Latest news with #RBC-Ukraine
Novaya Gazeta Europe
17-07-2025
- Business
- Novaya Gazeta Europe
Ukrainian parliament confirms new prime minister in major government shake-up — Novaya Gazeta Europe
Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has voted to confirm Yulia Svyrydenko as Ukraine's new prime minister, in what is the country's most significant government shake-up since 2022, RBC-Ukraine reported on Thursday. Svyrydenko, a 39-year-old economist from Chernihiv, northern Ukraine, previously served as the economy minister and first deputy prime minister. She becomes only the second woman to lead Ukraine's cabinet, and the first in the last 15 years. As the country's economy minister, Svyrydenko notably signed a long-awaited minerals deal between the US and Ukraine in May, which will see the two countries share revenues from Ukraine's natural resources and establish an investment fund for the country's post-war reconstruction. Her appointment was approved by 262 lawmakers, while 22 voted against and 26 abstained, Rada Deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak announced on Telegram Thursday. Svyrydenko succeeds Denys Shymal, who had served as prime minister since 2020 and is now expected to become defence minister, replacing Rustem Umerov. 'It is a great honour for me to lead the Government of Ukraine today,' Svyrydenko wrote on X following her confirmation, urging the government to 'act swiftly and decisively' amid the ongoing war. 'Our priorities for the first six months are clear: reliable supply for the army, expansion of domestic weapons production, and boosting the technological strength of our defence forces,' she continued. The Verkhovna Rada is now expected to vote on the remaining cabinet appointments, which were revealed after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky unveiled his proposed lineup for a new government on Wednesday, following the Shmyhal cabinet's formal dissolution. 'Today is the 1240th day of the full-scale war. We all want peace as soon as possible and we want it to be a just peace for Ukraine,' Zelensky told the parliament before Svyrydenko's confirmation on Thursday. 'At the same time, we all see how difficult it is to maintain sufficient support from the world,' he added, noting that Ukraine 'needs more of its own strength'. Zelensky requested that the new government audit all defence and military programmes to ensure that they are 'implemented to the fullest extent possible in Ukraine's interests', and called for a diplomatic approach towards the US ahead of forthcoming bilateral agreements. In Ukraine's semi-presidential system, the president has the authority to nominate a prime minister, but the appointment must be approved by parliament. Once confirmed, the prime minister submits nominees for ministerial posts, which also require parliamentary approval.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine receives bodies of more than 1,200 soldiers from Russia
Ukraine has accepted the bodies of 1,212 of its fallen soldiers from Russia after days of dispute, the agency dealing with prisoners of war in Kiev said on Wednesday. The soldiers died in battles in Russia's Kursk region and the Ukrainian regions of Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson, the agency said. Russia received 27 killed soldiers in return, Moscow's chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky said. "Now they can be laid to rest in a Christian manner," he wrote on Telegram. Russia has for days accused Ukraine of failing to accept the remains, and called on Kiev to comply with agreements reached between the warring parties in talks in Istanbul at the beginning of the month. Russia transported the bodies ready for handover over the weekend in what it termed a "humanitarian action," while Ukraine said that no agreement on a handover date had been reached. The Istanbul talks provided for the return of the remains of more than 6,000 fallen soldiers from Russia to Ukraine. It was not clear whether Russia would also receive the remains of its soldiers killed in Ukraine. Work on implementing the Istanbul agreements will continue, Medinsky said, with an exchange of seriously wounded prisoners of war to take place this Thursday. Ukraine and Russia had already exchanged an unspecified number of prisoners in recent days. In Istanbul, it was agreed that each side would release in stages 1,200 prisoners - those under 25, the seriously wounded and the seriously ill. Ukraine has been defending itself against a Russian invasion for more than three years. During the war, there have been repeated exchanges of prisoners and the return of bodies. Russian drone strike kills two in Kharkiv A Russian drone strike on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv killed at least two people and injured dozens, local media reported early on Wednesday. The Kyiv Independent, citing Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov, said eight children were among the 54 people wounded. Terekhov also reported damage to residential buildings and a large fire. According to the RBC-Ukraine news site, several commercial buildings were also damaged in the attack.
