Latest news with #RussianForeignMinistry
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Russia expands list of EU officials banned from entry in response to new EU sanctions
Russia has 'significantly expanded' the list of sanctioned EU officials in response to new EU sanctions adopted in May and July 2025, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday via its Telegram channel. The ministry did not specify who exactly was on the expanded list. The officials on the list will be banned from entering Russia.
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Israeli ambassador to leave Russia early
Israeli Ambassador to Russia Simona Halperin will leave her post early due to a new appointment, Russian media reported on Monday, citing embassy representatives. Her stay is expected to end this autumn. In a statement on X earlier on Monday, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Halperin's appointment as deputy director-general for Europe. The ministry did not specify whether she would be recalled from Russia immediately, but Israeli Embassy staff in Moscow told TASS she would remain until at least October. 'The ambassador will end her mission early, due to the fact that she received the position of head of the European Department at the Israeli Foreign Ministry… It is expected that Madam Ambassador will leave in October,' the representative said, adding that a replacement has not yet been named. Halperin, born in Riga in 1969, lived in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) before immigrating to Israel in 1976. She has served in the Israeli Foreign Ministry since 1993, holding posts in a number of foreign missions. She was appointed Israel's envoy to Russia in November 2024. Her tenure in Moscow began with controversy after she was summoned by the Russian Foreign Ministry for remarks made in an interview with Kommersant, in which she criticized Moscow's stance on the October 7 Hamas attacks. She condemned Russia for refusing to label Hamas a terrorist group, accusing officials of 'embracing' and 'rolling out the red carpet' for the militant group. Russia's Foreign Ministry called the remarks 'an extremely unfortunate start to a diplomatic mission.' Since then, however, her stay has been largely uneventful. In a later interview with RBK, Halperin praised the cooperation between Russia and Israel in securing the release of Hamas' hostages. Russia maintains official ties with both Israel and Palestine and promotes a balanced diplomatic stance, supporting the creation of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders. Moscow has condemned both Hamas' 2023 attack on Israel and the civilian toll due to IDF strikes in Gaza.
Russia Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Zelensky wants personal meeting with Putin
Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky has once again called for a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, claiming that only such a summit could secure a 'truly lasting' peace. Moscow considers this pointless until the countries' delegations find some common ground. When Putin offered Kiev in May to resume direct negotiations – without preconditions and from the point at which Ukraine had unilaterally abandoned talks in 2022 – Zelensky challenged him to come and meet in Istanbul personally. Ukraine eventually agreed to send its delegation amid reported pressure from Washington, and since then the sides have held two rounds of talks, resulting in prisoner exchanges but no breakthrough toward ending the conflict. The talks stalled in June, after Kiev dismissed Moscow's peace proposals, and later declared the process 'exhausted,' and indicated it had only participated to avoid appearing dismissive of US President Trump's diplomatic initiative. Speaking on Saturday, Zelensky stated that the 'pace of negotiations must be increased,' offering to hold a new round of talks next week – and once again demanded a personal meeting with Putin. 'A meeting at the level of leaders is needed to truly ensure a lasting peace,' he said, adding that 'Ukraine is ready.' Zelensky's presidential term expired last year, but he has repeatedly cited the state of emergency he imposed as grounds for remaining in office beyond the constitutional deadline. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova recently accused the Ukrainian actor-turned-politician of pushing for a personal meeting with Putin to reaffirm his political legitimacy, claiming he 'is insanely afraid of being forgotten, of becoming unnecessary for the West.' Despite Zelensky's dubious legal status, Putin previously confirmed he was open to a potential meeting – but questioned his authority to sign any binding agreements. 'I am ready to meet with anyone, including Zelensky. That's not the issue,' the Russian president stated in June. 'The question is different: Who will sign the documents?' According to Moscow, legal authority in Ukraine now resides with the parliament, not with Zelensky. On Tuesday, Ukrainian lawmakers once again extended martial law and general mobilization for another 90 days, with just a single dissenting vote.
LBCI
6 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Russia condemns Israeli strikes on Syria
The Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday condemned Israeli airstrikes on Syria, calling them a violation of the country's sovereignty and international law. 'The new wave of violence in Syria is deeply alarming,' the ministry said in a statement. 'Russia has repeatedly denounced Israel's arbitrary use of force in Syria. These attacks, which constitute a blatant violation of the country's sovereignty and international law, must be strongly condemned,' the statement added. 'We are convinced that the solution to this crisis lies in dialogue and the strengthening of national unity,' it concluded. Reuters
Russia Today
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Civilians trapped after Ukrainian airstrike hits apartment block
A Ukrainian airstrike has destroyed a five-story residential building in the Russian town of Aleshki in Kherson Region, trapping an unknown number of civilians under the rubble, according to local authorities. The strike occurred on Friday, around seven kilometers from the Dnieper River, which divides Russia and Ukraine. Kherson Region Governor Vladimir Saldo said the building collapsed after being hit by two bombs. 'The enemy has hit a residential building in Aleshki in an airstrike,' Saldo told Russian news agencies. 'The building has collapsed. Civilians are trapped underneath.' Saldo alleged that Ukrainian forces were using drones to hinder rescue efforts, targeting emergency crews attempting to reach the site. 'Dozens of people are trapped under the rubble,' he wrote in a statement on Telegram. Ukrainian forces have regularly carried out cross-border strikes into Russian territory and Russian in recent months, often using drones and Western-supplied weapons. On July 8, a Ukrainian drone strike killed four civilians, including a five-year-old boy, at a public beach in the city of Kursk during celebrations for the Day of Family, Love, and Fidelity. Last week, four people were killed and several others injured when Ukrainian forces launched a HIMARS rocket attack on Donetsk, according to local officials. The Russian Foreign Ministry has accused Kiev of pursuing a 'deliberate policy' of striking civilian areas. 'It is a deliberate policy that has already been elevated to the level of state doctrine,' Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement last month, citing alleged atrocities in Donbass, including drone attacks on homes and the mass killing of elderly people. Authorities in Kherson say rescue operations in Aleshki will continue despite the threat of further drone attacks. The number of casualties has yet to be confirmed.
