By: Bogdan Koutsenko

Key Takeaways 

• The media scan included 111 articles from three Russian media outlets including TASS, RT, and Sputnik International.
• Of the 26 thematic subcategories, “marine transportation” saw by far the greatest coverage. This was primarily due to TASS’s reporting on discussions of the Northern Sea Route at the March 26-27 Arctic Forum. The Northern Sea Route and its abbreviation, the NSR, were mentioned 1575 times across all articles, compared to a total of 1808 mentions for all search terms within the “marine transportation” subcategory.
• Trump’s commitment to annex Greenland has created opportunities for the Kremlin to justify its own imperial projects. Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, has argued that Ukraine is more important to Russian national security than Greenland is to that of the US.
• Cooperation with India continues to feature as a component of Russian foreign policy in the Arctic.
• Smaller Arctic nations like Finland, Sweden, and Canada are portrayed as reactionary and “Russophobic” in their reportedly unfounded suspicion towards Russian activities in the region.

The post Arctic Foreign Media Scan (March 24th – April 16th, 2025) appeared first on Eastern European and Transatlantic Network.

Russian media coverage for the first half of April 2025 focused on projecting Russian diplomatic flexibility, economic resilience, and military strength, while continuing to highlight Western divisions, policy failures, and hypocrisy. These are the main narratives that have been recently dominating Russian headlines:  

Continuing Positive Russia-US Diplomatic Engagements 

Across multiple outlets, Russian media highlighted recent diplomatic developments in Russia-US relations, emphasizing the continuation of a potential thaw. Some examples of this reporting include: 

• April 10, 2025 – Kosmopolskaya Pravda on the negotiations between Russia and the US in Istanbul, noting that it lasted a difficult six hours. Alongside this coverage, Izvestia News that the “Ukraine situation” was strategically left off the agenda to help push Russia-US relations back to normalcy.  

• April 14, 2025 – Izvestia News that while Russia and the US continue negotiations on the Ukraine war in a bilateral format, the parties are unlikely to reach a ceasefire agreement by Easter, which was previously floated by the White House. This source cites “Ukraine’s inability to negotiate, its violation of the moratorium on strikes on energy infrastructure, and US President Donald Trump’s desire to achieve a quick ceasefire without a political settlement” as complicating factors in the negotiations.  

Context: On April 10, 2025, Russia and the US engaged in a high-profile prisoner exchange, which both Western and Russian media took as a sign of continued willingness from both sides to engage in meaningful diplomacy. Pushing this theme of cooperation with the US reinforces Russia’s image as a stable, rational actor and sets the stage for future bilateral deals that bypass Ukraine and NATO frameworks. 

Claims of Ukraine Carrying Out Attacks on Energy Infrastructure 

As Russia and the US engaged in bilateral discussions, Moscow started amplifying claims of Ukrainian ceasefire violations while portraying Russian military actions as defensive and strategic. Some sample Russian articles on this topic include: 

• April 10, 2025 – Kosmopolskaya Pravda to the Russia-US talks in Istanbul, Ukrainian armed forces launched 11 new strikes on Russian energy facilities in violation of the current cessation of strikes on energy facilities. The publication concluded that Ukrainian politicians continue to demonstratively violate Russia-US agreements. 

• April 14, 2025 – TASS News that the extension of the moratorium on strikes on Russian and Ukrainian energy facilities beyond April 16 rests with the decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The publication highlighted that Russia’s Defence Ministry has repeatedly emphasized that Ukraine continues to unilaterally attack Russia’s energy infrastructure despite public statements of support for the moratorium. 

Context: These reports are part of Russia’s effort to frame Ukraine as the aggressor and justify escalation ahead of talks, using alleged ceasefire violations to shift blame and portray Moscow as the more responsible actor. This rhetoric also aims to pressure Western negotiators by portraying Ukraine as undermining peace efforts, thereby shifting blame for any breakdown in talks onto Ukraine. 

Defending the Missile Attack on Sumy 

Russian media also gave significant attention to defending Russia’s April 13 missile strike on Sumy – its deadliest attack on Ukraine this year – which had sparked international outcry and conflicting narratives over the intended target. Key takes by Russian media on this topic include: 

• April 14, 2025 – Lenta.ru that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the strike on Sumy targeted a meeting between Ukrainian commanders and Western military officials, some allegedly from NATO, whom he claimed were helping coordinate long-range missile strikes against Russia.  

