China slams Aus over military exercises
China has criticised Australia for participating in joint military exercises with the United States and the Philippines in the South China Sea.
Last week, The Royal Australian Navy's destroyer HMAS Sydney participated in a guided missile frigate with the Philippine navy, involving aircrafts from both the US and the Philippines.
While China's coast guard continues to clash with vessels from the Philippines over the past 18 months, several countries, including Australia have joined military exercises with the Philippines in the waters. China has criticised Australia for participating in joint military exercises with the United States and the Philippines in the South China Sea. Armed Forces of the Philippines Credit: Supplied
However, China has accused Australia, the United States and the Philippines of 'creating trouble.'
China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the US was using the Philippines as a 'pawn' against China, and accusing Manila of 'flexing' military muscles which will 'only backfire'.
'The US and other countries outside the region have patched up small groupings in the South China Sea to stoke confrontation in the name of co-operation, flex military muscles in the name of freedom, and create trouble in the name of upholding order,' he told reporters in Beijing.
'They are the biggest source of risks undermining the peace and stability in the South China Sea.'
While Australia hasn't responded to China's stance, the Department of Defence said the drills are a chance to enhance mutual understanding and interoperability between the countries' armed forces. China has accused Australia, the United States and the Philippines of 'creating trouble'. Credit: Supplied
'Australia and our partners share a commitment to upholding the right to freedom of navigation and overflight, other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace, and other maritime rights under international law, particularly in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,' it said.
'By training and operating together, forces can build upon shared tactics, techniques, and procedures to enhance interoperability and readiness to respond to shared security challenges.
'This is the second MCA involving the Australian Defence Force this year, following HMAS Hobart's participation in a multilateral MCA on 6 February with Japan, the Philippines and the United States.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- The Advertiser
China's Xi 'hard to make a deal with', Trump concedes
Donald Trump says Chinese President Xi Jinping is tough and "extremely hard to make a deal with," days after the US president accused China of violating an agreement to roll back tariffs and trade restrictions. "I like President Xi of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had said on Monday that Trump would speak with Xi this week as the two leaders seek to iron out differences on last month's tariff agreement in Geneva, among larger trade issues. Asked about a potential call during a press briefing on Tuesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said: "I have no information to share on that." A US trade court last week ruled that Trump overstepped his authority in imposing the bulk of his tariffs on imports from China and other countries under an emergency powers act. Less than 24 hours later, a federal appeals court reinstated the tariffs, saying it was pausing the trade court ruling to consider the government's appeal. Donald Trump says Chinese President Xi Jinping is tough and "extremely hard to make a deal with," days after the US president accused China of violating an agreement to roll back tariffs and trade restrictions. "I like President Xi of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had said on Monday that Trump would speak with Xi this week as the two leaders seek to iron out differences on last month's tariff agreement in Geneva, among larger trade issues. Asked about a potential call during a press briefing on Tuesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said: "I have no information to share on that." A US trade court last week ruled that Trump overstepped his authority in imposing the bulk of his tariffs on imports from China and other countries under an emergency powers act. Less than 24 hours later, a federal appeals court reinstated the tariffs, saying it was pausing the trade court ruling to consider the government's appeal. Donald Trump says Chinese President Xi Jinping is tough and "extremely hard to make a deal with," days after the US president accused China of violating an agreement to roll back tariffs and trade restrictions. "I like President Xi of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had said on Monday that Trump would speak with Xi this week as the two leaders seek to iron out differences on last month's tariff agreement in Geneva, among larger trade issues. Asked about a potential call during a press briefing on Tuesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said: "I have no information to share on that." A US trade court last week ruled that Trump overstepped his authority in imposing the bulk of his tariffs on imports from China and other countries under an emergency powers act. Less than 24 hours later, a federal appeals court reinstated the tariffs, saying it was pausing the trade court ruling to consider the government's appeal. Donald Trump says Chinese President Xi Jinping is tough and "extremely hard to make a deal with," days after the US president accused China of violating an agreement to roll back tariffs and trade restrictions. "I like President Xi of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had said on Monday that Trump would speak with Xi this week as the two leaders seek to iron out differences on last month's tariff agreement in Geneva, among larger trade issues. Asked about a potential call during a press briefing on Tuesday, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said: "I have no information to share on that." A US trade court last week ruled that Trump overstepped his authority in imposing the bulk of his tariffs on imports from China and other countries under an emergency powers act. Less than 24 hours later, a federal appeals court reinstated the tariffs, saying it was pausing the trade court ruling to consider the government's appeal.
