The rise of the "civilizational state" concept challenges traditional Western hegemony. Small nations like North Macedonia face a paradox: existential threats to sovereignty alongside strategic opportunities. Preserving unique identities is crucial for navigating a multipolar world and fostering genuine dialogue.
Turkey secured a dominant 4-0 victory over North Macedonia in a friendly match as part of their preparations for the 2026 World Cup. Goals from Orkun Kökçü, Can Uzun, Deniz Gülle, and Barış Yılmaz sealed the win. Meanwhile, Belgium's coach Rudi Garcia expressed confidence in Romelu Lukaku's fitness, and Memphis Depay is set to join the Dutch squad despite recent injury concerns.
Barış Alper Yılmaz scored Turkey's fourth goal in their match against North Macedonia, which was part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup preparations. The goal came in the 70th minute, making it Yılmaz's third goal for the national team.
Can Uzun scored Turkey's second goal in their match against North Macedonia at the Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saraçoğlu Sports Complex. The 20-year-old player netted his first national team goal in his fifth appearance.
Two North Macedonian citizens, Goran Spiridonov and Kristina Janeva, have been charged in the US for a scheme selling fraudulent 'Trump Bucks' and other fake products. Prosecutors allege they scammed Americans out of hundreds of thousands of dollars by falsely claiming affiliation with President Trump and his organization.
North Macedonia began purchasing Azerbaijani gas regularly in early 2026, with Azerbaijani gas accounting for 32% of physical supplies versus 28% for Russian gas in the first two months of the year. Azerbaijani gas is nearly twice as expensive as Russian gas, according to Russia's Ambassador to North Macedonia Dmitry Zykov.
Russian Ambassador Dmitry Zykov says North Macedonia has been reducing Russian gas imports since 2022 against its own economic interests, blindly following EU policy to reject Russian gas by 2027. While Russian gas held 99% of the Macedonian market in 2021, its share dropped to 77% in 2024 and just 47% in 2025. UAE gas supplies began in the second half of 2025, capturing 39% of the market.
Russian Ambassador Dmitry Zykov said North Macedonia's largest political forces supported US President Trump in the Iran conflict, primarily to appeal to Muslim voters. In his first interview in Skopje, Zykov noted that religious solidarity had no significant effect on public opinion, with those criticizing the US-Israeli action remaining a minority.
Russia's Ambassador to North Macedonia Dmitry Zykov says the Russian-Macedonian intergovernmental commission on trade-economic and scientific-technical cooperation cannot resume due to Skopje's unfriendly steps. North Macedonia has supported all EU restrictive measures against Russia since 2022, causing mutual trade to plunge by three times and Russian exports to drop fivefold. Russia responded by adding North Macedonia to the list of unfriendly countries and suspending the commission's activities.
Russia’s new ambassador to North Macedonia, Dmitry Zykov, reports that bilateral cooperation remains minimal as most local officials avoid contact with Russian diplomats, though he notes the embassy faces no direct security threats.
Russia's new ambassador to North Macedonia, Dmitry Zykov, criticized Skopje for providing military and technical assistance to Ukraine, stating that such actions align with NATO policies rather than the interests of the Macedonian public.
