Latest news with #AxelSpringerGlobalReportersNetwork
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Zelenskyy: Russia is simply lying to Trump
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that US President Donald Trump has the leverage to end the war between Russia and Ukraine – but to do so, he must understand what game Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is playing. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, as reported by European Pravda Details: Zelenskyy stated that Russia "is simply lying to Trump". "Most heads of state and government share my opinion, and I very much hope that America sees and understands this. That is the most important thing. How you respond to that is America's decision," he said. Zelenskyy stressed that Trump has the power to stop the war because "Putin understands nothing but strength, and America has that strength". He also emphasised that Trump is aware that the Kremlin is not entirely sincere about the war. Zelenskyy noted that Russia could only be victorious if the West abandoned Ukraine. In his opinion, an American withdrawal from the war would be an ideal scenario for Putin. When asked about the quarrel between the US and Ukrainian leaders in the Oval Office in February, Zelenskyy ironically replied that he did not believe that the incident had brought them closer together, while emphasising that it was now in the past. "Today we must do everything we can to ensure that the next meeting in the Oval Office is successful for both countries," he stressed. Zelenskyy said that the United States and Ukraine had resumed a constructive dialogue. He added that a personal, friendly meeting between the presidents took place in the Vatican in April. Background: Trump recently shared details of a recent conversation with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin, including his idea that Ukraine and Russia should be allowed to "fight for a while" because it would be easier to stop them later. He also compared the Russo-Ukrainian war to two children fighting like crazy. "Sometimes, and this is me speaking, maybe in a negative sense, you see two young children fighting like crazy. They hate each other and are fighting in the park, and you try to pull them apart; they don't want to be pulled. Sometimes it's better off letting them fight for a while and then pulling them apart," he said. In response, Zelenskyy said that Putin is a murderer, not a child on a playground. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Yermak: A Putin no-show at peace talks should trigger new sanctions
A top Ukrainian official is urging the United States to unleash a new wave of economic reprisals on Moscow if Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn't show up to proposed peace talks in Turkey this week. 'If Putin will not come to Turkey, it's necessary immediately to start real, new packages of the sanctions, new pressure,' Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said in an interview with the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, which POLITICO is part of. 'Russia understands only the languages of strength, and anybody who thinks that it's possible to find a compromise, Russia always uses to play games.' Yermak's comments offer the clearest sign yet of Ukraine working overtime to convince President Donald Trump that Russia, not Ukraine, is the major roadblock to a peace deal. Zelenskyy has offered to hold direct talks with Putin in Turkey on Thursday, and Trump has openly mused about going to Turkey to attend the meeting if both the Russian and Ukrainian leader attend. Yermak said the Ukrainians don't yet have confirmation that Trump will be coming. The Kremlin has so far declined to comment on whether Putin will attend. Yermak said that a Putin no-show in Turkey would undermine Russia's claim it is serious about peace talks. 'If he will not come, he doesn't want to end this war and is not ready for any negotiations,' Yermak said. Yermak also outlined Ukraine's negotiating position going into the talks on Thursday, reiterating Ukraine's insistence on an 'unconditional ceasefire' before negotiations on a long-term peace talk can begin. 'It's impossible to talk and discuss anything when you're under attack, and when you are under attack of drones and rockets,' he said. Zelenskyy has struggled to balance ties with the United States, its major military backer alongside other NATO countries, since Trump took office and his administration began negotiating directly with Russia on peace talks to end its three yearlong war against Ukraine. Following a disastrous meeting in February in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance openly clashed with Zelenskyy, Ukraine has pushed to convince the new administration that Moscow, not Kyiv, is stonewalling Trump on his long-sought effort to secure a peace deal early into his administration. Russia yesterday hammered Ukraine with a salvo of over 100 killer drones. Ukraine recently signed a deal signing away rights to its deposits of rare earth mineral resources to U.S. development following months of negotiations to help repair the relationship. The proposed talks in Turkey come after the leaders of Germany, France and the U.K. called for a 30-day ceasefire to kickstart negotiations. Ukraine has asked the European Commission to draft up a major new European sanctions package on Russia that would target its energy and financial sectors if Moscow continued to stall on ceasefire and peace talks, France said Monday. Russia, however, has shot down the prospects of a temporary ceasefire. 'Putin was clear: first negotiations about the root causes [of the conflict], then talk of ceasefire,' Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said. Gramer reported from Washington. Ronzheimer, of BILD, reported from Kyiv.
