Russia and Ukraine to talk about peace but remain far apart
Russian and Ukrainian officials are due to sit down on Monday in the Turkish city of Istanbul for their second round of direct peace talks since 2022, but the two sides continue to be far apart on how to end the war as the fighting steps up.
US President Donald Trump has demanded Russia and Ukraine make peace, but so far they have not and the White House has repeatedly warned the US will 'walk away' from the war if the two sides are too stubborn to reach a peace deal.
The first round of talks on May 16 yielded the biggest prisoner swap of the war but no sign of peace, or even a ceasefire as the two sides merely set out their opening negotiating positions.
After keeping the world guessing on whether Ukraine would turn up for the second round, President Volodymyr Zelensky said defence minister Rustem Umerov would meet Russian officials in Istanbul.
The Russian delegation will be headed by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky, who after the first round invoked French general and statesman Napoleon Bonaparte to assert war and negotiations should always be conducted at the same time.
On Sunday, Ukraine launched one of its most ambitious attacks of the war, targeting Russian nuclear-capable long-range bombers in Siberia and other military bases, while the Kremlin launched 472 drones at Ukraine, Ukraine's air force said, the highest nightly total of the war.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
eNCA
2 hours ago
- eNCA
Trade war cuts global economic growth outlook: OECD
WASHINGTON - The OECD slashed its annual global growth forecast on Tuesday, warning that US President Donald Trump's tariffs blitz would stifle the world economy -- hitting the United States especially hard. After 3.3-percent growth last year, the world economy is now expected to expand by a "modest" 2.9 percent in 2025 and 2026, the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development said. In its previous report in March, the OECD had forecast growth of 3.1 percent for 2025 and 3.0 percent for 2026. Since then, Trump has launched a wave of tariffs that has rattled financial markets. "The global outlook is becoming increasingly challenging," said the OECD, an economic policy group of 38 mostly wealthy countries. It said "substantial increases" in trade barriers, tighter financial conditions, weaker business and consumer confidence, and heightened policy uncertainty will all have "marked adverse effects on growth" if they persist. The OECD downgraded its 2025 growth forecast for the United States from 2.2 percent to 1.6 percent. The world's biggest economy is expected to slow further next year to 1.5 percent. Trump, who has insisted that the tariffs would spark a manufacturing revival and restore a US economic "Golden Age", posted on his Truth Social platform before the OECD report's publication: "Because of Tariffs, our Economy is BOOMING!" The OECD holds a ministerial meeting in Paris on Tuesday and Wednesday. US and EU trade negotiators are expected to hold talks on the sidelines of the gathering after Trump threatened to hit the European Union with 50-percent tariffs. The Group of Seven advanced economies is also holding a meeting focused on trade. "For everyone, including the United States, the best option is that countries sit down and get an agreement," OECD chief economist Alvaro Pereira said in an interview with AFP. "Avoiding further trade fragmentation is absolutely key in the next few months and years," Pereira said. Trump imposed in April a baseline tariff of 10 percent on imports from around the world. He unveiled higher tariffs on dozens of countries but has paused them until July to allow time for negotiations. The US president has also imposed 25-percent tariffs on cars and now plans to raise those on steel and aluminium to 50 percent on Wednesday.
Daily Maverick
2 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
After the Bell: Who's afraid of losing Agoa?
One of the great risks of the debate around Agoa is that it gives us something else to blame, when we should blame ourselves for our poor economy. And we must remember that it is not true that there is no cost to us from Agoa. One of the most boring discussions I've heard around our economy over the past five years has been posed as 'will we keep Agoa?' I hear it everywhere, even now, when US President Donald Trump has made it clear that he wants to tear up the entire trade rule book. I can understand why we keep hearing about it. There are certain sections of our economy that really benefit from it. Because of Agoa (the African Growth and Opportunity Act), they have been able to grow and employ people. And some of the arguments they can make about why Agoa matters to us are important. Free market access to the US is great for the car industry, and for our farmers. It means they are exporting goods produced here, earning dollars in return and basically importing jobs. People are employed, their kids are kept in good schools. You could argue that the entire community around Daily Maverick journalist Estelle Ellis and the rest of the Baywatch team will be badly hit if it all comes to an end. And that would be true. Farmers, too, had a bumper season exporting to the US in the first quarter of the year. They were able to increase the amount of goods they sent there dramatically in that quarter. When I first heard that, I thought, perhaps, like the Chinese (and I'm sure others), they had been rushing goods into US ports before new tariffs could come into effect. But that amazing agricultural economics guru Wandile Sihlobo told me on The Money Show on Monday night that this is not the case. It happened because our farmers have created a strong demand for their goods. And, like our car industry, we are basically importing jobs. But we should be aware that, despite these very loud and important voices in our national debate, this is not the