The United Kingdom on Dec. 9 announced new sanctions targeting the illicit gold trade, which it said helps finance Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. "Russia uses the illicit gold trade to launder money and evade sanctions, in doing so bolstering (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's war efforts," the U.K. government said in a press release. The […]

A proposed reform of the European Peace Facility (EPF) would make financial contributions voluntary, aiming to bypass Hungary's veto on military aid to Ukraine, which has caused a 6.5 billion euro ($7 billion) backlog. Hungary, broadly seen as the most Kremlin-proximate EU member, has repeatedly obstructed aid for Ukraine on account that it "prolongs" and […]