The main geopolitical topic on September 13 is the potential meeting of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, preliminarily set for October at the ASEAN summit in Malaysia. Xi Jinping has not yet expressed a willingness to join the trilateral summit, and there is no official confirmation from the participants, but Malaysia has already announced the list of potential attendees.
Military updates remain central: more Belarusians are joining the Russian army. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, 1,031 citizens of Belarus have signed contracts with Russia's forces; 105 have been killed and 84 are missing. In 2024 alone, the number of Belarusian contract soldiers rose to 518.
Russian use of pipelines to infiltrate groups near Lyman Pershyi, close to Kupiansk, has made defense more complicated, according to Deepstate reports. Organized enemy groups travel through established supply points and reach controlled areas with little resistance.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called the US reaction to Russia's drone violation of Polish airspace adequate, despite a lack of clear White House statements. Over 50 UN countries condemned the drone incursion into Poland, and several called for stronger support for Ukraine and Europe. Unlike Poland, Lithuania has yet to close its border with Belarus, even amid security risks.
Poland and China are developing the "new Silk Road," which will affect economic and security dynamics in the region.
EU countries extended existing sanctions against Russia for another six months; discussions continue regarding the confiscation of frozen Russian assets. Azerbaijan and Ukraine agreed to expand gas cooperation and energy resource exchanges.
Separately, Vladimir Putin is investing heavily in research on aging, with funding in this field increasing eightfold over five years, reflecting new scientific priorities for Russia.
Donald Trump announced an investigation into billionaire George Soros, whom he suspects of funding radical organizations worldwide.