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- The Advertiser
World will never forget brutal Tiananmen crackdown: US
The world will never forget China's 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square, Taiwan's president and the top US diplomat said on the 36th anniversary of an event Beijing treats as taboo. The events in the Beijing square on June 4, 1989, when Chinese troops opened fire to end the student-led pro-democracy protests, are not publicly discussed in China and the anniversary is not officially marked. Public commemorations now take place in overseas cities including Taipei where senior Taiwan government leaders often use the anniversary to criticise China and urge it to face up to what it did. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, in a post on X, praised the courage of those who took part in the protests, saying human rights are a concept shared by Taiwan and other democracies that transcend generations and borders. "The commemoration of the June 4 Tiananmen incident is not only to mourn history, but also to perpetuate this memory," said Lai, who Beijing detests as a "separatist" and has rejected his repeated offers of talks. "Authoritarian governments often choose to silence and forget history, while democratic societies choose to preserve the truth and refuse to forget those who gave their lives - and their dreams - to the idea of human rights," he added. "Not only do we refuse to forget history, we will implement our core values every day." US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the courage of the Chinese people who were killed in the bloody crackdown. "Today we commemorate the bravery of the Chinese people who were killed as they tried to exercise their fundamental freedoms, as well as those who continue to suffer persecution as they seek accountability and justice for the events of June 4, 1989," Rubio said in a statement. "The CCP actively tries to censor the facts, but the world will never forget," he said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. Speaking at a daily briefing in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Rubio's "wrong comments maliciously distort the facts of history", seriously inteferes in China's internal affairs, and that China had lodged a complaint with the United States. "With regard to the political turmoil that took place in the late 1980s, the Chinese government has long since come to the clear conclusion that the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the choice of history and the people," he said. Speaking at a daily briefing in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Rubio's "wrong comments maliciously distort the facts of history", seriously interferes in China's internal affairs, and that China had lodged a complaint with the United States. "With regard to the political turmoil that took place in the late 1980s, the Chinese government has long since come to the clear conclusion that the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the choice of history and the people," he said. Australia marked the anniversary saying Canberra remains committed to protecting and supporting human rights. "On this day, we join communities around the world to remember the loss of life at Tiananmen Square on 4 June 1989," Australia's Consul-General to Hong Kong and Macau, Gareth Williams, said in a post on X. Before dawn on June 4, 1989, Chinese tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square, crushing weeks of pro-democracy demonstrations by students and workers. China has never provided a death toll, but rights groups and witnesses say the figure could run into thousands. China blamed the protests on counter-revolutionaries seeking to overthrow the ruling Communist Party. The world will never forget China's 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square, Taiwan's president and the top US diplomat said on the 36th anniversary of an event Beijing treats as taboo. The events in the Beijing square on June 4, 1989, when Chinese troops opened fire to end the student-led pro-democracy protests, are not publicly discussed in China and the anniversary is not officially marked. Public commemorations now take place in overseas cities including Taipei where senior Taiwan government leaders often use the anniversary to criticise China and urge it to face up to what it did. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, in a post on X, praised the courage of those who took part in the protests, saying human rights are a concept shared by Taiwan and other democracies that transcend generations and borders. "The commemoration of the June 4 Tiananmen incident is not only to mourn history, but also to perpetuate this memory," said Lai, who Beijing detests as a "separatist" and has rejected his repeated offers of talks. "Authoritarian governments often choose to silence and forget history, while democratic societies choose to preserve the truth and refuse to forget those who gave their lives - and their dreams - to the idea of human rights," he added. "Not only do we refuse to forget history, we will implement our core values every day." US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the courage of the Chinese people who were killed in the bloody crackdown. "Today we commemorate the bravery of the Chinese people who were killed as they tried to exercise their fundamental freedoms, as well as those who continue to suffer persecution as they seek accountability and justice for the events of June 4, 1989," Rubio said in a statement. "The CCP actively tries to censor the facts, but the world will never forget," he said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. Speaking at a daily briefing in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Rubio's "wrong comments maliciously distort the facts of history", seriously inteferes in China's internal affairs, and that China had lodged a complaint with the United States. "With regard to the political turmoil that took place in the late 1980s, the Chinese government has long since come to the clear conclusion that the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the choice of history and the people," he said. Speaking at a daily briefing in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Rubio's "wrong comments maliciously distort the facts of history", seriously interferes in China's internal affairs, and that China had lodged a complaint with the United States. "With regard to the political turmoil that took place in the late 1980s, the Chinese government has long since come to the clear conclusion that the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the choice of history and the people," he said. Australia marked the anniversary saying Canberra remains committed to protecting and supporting human rights. "On this day, we join communities around the world to remember the loss of life at Tiananmen Square on 4 June 1989," Australia's Consul-General to Hong Kong and Macau, Gareth Williams, said in a post on X. Before dawn on June 4, 1989, Chinese tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square, crushing weeks of pro-democracy demonstrations by students and workers. China has never provided a death toll, but rights groups and witnesses say the figure could run into thousands. China blamed the protests on counter-revolutionaries seeking to overthrow the ruling Communist Party. The world will never forget China's 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square, Taiwan's president and the top US diplomat said on the 36th anniversary of an event Beijing treats as taboo. The events in the Beijing square on June 4, 1989, when Chinese troops opened fire to end the student-led pro-democracy protests, are not publicly discussed in China and the anniversary is not officially marked. Public commemorations now take place in overseas cities including Taipei where senior Taiwan government leaders often use the anniversary to criticise China and urge it to face up to what it did. