Latest news with #Moscow-Washington
Ya Libnan
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Ya Libnan
Russia tests U.S. patience as Trump rushes to clinch Ukraine peace deal in first 100 days in office
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomes U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff , a Russian American during a meeting in Moscow, Russia, April 25, Kormilitsyna | Via Reuters Nearing the tone-setting 100 th day of his second administration at the end of April, U.S. President Donald Trump has ramped up pressure on Russia and Ukraine to end their three-year conflict at the steep price of territorial concession. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, a former real estate mogul turned Kremlin whisperer, arrived in Moscow on Friday. Footage carried by Russian state news agency Tass showed he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin — whom he has encountered thrice prior — at a fragile time in the Moscow-Washington relations that have only thawed since Trump's January return to the White House. The Kremlin has so far approached U.S.-sponsored Ukraine peace negotiations — which resulted in a partial, ill observed ceasefire on energy infrastructure last month — with amiable intractability, avoiding ire that Trump has largely directed at Ukraine's leadership for its hesitations throughout the talks and its insistence over explicit security guarantees. The Washington leader has repeatedly called out his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy for overestimating his leverage in both the conflict and the discussions, as well as — earlier this week — disregarding the possibility of renouncing Crimea. But intensifying Russian attacks against Kyiv earlier this week following a lull over the Easter holiday led Trump to take a rare shot against Putin on Thursday. 'I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV,' Trump wrote on his Truth Social media platform. 'Not necessary, and very bad timing,' the White House leader added. 'Vladimir, STOP!' 'I didn't like last night, I wasn't happy with it,' Trump said in a separate press briefing. 'We're putting a lot of pressure on Russia, and Russia knows that.' Trump's frustration has been stoked by the stalling pace of U.S.-led peace diplomatic efforts which Washington has indicated it could be close to abandoning. On Wednesday, intended talks in London between U.K., French, German, Ukrainian and U.S. officials were downgraded after the withdrawal of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Witkoff. 'We've issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it's time for them to either say 'yes' or for the United States to walk away from this process,' U.S. Vice President JD Vance said earlier in the week. The silhouette of the U.S.′ final peace offer remains elusive, although Axios reports the latest framework offers Russia U.S. recognition of Moscow's occupation of Crimea, the lifting of sanctions imposed since 2014 and Ukraine's renunciation of ambitions to join the NATO military alliance — a critical long-held objective the Kremlin invoked as underpinning its 2022 invasion. In return, Ukraine would secure a coveted security guarantee against further Russian incursions, part of the Kharkiv region — one of four annexed by Russia in the three-year conflict — and aid to rebuild. CNBC could not independently confirm the terms of the framework and has reached out to the White House for comment. If they materialize, the framework conditions will imply a stark shift in tone for Ukraine, whose leadership has persistently excluded the possibility of territorial concessions. Vance earlier this week signaled that peace required 'at a broad level the parties saying: we're going to stop the killing, we're going to freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today.' He elaborated, 'The current lines, somewhere close to them, is where you're ultimately, I think, going to draw the lines in the conflict. Now, of course, that means the Ukrainians and the Russians are both going to have to give some of the territory they currently own. They're going to have to be some territorial swaps.' Zelenskyy this week struck back at the notion of surrendering sovereign land, saying categorically, according to a translation, that 'Ukraine does not legally recognise the occupation of Crimea. There is nothing to talk about. It is beyond our Constitution.' But Ukraine's top brass appears more grudgingly open to the possibility: 'In one of the scenarios is, what you say, to give up territory. It's not fair but for the peace, temporary peace, maybe it can be [a] solution. Temporarily,' Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a TV interview with BBC News. CNBC
CNBC
25-04-2025
- Politics
- CNBC
Russia tests U.S. patience as Trump rushes to clinch Ukraine peace deal in first 100 days in office
