Sweden’s Foreign Minister Tobias Billström, who steered the Scandinavian country along a sometimes bumpy road to NATO membership and stood tall on supporting Ukraine, stunned the political establishment Wednesday by saying he was leaving the Swedish government next week.

He said Wednesday that Ukraine needs “new energy, and that includes in diplomacy.” He said during a Kyiv news conference with visiting Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris that he could not announce any replacements yet because he did not know whether the candidates would accept his invitation to join the government.

Serbia is a Russian ally and will never impose sanctions against Moscow or join NATO, the Balkan nation’s deputy prime minister said Wednesday as he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The presidents of Turkey and Egypt on Wednesday found common ground on the war in Gaza as they continued to mend long-strained relations, emphasizing the need for a permanent cease-fire and guaranteed delivery of humanitarian aid.

NATO member Turkey has applied for membership in the BRICS bloc of developing economies, a senior Kremlin official said Wednesday, as Russia and China seek to counter the West’s global influence.