Latest news with #Rustem Umerov
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ukraine calls for talks with Russia next week
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for talks with Russia next week to push forward ceasefire talks amid growing US pressure on Moscow to reach a deal. Ukraine's Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, proposed the a meeting with the Russian side for next week, Zelensky said during his daily address on Saturday. 'The dynamics of the negotiations must improve. We need to do everything possible to achieve a ceasefire. The Russian side must stop avoiding decisions regarding prisoner exchanges, the return of children, and the cessation of killings,' Zelensky said. 'A meeting at the leadership level is essential to genuinely secure peace. Ukraine is ready for such a meeting,' he added. Russian state media outlet TASS reported that a source close to Russia's negotiating team confirmed that they had received Kyiv's proposal for a meeting. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian media on Sunday that Russia is 'ready to move quickly' on achieving a peace deal with Ukraine, but its 'main goal' was to achieve its 'objectives.' Russian President Vladimir Putin 'has repeatedly expressed his desire to transition the Ukrainian settlement process into a peaceful track as soon as possible. It's a lengthy process that requires effort, and it's not simple. And most likely, this is increasingly being understood in Washington,' Peskov told Russian state media journalist Pavel Zarubin. The last round of ceasefire talks in Istanbul ended swiftly in early June, with Russian and Ukrainian delegates meeting for barely over an hour before calling it quits. According to Russian state media, Russia put forward maximalist territorial demands as part of their preconditions for a ceasefire. Ukraine has previously refused to consider any territorial concessions in exchange for peace. Zelensky's call for talks arrives just after US President Donald Trump offered Putin a 50-day window to achieve a ceasefire before the US implements high tariffs on Russian goods, alongside 'secondary tariffs' on goods from countries that purchase Russian oil. 'We're going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don't have a deal in 50 days,' Trump said during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office earlier this week. 'I use trade for a lot of things,' Trump added. 'But it's great for settling wars.' Trump has expressed increasing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent weeks, even complaining that Putin's assurances about ceasefire progress are 'bullshit.' Yet Western analysts and Ukrainian officials say that the president's 50-day-window is unlikely to deter Putin from accelerating Russia's summer offensive in the coming weeks. Moreover, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has dismissed Trump's threatened tariffs as mere bluster. 'Fifty days – it used to be 24 hours,' Lavrov said. 'It used to be 100 days; we've been through all of this.' Daria Tarasova-Markina contributed reporting.
The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Zelensky offers Putin fresh peace talks after weeks of Moscow's missile strikes
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has offered Vladimir Putin fresh peace talks after weeks of relentless Russian missile attacks. Mr Zelensky offered Moscow another round of ceasefire negotiations for next week, saying he wanted to speed up ending the conflict. It comes after weeks of relentless Russian strikes on Ukraine, including over 300 drones and 30 missiles launched on Friday night. 'Everything should be done to achieve a ceasefire,' Mr Zelensky said in his evening address to the nation. 'The Russian side should stop hiding from decisions.' Ukraine and Russia have held two rounds of talks in Istanbul over the past five months. They have agreed to swap prisoners but made no breakthroughs in ending almost three and a half years of conflict that started with Russia 's 2022 invasion. Mr Zelensky said Rustem Umerov, who headed the Ukrainian delegation at both talks in Istanbul, had sent the Russian side the offer to hold the meeting next week, but gave no more details. US president Donald Trump, who has sharpened his tone against Russia in recent weeks amid worsening air strikes on Ukrainian cities, threatened harsher sanctions on Russia earlier this month if a peace deal was not reached within 50 days. Person killed following Russian drone attack on Ukrainian city Person killed following Russian drone attack on city Alisha Rahaman Sarkar20 July 2025 06:46 In pics: Aftermath of recent shelling in Donetsk Alisha Rahaman Sarkar20 July 2025 06:01 Two killed in Russian attack on Dnipropetrovsk At least two people were killed in Russian attack on Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region. Russia launched its biggest ever attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Pavlohrad yesterday, regional governor Sergiy Lysak said. The airstrike destroyed 'an outpatient clinic, a school and a cultural institution' in the Vasylkivska township, he added. Alisha Rahaman Sarkar20 July 2025 05:23 Flights suspended as Ukraine attacks Moscow Russian air defence systems shot down three drones en route to Moscow last evening, city mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Telegram. Two Moscow airports - Vnukovo and Domodedovo - suspended arrivals and departures for safety reasons but later resumed operations, Russian aviation watchdog Rosaviatsia said. The Russian defence ministry said its air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 27 Ukrainian drones in total from 3 pm to 7pm local time, including four over Moscow region, 15 over Bryansk region, six over Kaluga region and two over Tula. Alisha Rahaman Sarkar20 July 2025 04:54 Minister accuses Russia of deporting Ukrainians Ukraine's foreign minister has accused Russia of deporting Ukrainian citizens into Georgia and leaving them stranded without proper identification. Andrii Sybiha said Moscow has escalated the practice of expelling Ukrainians — many of whom are former prisoners — across its southern border with Georgia, instead of returning them directly to Ukraine. "Dozens of people, many of whom lack proper documentation, have been stuck in the transit zone," he wrote on X. Alisha Rahaman Sarkar20 July 2025 04:32 Russia pounds Ukraine with over 300 drones Russia launched a massive attack on Ukraine with hundreds of drones, killing at least one person, part of a stepped-up bombing campaign that has dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the more than three-year-old war. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X that Russia fired over 300 drones, along with more than 30 cruise missiles. One person died in the Black Sea port city of Odesa, which was hit with more than 20 drones and a missile, mayor Hennadii Trukhanov wrote on Telegram, while five people were rescued when a fire broke out in a residential high-rise building. According to Mr Zelensky, six other people were wounded in the attack on Odesa, including a child, and critical infrastructure was damaged in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy region. Alisha Rahaman Sarkar20 July 2025 04:10 Recap: We see what you are doing, Lammy warns Kremlin The UK has sanctioned a string of Russian spies and hackers, accusing them of carrying out a campaign to 'destabilise Europe'. