Putin congratulated Pope Leo XIV on his election, expressing hope for continued dialogue based on "shared Christian values."

Cardinal Robert Prevost from the USA has been elected the new pope and has taken the name Leo XIV. The election of the first American pope has resonated widely around the world, with congratulations coming from clergy,

USA Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected the new pope and leader of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday and has taken the name Pope Leo XIV a senior cardinal announced to crowds in St. Peter's Square.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a joint statement “further deepening” their partnership following talks in Moscow Thursday – a show of solidarity in the face of global uncertainties unleashed by US President Donald Trump’s “America First” diplomacy.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a statement on Thursday to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between their two countries.

The Trump administration has said it wants to pull apart Russia and China, but the two countries need each other too much.

Victory Day, celebrated on May 9, is Russia’s most important secular holiday, reflecting its wartime sacrifice. But it’s also used by the Kremlin to bolster patriotism and regain the superpower prestige it lost when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.

President Vladimir Putin is hosting Russia’s celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. The outcome of the war he started in Ukraine remains far from certain.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is hosting heads of states for festivities Friday marking the 80th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II