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, in a post on X, praised the courage of those who took part in the protests, saying human rights are a concept shared by Taiwan and other democracies that transcend generations and borders. "The commemoration of the June 4 Tiananmen incident is not only to mourn history, but also to perpetuate this memory," said Lai, who Beijing detests as a "separatist" and has rejected his repeated offers of talks. "Authoritarian governments often choose to silence and forget history, while democratic societies choose to preserve the truth and refuse to forget those who gave their lives - and their dreams - to the idea of human rights," he added. "Not only do we refuse to forget history, we will implement our core values every day." US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the courage of the Chinese people who were killed in the bloody crackdown. "Today we commemorate the bravery of the Chinese people who were killed as they tried to exercise their fundamental freedoms, as well as those who continue to suffer persecution as they seek accountability and justice for the events of June 4, 1989," Rubio said in a statement. "The CCP actively tries to censor the facts, but the world will never forget," he said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. Speaking at a daily briefing in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Rubio's "wrong comments maliciously distort the facts of history", seriously inteferes in China's internal affairs, and that China had lodged a complaint with the United States. "With regard to the political turmoil that took place in the late 1980s, the Chinese government has long since come to the clear conclusion that the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the choice of history and the people," he said. Speaking at a daily briefing in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Rubio's "wrong comments maliciously distort the facts of history", seriously interferes in China's internal affairs, and that China had lodged a complaint with the United States. "With regard to the political turmoil that took place in the late 1980s, the Chinese government has long since come to the clear conclusion that the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the choice of history and the people," he said. Australia marked the anniversary saying Canberra remains committed to protecting and supporting human rights. "On this day, we join communities around the world to remember the loss of life at Tiananmen Square on 4 June 1989," Australia's Consul-General to Hong Kong and Macau, Gareth Williams, said in a post on X. Before dawn on June 4, 1989, Chinese tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square, crushing weeks of pro-democracy demonstrations by students and workers. China has never provided a death toll, but rights groups and witnesses say the figure could run into thousands. China blamed the protests on counter-revolutionaries seeking to overthrow the ruling Communist Party. The world will never forget China's 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square, Taiwan's president and the top US diplomat said on the 36th anniversary of an event Beijing treats as taboo. The events in the Beijing square on June 4, 1989, when Chinese troops opened fire to end the student-led pro-democracy protests, are not publicly discussed in China and the anniversary is not officially marked. Public commemorations now take place in overseas cities including Taipei where senior Taiwan government leaders often use the anniversary to criticise China and urge it to face up to what it did. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, in a post on X, praised the courage of those who took part in the protests, saying human rights are a concept shared by Taiwan and other democracies that transcend generations and borders. "The commemoration of the June 4 Tiananmen incident is not only to mourn history, but also to perpetuate this memory," said Lai, who Beijing detests as a "separatist" and has rejected his repeated offers of talks. "Authoritarian governments often choose to silence and forget history, while democratic societies choose to preserve the truth and refuse to forget those who gave their lives - and their dreams - to the idea of human rights," he added. "Not only do we refuse to forget history, we will implement our core values every day." US Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the courage of the Chinese people who were killed in the bloody crackdown. "Today we commemorate the bravery of the Chinese people who were killed as they tried to exercise their fundamental freedoms, as well as those who continue to suffer persecution as they seek accountability and justice for the events of June 4, 1989," Rubio said in a statement. "The CCP actively tries to censor the facts, but the world will never forget," he said, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. Speaking at a daily briefing in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Rubio's "wrong comments maliciously distort the facts of history", seriously inteferes in China's internal affairs, and that China had lodged a complaint with the United States. "With regard to the political turmoil that took place in the late 1980s, the Chinese government has long since come to the clear conclusion that the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the choice of history and the people," he said. Speaking at a daily briefing in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Rubio's "wrong comments maliciously distort the facts of history", seriously interferes in China's internal affairs, and that China had lodged a complaint with the United States. "With regard to the political turmoil that took place in the late 1980s, the Chinese government has long since come to the clear conclusion that the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the choice of history and the people," he said. Australia marked the anniversary saying Canberra remains committed to protecting and supporting human rights. "On this day, we join communities around the world to remember the loss of life at Tiananmen Square on 4 June 1989," Australia's Consul-General to Hong Kong and Macau, Gareth Williams, said in a post on X. Before dawn on June 4, 1989, Chinese tanks rolled into Tiananmen Square, crushing weeks of pro-democracy demonstrations by students and workers. China has never provided a death toll, but rights groups and witnesses say the figure could run into thousands. China blamed the protests on counter-revolutionaries seeking to overthrow the ruling Communist Party.
