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Qatar Tribune
6 days ago
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Russia plays down Ukraine talks as attacks continue
Agencies Moscow Russia has played down expectations of any breakthrough in upcoming talks with Ukraine in Turkiye, as Ukrainian officials said one child was killed and more than 20 people were wounded in overnight Russian attacks. 'We don't have any reason to hope for some miraculous breakthroughs,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday, saying this was 'hardly possible in the current situation'. 'We intend to pursue our interests, we intend to ensure our interests and fulfil the tasks that we set for ourselves from the very beginning.' Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky's announcement late on Monday that talks would take place generated some hope that negotiators would deliver progress on ending the war that began with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. US President Donald Trump has been putting more pressure on Russia to hold talks, which have stalled as Russian President Vladimir Putin stood his ground on his demands. The third round of talks in recent months is expected to be held in Istanbul on Wednesday. Previous negotiations led to a series of exchanges of prisoners of war and the bodies of fallen soldiers, but produced no breakthrough on a ceasefire. On Tuesday, Zelensky announced on social media that Rustem Umerov, the former defence minister and current secretary of the security council, will head Ukraine's delegation. He also said Ukraine was ready to 'secure the release of our people from captivity and return of abducted children, to stop the killings, and to prepare a leaders' meeting', outlining potential topics for discussion. Russia has not yet announced the composition of its team for the talks. Its delegation at the previous round was led by a hawkish historian and the current head of the Russian Union of Writers, Vladimir Medinsky, whom Ukraine described as not a real decision-maker. Asked on Tuesday if he could give a sense of how the Kremlin saw the potential timeframe of a possible peace agreement, Peskov said he could give no guidance on timing. 'There is a lot of work to be done before we can talk about the possibility of some top-level meetings,' Peskov added, a day after Zelensky renewed a call for a meeting with Putin. Despite the upcoming talks, Russia's offensive continues, with its forces driving hard to break through at eastern and northeastern points on the 1,000km (620-mile) front line. Ukraine's air force said Russia had launched 426 drones and 24 missiles overnight, making it one of Russia's largest aerial assaults in months. It said it had downed or jammed at least 224 Russian drones and missiles, while 203 drones disappeared from radars. In one of the attacks, a 10-year-old boy was killed and five people were wounded when guided glide bombs hit a residential building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, according to Mayor Alexander Goncharenko. Kramatorsk is part of a metropolitan area in Donetsk that remains under Ukrainian control three years after the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A barrage of Russian strikes was also reported in the capital, Kyiv, sparking several fires and damaging an underground air raid shelter where civilians had taken refuge. There were no immediate reports of casualties. Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region came under multiple waves of attacks, according to regional authorities. A drone hit a petrol station in the town of Putyvl, wounding four people, including a five-year-old boy, the regional military administration reported. A second drone hit the same location less than two hours later, wounding seven people. Separately, two powerful Russian glide bombs were dropped on Sumy city, wounding at least 13 people, including a six-year-old boy, and damaging five apartment buildings, two private homes and a shopping centre in the attack. The blasts shattered windows and destroyed balconies in residential buildings, acting Mayor Artem Kobzar said. A few weeks ago, Putin announced his intention to create a 'buffer zone' in the Sumy region, effectively by occupying the Ukrainian border areas. In the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa, there were initial reports of drone attacks in which at least one person was wounded. Fires broke out in several places in the city, according to regional media. Ukraine also launched attacks, with Russia's Ministry of Defence saying its air power had downed 35 Ukrainian long-range drones over several regions overnight, including three over the Moscow area.
