MOSCOW, September 4. /TASS/. Russia warns Ukraine’s terrorism may spiral beyond Western control; Germany boosts cooperation on long-range missiles with the UK and France; and China moves to challenge US influence across the Middle East. These stories topped Friday’s newspaper headlines across Russia.
Izvestia: Ukraine’s terrorism may spiral out of Western control
Ukraine’s Western allies are becoming accomplices in international terrorism by remaining silent on Kiev’s actions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the Eastern Economic Forum. Notably, no one can guarantee that Ukrainian terrorism will not target citizens in Western countries, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Izvestia.
St. Petersburg State University Professor Natalya Yeryomina pointed out that Ukrainian connections had repeatedly emerged in connection with terrorist attacks in Europe. Kiev’s intelligence agencies sought to assassinate businessman Vadim Yermolayev in Monaco in June. In August, German prosecutors announced the detention of a Ukrainian national in Croatia on suspicion of involvement in the 2022 bombing of the Nord Stream gas pipelines. Ukraine’s role is also being investigated in a recent drone incident in Leipzig, Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service said. The threat of new acts of terrorism is particularly high in countries with large Ukrainian communities, including Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic, Yeryomina said.
According to Putin, Russian and Ukrainian intelligence officials remain in contact. Such communication makes it possible to discuss sensitive issues that are difficult to raise through official channels, said Vladimir Shapovalov, deputy director of the Institute of History and Politics at Moscow State Pedagogical University. In his opinion, this could help pave the way for a resumption of public dialogue.
The latest round of Russia-Ukraine talks, which also involved the United States, took place in Geneva in February. The parties have not held official meetings since then but have maintained humanitarian contact. No date has been set for the next round of talks, although discussions on a new meeting have gained momentum in recent weeks. Media reports said that US Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and businessman Jared Kushner planned to intensify their mediation efforts. US President Donald Trump stated on September 2 that he was ready to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin after a Ukraine peace deal was agreed on.
Media: Germany steps up cooperation on long-range missiles with UK, France
Germany has begun work with its European allies on developing long-range weapons. Experts interviewed by Izvestia believe that Moscow will respond by expanding its long-range weapons arsenal further and strengthening the defense of critical facilities.
Europe is stepping up its militarization efforts. Germany is working together with the United Kingdom and France to create long-range capabilities, a spokesperson for the Russian Embassy in Berlin told Izvestia. If the German military initiatives are implemented, Russia will view them as an immediate threat, the diplomat emphasized.
Germany seeks to diversify its sources of missile technology and missile systems as widely as possible, Dmitry Stefanovich, researcher with the Center for International Security at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of World Economy and International Relations, said. The expert noted that in response, Moscow was likely to continue developing its layered air and space defense system and further expand its own long-range weapons capabilities.
The missile program is only part of Berlin's efforts to build up its military strength. Germany is also involved in a French nuclear initiative, with the two countries planning to hold joint exercises in this field in the fall. What complicates the situation is Berlin's increasing military assistance to Ukraine. Notably, Germany’s focus is on supplying long-range drones, which the Ukrainian army uses to target civilian facilities in Russia.
Meanwhile, the United States appears to have deployed its new launcher for short-and medium-range missiles to a second European country, Norway, Kommersant writes. Alexander Yermakov, researcher with the Center for International Security at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of World Economy and International Relations, expects that the Russian leadership will view such moves by Norway and its allies as part of the "militarization of the Arctic," an issue Moscow has repeatedly criticized. "In practical terms, it will be seen as carrying out measures to block Russia’s Northern Fleet… while the Americans could be no less concerned about the Chinese navy," the expert pointed out.
Media: China moves to challenge US influence in Middle East
Chinese President Xi Jinping has paid a state visit to Egypt. During the visit, he emphasized Beijing’s call for a new security architecture in the Middle East that would not be linked to the United States, Nezavisimaya Gazeta reports.
The Chinese leader’s trip to the Middle East, the first in four years, came as the US war against Iran disrupted normal economic ties across the region and forced US partners to reconsider their strategies, with their trust in America as a mighty power that maintains regional order beginning to decline. Arab countries, from Egypt to Gulf nations, did not want US President Donald Trump to launch the war with Iran, but the White House was unwilling to heed their requests and warnings. As a result, the once-prosperous oil-producing nations are now having to cope with Iranian missile strikes. That said, it’s quite natural for countries such as Egypt to seek to strengthen their ties with China, Shanghai International Studies University Professor Ding Long said. Relying solely on the US is risky, while wise politicians would never place all their bets on one option, he noted.