The Advertiser
16-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Russia, Ukraine to hold first direct talks since 2022
Russian and Ukrainian negotiators are meeting in Istanbul for their first peace talks in more than three years as both sides come under pressure from US President Donald Trump to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II. The encounter at the Dolmabahce Palace on the Bosphorus is a sign of diplomatic progress between the warring sides, who had not met face-to-face since March 2022. Several vehicles arrived on Friday at the venue of talks in Istanbul involving delegations from Russia, Ukraine, the United States and Turkey, Reuters witnesses said. Among them were an armoured vehicle, an ambulance, two white minibuses and several black cars. But expectations for a major breakthrough, already low, were dented further on Thursday when Trump said there would be no movement without a meeting between himself and Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said a meeting between Turkish, US and Ukrainian officials would take place late on Friday morning followed by talks between Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian delegations about midday. Putin on Sunday proposed direct talks with Ukraine in Turkey, but has spurned a challenge from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to meet him in person, and instead has sent a team of mid-ranking officials to the talks. Zelenskiy said Putin's decision not to attend but to send what he called a "decorative" line-up showed the Russian leader was not serious about ending the war. Russia accused Ukraine of trying "to put on a show" around the talks. Russia says it sees them as a continuation of the negotiations that took place in the early weeks of the war in 2022, also in Istanbul. But the terms under discussion then, when Ukraine was still reeling from Russia's initial invasion, would be deeply disadvantageous to Kyiv. They included a demand by Moscow for large cuts to the size of Ukraine's military. With Russian forces now in control of close to a fifth of Ukraine, Putin has held fast to his longstanding demands for Kyiv to cede territory, abandon its NATO membership ambitions and become a neutral country. Ukraine rejects these terms as tantamount to capitulation, and is seeking guarantees of its future security from world powers, especially the United States. The US State Department's director of policy planning Michael Anton will represent the US in the talks, said a state department spokesperson. The Russian delegation is headed by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky and includes a deputy defence minister, a deputy foreign minister and the head of military intelligence. Zelenskiy said on Thursday his team would be led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and include the deputy heads of Ukraine's its intelligence services, the deputy chief of the military's general staff and the deputy foreign minister. Russian and Ukrainian negotiators are meeting in Istanbul for their first peace talks in more than three years as both sides come under pressure from US President Donald Trump to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II. The encounter at the Dolmabahce Palace on the Bosphorus is a sign of diplomatic progress between the warring sides, who had not met face-to-face since March 2022. Several vehicles arrived on Friday at the venue of talks in Istanbul involving delegations from Russia, Ukraine, the United States and Turkey, Reuters witnesses said. Among them were an armoured vehicle, an ambulance, two white minibuses and several black cars. But expectations for a major breakthrough, already low, were dented further on Thursday when Trump said there would be no movement without a meeting between himself and Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said a meeting between Turkish, US and Ukrainian officials would take place late on Friday morning followed by talks between Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian delegations about midday. Putin on Sunday proposed direct talks with Ukraine in Turkey, but has spurned a challenge from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to meet him in person, and instead has sent a team of mid-ranking officials to the talks. Zelenskiy said Putin's decision not to attend but to send what he called a "decorative" line-up showed the Russian leader was not serious about ending the war. Russia accused Ukraine of trying "to put on a show" around the talks. Russia says it sees them as a continuation of the negotiations that took place in the early weeks of the war in 2022, also in Istanbul. But the terms under discussion then, when Ukraine was still reeling from Russia's initial invasion, would be deeply disadvantageous to Kyiv. They included a demand by Moscow for large cuts to the size of Ukraine's military. With Russian forces now in control of close to a fifth of Ukraine, Putin has held fast to his longstanding demands for Kyiv to cede territory, abandon its NATO membership ambitions and become a neutral country. Ukraine rejects these terms as tantamount to capitulation, and is seeking guarantees of its future security from world powers, especially the United States. The US State Department's director of policy planning Michael Anton will represent the US in the talks, said a state department spokesperson. The Russian delegation is headed by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky and includes a deputy defence minister, a deputy foreign minister and the head of military intelligence. Zelenskiy said on Thursday his team would be led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and include the deputy heads of Ukraine's its intelligence services, the