Business Recorder
7 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Moscow not expecting ‘breakthroughs' from Ukraine talks
MOSCOW: Moscow on Tuesday once again downplayed expectations for a third round of peace talks with Ukraine and did not confirm the date for a meeting in Istanbul set for Wednesday by Ukraine. That came after the Kremlin on Monday said that the two sides were far apart in their visions on how to end the more than three-year-old conflict, and as they continued to pummel each other with drones and missiles. 'We don't have any reason to hope for some miraculous breakthroughs,' Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a regular briefing in answer to AFP's question about the Kremlin's expectations from the talks. Outlining potential topics for discussion, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv was ready to 'secure the release of our people from captivity and return abducted children, to stop the killings, and to prepare a leaders' meeting.' Moscow said that 'a lot of work lies ahead' before even discussions could take place about possible talks between Putin and Zelensky, who last met in 2019. Ukraine said its ex-defence minister and current secretary of the security council, Rustem Umerov, will head Kyiv's delegation on the talks on Wednesday. But the Kremlin said only that it hoped talks could be held 'this week'. 'As soon as we are ready, we will make an announcement regarding the dates,' Peskov said. Moscow's delegation at the last round of talks with Ukraine was led by a hawkish historian and the current head of the Russian Union of Writers, Vladimir Medinsky, whom Ukraine described as a puppet with no authority. Ukrainian and Russian delegations met in Istanbul on May 16 and on June 2 as Washington stepped up pressure for a deal, but no breakthroughs were made and the talks only yielded agreements to exchange prisoners and soldiers' bodies. At the frontline, far from the diplomatic deliberations, the brutal conflict raged on, with Moscow and Kyiv saying that they had intercepted dozens of drones launched at each other. The Russian army also said that it had captured the village of Novotoretskoye in the Donetsk region — the latest advance as Moscow intensifies its ground offensive. A Ukrainian drone strike on a private bus in the Russian-occupied part of the Kherson region killed three people and wounded another three, a Moscow-installed official said. Another man died in Russia's western border Belgorod region after a Ukrainian attack, according to the local governor. At the same time, a Russian drone and missile salvo on Ukraine killed a 10-year-old boy in the eastern frontline city of Kramatorsk, and wounded more than a dozen people across the country, Kyiv's authorities said. In recent weeks, Russia has fired a record number of drones and missiles at Ukrainian cities, and seized more frontline territory, which Kyiv says is evidence that Moscow is not serious about halting the all-out offensive it launched in February 2022.
Leaders
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Leaders
Moscow Downplays Expectations for Upcoming Ukraine Peace Talks
Moscow on Tuesday once again tempered expectations for the upcoming peace talks with Ukraine as the Kremlin did not confirm the date for a meeting in Istanbul, which Ukraine had scheduled for Wednesday. This announcement follows the Kremlin's statement on Monday, indicating that both sides remain far apart in their visions for resolving the ongoing conflict, which has persisted for over three years. As tensions escalate, both nations continue to exchange drone and missile strikes. During a regular briefing, Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressed skepticism about the talks. He stated, 'We don't have any reason to hope for some miraculous breakthroughs,' reflecting the Kremlin's cautious outlook regarding the negotiations. Ukraine's Proposed Discussion Topics In contrast, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky outlined potential topics for discussion, who emphasized Kyiv's readiness to secure the release of captives, return abducted children, halt the killings, and prepare for a leaders' meeting. These proposals highlight Ukraine's commitment to finding common ground despite the ongoing hostilities. Moscow acknowledged that 'a lot of work lies ahead' before any meaningful discussions could occur between Putin and Zelensky, who last met in 2019, and the Kremlin's recent comments suggest that significant obstacles remain. Ukraine announced that its ex-defence minister and current secretary of the security council, Rustem Umerov, will lead Kyiv's delegation during the talks on Wednesday. The Kremlin has only stated that it hopes talks could occur 'this week.' Peskov added, 'As soon as we are ready, we will make an announcement regarding the dates.' This ambiguity leaves many questions about the future of the negotiations. Previous Talks Yielded Little Progress In the last round of talks, Moscow's delegation was led by Vladimir Medinsky, a hawkish historian and head of the Russian Union of Writers, whom was criticized by Ukraine, describing him as a puppet with no real authority. Previous meetings in Istanbul on May 16 and June 2 yielded no breakthroughs, only agreements to exchange prisoners and soldiers' bodies. While diplomatic efforts continue, the brutal conflict rages on at the frontline as both Moscow and Kyiv reported intercepting dozens of drones launched at each other. The Russian army claimed to have captured the village of Novotoretskoye in the Donetsk region, marking a significant advance as Moscow intensifies its ground offensive. Casualties from Recent Strikes Furthermore, recent attacks have resulted in tragic casualties after a Ukrainian drone strike on a private bus in the Russian-occupied Kherson region killed three people and injured three others, according to a Moscow-installed official. Additionally, a man died in Russia's Belgorod region following a Ukrainian attack, as reported by the local governor. In Ukraine, a Russian drone and missile strike killed a 10-year-old boy in Kramatorsk and injured more than a dozen others across the country. Kyiv's authorities noted that Russia has recently launched a record number of drones and missiles at Ukrainian cities. This escalation raises concerns that Moscow is not serious about halting its all-out offensive, which began in February 2022. Short link :
