The retired US army general said rather than advancing Russia's cause, the war in Ukraine was making NATO stronger. He also praised "extraordinary" steps taken by Germany on weapons exports and military spending.

The fire season has started early in Siberia, as drought and strong winds fuel blazes in its carbon-rich peat forests. But with Russian forces fighting in Ukraine, this year's emergency response could suffer.

Websites belonging to Italy's Defense Ministry and Senate are among several hit by a hacking group, which also claimed responsibility for a recent cyberattack on German government websites.

Despite jitters over the Ukraine war in many countries and Finland's decision to seek NATO membership, tanks have not been sent to the Finnish border with Russia, despite a viral video suggesting just that. We also look at false claims surrounding a recent protest in Paris.

Since the war in Ukraine began, Germany’s controversial links to Russia have been in the spotlight. DW's Conflict Zone host Tim Sebastian talks about these ties with Ralf Stegner, a member of the German Parliament for the Social Democrats.

Hungary's government is "holding European Union decision makers hostage" by refusing to join an EU-wide embargo on Russian oil, according to Lithuania's foreign minister. This comes as EU leaders continue their efforts to gather support for a sixth sanctions package on Russia from all 27 EU member states. The government of PM Viktor Orban has claimed that an import ban on Russian oil would ruin the Hungarian economy. Lithuania's Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis tells FRANCE 24 that "Europe is weaker" as a result, and that he is "still hoping Budapest will be responsible in their decisions".

South Ossetia's self-proclaimed government said it was time for the region to "unite once and for all" with Russia. The breakaway republic was at the center of Moscow's military intervention in Georgia in 2008.

Known as the burial place of Achilles, the barren Black Sea rock has become the site of fierce combat between Ukraine and Russia. Snake Island has strategic and symbolic importance dating to the Soviet era.

It never happened during the entire Cold War. But all these years later, Russia's border with NATO is about to double in size. Finland remains unmoved by threats out of the Kremlin over its bid to join the US-led alliance. The same goes for neighbouring Sweden, which is so concerned by Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine that it is ready to call time on two centuries of neutrality.

The fast food giant said it was leaving because of the "unpredictable operating environment" and "humanitarian" reasons. McDonald's was quick to set up shop in the Soviet Union in the waning embers of the Cold War.

The European Union plans to invest up to €300 billion to reduce its dependence on Russian fossil fuels, the European Commission announced.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has upended its education system. Ukrainian officials say Russian forces have shelled over 1,000 schools, fully destroying nearly 100 of them. Not even educational facilities serving as emergency shelters have been spared. Still, teachers across the country are doing what they can to continue to offer a safe education. Among them is Zoya Lytvyn, a Ukrainian entrepreneur and education expert. She joined us for Perspective.