Kremlin says Putin and Zelenskiy can only meet as final step to peace deal
FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with VTB Bank President and Chairman of the United Shipbuilding Corporation Management Board Andrey Kostin and United Shipbuilding Corporation Director General Andrei Puchkov, in Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk region, Russia July 24, 2025. Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
MOSCOW - The Kremlin said on Friday that a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy could only happen as a final step to seal a peace deal.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that it was unlikely that such a meeting could occur by the end of August, as Ukraine has proposed.
"A summit meeting can and should put the final point on a settlement and cement the modalities and agreements worked out by experts. It is impossible to do it the other way round," Peskov told reporters.
"Is it possible to go through such a complex process in 30 days? Well, obviously, it is unlikely."
A Ukrainian delegate said after the latest brief round of peace talks between the two countries on Wednesday that Kyiv had proposed a Putin-Zelenskiy meeting in August because that would fall within the 50-day deadline that U.S. President Donald Trump had set last week for a deal.
Trump has threatened new sanctions on Russia and buyers of its exports unless an agreement is reached by early September.
Peskov once again described the two sides' negotiating positions as "diametrically opposed".
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore SMRT to pay lower fine of $2.4m for EWL disruption; must invest at least $600k to boost reliability
Singapore MRT service changes needed to modify 3 East-West Line stations on Changi Airport stretch: LTA
Asia Live: Thailand-Cambodia border clashes continue for second day
Singapore Etomidate found in blood of 2 people involved in fatal Punggol Road accident in May: HSA
Singapore Vape disposal bins at 23 CCs for users to surrender e-vaporisers without facing penalties
Singapore Fine for couple whose catering companies owed $432,000 in salaries to 103 employees
Singapore Tipsy Collective sues former directors, HR head; alleges $14m lost from misconduct, poor decisions
Singapore Kopi, care and conversation: How this 20-year-old helps improve the well-being of the elderly
"It is unlikely that they can be brought together overnight. This will require very complex diplomatic work," he said. REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
a few seconds ago
- Straits Times
Returned and reeling: Afghans expelled from Iran struggle to start over
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox ISLAM QALA, Afghanistan, August 7 - Habiba, an Afghan woman who fled Taliban rule to pursue a master's degree in engineering in Iran, was deported in July just before she was about to complete her studies. The 31-year-old, who declined to give her family name for fear of repercussions, said she returned to her homeland with little more than her laptop and documents, the last traces of a future she nearly secured, one of hundreds of thousands forced to return in recent weeks as Iran ramped up expulsions of Afghans in the wake of its war with Israel. "I was so close," Habiba told Reuters at the Afghan border post of Islam Qala. She said she had just saved enough to complete her thesis, the final step before graduation, and now will have to start over in a country where women are barred from high school, let alone university. Aid agencies say accusations by Iranian authorities that Afghan nationals were spying for Israel triggered a surge in deportations, with the UN refugee agency UNHCR reporting nearly 700,000 Afghans expelled from Iran since the beginning of June. The two countries share a 920-km (550-mile) land border through a flat, arid landscape. Iranian officials maintain those deported were undocumented and most left voluntarily, citing security and resource concerns. Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni said in July that 70% of the 1 million who left since March did so by choice, local media reported. Local media quoted Nader Yarahmadi, an adviser to Iran's Interior Ministry and head of its Centre for Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs, as saying that temporary census cards held by about 2 million Afghan nationals were invalidated from March and that they had until July to leave. An additional 2.1 million Afghans in Iran had no documents, he said. The number of Afghans returning exploded after Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war in June. UNHCR estimates Iran deported an average of more than 30,000 Afghans each day during the war, up 15-fold from about 2,000 earlier. But Iranian officials have downplayed espionage claims as isolated media reports. The crackdown is on illegal immigrants, Yarahmadi said. Aid workers at Islam Qala said some of the returnees arrived after days without food or water. Momeni said deportations were conducted with 'respect and dignity,' but admitted the war triggered rushed exits, leaving many without their wages or possessions. Reuters interviewed 26 Afghans who had recently returned from Iran, many of whom described coming home to a country that now feels unfamiliar and unlivable. Most of them denied they were illegal immigrants in Iran and said they had held some form of documentation. BACK TO CONFINEMENT Rahela, 37, said she had built a steady livelihood in Tehran as a certified makeup artist and seamstress. Now back in the Afghan city of Herat with her two daughters, she says she sees no future. She says she separated from her husband several years ago after he struggled with drug addiction, and has been raising her daughters alone ever since. The Taliban's restrictions bar women from most forms of employment and from travelling long distances without a male guardian. 