Russia this week widened its military offensive in Ukraine. For the first time, Russian forces have begun striking targets in the west of the country. But in addition to bombarding new cities, Russia is continuing its bombardment of Mariupol in the south, as well as Sumy and Kharkiv to the northeast. Satellite images of the long-awaited Russian convoy suggest that it is attempting to encircle the capital, Kyiv.

"Everything is on the table" regarding new EU sanctions on Russia - but "de-escalation through diplomacy" remains the bloc's priority in the Ukraine crisis. So says EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders in an in-depth interview with FRANCE 24's Europe Editor Catherine Nicholson. The former Belgian foreign minister said the European Commission is preparing measures that could include individual sanctions on "people involved in the possible aggression – such as freezing their assets or a travel ban", as well as what he described as "concrete economic sanctions: transfer of technologies from Europe and in co-ordination with the United States; energy; and maybe financial services".

Germany's new government will face several domestic and international challenges in the new year. Still, a sense of optimism prevails.

Talking to the Taliban is not the same as recognizing their rule in Afghanistan, German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer told DW.

EU members "have their geo-strategic calculations in mind, and will likely favor countries that are friendly or important to European interests," says one ASEAN expert in response to the bloc's global vaccine drive.

G7 ministers have criticized Russia and China as they "revitalize in-person diplomacy." But the first face-to-face talks in over two years weren't the fresh start they hoped for after a COVID scare unsettled proceedings.

The White House says Joe Biden is aiming for a realistic approach towards North Korea's denuclearization rather than his predecessor's "grand bargain" strategy.

India's government has been supplying countries around the world with free coronavirus vaccine doses. However, there is some worry that this "vaccine diplomacy" will come at a cost to vulnerable Indians.

What have diplomacy, faith, and gender got to do with each other? That's the subject of a conference held by the world’s biggest interreligious non-governmental organization, Religions for Peace, in Lindau, Germany.

For about 60 years, Cuba has been sending healthcare professionals around the world. This is done in solidarity with those in need, but also as part of a concerted campaign of medical diplomacy and to make money to help the country survive an ongoing US embargo.

Libya's warring parties, and their various international backers, are meeting in Berlin. Such public diplomacy is an unusual step for Germany, as Berlin's peace policy efforts traditionally shun the limelight.

Herve Lemahieu, Asian power and diplomacy program director at Lowy Institute, discusses the trade tensions between the U.S. and China and his takeaways from the G-7 summit. He speaks on “Bloomberg Daybreak: Asia.”