Russia says Ukraine must decide if it will discuss peace accord memorandum
MOSCOW, May 20 (Reuters) - Russia said on Tuesday that Ukraine had to decide whether or not it would cooperate in discussing a memorandum ahead of a potential future peace accord that Moscow has discussed with the United States.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, after a call with President Donald Trump, said that Moscow was ready to work with Ukraine on a memorandum about a future peace accord and that efforts to end the war in Ukraine were on the right track.
Putin said that discussions on the memorandum would include the principles of a settlement and the timing and definitions of a possible ceasefire, including its time frame.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters that she hoped Ukraine took what she called a constructive position in relation to possible talks on the proposed memorandum for the sake of its own "self-preservation".
"Now, accordingly, the ball is in Kyiv's court," Zakharova told reporters, adding that it was an important moment.
She said that after Putin proposed direct peace talks with Ukraine, Kyiv's European allies had tried to prevent the resumption of direct dialogue, but that the Europeans had ultimately failed.
On newly announced European Union sanctions, Zakharova said Russia would never bow to ultimatums from anyone, adding that is was clear Europe wanted to re-arm Ukraine to continue the war.
Putin sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in 2022, triggering the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the depths of the Cold War.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
23 minutes ago
- Reuters
Exclusive: After Trump feud, role of Musk's SpaceX in Golden Dome missile shield in question
WASHINGTON, June 12 (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 (PLTR.O), opens new tab 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."
NBC News
25 minutes ago
- NBC News
Democratic governors go ‘toe-to-toe' with House GOP over Trump administration's immigration policies
Democratic governors 'spar' with House Republicans over President Trump's immigration policies. NBC News Capitol Hill Correspondent Melanie Zanona explains what took place during the Oversight Committee hearing featuring Governors Kathy Hochul, Tim Walz and JB 12, 2025
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Trump promises immigration order soon on farm and leisure workers
WASHINGTON, June 12 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said he would issue an immigration order "soon," following a social media post earlier on Thursday in which he cited labor issues in the farm and hotel industries stemming from his immigration crackdown. "Our farmers are being hurt badly ... And we're going to have to do something about that," he said at a White House event. "We're going to have an order on that pretty soon, I think... and leisure, too - hotels." He did not say what changes the order would implement or when it would take effect. Representatives for the White House and Department of Homeland Security had no specific comment about the order, while representatives at the Department of Agriculture could not be immediately reached. "We will follow the president's direction and continue to work to get the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens off of America's streets," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. U.S. farm industry groups have long wanted Trump to spare their sector from mass deportations, which could upend a food supply chain heavily dependent on immigrants. Nearly half of the nation's approximately 2 million farm workers and many dairy and meatpacking workers lack legal status, according to the departments of Labor and Agriculture. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told CNBC that Trump was reviewing all possible steps but that Congress would have to act. In recent days, demonstrations have been taking place in major U.S. cities to protest immigration raids. Trump is carrying out his campaign promise to deport immigrants in the country illegally. But protesters and some Trump supporters have questioned the targeting of those who are not convicted criminals, including in places of employment such as those that sparked last week's protests in Los Angeles. On Thursday, Trump acknowledged the impact of the crackdown on sectors such as the hotel industry, which includes his company. The Trump Organization has said Trump's adult sons are running his business. "Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace," he wrote on his social media platform. "Changes are coming!" Farmers have a legal option for hiring temporary or seasonal labor with the H-2A visa program, which allows employers to bring in seasonal workers if they can show there are not enough U.S. workers willing, qualified and available to do the job. Rollins said Trump is "looking at every potential tool in the toolkit" and pointed to the length of the temporary H-2A visas, adding: "These are changes that need to be made. Most of them ha(ve) to be made through Congress." "The president understands that we can't feed our nation or the world without that labor force, and he's listening to the farmers on that," she told CNBC.
