United Russia has approved the incumbent leader’s run as an independent candidate The convention of the ruling United Russia party has unanimously approved President Vladimir Putin’s bid to seek reelection next year as an independent candidate. If the incumbent leader wins the vote, it will be his fifth term in office.

Moscow has no fundamental disputes with Western countries, but they insist on confrontation, the president has said Russia does not have the slightest reason to attack NATO, President Vladimir Putin has said, adding that the US-led military bloc is well aware that Moscow has no plans to do so.

Sofia slapped a hefty transit tax on Russian gas in October, a move which Budapest considers unacceptable Hungary will block Bulgaria’s entry into the EU’s passport-free Schengen area unless Sofia lifts its transit tax on Russian gas, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto warned in a video posted on Facebook on Saturday. According to Szijjarto, Budapest…