Russian criticism of Western military aid to Ukraine is not new. But recent rhetoric reflects efforts to build public consensus for the need of a protracted — if not existential — war with the West.
It was seen as a way for Russia to prop up its currency and retaliate for Western sanctions, but it could cause global energy prices to spike. One analyst sees it as a warning to the rest of Europe.
The U.S. now believes Ukraine can win, a significant change in thinking, and is rushing in weapons. This raises the risk of widening the conflict, analysts say, and may destabilize the global economy.
Reed had been held in Russia since 2019. He was exchanged for pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko, who was serving a 20-year sentence for conspiring to import cocaine into the U.S.
Trans-Dniester doesn't usually get much attention. But European leaders are watching it closely because it hosts about 1,500 Russian troops and shares a 250-mile border with Ukraine.