David R. Sands
Articles by David R. Sands
Russia: We’re keeping track of who’s against us
Russia sent a message Monday to the U.S. and all other countries that have responded to the invasion of Ukraine with "unfriendly actions": We've got a list. Published March 7, 2022
Ukraine says third round of talks with Russia set for Monday
Russian and Ukrainian officials will meet for a third round of direct talks Monday to discuss a possible cease-fire in the 10-day-old war launched by the Kremlin. Published March 5, 2022
D.C. braced, uncertain as trucker convoy puts the hammer down
The nation's capital was braced for it was not quite clear what as a sizable convoy of truckers protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other causes bore down on the city from the north. Published March 5, 2022
Pence escalates break with Trump with attack on Putin praise
Former Vice President Mike Pence is broadening the breach with his former boss, taking a barely veiled shot at former President Donald Trump for offering mixed praise for Russian leader Vladimir Putin even as the Kremlin's 10-day invasion of Ukraine grinds on. Published March 5, 2022
Putin warns on NATO no-fly zone as Zelenskyy addresses U.S. senators
Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stark warning against a NATO "no-fly zone" over the skies of Ukraine as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed a virtual meeting of U.S. lawmakers Saturday to plead for a more aggressive Western response to Russia's 10-day-old invasion. Published March 5, 2022
Kremlin defends media crackdown as more Western news organizations shut down
Two more Western news organizations announced Saturday they were suspending operations inside Russia following the passage of a new law imposing fines and criminal penalties for publishing "fake news" about the invasion of Ukraine. Published March 5, 2022
Britain plans major boost in sanctions on Russia over Ukraine
The British government Friday announced a new round of sanctions against Russia as the Kremlin's war against Ukraine escalates. Published March 4, 2022
U.N.: Ukraine refugee flow may top 4 million
The number of Ukrainian citizens fleeing the fighting in their country may eventually top 4 million people, or nearly a 10th of the population, according to new estimates this week from the United Nations' top refugee agency. Published March 4, 2022
Stoltenberg nixes NATO ‘no-fly zone’ for Ukraine
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday firmly ruled out plans for the Western military alliance to enforce a "no-fly zone" over Ukraine, despite the pleas of the Kyiv government as it tries to hold back a massive invasion from neighboring Russia. Published March 4, 2022
Russian chess grandmasters slam invasion of Ukraine in joint appeal to Putin
Nearly three dozen top Russian chess players, including a recent challenger for the world crown, a former women's world champion and a grandmaster who has won the Russian national title eight times, have issued an "official appeal" to President Vladimir Putin condemning the invasion of Ukraine and calling for the fighting to cease. Published March 3, 2022
China won’t join Western financial sanctions on Russia over Ukraine
China's communist government said Wednesday that it will not be joining a wide-ranging sanctions campaign by the U.S. and countries around the world against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, adding it opposes "unilateral" measures and doubts they would be effective. Published March 2, 2022
IMF, World Bank condemn invasion, prepare emergency aid for Ukraine
The world's two biggest international financial bodies have condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and announced a multibillion-dollar emergency financing package for the beleaguered Ukrainian government. Published March 1, 2022
Russian chess suffers as war divides two great powers of the game
It doesn't even rate as a footnote as the bombs fall and families cower in bomb shelters, but there is something inexpressibly sad about seeing two of the world's great chess-loving nations at war. Published March 1, 2022
Famously neutral Swiss sign on to European sanctions against Russia
Switzerland, which has long jealously guarded its neutral status in the face of past world crises, said Monday it will join European Union sanctions against Russia and top officials including President Vladimir Putin in the wake of last week's invasion of Ukraine. Published February 28, 2022
Pressured Putin hints at nukes but agrees to talks with Ukraine
Facing a wall of global opposition and unexpectedly fierce resistance from Ukrainian forces, Russian President Vladimir Putin played the nuclear card Sunday, ordering the country's vast nuclear arsenal be put on a "special combat readiness" status to persuade the U.S. and European nations not to come to Kyiv's aid. Published February 27, 2022
Germany makes historic shift on defense after Russia invasion
Russian President Vladimir Putin has managed to do in five days what U.S. presidents of both parties have failed to do for a decade: Get NATO laggard Germany to spend more on defense. Published February 27, 2022
Ukraine sees win as Russia agrees on peace talks
Russia and Ukraine have agreed to emergency talks on ways to resolve their five-day war, with Kyiv officials saying the Kremlin's agreement to talk is already a sign things aren't going as planned for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Published February 27, 2022
In Russia, protests of invasion persist despite Kremlin crackdown
Protesters again took to the streets of Moscow and other major cities to protest the war in Ukraine, defying a crackdown by the Kremlin in a rare outbreak of determined domestic pushback against Russian President Vladimir Putin. Published February 27, 2022
Once-reluctant Germany boosts military in wake of Russian invasion
Russian President Vladimir Putin has managed to do in five days what U.S. presidents of both parties have failed to do for a decade: Get NATO laggard Germany to spend more on defense. Published February 27, 2022
Putin order puts Russian nuke deterrence force on high alert
President Vladimir Putin put Russia's massive nuclear arsenal on higher alert Sunday, citing what he said were military and economic moves by the U.S. and its allies in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Published February 27, 2022