Kremlin says ‘quick results' in normalising US-Russia ties ‘unlikely'
MOSCOW: The Kremlin on Wednesday said it was unlikely that attempts to improve Russia-US ties would bring 'quick results', after a series of calls between presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
Trump has spooked Europe and Kyiv by pushing a rapprochement with Moscow, a dramatic reversal after three years of Washington tying to isolate Putin over his Ukraine offensive.
Trump wants a swift end to the conflict, and has expressed mounting frustration with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for not having struck a deal yet.
'There are many obstacles in bilateral relations, and it is unlikely that we can hope for any quick results,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Alongside the calls, Putin has met Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow several times, while top diplomats have also held talks in Saudi Arabia.
Lower-level delegations met in Istanbul for negotiations on boosting the work of their respective embassies.
Russia's ambassador to the United States said those talks were set to continue in Moscow and Washington, state news agency TASS reported Wednesday.
'The next round of talks will take place in Moscow in the very near future,' ambassador Alexander Darchiev said, without specifying a date.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
22 minutes ago
- The Star
Exclusive-After Trump feud, role of Musk's SpaceX in Golden Dome missile shield in question
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The role of Elon Musk's SpaceX in an ambitious new U.S. missile defense system is in question following the dramatic feud last week between the billionaire entrepreneur and President Donald Trump, according to three people familiar with the project. The White House until recently had considered a plan for SpaceX, Musk's rocket and satellite venture, to partner with software maker Palantir and drone builder Anduril to construct crucial elements of the project, dubbed "Golden Dome." The administration had instructed the Pentagon to prioritize a network of satellites for the purpose, these people said. But a new framework for the system, which would seek to track and prevent possible missile attacks against the United States, is now being considered that could reduce the role of SpaceX. One possibility, the three people said, could initially forego SpaceX's satellite capabilities and focus on the expansion of existing ground systems for missile defense instead. In a statement, a White House spokesman said "the Trump Administration is committed to a rigorous review process for all bids and contracts." A senior Defense Department official said the Pentagon "has no announcements regarding future contracts associated with the Golden Dome effort." SpaceX, Anduril and Palantir didn't respond to requests for comment. A reduced role for SpaceX would represent the first known setback to Musk's huge volume of business with the U.S. government since his break with Trump last week. The shift in plans, especially for a project that Trump has touted as paramount for U.S. defense strategy, also underscores the highly personalized nature of the president's leadership, aerospace and defense experts said. "That people guiding the program or building it are approved based on their political affiliation signals a real concern that the project itself is very politicized and not being conducted on the technical merits," said Laura Grego, a missile defense expert and research director at the Union of Concerned Scientists, a non-profit based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In its statement to Reuters, the White House said any decision would be made "prioritizing the best deal for America and leveraging the most advanced and innovative technology." Trump in May said the defense shield should be operational by the end of his presidency, January 2029. But industry experts have said that timeframe, and a projected cost of some $175 billion, could be too optimistic. The change in the proposed "architecture" of the system, the three people said, could have the political advantage of allowing the current administration to deliver at least a portion of it. It isn't clear how soon a final decision on the project could come or whether the ultimate role of any company, including SpaceX, has been determined. Trump's efforts to roll out the project fast have led to uncertainty about the project's details and a scramble by contractors to be involved, industry experts and some of those involved in its development told Reuters. "To this day, no one knows what the requirements are," said one of the people familiar with the process. "There isn't a coordinated effort with a true vision. All of these companies are just grabbing at this pot of money." SpaceX, Anduril and Palantir were all founded by entrepreneurs who have been major political supporters of Trump. The three companies had previously met with top administration officials and decisionmakers from the Defense Department to discuss Golden Dome, according to people familiar with those discussions. Before his high-profile falling out with the president, Musk served as a key Trump advisor and donated more than a quarter of a billion dollars to help elect him. But the recent dispute, which included Musk calling for Trump's impeachment and accusing the president of improper involvement with disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, triggered the change in direction, the three people told Reuters. "Because of the blowup, the Pentagon has been given the space to look at other alternatives," one of the people said. In recent days, Musk has sought to temper the dispute, saying he regretted some of his comments and taking down some of his social media criticism of Trump, including the call for impeachment. Earlier this week, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump appreciated Musk's apology and that she was unaware of any administration efforts to review Musk contracts because of the dispute. Reuters couldn't determine whether Musk's conciliatory overtures might improve SpaceX's chances of winning Golden Dome contracts or securing further new business with the U.S. government. SpaceX had pitched for a part of the Golden Dome initiative called the "custody layer," a constellation of between 400 and 1,000 satellites that would detect missiles, track their trajectory, and determine if they are heading toward the U.S., Reuters reported in April. In a January 27 executive order, Trump mandated the selection of a proposed "architecture" for Golden Dome and an implementation plan by the end of March. The order called a missile attack "the most catastrophic threat facing the United States." (Additional reporting by Mike Stone and Idrees Ali. Editing by Chris Sanders and Paulo Prada.)
