Russia moves to tax luxury imports to bolster war budget

Russian lawmakers led by State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin have begun drafting tax amendments on luxury food items, including lobsters, oysters, and cured ham, aiming to raise an estimated six billion rubles for state war funding.

The economic initiative coincides with ongoing United States-mediated negotiations in Abu Dhabi, where Ukrainian chief negotiator Rustem Umerov held parallel coordination sessions with delegates from the E4 group—France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom—as well as NATO and European Commission officials.

Simultaneously, initial military exercises commenced for the newly established Multinational Force for Ukraine as discussions progress regarding Europe's post-war security infrastructure.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, La Repubblica.