Indian Express
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Hours after peace talks, Russian strike on passenger van in Ukraine kills nine; Kyiv calls for tougher sanctions
A Russian drone strike on a passenger van in northeastern Ukraine killed nine civilians, prompting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to renew his call for tougher international sanctions on Moscow. The attack, which news agency Reuters said targeted a vehicle in the Sumy region, came just hours after the first direct Russia-Ukraine peace talks in three years failed to produce a ceasefire. 'All the deceased were civilians. And the Russians could not have failed to understand what kind of vehicle they were targeting. This was a deliberate killing of civilians,' Zelenskyy said on X, condemning the strike as a calculated attack on non-combatants. Ukrainian police released images of the aftermath, showing the mangled remains of a dark blue passenger van with its roof torn off and windows shattered by the blast. The drone strike has reignited criticism of Moscow's negotiating posture after Friday's high-profile talks in Istanbul yielded no breakthroughs. 'Pressure must be exerted on Russia to stop the killings,' Zelenskyy said. 'Without tougher sanctions, without stronger pressure, Russia will not seek real diplomacy.' He accused the Kremlin of sending 'a weak and unprepared' delegation to the talks, suggesting Moscow was not serious about engaging in meaningful peace negotiations. The meeting, held under international pressure and brokered in part by Turkish officials, was the first such direct contact between Kyiv and Moscow since the early months of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russia's cynical strike on a bus in the Sumy region kills 8 people – Regional Military Administration#RussiaIsATerroristState #ukrainerussiawar️️️️ — RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) May 17, 2025 'We are expecting strong sanctions against Russia from the United States, from Europe, and from all our partners. Diplomacy must start working,' Zelenskyy said, urging immediate action in the wake of the civilian deaths. While US President Donald Trump has urged both sides to engage in dialogue, he cast doubt on the effectiveness of the Istanbul meeting, declaring that 'nothing could happen' until he personally meets Russian President Vladimir Putin. (With inputs from Reuters)
Boston Globe
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Europeans demand Russia accept truce; Trump says he might join peace talks
He added: 'Of course, all of us in Ukraine would like President Trump to be there with us — at this meeting in Turkey. This is the right idea.' The Kremlin declined to comment on whether Putin would take Zelensky up on his challenge, issued Sunday, to meet personally Thursday, and did not immediately respond to the suggestion that Trump might attend a summit of the leaders. Advertisement But Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, picked up on Zelensky's proposal, saying, 'Don't underestimate Thursday in Turkey.' He then suggested that he might alter his travel plans, which have him in the Middle East that day, and go to Turkey to take part in the meeting, depending on how the hoped-for talks go. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has already announced plans to travel to Turkey this week to attend the informal NATO foreign ministers meeting scheduled there from Wednesday to Friday. Advertisement The statements from Kyiv and Washington were the latest turn in an increasingly frenetic round of diplomatic brinkmanship, as the Trump administration grows frustrated by a lack of progress in its efforts to end the bloodiest conflict in Europe in generations. Earlier Monday, European leaders leaned on Moscow to accept, by the end of the day, an unconditional 30-day truce that was first proposed by the United States in early March and immediately accepted by Ukraine, or face another round of punishing sanctions. 'The clock is ticking — we still have 12 hours until the end of this day,' a German government spokesperson, Stefan Kornelius, said at a news conference. The Kremlin spokesperson brushed off the threat. 'The language of ultimatums is unacceptable — you cannot talk to Russia like this,' the spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told Russian news agencies. Putin has so far rejected the cease-fire proposal, and over the weekend, he called instead for renewed negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, but not by their leaders. Ukrainian officials, their European allies and even, recently, Trump have questioned whether Putin really wants to end the war. The offer to meet face to face was intended to make it clear that the 'the ball is in Moscow's court,' in effect calling Putin's bluff, Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, told Ukrainian news outlet RBC-Ukraine. Kyiv, he said, is accustomed to the Kremlin's stalling tactics. 'We won't give Russia reason to accuse us of sabotaging the peace process,' Yermak added. Ukraine, along with its European allies, continued to insist Monday that the fighting needed to stop before serious negotiations could get underway. Advertisement French President Emmanuel Macron said Kyiv had shown itself willing time and again to make concessions in order to begin the hard work of brokering a lasting peace. 'Either Russia — Mr. Putin — is serious and wants peace, or it's not serious and we have to impose even more sanctions,' Macron told reporters. Britain's foreign secretary, David Lammy, told reporters in London that it was time for Russia to stop stalling. 'This is the time for Vladimir Putin to get serious about peace in Europe, to get serious about a cease-fire, and to get serious about talks,' he said. When the leaders of France, Germany, Britain, and Poland traveled to Kyiv over the weekend to deliver that same message, they were careful to coordinate their efforts with the White House. They made clear that only agreeing to an unconditional cease-fire would spare Moscow additional sanctions targeting oil exports and banking — and said that the United States would also impose sanctions on Russia if Putin did not agree to a truce. However, after Putin made a counteroffer of direct talks without mentioning a cease-fire, Trump urged the Ukrainians to take the meeting. 'Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY,' Trump wrote Sunday in a statement on social media. Zelensky responded swiftly, seemingly seeking to flip the script on the Russian leader by saying he agreed to negotiations in any format and that he would travel to Turkey to meet with Putin — personally. This article originally appeared in .
