Russia's Deadly Drone Strike on Kyiv & Odesa Escalation in Ukraine War Full Report
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Mint
24 minutes ago
- Mint
Putin confirms talks with Trump possible next week in UAE; Ukraine's Zelensky unlikely to join
ssian President Vladimir Putin announced on Thursday (August 7) that a meeting with US President Donald Trump may take place as early as next week, possibly in the United Arab Emirates. This comes just as a White House deadline approaches for Moscow to show progress on ending its three-year war in Ukraine. "Both sides expressed an interest," Putin said, following a meeting in the Kremlin with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He dismissed questions on who initiated the meeting. Putin's foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, confirmed that a venue will be decided 'in principle,' though no formal date or location had been finalised. 'We consider it most important that this meeting be successful and productive,' Ushakov said, adding that preparation efforts are underway. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, AP reported, said no final decision had been made on the summit's location, but confirmed that new sanctions on Russia are expected Friday. The potential meeting would mark the first US-Russia summit since President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva in 2021. Trump, who has positioned himself as a peace broker, is pushing for direct talks despite Moscow's resistance to earlier diplomatic efforts. Ushakov dismissed the idea of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky participating in the summit — a possibility the White House said Trump was open to. Ushakov said the idea of including Zelensky, floated by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, 'was not specifically discussed.' Putin added, 'It's a possibility, but certain conditions need to be created,' indicating no shift from his hardline stance toward Ukraine. Zelensky, responding to the summit news, stressed the need for European involvement in future peace talks. On Telegram, he said, 'Ukraine is not afraid of meetings and expects the same bold approach from the Russian side. It is time to end the war.' Zelensky is in contact with European leaders and reiterated that any deal must involve long-term security guarantees from both the US and Europe. A ceasefire and long-term security guarantees are priorities, he posted on social media, following another deadly Russian strike that killed four civilians in Ukraine's Dnipro region. The war has killed more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians and tens of thousands of troops on both sides, according to UN and battlefield estimates. Russia continues to advance slowly along the 1,000-kilometer front line in eastern Ukraine. Trump's recent statements have grown more critical of Putin, despite his earlier sympathetic tone. He has accused the Kremlin of stonewalling peace efforts and has threatened additional sanctions unless progress is made.
India.com
24 minutes ago
- India.com
Pakistan Enters Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Trump Summons Asim Munir — Zelenskyy-Like Treatment On Cards?
Amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made a sensational claim that foreign mercenaries from countries including Pakistan and China are fighting alongside Russian forces. This statement has stirred reactions from Islamabad to Washington. The claim was made during Zelensky's visit to Ukrainian troops in the Vovchansk sector of the Kharkiv region. It has drawn international attention and a sharp denial from Pakistan. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on August 4, Zelensky said, 'Today, I was with those defending our country in the Vovchansk direction – the warriors of the 17th Separate Motorized Infantry Battalion of the 57th Brigade named after Kish Otaman Kost Hordiienko. We spoke with commanders about the frontline situation, the defense of Vovchansk, and the dynamics of the battles. Our warriors in this sector are reporting the participation of mercenaries from China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and African countries in the war. We will respond.' Today, I was with those defending our country in the Vovchansk direction – the warriors of the 17th Separate Motorized Infantry Battalion of the 57th Brigade named after Kish Otaman Kost Hordiienko. We spoke with commanders about the frontline situation, the defense of… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) August 4, 2025 Pakistan Reactions Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected Zelensky's claim as baseless. A statement issued by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "The Government of Pakistan categorically rejects the baseless and unfounded allegations of the involvement of Pakistani nationals in the conflict in Ukraine." Pakistan asserted that it has not been presented with any verifiable evidence of its nationals' involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and added that it will take up the matter with Ukrainian authorities to seek clarification. "To date, Pakistan has not been formally approached by the Ukrainian authorities, nor has any verifiable evidence been presented to substantiate such claims. The Government of Pakistan shall take up this matter with the Ukrainian authorities and seek clarification in this regard. Pakistan reaffirms its commitment to the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter," the statement added. Pakistan Rejects Baseless and Unfounded Allegations of the Involvement of Pakistani Nationals in the Conflict in Ukraine. — Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 5, 2025 Zelensky's Allegations Stir Tensions In Pakistan Zelensky's allegations have stirred tensions and triggered concern in Islamabad. Pakistani leadership reportedly began to fear potential diplomatic fallout. There is speculation that after this revelation, former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has expressed support for Ukraine and is reportedly pushing for a ceasefire, might increase pressure on Pakistani leaders, including General Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. In response, some Pakistani media outlets began running counter-narratives and have claimed that it is India, not Pakistan, that is indirectly supporting Russia, pointing to oil trade and alleged arms supplies between the two countries. Some analysts believe these allegations could strain relations between Islamabad and Washington, especially given the US' current stance on Ukraine. There is also speculation that former President Donald Trump may publicly reprimand Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, just like he had a heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a tense meeting in the Oval Office in late February 2025. Field Marshal Munir is set to visit the US again in August 2025, his second visit in just two months. 2025 Trump–Zelenskyy Oval Office Meeting In late February 2025, US President Donald Trump sharply criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a heated Oval Office meeting. The clash occurred just before a planned agreement on mineral cooperation, which was expected to expand U.S. economic engagement in Ukraine. What Are Mercenaries? Mercenaries are professional soldiers hired to fight for a foreign government or group, often motivated by financial incentives rather than ideological or national loyalty. In the context of the Russia–Ukraine War, both sides have reportedly enlisted foreign fighters. However, Russia's use of mercenaries, including those from countries like North Korea, has been more widely documented.
