The U.S. special envoy to Russia and Ukraine said Thursday the U.S. plans to significantly step up pressure on Russia through sanctions to end the war in Ukraine. In an exclusive interview with the New York Post,

Russia reported strong economic growth for 2024 on Friday as record spending on the military offensive against Ukraine outweighed the impact of Western sanctions. Before sending troops into Ukraine, Russia had faced almost a decade of sluggish growth and falling living standards -- suffering under sanctions and restrained domestic spending after Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014.

High inflation is the key challenge for the Russian economy in 2025, while the economic growth rate is expected to fall from 4.1% recorded last year, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin told President Vladimir Putin on Friday.

The Russian economy recorded a growth of 4.1% in 2024, slightly surpassing the official forecast of 3.9%, according to Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. The Prime Minister shared these figures during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin,