her visit to Moscow, Nuland is also set to hold talks with Kremlin deputy chief of staff Dmitry Kozak, who acts as President Vladimir Putin's point person on Ukraine.

Russia has offered the U.S. to roll back several rounds of sanctions that have hampered the activities of their diplomatic missions, and they agreed to hold another round of talks to discuss a resolution to their diplomatic tug-of-war.

The Taliban appear to have “strategic momentum” in the fight for control of Afghanistan as American forces complete their withdrawal, the top U.S. military officer said Wednesday. (July 21)

WASHINGTON — (AP) — The United States and Germany have reached a deal that will allow the completion of a controversial Russian gas pipeline to Europe without the imposition of further U.S. sanctions, a senior U.S. official said Wednesday. However, there is strong bipartisan opposition to the pipeline in Congress as well as in Ukraine and Poland, which fear Nord Stream 2 will undermine European energy security. Like the Trump administration before it, the Biden administration also opposes the pipeline but it insists that sanctions won't stop it. Nuland, the third-ranking U.S. diplomat, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the U.S. and Germany would release a joint statement later Wednesday regarding the pipeline. She said Washington and Berlin had committed to imposing sanctions on Russia and German companies should Moscow use the pipeline as a political weapon.

The United States and Germany have reached a deal that will allow the completion of a controversial Russian gas pipeline to Europe without the imposition of further U.S. sanctions.

The United States and Germany have reached a deal that will allow the completion of a controversial Russian gas pipeline to Europe without the imposition of further U.S. sanctions, a senior U.S. official said Wednesday. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland told Congress that the two governments would shortly announce details of the pact that is intended to address U.S. and eastern and central European concerns about the impact of the Nord Stream 2 project. Like the Trump administration before it, the Biden administration also opposes the pipeline but it insists that sanctions won't stop it.

Top Biden administration officials have hosted a brother to powerful Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in Washington.

When Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels to Ukraine he’ll be carrying a tough anti-graft message and strong U.S. backing for the country’s response to Russian aggression. He’ll also be bringing along a familiar face in the Washington-Moscow tug-of-war over Ukraine: Victoria Nuland. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File) (Efrem Lukatsky)WASHINGTON — (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Ukraine on Wednesday carrying a tough anti-graft message and strong U.S. backing for the country’s response to Russian aggression. Blinken has also brought along a familiar face in the long-running Washington-Moscow tug-of-war over Ukraine: Victoria Nuland, now the No. Yet beyond these major issues, the mere presence in Kyiv of Nuland is likely to irritate Russia.

US Ukraine Russia FILE - In this Oct. 8, 2014, file photo, Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland talks with a Ukrainian border guard general during her visit to the State Border Guard Service in Kyiv, Ukraine. When Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels to Ukraine he’ll be carrying a tough anti-graft message and strong U.S. backing for the country’s response to Russian aggression. He’ll also be bringing along a familiar face in the Washington-Moscow tug-of-war over Ukraine: Victoria Nuland. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File) (Efrem Lukatsky)WASHINGTON — (AP) — When Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels to Ukraine this week he'll be carrying a tough anti-graft message and strong U.S. backing for the country's response to Russian aggression. He'll also be taking along a familiar face in the Washington-Moscow tug-of-war over the former Soviet republic: Victoria Nuland.

US Ukraine Russia FILE - In this Oct. 8, 2014, file photo, Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland talks with a Ukrainian border guard general during her visit to the State Border Guard Service in Kyiv, Ukraine. When Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels to Ukraine he’ll be carrying a tough anti-graft message and strong U.S. backing for the country’s response to Russian aggression. He’ll also be bringing along a familiar face in the Washington-Moscow tug-of-war over Ukraine: Victoria Nuland. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky, File) (Efrem Lukatsky)WASHINGTON — (AP) — When Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels to Ukraine this week he’ll be carrying a tough anti-graft message and strong U.S. backing for the country’s response to Russian aggression. He’ll also be bringing along a familiar face in the Washington-Moscow tug-of-war over the former Soviet republic: Victoria Nuland.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Ukraine carrying a tough anti-graft message and strong U.S. backing for the country’s response to Russian aggression.

FILE - In this March 10, 2011, file photo, then-Vice President Joe Biden, left, shakes hands with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Russia. The Kremlin, meanwhile, focused on Putin’s response to Biden’s proposal to extend the last remaining U.S.-Russia arms control treaty. Before he spoke to Putin, Biden also called NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg to pledge U.S. commitment to the decades-old alliance founded as a bulwark against Russian aggression. Biden’s team has already reacted strongly to the crackdown on the protests, in which more than 3,700 people were arrested across Russia, including more than 1,400 in Moscow. Just from the public accounts, Biden's discussion with Putin appeared diametrically opposed to Trump's relationship with the Russian president.

Biden will nominate Wendy Sherman as deputy secretary of state and Victoria Nuland as undersecretary of state for political affairs — the second- and third-highest ranking posts, respectively. They were among the 11 officials announced to serve under the incoming secretary of state, Antony Blinken. America is back.”Among the others are:—longtime Biden Senate aide Brian McKeon, to be deputy secretary of state for management. —Derek Chollet, a familiar Democratic foreign policy hand, to be State Department counselor. Price and Porter intend to return to the practice of holding daily State Department press briefings, officials said.