Politico
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Yermak: A Putin no-show at peace talks should trigger new sanctions
A top Ukrainian official is urging the United States to unleash a new wave of economic reprisals on Moscow if Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn't show up to proposed peace talks in Turkey this week. 'If Putin will not come to Turkey, it's necessary immediately to start real, new packages of the sanctions, new pressure,' Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said in an interview with the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, which POLITICO is part of. 'Russia understands only the languages of strength, and anybody who thinks that it's possible to find a compromise, Russia always uses to play games.' Yermak's comments offer the clearest sign yet of Ukraine working overtime to convince President Donald Trump that Russia, not Ukraine, is the major roadblock to a peace deal. Zelenskyy has offered to hold direct talks with Putin in Turkey on Thursday, and Trump has openly mused about going to Turkey to attend the meeting if both the Russian and Ukrainian leader attend. Yermak said the Ukrainians don't yet have confirmation that Trump will be coming. The Kremlin has so far declined to comment on whether Putin will attend. Yermak said that a Putin no-show in Turkey would undermine Russia's claim it is serious about peace talks. 'If he will not come, he doesn't want to end this war and is not ready for any negotiations,' Yermak said. Yermak also outlined Ukraine's negotiating position going into the talks on Thursday, reiterating Ukraine's insistence on an 'unconditional ceasefire' before negotiations on a long-term peace talk can begin. 'It's impossible to talk and discuss anything when you're under attack, and when you are under attack of drones and rockets,' he said. Zelenskyy has struggled to balance ties with the United States, its major military backer alongside other NATO countries, since Trump took office and his administration began negotiating directly with Russia on peace talks to end its three yearlong war against Ukraine. Following a disastrous meeting in February in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance openly clashed with Zelenskyy, Ukraine has pushed to convince the new administration that Moscow, not Kyiv, is stonewalling Trump on his long-sought effort to secure a peace deal early into his administration. Russia yesterday hammered Ukraine with a salvo of over 100 killer drones. Ukraine recently signed a deal signing away rights to its deposits of rare earth mineral resources to U.S. development following months of negotiations to help repair the relationship. The proposed talks in Turkey come after the leaders of Germany, France and the U.K. called for a 30-day ceasefire to kickstart negotiations. Ukraine has asked the European Commission to draft up a major new European sanctions package on Russia that would target its energy and financial sectors if Moscow continued to stall on ceasefire and peace talks, France said Monday. Russia, however, has shot down the prospects of a temporary ceasefire. 'Putin was clear: first negotiations about the root causes [of the conflict], then talk of ceasefire,' Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said. Gramer reported from Washington. Ronzheimer, of BILD, reported from Kyiv.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Germany's new chancellor urges US officials to stay out of his country's politics
New German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged U.S. officials to refrain from interfering in his country's politics in an interview Wednesday. Merz, who was sworn into office Tuesday, said Washington needs to respect Germany's democratic institutions and its approach to handling far-right parties deemed extremist by its security services. 'That is our business. We decide that, not the American government,' he said in an interview with the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, which POLITICO is part of. Senior officials in the Trump administration have lashed out at Berlin after Germany's domestic intelligence agency last week labeled the Alternative for Germany Party a 'proven right-wing extremist organization.' Breaking with longstanding U.S. tradition of not opining on the internal politics of allies, Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Germany of 'tyranny in disguise,' while Vice President JD Vance attacked Berlin for attempting to 'destroy' the AfD. Vance has emerged as a leading champion of far-right political parties in Europe, excoriating European leaders in a speech at the Munich Security Conference in February, accusing them of 'shutting down' unorthodox viewpoints. Merz said that he has asked U.S. officials to keep out of German politics. 'We have largely stayed out of the American election campaign in recent years, and that includes me personally,' Merz said, adding that he had told American officials: 'We have not taken sides with either candidate. And I ask you to accept that in return.' Merz's center-right party, the Christian Democratic Union, won elections in February and formed a governing coalition with the center-left Social Democrats. The two parties came together to keep the AfD — which came second in the polls — out of office. Merz initially failed to secure sufficient backing in a procedural vote in the German Bundestag on Tuesday to approve his chancellorship — a foreshadowing of the governing challenges that lie ahead. It marked the first time in modern German history that a chancellor has failed to secure sufficient support on the first vote. He succeeded in a second ballot later Tuesday. On the campaign trail, Merz pledged to make foreign policy a top priority, and he spent his first full day in office Wednesday traveling to France and Poland, key partners for Germany in Europe. In a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, Merz said that President Donald Trump has 'our full support' when it comes to bringing an end to the war. 'The number one priority remains to make a European contribution to ending the war in Ukraine as soon as possible,' he said in the interview. Merz declined to answer when asked whether Germany would commit troops to support a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire deal and was cautious about the timeline of any potential end to the Russia-Ukraine war. 'We are a long way from a ceasefire, and even further from a peace agreement,' he said. The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 precipitated a surge in defense spending in Germany as the country raced to bolster its armed forces. Trump's reelection and antagonistic relationship with Europe have fueled calls for the continent to reduce dependence on the U.S. for defense and security. 'Europe has to become much more independent,' said Merz, who added that he had 'several' discussions with Macron about the matter. Merz is set to speak to Trump on the phone Thursday and hopes to persuade him of the mutual benefits of making trade between the United States and Europe easier. Trump has threatened to hit the bloc with steep tariffs if a deal isn't concluded before the 90-day pause on the levies expires in July. 'I will try to explain to him that we want to make trade easier, not harder,' Merz said. The Thursday call between the two leaders coincides with the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory in World War II in Europe. Merz said he planned to thank all of the Western allies for 'their commitment, which they paid for with the lives of many soldiers' to defeat Nazi Germany. Mackinnon reported from Washington. WELT's Burgard talked to Merz aboard the chancellor's plane, on its way from Paris to Warsaw.
