Putin tells Trump talks with Ukraine useful despite what he called attempts to disrupt them
FILE PHOTO: Daily newspapers with covers, dedicated to the recent phone call of Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, are laid out at a newsstand in a street in Moscow, Russia, February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/Illustration/File Photo
Putin tells Trump talks with Ukraine useful despite what he called attempts to disrupt them
MOSCOW - Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin told U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday that a second round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine was useful despite Kyiv's attempt to disrupt them by staging attacks Putin considered terrorism, a Kremlin foreign policy aide said.
Yuri Ushakov also said that the two presidents discussed other international issues, particularly the Middle East conflict and how Russia could help deal with Iran and its nuclear programme.
Ushakov told reporters after Putin and Trump spoke by telephone for more than an hour that Ukrainian attacks on bridges and other civilian infrastructure were an attempt to torpedo the negotiations.
"It was stressed that Ukraine tried to disrupt these talks by carrying out, on the direct orders of the Kyiv regime, deliberate attacks on civilian targets, on peaceful civilians," Ushakov told reporters.
"The Kyiv regime has in essence degenerated into a terrorist organisation. The Russian side did not give in to provocations ... Let me stress that our president described in detail the content of the talks and that these talks on the whole were useful."
Memorandums outlining peace plans were exchanged and will be analysed, Ushakov said, "and we hope that afterwards the two sides will be able to continue their talks."
He said the issue of a possible meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had not been raised at this stage.
But talks with Ukraine were possible despite what Moscow denounced as terrorist acts as "on the whole they are vital to achieve some sort of settlement."
Ushakov said Trump "listened intently" to Putin's description of events in Ukraine. "I think it was very useful for Trump to hear our assessment of what has been happening."
Both presidents, he said, described their exchanges as "positive and very productive. Both President Trump and our president confirmed their readiness to remain in contact."
On Iran, Ushakov said the United States believed Russia could play an important role in helping with the difficulties over Tehran's nuclear programme.
"Donald Trump believes that Russian assistance is possible and vital and he would be grateful if Russia could help in an appropriate fashion by working with the Iranian side," he said.
The two presidents, he said, also discussed the Middle East and tensions between India and Pakistan. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
International Business Times
26 minutes ago
- International Business Times
'Time to Drop the Really Big Bomb': Elon Musk Accuses Trump on Being in Epstein Files as Public Break-Up Turns Ugly
Elon Musk escalated his growing feud with President Trump on Thursday by accusing him of hiding details from the public about the notorious sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, suggesting that revealing the truth would expose Trump's own involvement. Musk also hinted that Trump should be removed from office and replaced by 40-year-old Vice President J.D. Vance. Just minutes before Musk made the Epstein-related accusation, Trump posted on Truth Social claiming he had told Musk to leave his administration and described the billionaire as having gone "CRAZY!" "Time to drop the really big bomb," Musk posted on X soon after the multi-hour tirade against the president. "@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files." Musk Makes Bombshell Claims "That is the real reason they have not been made public," he claimed. "Have a nice day, DJT!" Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted child sex offender, died in jail in 2019. In February, the Justice Department released over 100 pages of his phone records and flight logs as part of a "Phase One" release, which left many online investigators disappointed due to the lack of explosive details. Epstein's association with Trump has been public knowledge for years, with footage and photos showing them together at social events in the 1990s. The initial set of DOJ documents included Trump's name in the flight records, along with mentions of some of his family members — such as his first wife Ivana and daughter Ivanka — listed among Epstein's contacts. Advisors have quietly admitted that Trump's association with Epstein will probably come up again when more documents are released — though they maintain that the files don't contain any claims of misconduct by the president. "This is an unfortunate episode from Elon, who is unhappy with the One Big Beautiful Bill because it does not include the policies he wanted," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. "The President is focused on passing this historic piece of legislation and making our country great again." The contact list and flight records appear to have been taken straight from Epstein's notorious "little black book." One version of this book was made public during Ghislaine Maxwell's 2021 trial, while another was later sold at auction. The contact list from the 1990s includes 349 names, with 221 of them not previously disclosed in a 2015 exposé of Epstein associates published by the website Gawker. According to Alexander Historical Auctions, the copy that was auctioned off features 94 printed entries, some marked with black checkmarks made by hand, and five highlighted in yellow. "All five names, including that of Donald Trump, are well-recognized financial and industrial figures," the online auctioneer's webpage notes. Dirty War Intensifies For years, online conspiracy theorists have speculated that powerful people visited Epstein's private Caribbean island, Little St. James, where several underage girls and young women were reportedly abused. Among the prominent figures Epstein transported on various flights aboard his private jet—later dubbed the "Lolita Express"—were Trump, former President Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, and Prince Andrew. Epstein was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center on August 10, 2019, with bedsheets wrapped around his neck, just a little over a month after being arrested on sex trafficking charges. In September of last year, Trump said he'd be open to releasing additional official documents tied to Epstein if re-elected — including the so-called "client list" of the late sex offender. "I don't think – I mean, I'm not involved," he noted. "I never went to his island, fortunately, but a lot of people did."