'I have no helper and no male guardian (mahram),' she said. Her father, although a mahram, is elderly and unable to accompany her or provide support, leaving her effectively confined, she said. The flood of refugees returning to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan is straining aid in a country already grappling with economic collapse, donor fatigue and a ban on girls' secondary education. But it is the post-conflict purge from Iran that has overwhelmed Afghan authorities and aid workers, many of whom say they were unprepared for the scale and speed of the deportations. The Taliban-led government has urged Iran to proceed gradually, and allow returnees time to settle financial affairs and retrieve personal property. While the women who have returned spoke of lost rights and opportunities, Afghan men described split families, derailed plans and an uncertain future. Rahim Uzbek, 59, said he was arrested at his job as a security guard, deported alone, and is now living in a mosque near the Islam Qala crossing, away from his two wives and seven children who remained in Iran, although they were also Afghan nationals. He said that he had some money tied up in an advance payment for rent in Iran, but the landlord did not return it. 'I have no assets or savings, nor do I have any shelter or place to stay,' he said, with tears in his eyes. 'I have no idea what to do.' Mansoor Ahmad, 21, a metalworker from Kabul, said he was arrested at work and deported without his family. He said Iranian officers accused him of helping someone escape a deportation camp and beat him when he denied it. 'When I spoke, they beat me. When I stayed silent, they beat me again,' he said. 'Then they put me in solitary.' Red marks and bruises were visible on his back and shoulders, consistent with being struck or kicked. SECURITY AND EMPLOYMENT Iranian officials deny systemic abuse. The Iranian chargé d'affaires in Kabul, Alireza Bigdeli, said there were no official reports of mistreatment but acknowledged 'some may be unhappy with the way they were treated, detained, or returned.' Iranian authorities say they tried to prevent family separations but admit the post-war rush split some families. Students were encouraged to leave with relatives under a voluntary return plan. While many of the Afghans said life in Iran was tough, marked by discrimination, high costs and a constant sense of being unwelcome, they still had goals. Some worked, others studied. 'The situation in Iran was very difficult,' said Rahela. 'People treated us harshly. They humiliated and insulted us. But at least there was security and work. Women could work... and that was good for us." REUTERS
Straits Times
a few seconds ago
- Straits Times
Food Picks: Tasty Turkish fare at 27 Mezze Bar & Grill
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox There are only 27 items on the menu of 27 Mezze Bar & Grill at any given time. SINGAPORE – The '27' in 27 Mezze Bar & Grill refers not to the restaurant's unit number, but the number of dishes on its menu at any given time. Though by no means a sum to scoff at, for owner Ozlem Ozbilgili, this is an exercise in restraint. There is a whole lot more she could chuck at diners, if other Turkish restaurants in Singapore are anything to go by: more cheese-flooded variations of pide, more falafel, maybe a musakka or two. The classics that make the cut on the recently updated menu are those deemed sophisticated enough. Among the mezze, diners might recognise babaganoush ($14++) – or smoked eggplant salad – and, of course, hummus ($14++). Cannot decide? Try the mezze tasting board ($34++), which lets you pick three items from this category, into which you can dip toasty pillows of pita bread. Tradition is tightly woven into the menu, which is very much Mrs Ozbilgili's love letter to her home town. The rice-stuffed vine leaves ($16++) might prove a bit of an acquired taste for Singaporean diners used to the warm, savoury sort of leaf-wrapped rice. But Sucuk & Hellim ($22++) – Turkish sausage with halloumi – is the kind of high-fat, high-salt goodness that translates just fine across cultures. Cut it with the supremely refreshing Gavurdagi Salad ($24++), tossed with tomatoes, onion, walnuts and pomegranate molasses. It comes in especially handy once the mains arrive. After all, what is a Turkish meal without some grilled meat? Chief among them is the Adana Kebap ($37++). Hand-minced lamb is seasoned with just salt, capsicum and paprika, letting the natural richness of the meat take centre stage. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Some ageing condos in Singapore struggle with failing infrastructure, inadequate sinking funds Singapore PUB investigating wastewater discharge in Eunos: Pritam Singapore Water gel guns among newer tools NParks uses to manage monkeys in estates World Trump eyes 100% chips tariff, but 0% for US investors like Apple Singapore Afraid of small talk? Scared to make a phone call? How social skills workshops are helping young people Singapore ST and Uniqlo launch design contest for Singapore stories T-shirt collection Business DBS shares hit record-high after Q2 profit beats forecast on strong wealth fees, trading income Business UOB Q2 profit drops 6% to $1.34 billion, missing forecast Adana Kebap from 27 Mezze Bar & Grill. ST PHOTO: CHERIE LOK For something less gamey, opt for the deliciously charred, succulently marinated chicken skewers ($28++). Other Anatolian specialities, such as Turkish beef dumplings ($32++) and lamb meatballs with tomato sauce ($37++), make an appearance as well. 27 Mezze, opened in January 2024, is modelled after the meyhane – mey connoting alcohol and hane meaning house – style of dining, so be prepared to knock back a shot or two. Be warned, however, that raki (starting at $10++ a glass), Turkey's national drink, is 45 per cent alcohol, so there is a chance you may not remember anything from this meal. Where: 01-02A Riverside View, 30 Robertson Quay MRT: Fort Canning Open: Noon to 10.30pm (Sundays to Thursdays), noon to midnight (Fridays and Saturdays) Info:
Business Times
a few seconds ago
- Business Times
Philippine economy grows 5.5% annually in second quarter
[MANILA] The Philippine economy grew by 5.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2025 from a year earlier, official data showed on Thursday, compared to the previous quarter's 5.4 per cent expansion. Economists in a Reuters poll had expected growth of 5.4 per cent. On a seasonally adjusted basis, the economy grew 1.5 per cent quarter-on-quarter, compared to the median forecast of 1.3 per cent in a Reuters poll of economists. 'With this performance, we maintain our place among the fastest growing economies in emerging Asia,' Philippine Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan told a press conference. REUTERS
