Two African states are frustrating Moscow's efforts to establish a stronger military presence in the continent following the fall of Assad.

Since the fall of his regime, the Syrian dictator has joined family and relatives who were already in Russia. For years, the Assad clan has been transferring and investing a large amount of money in Moscow.

"President Putin said that he wants to meet with me as soon as possible," Trump said during his remarks at Turning Point's AmericaFest convention.

Putin has suggested missiles could be used to hit Kyiv's allies who have given Ukraine permission to use Western-supplied weapons to hit targets.

Russia's Vladimir Putin, in his annual marathon news conference, laments "serious blunders" by his security forces and says he'll meet Trump "any time" about Ukraine.

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Volunteers helping to clean up a major oil spill along Russia's Black Sea coast appealed in a video released on Monday for President Vladimir Putin to urgently send federal aid, saying that they and local authorities were overwhelmed.

Vladimir Putin wants a sit-down with Donald Trump as equals in which they divide the world into spheres of influence.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would enquire about the whereabouts of Austin Tice, the American journalist missing in Syria, while responding to a question from an NBC correspondent at his lengthy end-of-year press conference.

Russia's war on Ukraine dominated the opening stages of President Vladimir Putin's annual marathon press conference on Thursday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has boasted about the economy and hailed his troops’ gains in Ukraine during his annual news conference and call-in show.