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: 'GRU spies are running a campaign to destabilise Europe, undermine Ukraine's sovereignty and threaten the safety of British citizens. 'The Kremlin should be in no doubt: we see what they are trying to do in the shadows and we won't tolerate it. That's why we're taking decisive action with sanctions against Russian spies.' Alexander Butler20 July 2025 03:00 What are Patriot missiles and why does Ukraine need them? What are Patriot missiles and why does Ukraine need them? The US will send an undisclosed number of Patriot air defence systems to Kyiv, to be paid for by the EU Alexander Butler20 July 2025 02:00 Yulia Svyrydenko: Ukraine's new prime minister who masterminded key Trump deal Meet Ukraine's new PM who masterminded key Trump deal New Ukrainian PM Svyrydenko says 'war leaves no room for delay' as she sets priorities for country Alexander Butler20 July 2025 01:00 How the EU aims to put the squeeze on the Russian economy with new sanctions package Alexander Butler20 July 2025 00:01
RNZ News
a day ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Ukraine's Zelensky offers Russia more talks next week
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. File photo. Photo: JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky says that Kyiv has sent Moscow an offer to hold another round of peace talks next week, and that he wanted to speed up negotiations for a ceasefire. Ukraine and Russia have held two rounds of talks in Istanbul over the past five months. They have agreed to swap prisoners but made no breakthroughs ending almost three-and-a-half years of conflict that started with Russia's 2022 invasion. "Everything should be done to achieve a ceasefire," Zelensky said in his evening address to the nation on Saturday (local time). "The Russian side should stop hiding from decisions," he added. The president said Rustem Umerov, who headed the Ukrainian delegation at both talks in Istanbul, had sent the Russian side the offer to hold the meeting next week, but gave no more details. Umerov, a former defence minister, was appointed last week as the head of the National Security and Defence Council and tasked with adding more momentum to the negotiations. Russia has been pressing a grinding offensive along the eastern front in Ukraine's Donetsk region. It has repeatedly said it is ready for a new round of talks but has not backed down from what Kyiv and its allies describe as its maximalist war aims. US President Donald Trump, who has sharpened his tone against Russia in recent weeks amid worsening air strikes on Ukrainian cities, threatened harsher sanctions on Russia earlier this month if a peace deal was not reached within 50 days. - Reuters
Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Ukraine proposes truce talks with Russia after negotiations stalled in June
Kyiv: Ukraine has proposed to hold a new round of peace talks with Russia next week, following negotiations that stalled last month, according to Al Jazeera. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Saturday that Defence Council Secretary Rustem Umerov had made an offer for a meeting with Russian negotiators for next week. "Everything should be done to achieve a ceasefire," Zelenskyy said in his evening address to the nation, Al Jazeera reported. "The Russian side should stop hiding from decisions." Ukraine's leader also reiterated his readiness to have a face-to-face sit-down with Putin. "A meeting at the leadership level is needed to truly ensure peace-lasting peace," he said. There was no immediate response from Russia, as per Al Jazeera. Umerov, a former defence minister, was appointed last week as the head of the National Security and Defence Council and tasked with adding more momentum to the negotiations. He headed his country's delegation in two previous rounds of talks in Turkiye earlier this year, which yielded little more than an agreement to exchange prisoners and soldiers' remains. In previous rounds, Russia outlined a list of hardline demands that were not acceptable to Ukraine, calling on it to cede four Ukrainian regions it claims as its own and reject Western military support, as per Al Jazeera. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Friday indicated that Moscow agreed with a statement by Zelenskyy that peace efforts needed "more momentum". The shift came after United States President Donald Trump, who initially appeared to adopt a conciliatory approach towards Russia after entering office, upped the pressure on Moscow. This week, Trump set a 50-day deadline for Moscow to reach a ceasefire in Ukraine or face "100 per cent tariffs" and the prospect of secondary sanctions being imposed on countries that buy Russian oil. He also promised to ramp up arms shipments to the war-battered country. Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the ministry, said on Thursday that Russia would not accept the "blackmail" of Washington's sanctions ultimatum, and the decision to resume weapons deliveries was a signal to Ukraine to "abandon the peace process".
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine's Zelenskiy offers Russia more talks next week
KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday that Kyiv has sent Moscow an offer to hold another round of peace talks next week, and that he wanted to speed up negotiations for a ceasefire. Ukraine and Russia have held two rounds of talks in Istanbul over the past five months. They have agreed to swap prisoners but made no breakthroughs in ending almost three and a half years of conflict that started with Russia's 2022 invasion. "Everything should be done to achieve a ceasefire," Zelenskiy said in his evening address to the nation. "The Russian side should stop hiding from decisions," he added. The president said Rustem Umerov, who headed the Ukrainian delegation at both talks in Istanbul, had sent the Russian side the offer to hold the meeting next week, but gave no more details. Umerov, a former defence minister, was appointed last week as the head of the National Security and Defence Council and tasked with adding more momentum to the negotiations. Russia has been pressing a grinding offensive along the eastern front in Ukraine's Donetsk region. It has repeatedly said it is ready for a new round of talks but has not backed down from what Kyiv and its allies describe as its maximalist war aims. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has sharpened his tone against Russia in recent weeks amid worsening air strikes on Ukrainian cities, threatened harsher sanctions on Russia earlier this month if a peace deal was not reached within 50 days. Solve the daily Crossword
