logo
Ukrainians are fearful any Trump-brokered ceasefire will be full of concessions and false promises

Ukrainians are fearful any Trump-brokered ceasefire will be full of concessions and false promises

CNN —
Iryna Danilovich disappeared while returning from work in April 2022. It would be two weeks before Russian authorities admitted she was in their custody. The human rights activist and nurse was detained in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, accused of illegal possession of explosives and sentenced to seven years in prison. In her trial, Danilovich testified that she was tortured during her detention.
She has since been deported to a notoriously cruel women's penal colony in Zelenokumsk, southern Russia. She suffers from constant headaches and her health continues to deteriorate – yet she is not allowed to sit or lie down during the day, according to human rights monitoring group Zmina.
Ukraine has always called its areas under Russian control 'temporarily occupied territories,' insisting it will eventually regain control over them. But that hope is being crushed now. This week, US President Donald Trump suggested it was 'unlikely' Ukraine would get back much of its occupied land in the peace negotiations he intends to hold with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Danilovich's case – and she is just one of thousands Kyiv says are detained in Russia – shows what is at stake for Ukraine.
Trump's comment came after he held a 90-minute phone call with Putin on Wednesday, and it sparked panic across the country, where few believe Putin would negotiate in good faith.
Yuliya Kazdobina, a foreign policy expert at Ukrainian Prism, a think tank, said she doesn't believe the Russian leader wants peace.
'We already had so many years of negotiations with the Russian side,' she said. Russia has a history of striking and violating agreements with Ukraine going back decades. In 1994, Ukraine agreed to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for guarantees from the United States, United Kingdom and Russia that they would respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. In 2015, after illegally annexing Crimea and sparking the conflict in eastern Ukraine, Moscow signed a ceasefire agreement only to then repeatedly violate it and then launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine seven years later.
'We know that Russia is very duplicitous, and they can play nice, but when it comes to actually making concessions and making peace, they never… make any concessions,' Kazdobina told CNN.
The view from Kyiv
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to the Trump-Putin call by saying his country would not accept a peace deal struck between the US and Russia without Kyiv's involvement.
'As an independent country we simply cannot accept any agreements without us. And I articulate this very clearly to our partners. We will not accept any bilateral negotiations on Ukraine without us,' Zelensky said, adding that the fact that Trump spoke to Putin first was 'not pleasant.'
And Ukrainians seem to agree with their leader. Speaking to CNN in Kyiv, student Nazar Voloshenko said that any talks that could lead to Ukraine losing further territory would be disastrous for the country.
'We may be left without the currently temporarily occupied territories, without parts of the Kherson region, Zaporizhzhia region and the long-suffering Crimea,' he said. 'We must take back what is rightfully ours.'
Russian forces currently occupy nearly 20% of Ukraine's territory, up from the roughly 7% it controlled before launching its unprovoked full-scale invasion nearly three years ago.
According to Ukrainian officials, some 6 million people, including 1 million children, live under Russian occupation, in what the United Nations has described as a 'bleak human rights situation.'
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks after polling stations closed in Moscow, in the March 2024 election.
Maxim Shemetov/Reuters/File
Fears of history repeating itself
Crimea has been under Russian control since Moscow illegally annexed it in 2014. Since then, Russia has imposed a brutal and repressive regime, stomping out any sign of opposition.
Maksym Vishchyk, a lawyer at Global Rights Compliance, a non-profit that advises the Ukrainian authorities on investigating and prosecuting international crimes, said Moscow has repeated the same pattern across other occupied territories.
'When Russia occupied the Crimea peninsula, it commenced a campaign of systematic targeting of communities or individuals it perceived as those who became an obstacle in the Russification campaign … with devastating effects on the social fabric in general, but also communities, families and individuals,' he told CNN.
'And Crimea has been kind of their playbook. Policies and patterns and tactics (Russia) applied in Crimea were then applied as well in other occupied territories. So, we see essentially the same patterns in all occupied territories, both since 2014 and since 2022.'
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has repeatedly reported the myriad human rights violations committed by Russia in occupied Ukraine – from unlawful detentions to sexual abuse to forcing people to accept Russian citizenship and sending their children to Russian schools and training programs.
Russia has repeatedly denied accusations of human rights abuses.
A dangerous precedent
Financial consultant Oleksandr Sokhatskyi told CNN he thinks any deal would be unacceptable if Ukraine's borders are changed from what they were before the war because of the human cost of years of unnecessary battle.
'Given how many victims this war has already had, and to end it on someone else's conditions… then why did these (Ukrainian soldiers) die and why did they defend these territories?' he said.
Soldiers fighting on the frontlines were likewise skeptical that negotiations between Trump and Putin could yield a result that would be palatable to many Ukrainians.
Volodymyr Sablyn, a battalion commander in the 66th mechanized brigade, who is fighting near Lyman in the east of the country, said that having Russia take over some of Ukraine's territory could have dangerous consequences.
'It will set a precedent and show Russia that they can attack any country, take its territory and make it theirs with impunity in the future,' he said, adding that Russia could soon turn their focus on other smaller countries in its vicinity.
Putin has repeatedly made his goals clear: He wants to gain control over the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions. But many in Ukraine are worried that even if he initially agrees to a ceasefire, he will ultimately instigate further fighting to achieve his endgame.
'No one and nothing will stop Putin from attacking us again and occupying another region or several more. If Europe and America don't help us, then making peace now will most likely lead to war in a few years,' Sablyn said.
Dariya Tarasova-Markina contributed to this report.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Russia Warns of Rising Nuclear Tensions Amid Silence from US, UK
Russia Warns of Rising Nuclear Tensions Amid Silence from US, UK

