The US approves the use of anti-personnel mines by the Ukrainian army, Zelensky hopes for additional Western aid, and Iran may halt uranium enrichment. These stories topped the headlines in Thursday’s newspapers across Russia.

Izvestia: US lets Kiev use anti-personnel mines

US President Joe Biden has authorized supplying Ukraine with anti-personnel landmines, despite having previously opposed their use. This type of weapon has been banned under the 1997 Ottawa UN Convention. Such a move signals a new phase in the conflict’s escalation, following the US' permission to Ukraine to use long-range weapons for strikes on Russia just a few days earlier. Previously, the Ukrainian side had already been using Lepestok anti-personnel landmines, which have caused deaths among civilians. Experts link such decisions by the White House to Ukraine's failures on the battlefield and Donald Trump's imminent return to power.

"It is strange to hear about such weapons being supplied by the US. The Ukrainian army’s warehouses are literally packed with Western mine weapons - they were supplied with hundreds of thousands, if not millions. They were given both anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, as well as bounding and smart mines, including those with remote sensitivity or implosion. Everything available in the arsenals of Western countries is being handed over to the Ukrainian army. So supplying another batch will not be decisive," military expert Vladislav Shurygin told Izvestia.

"It is quite possible that Joe Biden made this decision due to his impending departure from the White House. Time is running out, and it is questionable whether the new administration would approve of such a decision. That said, Biden is confronted with the fact that the situation on the battlefield is worsening for his Ukrainian partners. One can presume that this is a certain act of desperation. He is using all remaining opportunities for the administration, including the last batch of military aid and possibly the decision to allow strikes deep into Russia. Whatever is possible is being done now," said research director of the Russian International Affairs Council Andrey Kortunov.

"One must look for the causes in domestic policy. Foreign policy simply reflects it. The Democrats want to spite Donald Trump. All of this must be understood in the context of his appointments. Those appointments may even be seen as a ‘quiet revolution,’ while from the Democrats’ perspective, this is the usurpation of power. If these individuals are appointed in the end and the Senate approves them, then purges will begin: the firing of generals, among others, and an overhaul of the Pentagon - serious reshuffles on all fronts. In other words, Joe Biden wants to avenge this ‘quiet revolution’ and put Trump in a difficult position, hoping for an escalation," American historian and former Harvard University professor Vladimir Brovkin explained.

Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Zelensky’s plan will not prevent appeals for additional western aid

If Washington cuts Ukraine's financing, it will lose, Vladimir Zelensky said in an interview. He expressed hope for further support from US President-elect Donald Trump. However, earlier, while presenting a new "resilience plan" designed to mobilize domestic resources in Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada, he stressed that one should not expect miracles from Trump and assured that Kiev has enough financing for a year.

Former Ukrainian MP Spiridon Kilinkarov told the newspaper that, of course, Ukraine has certain financial resources, including from taxes, government war bonds, and various loans. However, the existing funds are not enough to restore the operation of the military-industrial complex or establish new facilities to produce the necessary types of weapons. Such problems cannot be resolved without assistance from Western partners. Additionally, the situation is being exacerbated by Russia’s continued strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Therefore, in conclusion, it is possible to say that if Western countries, led by the US, stop financing Ukraine, its existing funds are sufficient to hold out for some time, but it is clear that not for long. That said, Kiev will not be able to provide the army with all the necessary supplies to continue combat with Russia. "So these days, Zelensky has reasons to raise the issue that without Western financing, and, above all, that from the US, the Ukrainian side will lose," the expert concluded.

Vedomosti: Iran will halt uranium enrichment in exchange for IAEA resolution

Tehran may halt expanding its stock of uranium enriched to up to 60% purity if the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors decides against approving an anti-Iran resolution at its meeting in Vienna on November 22, Reuters reported, citing the agency’s confidential report.

Iran is likely to significantly reduce its stock of enriched uranium, but only on the condition that the IAEA Board of Governors approves a resolution favorable to Iran, said Andrey Zeltyn, senior lecturer at the School of Asian Studies at the Higher School of Economics (HSE University). However, the expert believes that the possibility of such a scenario is minimal due to pressure from the US. According to Zeltyn, Iran has never aimed to develop a nuclear bomb because its existence carries major risks for the country’s security and could trigger unpredictable consequences. By stating its readiness to reduce the amount of enriched uranium, Iran shows that it has a card up its sleeve that it is ready to use to negotiate acceptable terms in relations with the outside world. However, the chances of reviving the nuclear deal are slim, especially with Trump’s upcoming return to the White House.

In 2022, Iran prudently declined to finalize any agreements on restoring the nuclear deal with the Biden administration, insisting on receiving assurances or compensation in case the Republicans regained power, said Yury Lyamin, an expert at the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies. Otherwise, Trump would have scrapped the agreements again, which would have damaged the Iranian economy. The White House may strengthen the existing sanctions regime against Iran, but it will have less impact because the country’s economy has managed to endure even under severe US sanctions, the expert explained. That said, it is clear that the momentum toward steering the country’s nuclear program onto a military path is growing both in military circles and the expert community, Lyamin said.

Nezavisimaya Gazeta: Modi to host Putin despite Washington's discontent

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India. The exact date of the visit has not been disclosed, but preparations are already underway. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Russia twice this year. In July, he traveled to Moscow for a high-level meeting with Putin, and in October, he went to Kazan for the BRICS Summit. Now, it is Putin’s turn to visit India.

It is certain that Putin’s visit to India will attract significant media coverage worldwide. According to AP, political leaders in Europe, Asia, and beyond are speculating about how the shift in leadership in the White House will impact the situation in Ukraine, the Middle East, and other global flashpoints. India’s status as a rising global power is especially significant in this context. Nevertheless, both New Delhi and Moscow are charting their own course, unaffected by the fluctuations in US foreign policy.

Tatyana Shaumyan, head of the Center for Indian Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Oriental Studies, told Nezavisimaya Gazeta: "I believe this trip will continue the tradition of regular reciprocal visits by the leaders of both countries. Modi visited Russia twice this year. Now, it’s our turn to demonstrate our commitment to deepening relations with India. Naturally, there will also be talks about reducing the trade imbalance between the two nations. Thanks to the sale of Russian oil products to India, Moscow has accumulated a significant amount of Indian currency. Russia’s purchases of traditional Indian exports, such as tea, coffee, and advanced technology, have not yet been enough to offset this deficit. I hope that solutions to address this issue will be found. It is likely that the situation in Ukraine will be discussed during the meeting. India opposes further escalation of the conflict and advocates for a diplomatic solution. Russia has welcomed this stance."

Vedomosti: Analysts predict rising gold, silver prices in 2025

The average price of gold on the global market in 2025 will increase by 9% compared to current levels, reaching up to $2,527 per troy ounce, according to a forecast by analysts from Kept consulting firm shared with Vedomosti. The price of silver will also rise, with its average price projected to grow by 11%, reaching $31 per ounce, the analysts predict.

Dmitry Skryabin, a portfolio manager at Alfa-Capital, pointed out that Kept's forecasts for gold and silver prices are relatively conservative. In his opinion, in 2025, demand from central banks will remain strong due to the diversification of gold reserves in China, India, Turkey, Singapore, and other countries.

Global economic growth rates will be the key factor for silver prices, Skryabin believes. Rising prices for gold and silver will boost earnings for gold-mining companies, explained Dmitry Puchkarev, a stock market expert at BCS World of Investments, and Veles Capital analyst Vasily Danilov. That said, their stock prices may be more significantly influenced by geopolitics, regulations, and the dynamics of the dollar exchange rate, Skryabin added.

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