Politico
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Germany's new chancellor urges US officials to stay out of his country's politics
New German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged U.S. officials to refrain from interfering in his country's politics in an interview Wednesday. Merz, who was sworn into office Tuesday, said Washington needs to respect Germany's democratic institutions and its approach to handling far-right parties deemed extremist by its security services. 'That is our business. We decide that, not the American government,' he said in an interview with the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, which POLITICO is part of. Senior officials in the Trump administration have lashed out at Berlin after Germany's domestic intelligence agency last week labeled the Alternative for Germany Party a 'proven right-wing extremist organization.' Breaking with longstanding U.S. tradition of not opining on the internal politics of allies, Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Germany of 'tyranny in disguise,' while Vice President JD Vance attacked Berlin for attempting to 'destroy' the AfD. Vance has emerged as a leading champion of far-right political parties in Europe, excoriating European leaders in a speech at the Munich Security Conference in February, accusing them of 'shutting down' unorthodox viewpoints. Merz said that he has asked U.S. officials to keep out of German politics. 'We have largely stayed out of the American election campaign in recent years, and that includes me personally,' Merz said, adding that he had told American officials: 'We have not taken sides with either candidate. And I ask you to accept that in return.' Merz's center-right party, the Christian Democratic Union, won elections in February and formed a governing coalition with the center-left Social Democrats. The two parties came together to keep the AfD — which came second in the polls — out of office. Merz initially failed to secure sufficient backing in a procedural vote in the German Bundestag on Tuesday to approve his chancellorship — a foreshadowing of the governing challenges that lie ahead. It marked the first time in modern German history that a chancellor has failed to secure sufficient support on the first vote. He succeeded in a second ballot later Tuesday. On the campaign trail, Merz pledged to make foreign policy a top priority, and he spent his first full day in office Wednesday traveling to France and Poland, key partners for Germany in Europe. In a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, Merz said that President Donald Trump has 'our full support' when it comes to bringing an end to the war. 'The number one priority remains to make a European contribution to ending the war in Ukraine as soon as possible,' he said in the interview. Merz declined to answer when asked whether Germany would commit troops to support a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire deal and was cautious about the timeline of any potential end to the Russia-Ukraine war. 'We are a long way from a ceasefire, and even further from a peace agreement,' he said. The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 precipitated a surge in defense spending in Germany as the country raced to bolster its armed forces. Trump's reelection and antagonistic relationship with Europe have fueled calls for the continent to reduce dependence on the U.S. for defense and security. 'Europe has to become much more independent,' said Merz, who added that he had 'several' discussions with Macron about the matter. Merz is set to speak to Trump on the phone Thursday and hopes to persuade him of the mutual benefits of making trade between the United States and Europe easier. Trump has threatened to hit the bloc with steep tariffs if a deal isn't concluded before the 90-day pause on the levies expires in July. 'I will try to explain to him that we want to make trade easier, not harder,' Merz said. The Thursday call between the two leaders coincides with the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory in World War II in Europe. Merz said he planned to thank all of the Western allies for 'their commitment, which they paid for with the lives of many soldiers' to defeat Nazi Germany. Mackinnon reported from Washington. WELT's Burgard talked to Merz aboard the chancellor's plane, on its way from Paris to Warsaw.