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Business Standard
24 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Putin says he hopes to meet Trump as US presses for peace deal on Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he hopes to meet next week with US President Donald Trump, possibly in the United Arab Emirates. The news came on the eve of a White House deadline for Moscow to show progress toward ending the 3-year-old war in Ukraine. Putin's foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov had said earlier a summit could possibly take place next week at a venue that has been decided in principle. Ushakov brushed aside the possibility of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joining the summit, something the White House had said Trump was ready to consider. Putin has spurned Zelenskyy's previous offers of a meeting to clinch a breakthrough. We propose, first of all, to focus on preparing a bilateral meeting with Trump, and we consider it most important that this meeting be successful and productive, Ushakov said, adding that US special envoy Steve Witkoff's suggestion of a meeting including Ukraine's leader was not specifically discussed. Putin made the announcement in the Kremlin after his meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the UAE. There was no immediate comment Thursday from the White House and it was unclear how the announcement of the meeting would affect Trump's Friday deadline for Russia to stop the killing or face heavy economic sanctions. Asked who initiated the meeting, Putin said that didn't matter and both sides expressed an interest. Speaking of the possible involvement of Zelenskyy in future talks, Putin said he has mentioned several times that he wasn't against it, adding: It's a possibility, but certain conditions need to be created for it to happen. Kirill Dmitriev, the head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund who met with Witkoff on Wednesday, said a Trump-Putin meeting would allow Moscow to clearly convey its position, and he hoped a summit would include discussions on mutually beneficial economic issues, including joint investments in areas such as rare earth elements. The meeting would be the first US-Russia summit since 2021, when former President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva. It would be a significant milestone toward Trump's effort to end the war, although there's no guarantee it would stop the fighting since Moscow and Kyiv remain far apart on their conditions for peace. Next week is the target date for a summit, Ushakov said, while noting that such events take time to organise and no date is confirmed. The possible venue will be announced a little later, he said. Months of US-led efforts have yielded no progress on stopping Russia's invasion of its neighbour. The war has killed tens of thousands of troops on both sides as well as more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations. Western officials have repeatedly accused Putin of stalling for time in peace negotiations to allow Russian forces time to capture more Ukrainian land. Putin previously has offered no concessions and will only accept a settlement on his terms. A meeting between Putin and Trump on the war would be a departure from the Biden administration's policy of nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine a key demand from Kyiv. At the start of his second term, Trump was conciliatory toward Putin, for whom he has long shown admiration, and even echoed some of his talking points on the war. But he recently has expressed increasing exasperation with Putin, criticising the Kremlin leader for his unyielding stance on US-led peace efforts, and has threatened Moscow with new sanctions. Zelenskyy seeks European involvement Zelenskyy said he planned calls with European leaders Thursday to discuss the latest developments amid a flurry of diplomatic activity. European countries must also be involved in finding a solution to the war on their own continent, he said on Telegram. Ukraine is not afraid of meetings and expects the same bold approach from the Russian side. It is time to end the war, he added. A ceasefire and long-term security guarantees are priorities in potential negotiation with Russia, he said on social media. Securing a truce, deciding a format for a summit and providing assurances for Ukraine's future protection from invasion a consideration that must involve the US and Europe are crucial aspects to address, Zelenskyy said. He noted that Russian strikes on civilians haven't eased off despite Trump publicly urging Putin to relent. A Russian attack Wednesday in the central Dnipro region killed four people and injured eight others, he said. Poll shows support for continuing the fight waning in Ukraine A new Gallup poll published Thursday found that Ukrainians are increasingly eager for a settlement that ends the fight against Russia's invasion. The enthusiasm for a negotiated deal is a sharp reversal from 2022 the year the war began when Gallup found that about three-quarters of Ukrainians wanted to keep fighting until victory. Now only about one-quarter hold that view, with support for continuing the war declining steadily across all regions and demographic groups. The findings were based on samples of 1,000 or more respondents ages 15 and older living in Ukraine. Some territories under entrenched Russian control, representing about 10 per cent of the population, were excluded from surveys conducted after 2022 due to lack of access. Since the start of the full-scale war, Russia's relentless pounding of urban areas behind the front line has killed more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations. On the 1,000-kilometre front line snaking from northeast to southeast Ukraine, where tens of thousands of troops on both sides have died, Russia's bigger army is slowly capturing more land. In the new Gallup survey, conducted in early July, about seven in 10 Ukrainians say their country should seek to negotiate a settlement as soon as possible. Zelenskyy last month renewed his offer to meet with Putin, but his overture was rebuffed. Most Ukrainians do not expect a lasting peace anytime soon, the poll found. Only about one-quarter say it's very or somewhat likely that active fighting will end within the next 12 months, while about seven in 10 think it's somewhat or very unlikely that active fighting will be over in the next year.
