MOSCOW, March 26. /TASS/. Washington moves to send an elite airborne division to the Middle East, as a delegation of Russian MPs arrives in the United States. Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s approval hits a new low amid the Iran war. These stories topped Thursday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Izvestia: US elite airborne division heading to Middle East
The US military is preparing to deploy around 3000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East. Against the backdrop of the protracted confrontation with Iran, this move looks more like the deployment of a strike force for an imminent attack on the enemy’s strategic facilities rather than a rotation.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the order to deploy an additional strike force will signed in the next few days. Even as the White House has yet to approve the final plan for using these units, the very presence of elite airborne troops would expand the planning horizon for Donald Trump who recently boasted that great progress was being made toward resolving the conflict. The United States has even reportedly presented a 15-point peace plan to Tehran.
For the time being, The New York Times reported, citing defense officials, the Pentagon is weighing scenarios where mobile units could be deployed anywhere across the region within 18 hours. Washington has chosen the 82nd division to give it maximum flexibility in its actions, military expert Vadim Kozyulin told Izvestia. "The infrastructure makes the deployment of this contingent much easier, as the United States has bases in Qatar, Oman, and the UAE, along with a powerful fleet of air carriers," he explained. "Taking control of Kharg Island, through which up to 90% Iranian carbon exports pass is the scenario being discussed most vigorously. The loss of this hub would deal a major blow to the country’s coffers," he emphasized.
Andrey Chuprygin, who heads the Middle East and North Africa department of the School of Asian Studies at the Higher School of Economics (HSE University), believes that bringing the number of troops to 8,000, taking into account Marines already deployed there, pursues three goals: one is operational - preparing for the seizure of terminals or search for stocks of enriched uranium, two is defensive - to strengthen the protection of the US' own bases from potential sabotage, and three is diplomatic - a show of force amid stalled dialogue. "Where disagreements have been reported, the argument of adding hundreds of trained fighters is weightier that any words," the expert added.
Media: Delegation of Russian lawmakers arrives in US
A delegation of Russian legislators has arrived in the United States for their first sitdown with American representatives since 2018. The politically diverse group is led by Vyacheslav Nikonov, First Deputy Chairman of the Duma Committee on International Affairs. The goal of the upcoming meeting is to help establish a regular dialogue, Duma members told Izvestia. Russian and US experts believe that the talks will focus on efforts to ease sanctions, a move that would immediately change the status quo in bilateral relations and send a positive signal. The two countries’ lawmakers could also have the Ukraine conflict on the agenda, talks on which have been put on pause amid the escalation in the Middle East.
"The visit is part of an attempt to improve relations with the United States," First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Alexey Chepa told Izvestia.
The Russian delegation includes CPRF member Vladimir Isakov, among other legislators. The US side is expected to include Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican member of the US House of Representatives who initiated the meeting, and other congressmen.
However, the upcoming meeting cannot be viewed as official talks between the two countries’ governments. Rather, this is Russia responding to an initiative put forward by American lawmakers seeking to improve relations between Moscow and Washington. "I’d rather call that political probing aimed at finding ways to straighten out our complicated relations so they can be offered for debate at the interparliamentary and interstate levels," Dmitry Novikov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, explained to Izvestia.
It is too early to say how the visit will affect the prospects of holding talks, Valdai International Discussion Club expert Andrey Kortunov told Vedomosti. According to him, the Russian MPs are meeting with the more constructive wing of the Republican party, one that is open to dialogue with Russia. "But we should keep in mind that the Republican party’s mainstream is still anti-Russian," Pavel Koshkin, a senior researcher at the US and Canadian Studies Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, noted. While sending the Nikonov-led Duma delegation for parliamentary diplomacy has a major symbolic meaning, Koshkin continued, one should not pin too much hope on solving practical issues through similar contacts. "Even as parliamentarians could discuss bilateral cooperation, it depends on a Ukraine peace deal," the expert argued.
Kommersant: Trump’s approval rating tanks as prices at the pump soar
US President Donald Trump’s approval rating plummeted to a record low against the background of his military campaign against Iran, with a mere 36% of Americans supporting his performance. His popularity fell amid a spike in gasoline prices caused by the global energy crisis stemming from the war in the Middle East. While the US leader has already taken steps to bring market prices down, his actions have so far not revived voter confidence in him.