Kuwait Times
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Moscow downplays expectations from Ukraine talks
Moscow downplays expectations from Ukraine talks MOSCOW: Moscow on Tuesday once again downplayed expectations for a third round of peace talks with Ukraine and did not confirm the date for a meeting in Istanbul set for Wednesday by Ukraine. That came after the Kremlin on Monday said that the two sides were far apart in their visions on how to end the more than three-year-old conflict, and as they continued to pummel each other with drones and missiles. 'We don't have any reason to hope for some miraculous breakthroughs,' Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a regular briefing in answer to AFP's question about the Kremlin's expectations from the talks. Outlining potential topics for discussion, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv was ready to 'secure the release of our people from captivity and return abducted children, to stop the killings, and to prepare a leaders' meeting.' Moscow said that 'a lot of work lies ahead' before even discussions could take place about possible talks between Putin and Zelensky, who last met in 2019. Ukraine said its ex-defense minister and current secretary of the security council, Rustem Umerov, will head Kyiv's delegation on the talks on Wednesday. But the Kremlin said only that it hoped talks could be held 'this week'. 'As soon as we are ready, we will make an announcement regarding the dates,' Peskov said. Moscow's delegation at the last round of talks with Ukraine was led by a hawkish historian and the current head of the Russian Union of Writers, Vladimir Medinsky, whom Ukraine described as a puppet with no authority. Ukrainian and Russian delegations met in Istanbul on May 16 and on June 2 as Washington stepped up pressure for a deal, but no breakthroughs were made and the talks only yielded agreements to exchange prisoners and soldiers' bodies. At the frontline, far from the diplomatic deliberations, the brutal conflict raged on, with Moscow and Kyiv saying that they had intercepted dozens of drones launched at each other. The Russian army also said that it had captured the village of Novotoretskoye in the Donetsk region — the latest advance as Moscow intensifies its ground offensive. A Ukrainian drone strike on a private bus in the Russian-occupied part of the Kherson region killed three people and wounded another three, a Moscow-installed official said. Another man died in Russia's western border Belgorod region after a Ukrainian attack, according to the local governor. At the same time, a Russian drone and missile salvo on Ukraine killed a 10-year-old boy in the eastern frontline city of Kramatorsk, and wounded more than a dozen people across the country, Kyiv's authorities said. In recent weeks, Russia has fired a record number of drones and missiles at Ukrainian cities, and seized more frontline territory, which Kyiv says is evidence that Moscow is not serious about halting the all-out offensive it launched in February 2022. – AFP
eNCA
22-07-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Moscow not expecting 'breakthroughs' from Ukraine talks
Moscow on Tuesday once again downplayed expectations for a third round of peace talks with Ukraine and did not confirm the date for a meeting in Istanbul set for Wednesday by Ukraine. That came after the Kremlin on Monday said that the two sides were far apart in their visions on how to end the more than three-year-old conflict, and as they continued to pummel each other with drones and missiles. "We don't have any reason to hope for some miraculous breakthroughs," Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a regular briefing in answer to AFP's question about the Kremlin's expectations from the talks. Outlining potential topics for discussion, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv was ready to "secure the release of our people from captivity and return abducted children, to stop the killings, and to prepare a leaders' meeting." Moscow said that "a lot of work lies ahead" before even discussions could take place about possible talks between Putin and Zelensky, who last met in 2019. Ukraine said its ex-defence minister and current secretary of the security council, Rustem Umerov, will head Kyiv's delegation on the talks on Wednesday. But the Kremlin said only that it hoped talks could be held "this week". "As soon as we are ready, we will make an announcement regarding the dates," Peskov said. Moscow's delegation at the last round of talks with Ukraine was led by a hawkish historian and the current head of the Russian Union of Writers, Vladimir Medinsky, whom Ukraine described as a puppet with no authority. Ukrainian and Russian delegations met in Istanbul on May 16 and on June 2 as Washington stepped up pressure for a deal, but no breakthroughs were made and the talks only yielded agreements to exchange prisoners and soldiers' bodies. - Five killed in strikes - At the frontline, far from the diplomatic deliberations, the brutal conflict raged on, with Moscow and Kyiv saying that they had intercepted dozens of drones launched at each other. The Russian army also said that it had captured the village of Novotoretskoye in the Donetsk region -- the latest advance as Moscow intensifies its ground offensive. A Ukrainian drone strike on a private bus in the Russian-occupied part of the Kherson region killed three people and wounded another three, a Moscow-installed official said. Another man died in Russia's western border Belgorod region after a Ukrainian attack, according to the local governor. At the same time, a Russian drone and missile salvo on Ukraine killed a 10-year-old boy in the eastern frontline city of Kramatorsk, and wounded more than a dozen people across the country, Kyiv's authorities said. In recent weeks, Russia has fired a record number of drones and missiles at Ukrainian cities, and seized more frontline territory, which Kyiv says is evidence that Moscow is not serious about halting the all-out offensive it launched in February 2022.
