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No Russian-US prisoner exchange talks on agenda for now — MFA

"We occasionally communicate with the Americans via different channels, at different levels, but the exchanges are carried out by people who were previously engaged in this activity," Sergey Ryabkov said

MOSCOW, December 13. /TASS/. No Russian-US discussions on the issue of prisoner exchanges are on the current agenda, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told the media on Tuesday.

"I don’t know what they [the Americans] have in mind," he said, when asked to comment on statements from the US that the two sides would hold consultations later this week on US citizen Paul Whelan, convicted in Russia.

"According to my sources, no talks on this issue via any of the channels I know about are anticipated," he said.

"We occasionally communicate with the Americans via different channels, at different levels, but the exchanges are carried out by people who were previously engaged in this activity," Ryabkov added.

US presidential national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Monday that Russian and US officials would hold high-level consultations later this week about a potential exchange involving Whelan.

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Results of the Year with Vladimir Putin

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Durov compares UK’s future to dystopian thriller

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Putin’s Direct Line Q&A to take place on December 19

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Inevitable Ukrainian surrender to make peace talk much easier — SVR

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The members of Gregory Biffle's family were among the victims, a member of the US House of Representatives Richard Hudson said

UK introduced sanctions against Russian oil producers

In total, restrictions affected 24 legal entities and individuals, including companies from Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and the UAE

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The Belarusian leader commented on rumors that the end of the conflict in Ukraine is disadvantageous to him and the military-political leadership of the republic

Russian president Putin starts year-end Q&A session

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Kremlin warns about consequences for masterminds, perpetrators of Russian asset seizure

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Russian troops to move westward after liberating Kupyansk-Uzlovoi — Putin

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Russia gradually returning to world sports — Kremlin

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Washington's main concert complex to be renamed in honor of Trump and Kennedy

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EU leaders discuss ‘uncapped financial guarantees’ to Belgium — Euractiv

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Zelensky admits Biden told him Ukraine would not be brought in to NATO before conflict

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Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia refuse to finance Kiev — EU summit statement

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Karin Kneissl: Zelensky Has No Chance Left

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On the evening of December 13, a shooting occurred at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, leaving at least two dead and nine others injured

Four US planes spotted again near Venezuela's maritime border — dispatchers

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Russia alarmed by worsening humanitarian situation in Syria — UN mission

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Press review: Trump seeks to pressure Moscow as EU desperate to find funds for Ukraine

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Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, December 19th

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Article 123 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union prevents the ECB from printing money explicitly to finance government spending

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Alexander Stepanov noted that established industrial production would make it possible to make tens and even hundreds of items per year to provide strategic coverage for all critical areas and facilities in the Russian border regions

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'Political stumble' for Merz, von der Leyen, as EU fails to seize Russian assets — NYT

As The New York Times reported, the outcome made Europe "appear indecisive at a key moment"

Beijing vows decisive response to $11 bln US arms sale to Taiwan

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Trump signs defense budget worth $901 billion — White House

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Western military presence in Ukraine in any format unacceptable for Russia — MFA

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Whole world, save for Europe, condemns US actions in Caribbean — Lavrov

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EU summit fails to expropriate Russian assets, but may do so in future — von der Leyen

"The member states have agreed to finance Ukraine through an EU borrowing on the capital markets for an amount of 90 billion euro for the next two years," Ursula von der Leyen said

Kiev and Europe try to disown compromises of Trump plan, Naryshkin says

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Preparations underway for Oreshnik missile system to assume combat duty in Belarus

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Krasny Liman to be liberated in near future — Putin

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Lukashenko says he cannot be president forever

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Russia’s Intelligence Service likens declared unity of West to chimera

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West can simply steal countries’ gold and foreign exchange reserves — Lukashenko

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EU fixated on idea of stealing Russia's money to continue war in Ukraine — Kremlin

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Fico highlights need for compromise at European Council

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico repeatedly said that he would refuse to vote for any support for Ukraine's military needs at the summit

New US security strategy rightly America first — Russian intel chief

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Netanyahu approves record gas deal with Egypt under US pressure — Axios

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Lavrov to discuss preparations for third Russia-Africa summit in Cairo

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EU elites put stake on anti-Russian policy — Russian intelligence chief

Sergey Naryshkin noted that leaders of certain European countries are "in a dangerous situation"

Putin receives random but curated questions from Russians for Q&A session — Kremlin

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Russia, Africa working to increase number of intergovernmental commissions

19 such commissions are already operational

EU cannot continue proxy war against Russia due to financial problems — Chinese expert

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FACTBOX: What is known about EU summit’s ruling on Russian assets

Ukraine's funding will be provided from the EU budget in the amount of 90 billion euros, EC President Ursula von der Leyen said

EU to issue 90 billion euro in interest-free loan to Kiev — Merz

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EU leaders looking for ways to finance Ukraine, but Hungary will not support them — Orban

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Russia’s Safonov makes football goalkeeping history in French PSG FIFA championship win

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Ukrainian soldiers’ morale collapses after corruption scandal — SVR

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Russian army continues to advance west of Seversk, Putin says

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Special EU decision now needed to unblock frozen Russian assets — von der Leyen

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Desertion in Ukrainian armed forces grows — Russian intelligence chief

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US Treasury removes six entities, two individuals from anti-Russian sanctions

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Europe will have to reopen dialogue with Russia — Macron

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Further funding for Ukraine risks prolonging conflict with Russia, Hungarian PM warns

Viktor Orban also pointed out that the idea of a Russian asset seizure was dead because talks on the issue "have stalled"

Route to Slavyansk opens from liberated Seversk — Putin

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