Latest news with #Kremlin-aligned
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Russian delegation departs to Istanbul for Ukraine talks, Russian news agencies say
Russian news agencies reported on Sunday 1 June that the Russian delegation has left for Istanbul to attend negotiations concerning Ukraine. Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agencies RIA Novosti, TASS and Interfax, citing sources Details: A source familiar with the preparation of the negotiations told Interfax that "the Russian delegation flew to Istanbul on Sunday afternoon to attend talks on Ukraine". The source added that the Russian delegation will be ready to begin negotiations on the morning of 2 June. RIA Novosti and TASS have reported the same information. Updated: Sources in the Turkish Foreign Ministry told TASS that the talks between Russia and Ukraine are scheduled for 13:00 on 2 June at the Çırağan Palace in Istanbul. Background: Earlier today, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that the Ukrainian delegation, led by Defence Minister Rustem Umierov, will travel to Istanbul for negotiations with Russia. Before that, Zelenskyy said that as of the evening of Saturday 31 May, neither Ukraine nor its partners had clear information about what the Russians intended to propose at the talks in Istanbul. On 28 May, it emerged that Umierov had handed Russia a document outlining Ukraine's position and was awaiting their "memorandum" in response. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on what conditions Russia will put forward in its draft memorandum for a ceasefire, saying that this should be discussed privately. On 30 May, Peskov said that the Russian delegation will be in Istanbul on Monday morning for peace talks with Ukraine and will show its memorandum there. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said Russia's reluctance to officially submit its memorandum for negotiations suggests the document contains unrealistic demands and represents an attempt to stall the peace process. It was previously reported that the Russian delegation set to attend the new round of peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on 2 June would be the same group that participated in the previous meeting, which Zelenskyy criticised for its low level. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Kremlin staged drone attack on Putin's helicopter
A claim by the Russian Defence Ministry that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin was "in the epicentre of a drone attack" has turned out to be a staged performance by the Kremlin. Source: The Moscow Times, an independent Amsterdam-based news outlet Details: Russian state media claimed earlier this week that when Putin visited Kursk Oblast for the first time since the hostilities began in the area, his helicopter came "under fire from Ukrainian drones". In reality, this was not a combat incident but a meticulously staged event. Four sources within the government and the Kremlin told The Moscow Times that security officials promoted this shocking and "risky" episode in the media to convince Russians that their leader is not hiding behind others, but is also supposedly taking risks and making sacrifices. Amid regular drone strikes, chaos at airports and mobile communication outages, this televised stunt was intended to portray Putin as someone who "shares the dangers" with the country and thus sends a message to the public – "war is war". The Moscow Times reported that Putin had indeed visited Kursk Oblast, to which, according to the official narrative, he had travelled by helicopter. In fact, the oblast is frequently targeted by Ukrainian attacks. However, the sources said Putin's security had been ensured at the highest possible level. "No one would ever allow such criminal negligence. Not even in a nightmare," said one official close to Putin's administration and familiar with his security system. The Moscow Times reported that the "sensational claim" that Putin's helicopter had found itself "in the epicentre of a large-scale enemy drone attack" was disseminated by the Russian Defence Ministry via the state-run VGTRK television channel. Kremlin-aligned reporters did not accompany Putin on this trip, nor did a professional filming crew. The footage was captured by other individuals, including a security officer, two informed sources told The Moscow Times. Background: Earlier, Ukraine's Centre for Strategic Communications and Information Security denied claims that Putin's helicopter came under attack from the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Russia's Kursk Oblast. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Kremlin welcomes US readiness to discuss NATO's eastern non-expansion
