
Putin keeps the ruble surging as Russia makes 11th-hour effort to avoid default
CNN
Russian President Vladimir Putin's efforts to support the ruble continue to pay off — and then some.
Russia's currency hit a two-year high against the US dollar Friday. The ruble gained ground after the country said it managed to pay back creditors with dollars as Russia tries to avoid a default.
The country's finance ministry said in a statement that it made a $565 million eurobond that was due this year, as well as an $84 million eurobond that was set to mature in 2024. Both payments were made in US dollars, the finance ministry claimed, as required by the bond's contract stipulations.

The White House is making clear it views President Donald Trump’s Friday Oval Office showdown with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as an overwhelming win underscoring Trump’s “America First” leadership, dispatching top officials and allies on the airwaves to amplify Trump’s handling of the situation even as European leaders are putting on a key show of force of unity for Ukraine and its leader.