18:27⇢American Cardinal Makes History As First US Pope
⌨The newspapers extensively report on American Cardinal Robert Prevo's election as Pope Leo XIV, marking the first U.S. pontiff in history (Interfax, Kommersant, Lenta, NTV, RBC, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Vesti). Putin has congratulated the new Pope on his election (Vesti). Meanwhile, Russia-China relations continue to feature prominently, with Xi Jinping calling Putin his "friend" and both countries discussing Ukraine daily, sending what Komsomolskaya Pravda calls "an important signal to the US." Presidential aide Ushakov indicated progress toward a meeting between the Russian and American presidents (TASS).