On Tuesday, the results of two public polls showed the US president’s rating had fallen to its lowest level since his return to the White House. A Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that only 36% of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance, down from 40% last week. The share of respondents who disapprove of his overall performance in the White House rose from 58% to 62%. Another survey conducted by Strength In Numbers and Verasight showed a similar result, with a 37% approve to 60% disapprove divide.
Experts warn that growing fuel prices will have sweeping consequences for the US economy as a whole, with as many as 63% of respondents viewing it as weak already.
Over the past few days, the US president has taken a number of steps to lower domestic gasoline prices as he authorized to increase oil production in the United States, release strategic oil reserves, and temporarily waive sanctions on Russia, Venezuela, and Iran.
However, these measures have done little to stem the oil tide, nor have they propped the falling popularity of Trump and his GOP. Meanwhile, the uncertainty around the military campaign isn’t winning them any favor at home either. Even as Washington and Tehran are discussing holding talks in the Pakistani capital city of Islamabad, this meeting, if it ever takes place, will unlikely help usher in peace.
Izvestia: UK set to tighten sanctions on Russia, despite energy crisis
The United Kingdom will not ease anti-Russian restrictions, despite the raging energy crisis, the British embassy in Moscow told Izvestia. Britain will continue to exert maximum economic pressure on Russia, the embassy emphasized. Meanwhile, the European Commission has pushed back discussing a law to permanently ban Russian oil initially set for April 15. However, Brussels assured Izvestia that it will continue to phase out Russian energy imports. Washington, meanwhile, has eased restrictions on Russian energy supplies to cool down prices.
London has been an outspoken proponent of increasing sanctions pressure on Russia. The kingdom has already blacklisted 544 vessels allegedly operating in Russia’s interests. And late last year, Britain imposed sanctions on Russian oil and gas majors, including Tatneft, Russneft, and Rusneftegaz.
Britain paves the way for new anti-Russian sanctions with its policy course, Natalya Yeryomina, a professor at St. Petersburg State University, told Izvestia. The kingdom’s agencies affiliated with the government and legislature are tailored to counter Russian influence. "They argue that Russia plays a minor role in the global economy. And they believe that more pressure can be put on Russia. London is confident that Russia will hurt more than it does, therefore the British are willing to endure," the expert said.
Igor Yushkov, an expert at the Financial University under the Russian Government and the National Energy Security Fund, told Izvestia that sanctions will be reinstated as soon as the Strait of Hormuz is fully reopened. Any easing of sanctions on Russian oil pursues the tactical goal of preventing prices increasing further, while both Washington and Brussels have made it clear that their strategic goal remains to reduce Russian export revenues, he explained.
Russia is reviewing energy supply chains amid the Middle East crisis as it prioritizes selling its energy primarily to neighboring countries, Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilyov told reporters on Wednesday. Izvestia reported earlier that Russian oil and gas flows can be redirected from the European market to Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and South Africa. The Philippines has already purchased a batch of Russian crude, according to local media reports. South Korea, too, may buy naphtha (a petroleum product) from Russia.
Rossiyskaya Gazeta: Gold prices fall amid Middle East conflict
The launch of the military conflict in Iran and the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz brought gold prices down by as much as $1,000 per troy ounce within a fortnight. The precious metal, which rose to a previous record high of $5,626.80 at the start of 2026, is now hovering around $4,600, still notably high, given it stood at less than $3,000 a year ago. However, gold has dipped significantly since the Iran war broke out, and last week gold prices fell at the fastest speed since 1983 - 10.3%.
"With the most acute and unexpected stage of the armed conflict in Iran now behind us, only a very serious escalation could underpin any major Iran-related increase in gold prices. And such a scenario is not likely yet," stock market expert at BCS World of Investments Vitaly Manzhos believes. Moreover, the bullion could even sink against this backdrop. "In the first week of April, we expect a continued correction in gold prices, including near $4,000 per ounce," Natalya Milchakova, a leading analyst at Freedom Finance Global told Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
According to her, central banks in a number of emerging markets, including in Europe, may replenish their reserves with gold as early as the end of next month, which could send gold prices back to the $4,600 to $5,000 range. Moreover, gold will likely recover to a new record high of $6,000 later this year if the Federal Reserve presses ahead with lowering interest rates, Milchakova argues.
TASS is not responsible for the material quoted in these press reviews