War in Ukraine: Trump could meet with Putin 'as soon as next week'
Severe economic sanctions are scheduled to take effect on that date for countries purchasing oil from Russia. By targeting the trade that largely funds Moscow's war efforts in Ukraine, Trump would be taking tough action for the first time since his return to the White House, having previously preferred to put pressure on Kyiv.
On Wednesday, after the fifth meeting since January 20 between Witkoff, a real estate mogul with no diplomatic experience, and the Russian president, neither party made any public statements. The Russian news agency TASS reported that the discussion lasted about three hours. Speaking to Russian media, Putin's diplomatic adviser, Yury Ushakov, remained as vague as possible, stating that the conversation, which focused on Ukraine and "prospects for developing strategic cooperation between the US and Russia," had been "useful and constructive."
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France 24
6 hours ago
- France 24
Armenians caught between hope and distrust after accord with Azerbaijan
The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, two Caucasian countries embroiled in a territorial conflict since the fall of the USSR, met Friday and signed a peace treaty under the watch of US President Donald Trump. In Yerevan, however, few of the people asked by AFP were enthusiastic. 'Acceptable' "It's a good thing that this document was signed because Armenia has no other choice," said Asatur Srapyan, an 81-year-old retiree. He believes Armenia hasn't achieved much with this draft agreement, but it's a step in the right direction. "We are very few in number, we don't have a powerful army, we don't have a powerful ally behind us, unlike Azerbaijan," he said. "This accord is a good opportunity for peace." Maro Huneyan, a 31-year-old aspiring diplomat, also considers the pact "acceptable", provided it does not contradict her country's constitution. "If Azerbaijan respects all the agreements, it's very important for us. But I'm not sure it will keep its promises and respect the points of the agreement," she added. 'endless concessions' But Anahit Eylasyan, 69, opposes the agreement and, more specifically, the plan to create a transit zone crossing Armenia to connect the Nakhchivan region to the rest of Azerbaijan. "We are effectively losing control of our territory. It's as if, in my own apartment, I had to ask a stranger if I could go from one room to another," she explains. She also hopes not to see Russia, an ally of Armenia despite recent tensions, expelled from the region." Anahit also criticizes Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for "making decisions for everyone" and for his "endless concessions to Azerbaijan". "We got nothing in exchange, not our prisoners, nor our occupied lands, nothing. It's just a piece of paper to us," she fumes. Shavarsh Hovhannisyan, a 68-year-old construction engineer, agrees, saying the agreement "is just an administrative formality that brings nothing to Armenia." "We can't trust Azerbaijan," Hovhannisyan asserted, while accusing Pashinyan of having "turned his back" on Russia and Iran. "It's more of a surrender document than a peace treaty, while Trump only thinks about his image, the Nobel Prize." 'More stability... in the short term' According to President Trump, Armenia and Azerbaijan have committed "to stop all fighting forever; open up commerce, travel and diplomatic relations; and respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity." For Olesya Vartanyan, an independent researcher specializing in the Caucasus, the Washington agreement "certainly brings greater stability and more guarantees for the months, if not years, to come." But given the long-lasting tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan, "I fear that we will have to plan only for the very short term," she said.
Euronews
15 hours ago
- Euronews
Ukraine and Europe present counter to Russian ceasefire proposal
Ukraine 'will not give Russia any rewards for what it has done' and 'Ukrainians will not give their land to the occupier," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday. US President Donald Trump earlier suggested a peace deal could include 'some swapping of territories.' A Russian ceasefire proposal has suggested to trade the Ukrainian territories of Donetsk and Luhansk for a full ceasefire. Citing two European officials familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday that Ukrainian and European officials have responded to Russia's ceasefire proposal with a counterproposal. The proposal, presented to US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg and Steve Witkoff, reiterates Ukraine and Europe should be involved in any negotiations held with Russia, while also demanding a ceasefire be implemented before further steps are taken. It was put forward in a meeting with top US officials in the UK on Saturday, according to the officials. It comes after Trump said Friday that he would meet with Vladimir Putin even if the Russian leader would not meet with Zelenskyy. The Trump-Putin meeting, scheduled for next Friday in Alaska, is seen as a potential breakthrough in the more than three-year war. Zelenskyy dismissed the planned summit, warning that any negotiations to end the war in Ukraine must include Kyiv. 'Any decisions that are without Ukraine are at the same time decisions against peace. They will not bring anything. These are dead decisions. They will never work,' he said. In a statement posted to Telegram, Zelenskyy said Ukraine's territorial integrity, enshrined in the constitution, must be non-negotiable, and emphasised that lasting peace must include Ukraine's voice at the table. European leaders came to Zelenskyy's side with statements posted on social media. French President Emmanuel Macron said "Ukraine's future cannot be decided without the Ukrainians" in a post on X, adding that "Europeans will also necessarily be part of the solution, as their own security is at stake." Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez echoed the sentiment, adding that "we must reach a just and lasting peace that respects Ukraine's independence and sovereignty." Zelenskyy also spoke with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, thanking him for his support. "Ukraine and Finland have the longest borders with Russia in Europe, and our people know very well what threats this brings," he said in a post on X. The war grinds on Meanwhile, two people died and 16 were wounded when a Russian drone hit a minibus in the suburbs of the Ukrainian city of Kherson on Saturday, regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said. Two others died after a Russian drone struck their car in the Zaporizhzhia region, according to regional Governor Ivan Fedorov. Russian troops also fired drones at the city of Kharkiv. One of them hit a furniture store and injured five people, Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov reported. Among the injured was a 17-year-old girl, and three women were hospitalised, all suffering from shrapnel wounds. Ukraine's air force said it intercepted 16 of the 47 Russian drones launched overnight, while 31 drones hit targets across 15 different locations. It also said it shot down one of the two missiles Russia deployed. Russia's Defence Ministry said its air defences shot down 97 Ukrainian drones over Russia and the Black Sea overnight and 21 more Saturday morning.
LeMonde
16 hours ago
- LeMonde
Trump's tariffs and strong euro act as double whammy for European companies
When the dollar began to slide in April following the announcement of so-called "reciprocal" tariffs by Donald Trump, many voices across Europe started to wonder: Could the euro's moment in the global spotlight be in sight? In the face of erratic decisions by the United States − which is amassing colossal debt − and a White House openly challenging the independence of the Federal Reserve, the single currency could offer a welcome haven of stability. Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank (ECB), even devoted a speech to this prospect: "The shift under way also offers opportunities for Europe to take greater control of its own destiny and for the euro to gain global prominence." Four months later, the main effect of this strong euro has been the complaints of businesses. Even more than the tariffs, which have so far been uncertain and unpredictable, major European companies have suffered from the euro's appreciation. Against the dollar, the euro gained 13% since the start of the year, now standing at $1.17; it has stabilized at around that level for a month. The euro appreciated by a similar amount against the yuan, China's currency, because Beijing has acted to keep its currency stable against the dollar. The euro also rose by around 6% against the Japanese yen and the South Korean won.