Nearing the tone-setting 100th day of his second administration at the end of April, U.S. President Donald Trump has ramped up pressure on Russia and Ukraine to end their three-year conflict at the steep price of territorial concession. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, a former real estate mogul turned Kremlin whisperer, arrived in Moscow on Friday, according to Interfax. He is expected to carry out further peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin — whom he has met with thrice prior — at a fragile time in the Moscow-Washington relations that have only thawed since Trump's January return to the White House. The Kremlin has so far approached U.S.-sponsored Ukraine peace negotiations — which resulted in a partial, ill observed ceasefire on energy infrastructure last month — with amiable intractability, avoiding ire that Trump has largely directed at Ukraine's leadership for its hesitations throughout the talks and its insistence over explicit security guarantees. The Washington leader has repeatedly called out his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy for overestimating his leverage in both the conflict and the discussions, as well as — earlier this week — disregarding the possibility of renouncing Crimea. But intensifying Russian attacks against Kyiv earlier this week following a lull over the Easter holiday led Trump to take a rare shot against Putin on Thursday. "I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV," Trump wrote on his Truth Social media platform. "Not necessary, and very bad timing," the White House leader added. "Vladimir, STOP!" "I didn't like last night, I wasn't happy with it," Trump said in a separate press briefing. "We're putting a lot of pressure on Russia, and Russia knows that." Trump's frustration has been stoked by the stalling pace of U.S.-led peace diplomatic efforts which Washington has indicated it could be close to abandoning. On Wednesday, intended talks in London between U.K., French, German, Ukrainian and U.S. officials were downgraded after the withdrawal of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Witkoff. "We've issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it's time for them to either say 'yes' or for the United States to walk away from this process," U.S. Vice President JD Vance said earlier in the week. The silhouette of the U.S.' final peace offer remains elusive, although Axios reports the latest framework offers Russia U.S. recognition of Moscow's occupation of Crimea, the lifting of sanctions imposed since 2014 and Ukraine's renunciation of ambitions to join the NATO military alliance — a critical long-held objective the Kremlin invoked as underpinning its 2022 invasion. In return, Ukraine would secure a coveted security guarantee against further Russian incursions, part of the Kharkiv region — one of four annexed by Russia in the three-year conflict — and aid to rebuild. CNBC could not independently confirm the terms of the framework and has reached out to the White House for comment. If they materialize, the framework conditions will imply a stark shift in tone for Ukraine, whose leadership has persistently excluded the possibility of territorial concessions. Vance earlier this week signaled that peace required "at a broad level the parties saying: we're going to stop the killing, we're going to freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today." He elaborated, "The current lines, somewhere close to them, is where you're ultimately, I think, going to draw the lines in the conflict. Now, of course, that means the Ukrainians and the Russians are both going to have to give some of the territory they currently own. They're going to have to be some territorial swaps." Zelenskyy this week struck back at the notion of surrendering sovereign land, saying categorically, according to a translation, that "Ukraine does not legally recognise the occupation of Crimea. There is nothing to talk about. It is beyond our Constitution." But Ukraine's top brass appears more grudgingly open to the possibility: "In one of the scenarios is, what you say, to give up territory. It's not fair but for the peace, temporary peace, maybe it can be [a] solution. Temporarily," Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a TV interview with BBC News.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US and Russia agree on truce in Black Sea and ban on strikes against energy facilities
US and Russian delegations, following negotiations in Saudi Arabia on 24 March, have agreed to work towards a truce in the Black Sea and a ban on strikes against energy infrastructure. Source: a White House statement following the meeting, as reported by European Pravda The statement notes that both sides "have agreed to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea." Washington and Moscow also "agreed to develop measures" to implement the agreement "to ban strikes against energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine," the statement says. Additionally, it contains assurances that the United States and Russia "will continue working toward achieving a durable and lasting peace". Furthermore, the US "will continue facilitating negotiations between both sides to achieve a peaceful resolution, in line with the agreements made in Riyadh," the White House stated. Background: According to Russian propaganda media outlets, the Moscow-Washington meeting lasted 12 hours with breaks. The Kremlin stated that the primary focus of the discussions with the US delegation in Saudi Arabia was the resumption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, from which Russia withdrew in 2023. On Tuesday 25 March, the Ukrainian and American teams once again met in Saudi Arabia to discuss a potential truce between Kyiv and Moscow. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Joint US-Russia statement following Riyadh meeting not adopted due to Ukraine's stance, Moscow claims
