Ukraine aims to revive the minerals deal with the United States; several European countries resist the EU's call to provide financial and military aid to Ukraine; and Russia may mediate potential nuclear negotiations with Iran. These stories topped Wednesday’s newspaper headlines across Russia, according to TASS news agency.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta: The minerals deal with United States may come at greater cost for Kiev
In an official address to US President Donald Trump, the leadership of Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada voiced gratitude for American support and emphasized that no nation seeks peace more than Ukraine. Meanwhile, members of the US administration have suggested the potential for renewed dialogue following the recent high-level controversy - provided that the Ukrainian president contacts Washington to explain his role in the peace process, Nezavisimaya Gazeta reports. Additionally, US Representative Brian Fitzpatrick confirmed that he and Andrey Ermak, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, had talked about the possibility of reviving the Ukrainian resource agreement. However, experts suggest that rekindling this initiative will now come at a significantly steeper cost for Kiev.
The Verkhovna Rada’s statement, addressed to President Trump, the US Congress, and the American people, underscored the "crucial importance" of US assistance in supporting Ukraine through its most difficult historical moments. It also welcomed President Trump’s initiatives aimed at promoting a peaceful resolution while highlighting the necessity of deepening the strategic partnership with Washington, particularly in the extraction of critical mineral resources.
According to Evgeny Semibratov, Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic Studies and Forecasts at RUDN University, US access to Ukrainian mineral resources is unavoidable in one form or another. In this context, he noted, the Verkhovna Rada’s appeal also sought to assist Vladimir Zelensky, who has found himself in an increasingly unstable position.
However, it is also possible that both sides had an interest in a contentious outcome of the White House negotiations. Trump, for his part, may have sought to expose the Ukrainian leader’s shortcomings to the American public, while Zelensky may have deliberately heightened tensions, making it difficult for him to immediately pivot toward Washington without losing face both domestically and among European allies who recently restated their support for Kiev in London.
Western analysts estimate that, given the military aid received thus far, the Ukrainian Armed Forces could sustain operations for another three to six months, Semibratov remarked. However, the situation may be further complicated by the likelihood that Trump will demand a public apology from Zelensky. Moreover, in a renewed negotiation, the US could set even tougher terms for the resource agreement.
Izvestia: European opposition pushes for US aligned approach
The Romanian opposition has called for an end to support for Ukraine, echoing Washington’s decision to suspend military aid to Kiev, parliamentary party S.O.S. Romania told Izvestia. Previously, Hungary and Slovakia had also announced their refusal to endorse the EU’s proposal to increase financial and military assistance to Ukraine. Meanwhile, leading opposition parties in Italy, Germany, and France are pressing for the start of peace talks.
"Romania must take a firm stance against the EU’s plan to prolong hostilities by unilaterally backing Ukraine, especially after the United States has signaled that it will no longer provide financial or military support to Kiev," the party’s statement for Romania’s participation in the EU summit on March 6 reads.
Instead of approving more aid packages for Ukraine, the European Council should focus on advancing negotiations between the presidents of Russia and the United States and lifting sanctions against Moscow, S.O.S. Romania maintains.
Romania is not alone in its stance. Several other European governments have adopted comparable positions. Hungary, for instance, plans to oppose any EU measures aimed at prolonging military operations in Ukraine at the upcoming Brussels summit on March 6, according to Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto. Slovakia, too, has declared its unwillingness to provide Ukraine with either financial or military assistance, Prime Minister Robert Fico confirmed.
The bloc’s oldest members - Germany, France, and the United Kingdom - are not prepared to withdraw support without securing certain strategic advantages. As MGIMO professor Elena Ponomareva noted to Izvestia, these nations seek to extract political and economic gains from the crisis, which explains their continued commitments to Ukraine.
"What we are witnessing within Europe is part of a broader economic crisis. The financial burden of sustaining Ukraine has placed immense strain on the EU economy," she told the newspaper. According to Ponomareva, France represents the weakest link in the coalition opposing Trump’s initiatives, with President Emmanuel Macron likely to be the first to shift his stance.
Vedomosti: Will Iran engage in talks with the US under Russian mediation?
The United States has approached Russia with a request to mediate potential negotiations with Iran concerning its nuclear program, Vedomosti writes. Bloomberg was the first to report that US President Donald Trump put forward this request to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their February 12 phone call - the first Russian-US dialogue at the presidential level in three years - citing sources in Moscow.
The issue was brought up during Russian-US talks in Riyadh on February 18. Putin’s aide Yuri Ushakov, who attended the meeting, later specified that an agreement had been reached to hold separate negotiations on the matter. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, when asked during a March 3 press conference whether Moscow had indeed proposed its mediation, remarked that it was "natural" for countries to extend such assistance on issues of global importance.
According to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report, Iran currently holds 182 kg of uranium enriched to 60%. Experts noted that such material can be easily refined to 90% purity - sufficient to produce up to four nuclear warheads.