See - Sada Elbalad

time2 hours ago

  • See - Sada Elbalad

Russia Warns of Rising Nuclear Tensions Amid Silence from US, UK

Ahmed Emam Russia's Foreign Ministry has issued a stark warning to the United States and the United Kingdom, saying that their continued disregard for Moscow's communications could further intensify tensions among nuclear powers. In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Washington and London's failure to respond to Russia's concerns is contributing to a dangerous escalation in the global nuclear landscape. The statement comes amid rising geopolitical strains and deepening mistrust between Russia and Western nations over a range of issues, including military posturing, arms control agreements, and ongoing conflicts. Moscow also emphasized that sustained dialogue is essential to avoid miscalculations between nuclear-armed states, urging Western powers to reconsider their current stance. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean

US and China agree on plan to ease export controls after trade talks in London
US and China agree on plan to ease export controls after trade talks in London

Egypt Independent

time4 hours ago

  • Egypt Independent

US and China agree on plan to ease export controls after trade talks in London

Hong Kong CNN — The United States and China have agreed on a framework to implement their trade truce, officials on both sides said Wednesday, after concluding two days of talks in London to defuse tensions and ease export restrictions that threaten to disrupt global manufacturing. American and Chinese negotiators agreed 'in principle' to a framework on how to implement the consensus reached by the previous round of talks in Geneva last month and a phone call between the two countries' leaders last week, China's trade negotiator Li Chenggang told reporters in London, according to Chinese state broadcaster CGTN. Officials on both sides will now take the proposal back to their leaders for approval, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters in a separate briefing in London, Reuters reported. 'If that is approved, we will then implement the framework,' he said. While neither side disclosed any specifics of the deal, Lutnick indicated that both had agreed to roll back export controls on goods and technologies that are crucial to the other. China's restrictions on exports of rare earth minerals and magnets to the US will be resolved as a 'fundamental' part of the framework agreement, Lutnick said, according to Reuters. 'Also, there were a number of measures the United States of America put on when those rare earths were not coming,' he added. 'You should expect those to come off, sort of as President Trump said: 'In a balanced way.'' Frustrated by what it saw as Beijing's retreat from its pledge made in Geneva to ease rare earth exports, the US restricted chip design software sales to China and vowed to 'aggressively revoke' Chinese student visas. Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, told CNBC Monday that the Trump administration may be open to loosening restrictions on some microchips that China views as critical to its manufacturing sector. The US will maintain restrictions on 'very, very high-end Nvidia' chips that are capable of powering artificial intelligence systems, he added. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment. Export controls take center stage The latest round of talks, held at the ornate Lancaster House in central London, underscored the increasingly central role export controls have played in the trade war between the world's largest economies. Li Chenggang, China's vice commerce minister, second left, and Wang Wentao, China's commerce minister, second right, arrive for trade talks at Lancaster House in London, UK, on June 10, 2025. Chris J. Ratcliffe/Bloomberg/Getty Images It also highlighted Beijing's powerful leverage from its dominance of the rare earth supply chain – and its growing readiness to wield it in pressing the US to ease export restrictions on China. Rare earth minerals and their magnets are essential for everything from cars to fighter jets, and China holds a near-monopoly on these materials that are critical to American industries and defense. Following their long-anticipated phone call last week, Trump said Xi had agreed to restart the flow of rare earth minerals and magnets, though he did not elaborate on how fast that would happen or the volume of the materials that would be released. Since early April, when Beijing imposed new licensing rules on certain minerals in response to Trump's tariffs, China's overseas shipments of rare earths have plunged, threatening industries globally, from electronics and defense to energy and carmaking. Over the past month, Trump has imposed punitive measures on Beijing, including limits on technology sales to China and threatening to revoke the US visas of Chinese students, which was prompted by a belief that China had failed to live up to commitments it made in Geneva, administration officials told CNN in May. The measures also include a ban on US companies selling to China software used to design semiconductors. The White House additionally warned US companies against using artificial intelligence chips made by China's national tech champion Huawei. The moves have triggered backlash from China, which views Washington's decisions as violating the Geneva consensus. The US and China agreed in the Swiss city on May 12 to temporarily roll back crippling tariffs on each other and use a 90-day window to hash out a broader deal to address their trade imbalance. But despite the reprieve, China's exports to the US suffered a steep decline of 34.5 percent in May, according to Chinese customs data, and the renewed friction necessitated another round of talks. 'The progress made during this round of talks in London is conducive to further building trust between China and the United States, promoting the stable and healthy development of China-US economic and trade relations,' Li, China's top international trade negotiator and vice commerce minister, said Wednesday, CGTN reported. Semiconductor chokepoint Although US access to rare earths has not been a source of friction until recently, the feud over advanced technology has been rumbling for some time. In recent years, Washington has stepped up efforts to restrict China's access to chip-related technologies, aiming to prevent Beijing from using American innovations to bolster its military and AI capabilities. During his first term, Trump imposed targeted restrictions on companies like Huawei, including limits on chip sales to them. In 2022, then-President Joe Biden intensified these efforts, curbing the sale of advanced semiconductors to China over concerns that they could power its military. The controls were subsequently expanded to include restrictions on sales of chipmaking equipment, high-bandwidth memory chips and even products manufactured outside the US using American technology, in order to limit China's technological progress. The mounting restrictions have put heavy pressure on China's strategic sectors that Xi has prioritized, including semiconductors and AI. But in recent years Huawei, the Chinese telecom and electronics giant, has re-emerged as a national champion, with Beijing pinning its hopes on the company to lead innovation in these sectors. Although US restrictions initially crippled its smartphone business, the company made a stunning comeback in 2023 with a handset powered by advanced chips, technology Washington believed it had blocked. The launch of the Mate 60 smartphone in 2023 even triggered investigations by the US government. In a rare interview Tuesday, Ren Zhenfei, the founder of Huawei, dismissed the impact of the technology restrictions the US had imposed on China and Huawei, while conceding that its chip technology remains one generation behind US technology. 'The US has exaggerated Huawei's capabilities. We're not that advanced yet,' he told the People's Daily, a newspaper run by China's Communist Party. But he added that China's current needs could be met by bundling microchips together, an approach the industry commonly refers to as packaging or stacking. 'There's actually no need to worry about the chip issue. By using methods like stacking and clustering, the computational results are comparable to the most advanced levels,' he said. This story has been updated with additional reporting and context.