• April 15, 2025 – TASS News that the US informed its partners in the G7 that it will veto the statement condemning Russia’s attack in Sumy. Citing reporting by Bloomberg, TASS News indicated that the US told the G7 that it would not sign the statement because it is “working to preserve the space to negotiate peace” with Russia.  

Context: Russia’s current claim is that on April 13, 2025, the Russian armed forces delivered a strike by two Iskander-M tactical missiles on a gathering place of Ukraine’s Seversk operational-tactical group command staff in the city of Sumy, targeting military operations rather than civilians. This framing serves a dual purpose: to maintain domestic support by emphasizing Russian military gains, and to erode Western cohesion by amplifying skepticism and hesitation among NATO Allies. This framing also normalizes Russia’s continued aggression while painting any foreign resistance as fragmented and performative. 

Division within the “Coalition of the Willing” 

As debate over Western military support for Ukraine intensified, Russian media has also been seizing on internal divisions within the so-called “coalition of the willing” to portray the initiative as fragmented, ineffective, and ultimately destined for failure. Some media sources projecting this narrative include: 

• April 10, 2025 – Kosmopolskaya Pravda that the “gathering of countries wanting to send troops to Ukraine ended in failure” dubbing it the “coalition of the indecisive” and noting that only 6 of the 30 members are willing to commit forces, with progress stalled due to the lack of a US security guarantee in case of conflict with Russia.  

• April 14, 2025 – Kosmopolskaya Pravda on comments made by Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto in which he expressed doubt about the “coalition of the willing,” calling it a theoretical concept that lacked practical conditions, and instead emphasized that Europe should continue to rely on NATO for its security. 

Context: These reports are part of Russia’s strategic messaging aimed at undermining Western unity and discrediting any multilateral effort to bolster Ukraine outside of NATO. By highlighting the coalition’s lack of cohesion, limited troop commitments, and the absence of a US security guarantee, Russian outlets seek to frame the West as hesitant and divided in its efforts to end the war in Ukraine.  

West Paying the Price for Distancing from Russia’s Oil and Gas 

Following the shocks to global oil prices caused by US tariffs, Russian media also emphasized the economic fallout of Europe’s break from Russian energy and the negative impacts that this decision has had on EU citizens. Some examples of this reporting include: 

• April 7, 2025 – Vedemosti News that the EU’s detachment from Russian energy resources came at a very high cost to its citizens, citing statements made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the World Economic Forum in January 2025. Using its own calculations, this article determined that from 2022 to 2024, EU member states spent €544 billion extra on non-Russian energy imports. 

• April 15, 2025 – RIA News: that the EU is looking to break long-term gas contracts with Russia without paying fines to Moscow, as part of its continued effort to stop using Russian energy resources. The publication emphasized Moscow’s messaging that European countries made a serious mistake when they rejected Russian fossil fuels, as they have since formed a new dependency on buying Russian oil and gas at higher prices through intermediaries.  

Context: This narrative aims to assert Russia’s indispensable role as an energy source to Europe and to portray the West as economically vulnerable and morally compromised in its pursuit of independence from Russian resources. By highlighting the higher cost paid for energy, this narrative also attempts to influence EU citizens to become more critical of the EU’s decision to end its reliance on Russian oil and gas. 

The post Russian Media Scan on EU Security Issues (April 4-15, 2025) appeared first on Eastern European and Transatlantic Network.

By: Bogdan Koutsenko

Key Takeaways

• Russia positions itself as a benevolent actor and a reliable partner in the Arctic.  
• The US, Canada, Sweden, and other Western powers are portrayed as malign and reactive, responding militarily to Russia’s more proactive, human-centric approach. 
• Aide to Vladimir Putin, Nikolai Patrushev, described the Northern Sea Route, the backbone of Russia’s Arctic transportation network, as a “national treasure”, not only for national self-interest but for world trade more broadly. 
• The upcoming International Arctic Forum, announced by Russian media throughout the past few weeks, will promote diverse cultural, scientific, economic, and diplomatic projects and programs in the Arctic.  
• The International Arctic Forum will also platform the “Soul of Russia” project, featuring a series of film screenings with titles like “The Great Northern Route” and “To the Arctic”, intended to situate the Arctic as a key component of Russian cultural and national identity.  
• Russian media has also reported on the possibility of India’s “active participation” in the Arctic Council as an observer state, describing its possible role in “stabiliz[ing] geopolitical rifts” in the region. 
• The media presents readers with a juxtaposition: Russia’s vision-based, internationalist approach to Arctic policy clashing with depictions of Western militarism, given substance by President Trump’s threats to annex Greenland. 

