The Cardinal Apostolic Vicar of Ulan Bator shared the experience of his small Church, which “whispers the Gospel” into the hearts of the other peoples of the steppe. The Centre for the Study of Mongolian Culture has opened in the cathedral. “Pope Francis’s visit fostered a sense of goodwill from which we continue to benefit.”
Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene has called for a vote of confidence in Parliament, after protesters accused him of promoting corruption and inequality. Instead, the PM blames instead mining oligarchs for the problems. Meanwhile, fears are growing that the powers of the country’s presidency might be enhanced ahead of the 2027 elections.
Protests erupt during the visit of Moscow’s Foreign Minister, whom many Armenians blame for failing to support them against Azerbaijan. Russia offers reassurances on the importance of "allied relations" between the two nations, also aimed at countering Armenia’s rapprochement with Europe. Yerevan, however, has no plans to withdraw from the CSTO.
"The work of God knows how to transform even the most senseless human actions into something good," said Patriarch Kirill in recent days, during the celebration of the feast of Saint Nicholas, who traditionally in May is associated with the promise of a good harvest for the agricultural season. And never more than today is such a blessing needed, as people hope for a new season of peace for the fields and lands ravaged by war.
Leo XIV, the first American pope, has somewhat overshadowed the popularity of the American emperor in Russia, acting in some ways as an alternative in the image of the "Anglo-Saxon" West so reviled by the Kremlin. After all, today the Russian Church has split from almost all the other Orthodox Churches, starting with the Patriarchate of Constantinople, while dialogue with Rome has never been interrupted.
The government in Tbilisi is proudly touting Georgia’s buoyant GDP figures, claiming that the economy has tripled in recent years thanks to its own policies. However, the real driving force behind this surge has been the indirect effects of the war in Ukraine. Around 100,000 Russians have fled to Georgia to escape Putin’s mobilisation, and the boom in less visible sectors of the economy—such as trade triangulation to bypass sanctions against Moscow and surrogacy clinics—has fuelled further growth.
The effects of climate change are becoming more pronounced year after year on the Crimean Peninsula, intertwining with a worsening water shortage following the halt in the flow of Dnipro River water after the region's separation from Ukraine. This has had serious consequences for local agriculture, which blames the water usage in swimming pools and tourist resorts—an attempt to support a tourism sector in deep crisis due to the ongoing war.
The 16th edition of the Kazan Forum, a platform for cooperation between Moscow and the countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), was held in the capital of the Russian republic of Tatarstan. Topics discussed included digital financial systems to promote the use of national currencies in Islamic banking, and the use of technology to spread Islamic culture.
During the official visit of the Malaysian prime minister, the two countries rebooted their historic economic, technological and cultural cooperation. Malaysia remains non-aligned in global power politics. Anwar said he raised the issue of flight MH17 shot down in 2014, after a UN body recently blamed Russia for the incident.
The breakdown in relations with Europe was portrayed by Russian propaganda as a bright new horizon for the Eurasian space. But sanctions have enabled Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to grow in their role as intermediaries in trade with third countries. And today, many migrants are looking more to the West than to Moscow.
During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s three-day visit to Moscow, the "Power of Siberia-2" gas pipeline—vital to Russia’s economy—was once again a topic of discussion. Beijing is already supporting Russia’s expanding military production by supplying microelectronic components blocked by Western sanctions. The presence of Chinese soldiers in the parade before Lenin’s mausoleum also reflects internal political considerations within China.
Robert Prevost has never had direct relations with Moscow, but the name he chose evokes very important relations in the history of relations between East and West in the ancient and modern Church, from Leo the Great to Leo XIII, the pope of Rerum Novarum, who was inspired by the great Russian author Vladimir Solovyov.
Just as Putin today celebrates the parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II with the leaders of all “friendly” countries, Dmitry Steshin—one of the most fervent pro-Russian war correspondents from the Ukrainian front—speaks about the tense situation in the North Caucasus republic: “Dagestan lives by its own laws, drifting further and further from Moscow.”
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