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Zelenskiy says Ukrainian troops pushing back Russian forces in Sumy
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks during a joint press conference with German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (not pictured) after talks, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Thomas Peter (Reuters) -Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that Ukrainian forces were gradually pushing Russian forces out of the border Sumy region, where Moscow has established a foothold in recent weeks. Russian forces have been moving into Sumy region since April when Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin called for the creation of a buffer zone after he said all Ukrainian troops had been evicted from a months-long incursion into Russia's western Kursk region. Both Russian and Ukrainian reports indicate that Russian forces have seized a series of villages in the region, which has for many months also come under heavy Russian air attacks. And Russian reports said Moscow's troops were advancing in the area. "Our units in Sumy region are gradually pushing back the occupiers," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. "I thank you! Thanks to every soldier, sergeant and officer for this result." The Ukrainian president provided no further details and offered no proof of Ukrainian advances in the area. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said there had been a concentration of Russian men and equipment in Sumy region because of months of military operations across the border in Kursk region. He advised caution to establish details of the situation on the ground. "I think (Ukraine's) military has the situation under control and I think we shall see a different picture in the coming days," Podolyak told Ukrainian TV Channel 24. The popular Ukrainian military blog DeepState, which charts the position of Russian troops using open-source materials, reported Russian gains in recent days around villages inside the border. Other Ukrainian bloggers said on Thursday that Russian forces had advanced to within 20 km (12 miles) of the city of Sumy and were likely to move southward on villages to secure high ground outside the city. Russian media reported similar advances through the region. One military site "Voyennoe Obozrenie" said Russian forces had made "significant progress" and were now positioned south of a major highway. (Reporting by Ron Popeski and Bogdan KochubeyEditing by Marguerita Choy)
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Planned "No Kings" protests grow in number after LA militarization: report
NEW YORK, June 12 (Xinhua) -- About 2,000 protests and rallies featuring "No Kings" Day are planned with millions of Americans to turn out across the country on Saturday, nearly double that of the April 5 "Hands Off" protests that saw millions taking the streets in big and small cities nationwide, reported USA Today on Thursday. Organizers say it is more important than ever to have a "national day of peaceful protest" following the decision by President Donald Trump to send in Marines and the National Guard to Los Angeles. "I think we will see the largest peaceful single day protests that this country has seen certainly since the first Trump term," said Indivisible cofounder Ezra Levin, one of the organizers. The protests occur the same day as a parade to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army in Washington, D.C., which also falls on Trump's 79th birthday. "The 'No Kings' Day protests were planned long before Trump called in the California National Guard to quell largely peaceful protests over immigration enforcement raids in Los Angeles," noted the report. Still, there have been pockets of high-profile clashes with police in Los Angeles, leading California Governor Gavin Newsom to bring in extra state resources and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to impose a curfew. Hundreds of people have been arrested, mostly for violating the curfew. Protests have since spread across the country, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott has deployed the Texas National Guard to immigration enforcement protests there. "Mobilizing military forces into American cities is going to be seen as an overreach, and it's going to be now met with a wave of peaceful, boisterous moms and dads and grandmas and kids and their dogs and families showing up, saying, 'we're not going to put up with this authoritarianism,'" Levin was quoted as saying. On June 11, the White House said Trump is fine with peaceful protests during the military parade, walking back comments Trump made the day before that any protesters would be met with "very big force." That same day, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested that more national guard units could be deployed.