The post Arctic Foreign Media Scan (March 7th-March 21st, 2025) appeared first on Eastern European and Transatlantic Network.

By: Anna Mironova

During two weeks of tense United States-Ukraine relations, Russian media was dominated by discussions about Ukraine peace negotiations, rare earth metals, and the meeting between U.S. President Trump and Ukraine President Zelensky. Here are the key takeaways from February 17 and March 3, 2025: 

State of Ukraine Peace Negotiations 

• Starting off the week, on February 18, 2025, Lenta.ru News took a into the front line, as Russia and the U.S. begun negotiations in Saudi Arabia. It concluded that at that moment, several large cities remained in the control of Ukrainian Forces. Given the current pace of the advance, Russian units are unlikely to be able to establish control over them in the coming months.
• Context: This follows a week of cautiously positive coverage of U.S.-Russia relations following President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin’s call. Russian state-affiliated media, like Lenta.ru, rarely acknowledge military setbacks without a strategic purpose, suggesting that Russian media may have been preparing the Russian public for potential compromises arising from negotiations. 

Allegations of Europe Urging Ukraine to “Keep Fighting”

• On February 24, 2025, Russian media attention turned to a major “gathering of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Western allies that took place in the Ukrainian capital. It featured representatives from 13 countries attending in person, and 24 attending virtually. In a commentary for , First Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma of Committe on CIS Affairs Konstantin Zatulin stated: “Above all, the European leaders aim to prevent Moscow from winning and profiting from it […]” European representatives are certainly working against peace and clearly want to create obstacles to the development of a peace formula the Russians and Americans are already engaged in.”
• Context: This sentiment follows new sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union on February 25, 2025. As by Russian Vedemosti News, Ivan Timofeev, Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council, emphasized that while the U.S. is trying to find compromise with Moscow, the EU continues to operate from the paradigm of inflicting “total defeat.”  This coverage aligns with broader Kremlin narratives that paint Western nations —especially European ones—as perpetuating the war rather than seeking resolution. 

Rare Earth Metals 

• On February 26, 2025, Russian TASS News that during the meeting in Saudi Arabia, cooperation on rare earth metals between Russia and the U.S. was not discussed, but the sides stressed that “it is necessary to remove contrived obstacles to the development of mutually beneficial economic and other ties.” This was followed by further coverage, where on March 2, 2025, TASS News that the U.S. administration is no longer looking at signing a rare earths and other minerals agreement with Ukraine. 
• Context: While rare earth metals have not been a major topic of discussion between the U.S. and Russia, the phrasing of Russian reporting suggests that broader economic cooperation remains on the table — a notable shift given historic U.S.-Russia relations. This aligns with Moscow’s long-term goal of normalizing economic relations with the U.S. while maintaining its strategic control over key resources. 

Meeting between U.S. President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky  

• Russian TASS News heavily on recent developments on Ukraine peace talks following the meeting between President Trump and President Zelensky on February 28, 2025. TASS cited political scientist Alexander Nemtsev, who said that “by criticizing President Zelensky, the Trump team is attempting to make him step down and organize elections in Ukraine. However, if he is seen as useful, then military and political support will come in exchange for economic concessions”. Furthermore, some Russian media, such as the Kosmopolskaya Pravda, has that the Kremlin foresaw the “outburst of the head of the [Kyiv] regime, President Zelensky, in the White House”. The press secretary of the Russian President, Dmitry Peskov, noted before the meeting that such a scandal was “more than possible”. 
• Context: By highlighting these narratives, Russian state-backed news agencies are shaping perceptions of friction between the U.S. and Ukraine. Russian media is also taking the opportunity to amplify sentiments that Ukraine is becoming desperate or losing favour with its Western backers. This sentiment seems to have tangibly materialized with the U.S announcing a pause to its military aid for Ukraine on March 4, 2025, as by Reuters.  