end of the story. The Brookings Institute estimated nearly 18 months ago that 'In total, a loss of Agoa benefits would lead to a GDP decline of just 0.06%'. To put that into context, our GDP grew by just 0.1% in the first quarter of this year. At the same time, the South African Reserve Bank has generally said that load shedding was costing our GDP 2% every year. So it may matter, but only in the context of our complete inability to take action to grow our own economy. One of the great risks of this debate around Agoa is that it gives us something else to blame, when we should blame ourselves for our poor economy. And we must remember that it is not true that there is no cost to us from Agoa. In fact, a few weeks ago I was almost taken aback when an American investor (one of those wonderful people who travels the world, and is hugely interested and fascinated by it) asked me point-blank: 'Why do you all care so much about Agoa?' He even suggested that actually it went against our interests. This is because of some of the small print. If you look at the text of the Act that passed through the US Congress, the conditions of eligibility are designed to literally create African economies in the US mould. Of course, as we were so often reminded during the Lady R saga, it says that you must 'not engage in activities that undermine United States national security or foreign policy interests'. This is a wonderful stick for the US to beat us with. If it wants, it could define our opposition to Israel's genocidal war on the people of Gaza as 'undermining' US 'foreign policy interests'. To be clear, there is much in Agoa that is good. It mentions that workers must be protected, that there should be political freedom and things like that. But it is still a tool of foreign policy. Yes, Agoa is helping African countries to develop. But it is also a useful instrument of control. Agoa looks finished anyway. In reality, the US system of government appears to be giving Trump whatever he wants. So far, very few Republicans have spoken against his tariff policies. But the markets are speaking. And the fact that the bond markets have forced Trump to basically chicken out has given us the wonderful phrase Taco (Trump always chickens out). So, I do think we need to be less afraid of him. He is slowly being revealed as all bark and very little bite. What we really need to do is to find Americans who lose out if we cannot export to the US. The US citrus industry, for example, needs our oranges to keep the market interested in oranges during their non-growing season. And we should not forget those strange people who drive BMW X3s. The models sold in the US are only made here. And even if they are rubbish cars (who can forget Jeremy Clarkson having to throw the sound guy out of the car to go and push, even now it's still worth watching), there is still a lobby for them in the US. I think we need to stop worrying so much about Agoa.
IOL News
6 hours ago
- IOL News
‘Warrior' Henco Venter departing Glasgow reluctantly after two stellar seasons for the Scottish URC champions
Glasgow Warriors' Henco Venter will reluctantly leave the club after not receiving a contract extension ahead of the next season. Image: Backpagepix South African Henco Venter, who has been a standout acquisition for the defending United Rugby Championship (URC) winners, the Glasgow Warriors, for the last couple of seasons, might play his final game for the team this coming weekend. They face Leinster in Dublin in the semi-finals on Saturday afternoon and depending on the result, it could be the swansong for the Free State native. He recently returned to the side following a ban and immediately made his impact felt, playing 72-odd minutes against the Stormers in the URC quarters. He terrorised his compatriots and spearheaded the Glasgow defence and breakdown play to help them to a comfortable 36-18 victory. He's been a thorn in the side of the Stormers, especially in the tournament, and seemed to always lift his game when facing the men from the Cape. In last season's final against the Bulls, Venter also made a telling impact to help his side lift the URC title against the odds at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. Now, he is on the cusp of exiting the side that became his second home since leaving South Africa, and ahead of a move to French Pro D2 club Brive, he is poised to put his best foot forward. According to Venter, after a directive from higher-ups in Scottish rugby, the Warriors must focus on young talent and not foreign soldiers from next season. Despite being forced to leave, Venter told BBC Sport he loved his time in Glasgow and would've liked to extend his stay after two seasons there. 'It's a tricky question,' he said after being quizzed about leaving. 'It's also from above and all the stuff going on in Scotland regarding foreign players. That's basically one of the main reasons. I love this place, and I'd love to stay, but... (let's) leave it there. 'They want more Scottish players, and I understand that is their plan going forward and I respect that. I am not Scottish, so it's a privilege to be here and give back to the club and the country. If they make their plans and have a will to make Scottish rugby better, I hope they succeed in it.' The 33-year-old played for the Cheetahs before venturing overseas to Japan for a season. He returned and played for the Sharks in an unsuccessful spell before signing for Glasgow. Last season, he was one of the standout campaigners during their title-winning run. He has been more than a handy replacement when the Scotland players have been in camp during the Six Nations and that experience is what they will likely miss going forward. Venter, however, is looking forward to playing another big role this weekend when they take on Leinster in the semi-finals. He is also hopeful there will be a title-defending match after this weekend's duel at the Aviva Stadium.