Russia has claimed that a joint statement following consultations between the Russian and American delegations in Riyadh was not adopted because of Ukraine's stance. Source: Vladimir Chizhov, First Deputy Chairman of the Defence and Security Committee of the Federation Council [the upper chamber of the Russian parliament], on Kremlin-aligned Russian TV channel Rossiya 24, as reported by European Pravda Details: Chizhov described the meeting in Riyadh as a link in the chain of Russo-American communications, which began with a telephone conversation between Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump. "They [the delegations in Riyadh] sat for 12 hours and seemingly agreed upon a joint statement, which, however, was not adopted because of Ukraine's position, which is also very typical and symptomatic," he claimed. Background: Earlier, Grigory Karasin, Chairman of the Federation Council's Committee on International Affairs, commented on the meeting between the two delegations in Saudi Arabia on 24 March, stating that the conversation was challenging but ultimately beneficial for both Moscow and Washington. According to Russian propaganda media outlets, the Moscow-Washington meeting lasted 12 hours with breaks. Reports indicated that a joint statement would be issued later. The Kremlin stated that the primary focus of the discussions with the US delegation in Saudi Arabia was the resumption of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, from which Russia withdrew in 2023. On Tuesday 25 March, the Ukrainian and American teams once again met in Saudi Arabia to discuss a potential truce between Kyiv and Moscow. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Arabian Business
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Arabian Business
Saudi Crown Prince, Ukrainian President meet to discuss Russia-Ukraine conflict
Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah for discussions focused on the Russia-Ukraine crisis and bilateral relations. During the official session, the Crown Prince expressed Saudi Arabia's support for international efforts aimed at resolving the crisis and achieving kingdom has played a significant mediating role since Russia's 2022 invasion, including hosting recent Moscow-Washington discussions. The scheduled talks on Tuesday represent the first official meeting between US and Ukrainian officials since a contentious White House encounter between Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump last month. US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff expressed confidence ahead of the discussions. 'We're going over there with an expectation that we're going to make substantial progress,' Witkoff told Fox News. The envoy indicated the talks would focus on establishing 'a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio struck a more measured tone, emphasising the importance of determining Kyiv's willingness to make concessions. 'We want to see if the Ukrainians are interested not just in peace, but in a realistic peace,' one unnamed US official told Reuters. Zelenskyy confirmed he would not personally attend Tuesday's talks, instead sending a delegation including his chief of staff, foreign and defence ministers. 'On our side, we are fully committed to constructive dialogue,' the Ukrainian president wrote on X. 'Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively.' President Zelenskyy thanked Saudi Arabia for its efforts and highlighted the Kingdom's role in promoting peace. I had a good meeting with Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman. I am grateful for his wise perspective on global affairs and support for Ukraine. It was especially important to hear words of confidence in Ukraine's future. We discussed all key issues on the… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 10, 2025 Ukraine has proposed a limited truce in the air and at sea, along with prisoner exchanges, which Zelenskyy suggests could test Russia's commitment to ending hostilities. Moscow has rejected temporary ceasefire proposals, characterising them as attempts to prevent Ukraine's military collapse. The discussions come amidst a deteriorating battlefield situation for Ukraine, with Russia controlling approximately one-fifth of Ukrainian territory. Zelenskyy reported that Russia launched 1,200 aerial guided bombs, nearly 870 attack drones and over 80 missiles at Ukraine in the past week alone. President Trump claimed on Sunday that Washington had 'just about' ended a suspension of intelligence sharing with Kyiv, with Rubio confirming Ukraine continues to receive US defensive intelligence. A potential minerals deal between the US and Ukraine remains under discussion, which would establish a joint fund from Ukrainian mineral sales—described by Washington as crucial for securing continued American support. As European allies face pressure to increase their assistance, the outcome of Tuesday's talks may determine the future trajectory of both US-Ukraine relations and the broader conflict with Russia. Saudi-Ukrainian talks begin The Ukrainian President was accorded an official reception upon arrival. The Crown Prince welcomed him to Saudi Arabia, while Zelenskyy expressed his happiness to visit the Kingdom and meet the Crown Prince. HRH the Crown Prince Receives Ukrainian President, Holds Official Talks. #SPAGOV — SPAENG (@Spa_Eng) March 11, 2025 The Saudi delegation included Deputy Emir of Makkah Region Prince Saud bin Mishaal, Saudi Minister of State and Member of the Council of Ministers Prince Turki bin Mohammed, Minister of the National Guard Prince Abdullah bin Bandar, Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman, Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet and National Security Advisor Dr. Musaed Al-Aiban, Minister of Commerce Dr. Majed Al-Qasabi, Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan, and Saudi Ambassador to Ukraine Mohammed Al-Barakah. The Ukrainian delegation consisted of Head of the Office of the President Andrii Yermak, Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko, Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitalii Koval, President's Advisor for Strategic Issues Oleksandr Kamyshin, Ukrainian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Anatolii Petrenko, and Advisor to the President of Ukraine Dmytro Lytvyn.