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Yermak hints only Putin can make real decisions in talks
Presidential Office chief Andriy Yermak voiced doubt about leading negotiations with anyone from Russia except President Vladimir Putin, implying only the Russian leader can make real decisions, according to Yermak's interview with RBC-Ukraine published on May 12. Yermak's remarks follow President Volodymyr Zelensky's announcement that he is ready to meet Putin for talks in Turkey on May 15. The Kremlin has sought to position itself as open to talks, while simultaneously rejecting a ceasefire proposal by Kyiv and its Western partners. Moscow has also proposed direct negotiations with Ukraine this week, but did not comment on a potential face-to-face meeting between Putin and Zelensky. When asked whether Ukraine would consider negotiating with anyone from Russia other than Putin, Yermak responded: "Do you know who else in Russia makes decisions of this level and is able to ensure their implementation?" "Of course, he (Putin) will delegate the technical and preparatory stages, but we understand who is ultimately in charge," Zelensky's chief of staff added. Yermak said Ukraine is open to peace talks, but not under the Kremlin's current conditions. "Russia will try to escape the sanctions by using the negotiation process as a cover. This format is driven by a clear desire to mislead everyone," he stressed. The Ukrainian official confirmed that Zelensky's administration continues to insist on a monitored 30-day ceasefire as a precondition for starting negotiations. "There is a joint position with our partners: first, a ceasefire, then talks. That's also reflected in all recent statements on both sides of the Atlantic," Yermak noted. Moscow has rejected the May 12 truce and instead suggested resuming talks in Istanbul on May 15. Yermak dismissed this as a stalling tactic: "We've negotiated with... (Russia) for years, and we know how they can stall for time. Above all, Ukraine wants a just and lasting peace. We won't give Russia a chance to blame us for disrupting the peace process." The official said that the next step is entirely up to Moscow. "If Russia agrees, then we move on to the next stage, which is also clear and which our partners are ready for. If not, then please, there should be pressure on Russia through sanctions and other actions, absolutely concrete and clear." Ukraine accused Russia of ignoring the truce proposal as a Russian drone reportedly attacked a freight train in Donetsk Oblast on May 12, injuring a driver. Kyiv has already agreed to a U.S.-backed proposal for a 30-day truce, saying it is prepared to move forward if Moscow reciprocates. So far, the Kremlin has refused, instead proposing talks, which, according to Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, Russia wishes to be based on the terms of the 2022 Istanbul discussions and the "current situation on the battlefield." The Istanbul talks refer to negotiations between Ukraine and Russia held in Turkey in late March 2022, which outlined potential terms for a peace deal. In the three years since the failed talks, Russian propaganda networks have frequently promoted the idea that peace was almost achieved in Istanbul before Western leaders, in particular then-U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, allegedly pressured Zelensky to reject the deal and continue fighting. In reality, leaked documents from 2022 show that Moscow's first peace offer amounted to Ukraine's effective surrender, including massive troop reductions, abandonment of advanced weapons, and recognition of Russian control over occupied territories. Read also: Kyiv, European allies pledge harsher sanctions on Russia's banking, energy sectors if Moscow refuses ceasefire We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