The Kremlin has welcomed a statement by Keith Kellogg, US President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, that the United States considers Russia's concerns about NATO expansion to be justified. Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency Interfax, citing Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, as reported by European Pravda Details: Peskov said that Russia welcomes the fact that Washington "understands" its negative stance on NATO's eastward expansion. Quote from Peskov: "President Putin consistently conveys to foreign officials, including American representatives, our position on the inadmissibility of NATO's expansion to the east from the standpoint of Russia's strategic interests. We are glad that the president's explanations are being understood, including in Washington." [N.B. Ukrainska Pravda does not recognise Putin as president – ed.] Details: Peskov added that this understanding by the US is "very pleasing" to Russia in light of the mediating role Washington continues to play. Meanwhile, he noted that it is preferable to discuss this issue during a closed-door interaction. Peskov agreed that Kellogg's recent statements could be considered the result of such confidential negotiations. Background: In an interview with ABC News, Kellogg stated that the United States considers Russia's concerns about NATO expansion fair and is ready to discuss the matter. "And they're not just talking Ukraine – they're talking the country of Georgia, they're talking Moldova, they're talking, obviously, Ukraine," Kellogg noted. "And we're saying 'Okay, comprehensively, you know, we can stop the expansion of NATO coming close to your border'. That's security concerns from them." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated that Kyiv must be present at the NATO summit in The Hague, and the absence of an invitation would appear as "a victory for Putin over NATO". Earlier, it was reported that because of Trump, NATO is preparing a mini-declaration for the summit in The Hague that will likely not mention Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Kremlin says memorandum will be revealed only at talks in Istanbul
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Russian delegation will be in Istanbul on Monday morning for peace talks with Ukraine and will show its memorandum there. Source: RIA Novosti, Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency; Russian Telegram channel Vy Shushali Mayak ("You have been listening to Radio Mayak") Quote from Peskov: "Of course, nothing will be made public. It cannot be made public. Both draft memorandums, the Russian and Ukrainian ones, we hope, will be discussed at the second round of talks, for which the Russian delegation will be ready on Monday morning in Istanbul." Background: Defence Minister of Ukraine Rustem Umierov, who headed Ukraine's delegation at the talks with Russia in Istanbul, gave Russia a document that reflects the Ukrainian position and is awaiting their own memorandum in response. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on what conditions Russia would set out for a ceasefire in its draft memorandum, saying that this should be discussed privately. Heorhii Tykhyi, Spokesperson for Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Russia's unwillingness to officially hand over its memorandum for negotiations indicates that it contains unrealistic demands and is an attempt to stall the peace process. Foreign Minister of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha said that Ukraine is ready for the next round of talks with Russia, but it is still waiting for the promised text of the ceasefire memorandum from Moscow. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Putin's press secretary says Russia won't discuss its "peace memorandum" publicly
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has refused to comment on what conditions Russia will put forward in its draft memorandum for a ceasefire, saying that this should be discussed privately. Source: TASS and RIA Novosti, Kremlin-aligned Russian news outlets, citing Peskov at a briefing Quote: "Russia will not publicly discuss the content of documents on the settlement in Ukraine; negotiations must be held in private." Details: Peskov also called Ukraine's demand to "immediately hand over the memorandum" unconstructive. According to the official, Russia proposed a meeting in Istanbul on 2 June, but has not yet received a response from Kyiv. He added that "the main thing now is to continue the process of direct Russian-Ukrainian negotiations". Peskov also stated that Putin's conversation with US President Donald Trump "could be organised at any time if necessary" because "all channels of communication were open". Background: Russia proposed that the second round of negotiations with Ukraine be held in Istanbul on 2 June, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Defence Minister Rustem Umierov, who headed Ukraine's delegation at the talks with Russia in Istanbul, handed over a document to Russia that reflects the Ukrainian position and is waiting for their "memorandum" in response. On 16 May, direct talks were held in Istanbul between Russian and Ukrainian delegations for the first time in over three years. Serhii Kyslytsia, First Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine, a member of Ukraine's delegation at the Istanbul talks with Russia, stated that the Russian representatives, led by Medinsky, behaved aggressively and issued direct threats to the Ukrainian side. On 19 May, Russian ruler Vladimir Putin said that Russia is ready to work on a memorandum with Ukraine which would include a possible ceasefire for a certain period of time. On 19 May, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Kyiv would be waiting for the Russian memorandum. "If Russia proposes a memorandum, we will be able to formulate our vision," he noted. On 23 May, Zelenskyy stated that the fact that Russia had been drafting a so-called "memorandum" on a ceasefire for a week is a mockery of the entire world. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