However, Ding pointed out that in late September, the Chinese president was expected to visit Washington for talks with Trump. This is why Beijing is likely to avoid risky moves for the time being, as relations with the US are crucial not only to China’s exports but also to strategic stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
At first glance, Xi’s visit to Egypt offered an opportunity for the two countries to further strengthen their economic and diplomatic ties. Still, Western observers are more inclined to view the trip as an attempt to expand China’s influence in a region where the United States has for decades been a dominant military power, Kommersant notes.
Ahead of his upcoming visit to Washington, Xi can be expected to spare no effort to demonstrate China’s growing global influence at the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12-13. The Chinese leader’s attendance has not been confirmed yet but since the normalization of relations between Beijing and New Delhi is progressing well, his participation appears highly likely.
Vedomosti: Americans’ perception of government corruption hits new high
The share of US citizens who believe their government is corrupt has climbed from 59% in 2006 to 89% in 2026, Vedomosti reports, citing a Gallup survey.
The survey shows that the share of people who believe in government corruption increased particularly sharply in 2025-2026, while the United States is the only country among the 38 members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) where perceptions of government corruption continue to rise rapidly.
According to US President Donald Trump's annual financial disclosure report, he conducted more than 20,000 stock market transactions in 2025, more than any other president in the country’s history. Trump’s family members began taking advantage of their close ties to the president to advance their own business interests during his first time in office (2017-2021). In particular, while his daughter Ivanka served as a presidential advisor, her company obtained several licenses to manufacture women’s shoes in China in 2017. An investment company owned by the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner continues to receive funds from foreign governments, including hundreds of millions of dollars from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf monarchies. The president himself has made no secret of his alleged insider trading.
It is worth noting that politicians, including members of both the Republican and Democratic parties in Congress, regularly take advantage of their proximity to power.
Both parties use such surveys in their information campaigns, Pavel Koshkin, senior researcher at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute for US and Canadian Studies, said. Even though these polls are reputable, their representativeness "raises questions," he pointed out.
The expert emphasized that Democrats had promoted the same narrative during Trump’s first term and the 2024 election campaign but had failed to significantly undermine him. This time, it is also unlikely to have much impact, given that the Democratic Party’s reputation in the eyes of voters is far from being spotless, Koshkin concluded.
Izvestia: Analysts expect Russia’s Central Bank to pause key rate cuts
Russia’s Central Bank will take a break from reducing the key rate, keeping it at 14% at the Board of Directors meeting scheduled for September 11, according to consensus estimates by experts interviewed by Izvestia. The scope continues to narrow for the regulator to quickly soften its policy as the inflation rate remains at about 6% compared to the target goal of 4%, the ruble has weakened, and price increase expectations are high. Additional risks are stemming from the fuel situation and a potential increase in budget spending.
The main argument for a pause is the persistence of inflation risks. Gasoline prices have started rising again over the past month, the ruble has weakened by 8%, and inflation expectations remain high. Budget spending could add further pressure, Olga Belenkaya, head of macroeconomic analysis at Finam, noted.
The fuel market situation remains one of the most important factors for the Central Bank to consider, Sovcombank Chief Analyst Mikhail Vasilyev believes. Gasoline supply disruptions are driving up not only prices but also logistics costs.
Overall prices are also being affected by problems faced by e-commerce companies due to drone strikes on their infrastructure, Belenkaya added. The companies are facing additional costs, which could ultimately be passed on to consumers.
Besides, the Central Bank must also consider the state of the economy, Vasilyev pointed out. On the one hand, the regulator needs to curb inflation, while on the other, excessively high rates could further weaken demand and business activity.
The majority of experts believe that a September pause in key rate cuts would not mark the start of a prolonged period of tight policy. Under the base-case scenario, the Central Bank could resume easing later in the fall. However, the regulator is unlikely to take risks and soften its policy until it has a clearer understanding of how next year’s budget parameters will affect the Russian economy. Still, a pause would not signal a tightening of monetary policy but would instead show that the Central Bank has taken time to make a balanced decision.
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