Hungary’s Stance on Ukraine 

• As by TASS News on March 3, 2025, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is planning to reject plans for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union at an EU summit in Brussels this week as unrealistic. According to Prime Minister Orban, Ukraine has not yet restored ethnic Hungarian minority rights in Transcarpathia, nor has it refrained from actions that put Hungary’s energy security at risk. He has also expressed opposition to any rushed decisions on extending individual sanctions against Russian individuals and businesses. 
• Context: This follows February 24, 2025, when Hungary blocked a draft document on security guarantees and new military aid to Ukraine during a meeting of EU ambassadors, as by Politico. By emphasizing Hungary’s rejection of security guarantees and military aid to Ukraine, Russian media is reinforcing the narrative that Europe is not fully united behind Ukraine. This weakens Kyiv’s confidence in sustained Western backing and fuels tensions within the EU, potentially discouraging other hesitant members (such as Slovakia and Austria) from committing further resources to Ukraine. TASS’s focus on this issue suggests that Russia views Hungary as a useful tool in undermining European solidarity —something the Kremlin has worked toward for years through economic ties, energy deals, and political influence. 

The post Foreign Media Scan (February 17th – March 3rd, 2025) appeared first on Eastern European and Transatlantic Network.

By: Bogdan Koutsenko

Key Takeaways 

• The two weeks from February 19 to March 6, 2025 saw over two hundred articles related to Russian policy in the Arctic published by major Russian news outlets.  

• Four policy areas were identified: economy, environment, military, and diplomacy. Of these four, economic issues sustained the greatest coverage in Russian media, nearly as much as the next three categories combined.  

• Transportation and logistics, housing and infrastructure, and economic development represented a few prominent subcategories. All pointed to Russia’s sustained investment in its northern supply chains.  

• Russian reporting indicates that nearly two trillion rubles will be invested in the Northern Sea Route (NSR) by 2035. 

• These efforts are undergirded by Russian investment in housing, tourism, and regional development planning, with one source reporting on the three million tourists that visited the Arctic last year and a second discussing Russia’s master plan for Arctic cities, which may see as much as 30 trillion rubles invested in the Arctic by the time all projects are implemented.  

• Looking abroad, Russia has telegraphed its ostensive desire to keep the Arctic a “conflict-free zone”, expressing a willingness to cooperate with other nations (particularly in the area of nuclear icebreakers), describing its technology buildout as the envy of other nations.  

• No less an authority than Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s Press Secretary, expressed the view that the Arctic is an important region for the future of Russia’s security, geopolitics, and wealth. At the same time, Putin himself asserts Russia’s absolute leadership in the region.  

Table 1: Transportation & Logistics  

Top Articles:   

1. “Yakutia opens biggest trade and logistics center in Arctic district.”  Source: TASS Russian News Agency  
2. “Northern Sea Route needs Arctic ship repair program.”  Source: TASS Russian News Agency  
3. “Russia is going to invest almost 2 trillion rubles in the development of the Northern Sea Route by 2035.”  Source: Izvestia  

Table 2: Technology & Innovation  

Top Articles:   

1. “Putin called Russia the absolute leader in the Arctic.”  Source: Regnum  
2. “President Vladimir Putin spoke at the plenary session of the Future Technologies forum and spoke about the unique properties of Oreshnik, the prospects for the return of Western companies, the development of high technologies and bioeconomics.”  Source: RIA Novosti   
3. “Russia is unconditional leader in the Arctic, Putin says: Many countries want to cooperate with Russia in sphere of production of nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet, the head of state noted.”Source: TASS Russian News Agency  

Table 3: Economic Development  

Top Articles:   

1. “Implementation of Arctic city master plans to be discussed at MAF-2025.” Source: Izvestia  
2. “Meeting of the State Council Commission on the Northern Sea Route and the Arctic.”  Source: Kremlin.ru  

Table 4: Tourism & Hospitality  

Top Articles:   

1. “Russian North. An increase in visits to northern territories is noted today.” Source: Argumenty i Fakty   
2. “The number of tourists in the Russian North and the Arctic for the year has been named. Chernyshenko: 3 million tourists visited the Russian North and the Arctic in 2024.” Source: Lenta   
3. “Chernyshenko announced an increase in the number of tourist trips around Russia. Chernyshenko: about three million tourists visited the Russian North and the Arctic in 2024.”  Source: RIA Novosti  