Syria orders women to cover up on beaches with conservative new dress code
Syria orders women to cover up on beaches with conservative new dress code

Egypt Independent

time4 hours ago

  • Egypt Independent

Syria orders women to cover up on beaches with conservative new dress code

CNN — Syria issued a conservative new dress code Tuesday requiring women to wear burkinis or full-body swimwear on all public beaches, the latest cultural shift since Syria issued a conservative new dress code Tuesday requiring women to wear burkinis or full-body swimwear on all public beaches, the latest cultural shift since Islamist-led rebels toppled dictator Bashar al-Assad's regime last December. The Tourism Ministry said the new guidelines were made in 'the requirements of public interest.' 'Visitors to public beaches and pools, whether tourists or locals, are required to wear appropriate swimwear that takes into account public taste and the sensibilities of various segments of society,' Tourism Minister Mazen al-Salhani said in a directive posted to Facebook. 'More modest swimwear is required at public beaches and pools (burkinis or swimsuits that cover more of the body),' said the directive, adding, 'When moving between the beach and other places, it is necessary to wear a beach cover-up or loose-fitting robe (for women) over swimsuits.' Men are required to wear shirts under the new guidance, which says that 'topless clothing is not permitted in public areas outside of swimming areas, hotel lobbies, and food service areas.' 'In public areas outside of beaches and pools, it is preferable to wear loose clothing, covering shoulders and knees, and avoid transparent or overly tight clothing,' according to the directive. However, the ministry said that in resorts and hotels 'classified as international and premium (4-star)' and in private beaches and swimming pools 'typical Western swimwear is permitted.' It's unclear what repercussions people who do not follow the guidelines will face, but the ministry said that 'lifeguards and beach supervisors' would monitor people to ensure compliance. The new regulations reflect the influence of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist coalition now leading Syria's transitional government. Formerly known as Al-Nusra Front, HTS is designated as a terrorist group by the US and UK. Interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who signed the dress-code directive, led HTS in the lightning offensive that led to the fall of Assad, whose regime had been in power for several decades. In March, al-Sharaa signed an interim constitution mandating Islamist rule for a transitional phase of five years. Al-Sharaa said in December that rewriting Syria's constitution might take three years, with elections potentially taking place within five years. The US-based Human Rights Watch said in March that Al-Sharaa's 'broad authority raises serious concerns about the durability of the rule of law and human rights protections unless clear safeguards are put in place.' Tourism Minister al-Salhani, who recently courted Qatari and Saudi investors for tourism projects worth 'billions of dollars,' framed the rules as respecting Syria's cultural, social, and religious diversity.' The announcement comes amid a push to revive Syria's tourism industry following the lifting of US sanctions in May 2025 – a move US President Donald Trump described as a 'chance at greatness' for Syria.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store