International Business Times
26 minutes ago
- International Business Times
Can Trump Take Over SpaceX? Calls to Seize SpaceX from Musk Grow after 'First Buddy' Threatens to Leave NASA Astronauts Stranded in Space
Donald Trump is facing calls to immediately seize control of SpaceX after Elon Musk threatened to leave NASA astronauts stranded in orbit during a heated clash with the former president. Musk reportedly said that he would not help the government and leave the NASA astronauts stranded in space on their own. Musk's open threat has infuriated MAGA supporters. In a fiery exchange on Thursday afternoon, Trump responded to Musk's growing accusations by proposing that the tech billionaire's multi-billion-dollar government contracts should be revoked. "The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts," Trump said on Truth Social. Trump-Musk Feud Gets Dirtier Musk immediately hit back at Trump, announcing that he would start "decommissioning" SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. The vehicle plays a crucial role in transporting NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Steve Bannon, Trump's former senior adviser and a vocal opponent of Musk, quickly addressed the situation on his "War Room Live" broadcast Thursday. He called on Trump to seize control of SpaceX from Musk and to use the Defense Production Act — a national security law from the Korean War period — to assert government authority over the company. "The United States government should take possession of it," Bannon declared. In reality, taking over SpaceX—a privately owned company—would be highly challenging for Trump. Although the Defense Production Act gives the president extensive authority to prioritize contracts vital to national defense, boost production capabilities, and manage essential resources such as energy, materials, and services, it does not specifically allow the outright takeover or nationalization of private businesses. However, Trump could still put pressure on Musk through other means, such as revoking federal contracts, security clearances, or partnerships. Trump's Next Move Unclear SpaceX holds several key contracts linked to U.S. national security, including military versions of its Starlink satellites for the Pentagon and its involvement in NASA's Artemis mission to send astronauts back to the Moon. Nevertheless, Bannon pushed even further, calling for Musk to be stripped of his security clearance and for all federal contracts awarded to his companies to be frozen while a thorough investigation is conducted. Bannon also took it a step further by demanding that Trump begin deportation procedures against Musk. "Elon Musk is here illegally. He's got to go," Bannon said, despite the fact that Musk, who was born in South Africa, has been a U.S. citizen for over two decades. "They should initiate a formal investigation of his immigration status because I am of the strong belief that he is an illegal alien, and he should be deported from the country immediately," Bannon told the New York Times in a phone interview on Thursday. After the disintegration in the relationship between Trump and Musk, the SpaceX CEO announced on X that he had made the decision to begin decommissioning the company's Dragon spacecraft "immediately." This announcement came in response to Trump's post on Truth Social, where he said he was considering ending all U.S. government contracts with Musk's private space firm. If the Dragon capsule is decommissioned, NASA would be left without a reliable American spacecraft to send and retrieve astronauts to and from the International Space Station. At present, four NASA astronauts are aboard the ISS, and it remains unclear whether Musk would permit them to return to Earth using the Dragon capsule currently docked at the station.
Straits Times
34 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong faces second charge under national security law
Pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong walks to a prison van to head to court with other activists, over a national security law charge, in Hong Kong, China March 4, 2021. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo HONG KONG - Hong Kong authorities once again arrested prominent activist Joshua Wong on Friday and charged him with conspiracy to collude with a foreign country under a Beijing-imposed national security law. Wong, 28, was originally set to be released in January 2027 from a 56-month jail sentence he is serving under the same law for conspiracy to commit subversion after he participated in an unofficial primary election. Taken to the West Kowloon magistrates' courts, Wong faced a new charge of conspiracy to collude with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security. The former student pro-democracy activist, who wore a blue shirt and appeared noticeably thinner than before, replied, "Understand," when the clerk read out the charge and details of the offence. Wong did not apply for bail, and the case was adjourned to August 8. Before returning to custody, he waved, shrugged, and shook his head in the direction of the public gallery. In a statement, Hong Kong's national security police said they had arrested a 28-year-old man on suspicion of the offence, as well as for "dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence". A charge sheet seen by Reuters accuses Wong of having conspired with exiled activist Nathan Law and others to ask foreign countries, institutions, organizations, or individuals outside China to impose sanctions or blockades. Such actions against Hong Kong or China, along with other hostile activities targeting them, took place in 2020, between July 1 and November 23, it added. The National Security Law, which punishes offences such as acts of subversion, collusion with foreign forces, and terrorism, with terms of up to life in jail, was imposed by Beijing on the former British colony in 2020. The Chinese and Hong Kong governments say the law is necessary to restore stability following anti-government protests in 2019. But some Western governments have criticised it as being used to suppress free speech and dissent. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