Table 5: Military Operations and Strategy  

Top Articles:   

1. “Russian Ambassador Stepanov: The Arctic should become a conflict-free zone.” Source: Lenta  
2. “The Russian Ambassador Pointed Out the Importance of Freeing the Arctic from Conflict Potential. Ambassador Stepanov: The Arctic should be a zone free of conflict potential.” Source: Izvestia  
3. “The Kremlin assessed the importance of the Arctic for Russia. Peskov: The Arctic is important for the Russian Federation from the point of view of security, geopolitics, wealth.” Source: RIA Novosti  

Table 6: Military Forces and Personnel  

Top Articles:   

1. “Putin called Russia the absolute leader in the Arctic.” Source: Regnum  
2. “Russia is unconditional leader in the Arctic, Putin says: Many countries want to cooperate with Russia in sphere of production of nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet, the head of state noted.” Source: TASS Russian News Agency  
3. “Frigate Admiral of the Fleet Kasatonov Conducted Exercises to Protect Russian Interests in the Arctic.” Source: Izvestia  

The post Arctic Foreign Media Scan (February 19th – March 6th, 2025) appeared first on Eastern European and Transatlantic Network.

By: Anna Mironova

Russian media narratives evolved drastically over the course of last week as Western leaders were set to meet to discuss pressing security challenges. Between February 10 and 16, 2025, top media outlets in Russia have pushed narratives on the following key themes relating to European security:

Energy Warfare:

To begin the week, RIA Novosti, among other outlets, heavily on the flow and of gas in Europe. A key focus was the announcement that Transnistrian authorities declined financial assistance from the European Union (EU) for gas purchases and will be receiving it from Hungary instead (Hungary had been for its pro-Russian stance in the past). Since the end of the deal to have Russian gas transiting via Ukraine (a deal that ended on January 1, 2025), Russia had to redirect the flow of its gas into Europe. Currently, Europe receives pipeline gas from Russia via a single route: the TurkStream pipeline, which runs through Turkey and on to Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary. As Russian gas supplies to Europe dwindle amidst European energy diversification, what was notably missing from this Russian coverage on European energy was the of Baltic nations disconnecting their power grid from Russia’s as part of an energy security plan to integrate with the EU’s network. This move was long overdue and reinforces both energy independence and regional security while sparking attention of Moscow’s influence over energy elsewhere in Europe.  

Trump-Putin Phone Call:

Marking an end to the so-called ‘international’ isolation of Russia, on February 12, 2025, American President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had an almost 90-minute phone call. The conversation covering issues ranging from a prisoner swap to the prospects for a settlement in Ukraine. The prominent Russian news agency TASS (originally the Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union) that the call highlighted US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s belief that a return to Ukraine’s 2014 borders was unrealistic, and effectively ruled out the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO. TASS also gave a special focus to the reaction of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, that the fact that President Trump had a phone conversation with President Putin before calling President Zelensky “was deeply upsetting for him”. However, as Lenta.ru , the call notably did not touch on European affairs and Europe’s participation in resolving the conflict. Overall, Russian media unsurprisingly had a tentatively positive reaction to this renewal of US-Russia relations. This conversation set the tone for the rest of the week as European leaders and President Zelensky worked to respond. 

Munich Security Conference:

While earlier in the week, Russian media was that approaches to the conflict in Ukraine would be the main driver of discussions at the Munich Security Conference, from February 14 to 16, 2025, the actual takeaways proved to be unexpected from the Russian point of view. KP.ru that “The Munich Conference Smashed the Entire EU Structure into Pieces and Dust”. As Western politicians reported disappointment on how Munich left them dissatisfied, particularly following US Vice President Vance’s (which focused more on European culture and values rather than the anticipated security and defence discussions of the conference), the Director of the Department of Information and Press of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Maria Zakharova commented, “It’s strange that they realized this only now. By the way, the food is also better in Moscow” (referring to Munich being disappointing) as by KP.ru. The disappointment surrounding this conference continued to incite similarly gloating articles from Russian media and largely suppressed other negative coverage of European security topics last weekend.  

The post Foreign Media Scan (February 10-February 16, 2025) appeared first on Eastern European and Transatlantic Network.