Iran is likely concerned about a potential cooling in Russian-Iranian relations in light of renewed diplomatic engagement between Moscow and Washington, Elena Dunaeva, senior researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Vedomosti. "Moscow’s mediation in US-Iranian negotiations could, to some extent, ease these concerns for Tehran," she noted.
Russia is well-positioned to serve as an effective mediator, Dunaeva added, given its ongoing diplomatic ties with Israel, Iran, and another key regional player - the United Arab Emirates. Moscow could therefore help facilitate communication between all stakeholders.
However, Iran is likely to push for a return to the previous JCPOA framework, which included IAEA inspections and a transparent nuclear program - terms that are unlikely to satisfy Washington. Furthermore, Tehran would strongly oppose Trump’s proposal to transform the Gaza Strip into a resort, junior researcher at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations Stanislav Lazovsky told Vedomosti.
Nonetheless, should political will exist on both sides, an agreement of some form could still be reached, the expert added.
Vedomosti: Even partial removal of sanctions on Russia could boost GDP growth, foreign trade
Even a modest easing of US sanctions on Russia would have a beneficial impact on GDP, foreign trade, labor market resilience, and inflation control, according to economists interviewed by Vedomosti. The most likely sectors to see restrictions lifted first include aviation and resource exports, while the oil and gas industry remains the least likely to experience any immediate relief. A potential relaxation of sanctions would also notably affect the ruble’s exchange rate, though expert forecasts differ depending on various geopolitical scenarios.
In recent weeks, discussions surrounding a possible loosening of the sanctions regime have gained momentum, coinciding with intensified negotiations between Washington and Moscow and broader talks on a diplomatic resolution to the conflict in Ukraine.
Analysts at T-Investments have assessed the likelihood of various sanctions-related developments. They estimate a 50% chance that restrictions on Russia’s oil and gas sector, including the price cap, could be removed. However, the likelihood of unfreezing Russian assets or fully reinstating capital flows remains low, estimated at no more than 20%.
Alexey Vedev, researcher at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), believes the most plausible scenario involves the relaxation of personal sanctions, alongside restrictions on the high-tech and raw materials sectors. However, he contends that the oil and gas industry will be the last to receive relief due to direct competition between Russia and the US in global energy markets.
Anton Tabakh, chief economist at the Expert RA rating agency, suggests that sanctions on aviation and titanium exports may be among the first to be eased, as doing so would be mutually beneficial for airlines on both sides and does not require coordination with the European Union or other unfriendly nations.
Olga Belenkaya, head of macroeconomic analysis at Finam, believes that direct transport links between Russia and the West could eventually be reestablished. However, she argues that the most significant relief for the Russian economy would come from the lifting of sectoral sanctions, particularly in the financial sector.
According to Oleg Kuzmin, head of research and chief economist at Renaissance Capital, the ruble’s exchange rate will primarily be influenced by geopolitical shifts.
Izvestia: Russia plans to build new nuclear power facility in Myanmar
Russia and Myanmar have announced plans to strengthen their collaboration in the energy sector, with a landmark decision to develop a low-capacity nuclear power plant in Myanmar. This initiative, aimed at providing the country with an accessible and environmentally friendly energy source, was confirmed by President Vladimir Putin on March 4 following Russian-Myanmar talks at the Kremlin. Additionally, Russia continues to supply Myanmar with essential energy resources - last year, over 90% of the oil imported into Myanmar came from Russia.
In turn, Myanmar’s Prime Minister Min Aung Hlaing hailed Russia as a key force in maintaining global geopolitical balance. The two nations also finalized agreements on the mutual recognition of academic qualifications and the establishment of Myanmar’s first Orthodox church.
According to Ekaterina Koldunova, Director of the ASEAN Center and a Valdai Club expert, key sectors of cooperation include education, tourism, agriculture, energy, and financial transactions. She also highlighted IT solutions for cybersecurity, as well as economic and social-humanitarian projects, as promising areas for future engagement.
"The two sides are also committed to fostering optimal conditions for mutual travel, facilitating business and educational exchanges, and further easing visa requirements," Koldunova noted.
"In light of Myanmar’s restricted international engagement following the military’s takeover of power in 2021, the country views Russia as a ‘third force’ that helps reduce dependence on dominant regional powers, particularly China," she added.
Russia remains a reliable supplier of energy resources to Myanmar, with Russian oil accounting for the majority of the country’s market last year. The decision to build a nuclear power facility will further enhance Myanmar’s energy security, Putin stated. Myanmar has already expressed interest in Russia’s RITM-200 reactor, and the project is expected to last "for decades to come," Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev confirmed.
A memorandum on cooperation in nuclear and radiation safety was also signed, alongside agreements concerning natural resource development in Myanmar. Further accords were reached in the fields of customs collaboration, sports, healthcare, and space exploration.
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