deputy chief of the military's general staff and the deputy foreign minister. Russian and Ukrainian negotiators are meeting in Istanbul for their first peace talks in more than three years as both sides come under pressure from US President Donald Trump to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II. The encounter at the Dolmabahce Palace on the Bosphorus is a sign of diplomatic progress between the warring sides, who had not met face-to-face since March 2022. Several vehicles arrived on Friday at the venue of talks in Istanbul involving delegations from Russia, Ukraine, the United States and Turkey, Reuters witnesses said. Among them were an armoured vehicle, an ambulance, two white minibuses and several black cars. But expectations for a major breakthrough, already low, were dented further on Thursday when Trump said there would be no movement without a meeting between himself and Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said a meeting between Turkish, US and Ukrainian officials would take place late on Friday morning followed by talks between Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian delegations about midday. Putin on Sunday proposed direct talks with Ukraine in Turkey, but has spurned a challenge from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to meet him in person, and instead has sent a team of mid-ranking officials to the talks. Zelenskiy said Putin's decision not to attend but to send what he called a "decorative" line-up showed the Russian leader was not serious about ending the war. Russia accused Ukraine of trying "to put on a show" around the talks. Russia says it sees them as a continuation of the negotiations that took place in the early weeks of the war in 2022, also in Istanbul. But the terms under discussion then, when Ukraine was still reeling from Russia's initial invasion, would be deeply disadvantageous to Kyiv. They included a demand by Moscow for large cuts to the size of Ukraine's military. With Russian forces now in control of close to a fifth of Ukraine, Putin has held fast to his longstanding demands for Kyiv to cede territory, abandon its NATO membership ambitions and become a neutral country. Ukraine rejects these terms as tantamount to capitulation, and is seeking guarantees of its future security from world powers, especially the United States. The US State Department's director of policy planning Michael Anton will represent the US in the talks, said a state department spokesperson. The Russian delegation is headed by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky and includes a deputy defence minister, a deputy foreign minister and the head of military intelligence. Zelenskiy said on Thursday his team would be led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and include the deputy heads of Ukraine's its intelligence services, the deputy chief of the military's general staff and the deputy foreign minister. Russian and Ukrainian negotiators are meeting in Istanbul for their first peace talks in more than three years as both sides come under pressure from US President Donald Trump to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II. The encounter at the Dolmabahce Palace on the Bosphorus is a sign of diplomatic progress between the warring sides, who had not met face-to-face since March 2022. Several vehicles arrived on Friday at the venue of talks in Istanbul involving delegations from Russia, Ukraine, the United States and Turkey, Reuters witnesses said. Among them were an armoured vehicle, an ambulance, two white minibuses and several black cars. But expectations for a major breakthrough, already low, were dented further on Thursday when Trump said there would be no movement without a meeting between himself and Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said a meeting between Turkish, US and Ukrainian officials would take place late on Friday morning followed by talks between Turkish, Russian and Ukrainian delegations about midday. Putin on Sunday proposed direct talks with Ukraine in Turkey, but has spurned a challenge from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to meet him in person, and instead has sent a team of mid-ranking officials to the talks. Zelenskiy said Putin's decision not to attend but to send what he called a "decorative" line-up showed the Russian leader was not serious about ending the war. Russia accused Ukraine of trying "to put on a show" around the talks. Russia says it sees them as a continuation of the negotiations that took place in the early weeks of the war in 2022, also in Istanbul. But the terms under discussion then, when Ukraine was still reeling from Russia's initial invasion, would be deeply disadvantageous to Kyiv. They included a demand by Moscow for large cuts to the size of Ukraine's military. With Russian forces now in control of close to a fifth of Ukraine, Putin has held fast to his longstanding demands for Kyiv to cede territory, abandon its NATO membership ambitions and become a neutral country. Ukraine rejects these terms as tantamount to capitulation, and is seeking guarantees of its future security from world powers, especially the United States. The US State Department's director of policy planning Michael Anton will represent the US in the talks, said a state department spokesperson. The Russian delegation is headed by Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky and includes a deputy defence minister, a deputy foreign minister and the head of military intelligence. Zelenskiy said on Thursday his team would be led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and include the deputy heads of Ukraine's its intelligence services, the deputy chief of the military's general staff and the deputy foreign minister.
