Russia calls European diplomacy over Ukraine 'insignificant'
"We consider the consultations sought by the Europeans to be politically and practically insignificant," Russian foreign ministry deputy spokesman Alexey Fadeev said in a briefing.
"The Europeans verbally support the diplomatic efforts of Washington and Moscow to resolve the crisis around Ukraine, but in fact the European Union is sabotaging them," he said.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders were to hold urgent talks with Trump on Wednesday, hoping to convince him to respect Kyiv's interests in his looming summit with Putin on Friday.
The summit is so far planned to go ahead without Zelensky. This has fuelled fears Kyiv could be forced into painful concessions, notably over land.
Zelensky has called for a full ceasefire, a proposal which Russia has rejected.
Ahead of the conference call, Zelensky, who has spoken with more than 30 international leaders in the last few days, said "pressure must be exerted on Russia for the sake of a fair peace".
EU leaders stressed on Tuesday "the inherent right of Ukraine to choose its own destiny" and that "international borders must not be changed by force".
But Fadeev on Wednesday said the EU rhetoric "about supposed support for finding peaceful solutions is just another attempt to stall the settlement process".
"We will monitor the actions of European countries in connection with the upcoming summit and hope that no steps will be taken that would prevent it from taking place and reaching constructive agreements," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ammon
2 hours ago
- Ammon
Trump claims Washington's murder rate is higher than Bogotá or Mexico City
Ammon News - US President Donald Trump has stepped up his criticism of the security situation in Washington, DC, now claiming that the US capital has a homicide rate higher than some Latin American capitals such as Bogotá, Mexico City and Lima. During a press conference on Monday, Trump announced that he would place the Metropolitan Police Department 'under direct federal control' and deploy 800 National Guard troops in an effort to 'take back the city.' US military personnel walk outside the DC Armory after US President Donald Trump's announcement to deploy the National Guard and federalize the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, DC, on August 12. 'The murder rate in Washington today is higher than that of Bogotá, Colombia; Mexico City, or some of the places that you hear about as being the worst places on Earth. It's much higher,' Trump said. Trump said the move to 'liberate' Washington was part of a broader initiative to 'take back control' of cities he said were threatened by violence. 'All is double or triple, so you want to live in places like that? I don't think so,' the president said, referring to the fact that Washington surpasses Latin American cities like Brasilia, Panama City, and San José in homicide rates. CNN
Roya News
12 hours ago
- Roya News
Appeals court lets Trump freeze foreign aid, threatening recipient countries
A federal appeals court on Wednesday cleared the way for the Trump administration to suspend or cancel billions in congressionally approved foreign aid, overturning a lower court injunction that had required the payments to continue. The ruling is a legal victory for President Donald Trump, giving his administration greater control over foreign aid disbursements. In a 2-1 decision, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that two nonprofit groups, the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition and the Journalism Development Network, lacked standing to challenge the freeze. Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson, writing for the majority, said the plaintiffs failed to meet the legal requirements for an injunction. Circuit Judge Gregory Katsas joined Henderson in the decision. The case arose after President Trump issued an executive order on January 20, the first day of his second term, pausing spending on foreign aid, including nearly USD 10 billion for global health and HIV/AIDS programs. Trump argued that the funding conflicted with his administration's foreign policy goals. Judge Florence Pan, a Democratic appointee, dissented, warning that the ruling allowed the executive branch to bypass constitutional checks and balances and undermined the separation of powers. US Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the decision, stating that the Justice Department "will continue to successfully protect core Presidential authorities from judicial overreach." Impact on recipient countries: The ruling gives the president broad authority to control US foreign aid, creating uncertainty for countries and programs that rely on this funding. Humanitarian programs, such as health, education, and disaster relief, could face delays or reductions. Governments and NGOs may struggle to plan budgets or long-term projects due to unpredictable funding. The decision also increases the risk that US aid could be used as a political tool, potentially straining diplomatic relations with countries expecting consistent support.
Jordan Times
19 hours ago
- Jordan Times
Russia calls European diplomacy over Ukraine 'insignificant'
MOSCOW — Russia branded as "insignificant" European diplomatic consultations with Ukraine on Wednesday ahead of a planned summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. "We consider the consultations sought by the Europeans to be politically and practically insignificant," Russian foreign ministry deputy spokesman Alexey Fadeev said in a briefing. "The Europeans verbally support the diplomatic efforts of Washington and Moscow to resolve the crisis around Ukraine, but in fact the European Union is sabotaging them," he said. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders were to hold urgent talks with Trump on Wednesday, hoping to convince him to respect Kyiv's interests in his looming summit with Putin on Friday. The summit is so far planned to go ahead without Zelensky. This has fuelled fears Kyiv could be forced into painful concessions, notably over land. Zelensky has called for a full ceasefire, a proposal which Russia has rejected. Ahead of the conference call, Zelensky, who has spoken with more than 30 international leaders in the last few days, said "pressure must be exerted on Russia for the sake of a fair peace". EU leaders stressed on Tuesday "the inherent right of Ukraine to choose its own destiny" and that "international borders must not be changed by force". But Fadeev on Wednesday said the EU rhetoric "about supposed support for finding peaceful solutions is just another attempt to stall the settlement process". "We will monitor the actions of European countries in connection with the upcoming summit and hope that no steps will be taken that would prevent it from taking place and reaching constructive agreements," he said.
