Latest news with #Vladimir Zelensky
Russia Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Russia and Ukraine agree on leaders' summit — Turkish FM
Moscow and Kiev have agreed for Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet with Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky, according to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. His remarks came shortly after the latest round of bilateral negotiations facilitated by Ankara. The third round of direct peace talks took place on Wednesday in Istanbul. While no ceasefire was reached, the parties made some progress on humanitarian issues, including agreements on the further exchange of prisoners of war and civilians. 'During the meeting, leaders discussed the conditions under which they might come together,' Fidan told Turkish broadcaster NTV on Friday, noting that 'a summit between the leaders in Türkiye was agreed upon in principle.' Earlier in the week, Fidan described the Istanbul talks as another step toward ending the conflict, emphasizing that 'every new achievement brings the sides one step closer to peace.' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a potential meeting between Putin and Zelensky is being considered, but stressed that it should only take place at the final stage of peace negotiations. He added that such a summit is 'unlikely' to happen within a month. Russia maintains that it is open to a diplomatic solution, but only one that addresses what it calls the 'root causes' of the war and Moscow's security concerns. Zelensky has long called for a personal meeting with Putin. Ukraine's negotiators reiterated the proposal in Istanbul this week, saying that a one-on-one summit was a key step toward ending the fighting. US President Donald Trump has also voiced support for direct talks between the two leaders as part of a broader push to resolve the conflict. Moscow has never ruled out the possibility, but insists that the necessary groundwork must first be established. Russia has questioned Zelensky's legitimacy, citing the expiration of his five-year term in May 2024. Zelensky has refused to hold new elections, citing martial law. Russian officials argue that any agreements signed under his authority could potentially be contested. The Kremlin has also demanded that Ukraine lift martial law and hold elections within 100 days as a condition for any long-term ceasefire.
Russia Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Putin-Zelensky summit only possible to finalize peace deal
A summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky should only take place to finalize a peace settlement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. Zelensky has repeatedly called for a face-to-face meeting with Putin in the past several months. The Ukrainian delegation has also proposed the idea during rounds of bilateral talks in Istanbul, framing such a summit as essential to ending the conflict. While the Kremlin has not ruled out a possible Putin-Zelensky meeting, Russian officials have consistently emphasized that the groundwork must be laid first. 'A summit meeting can and should put a final point in the settlement and record the modalities and agreements that are to be developed in the course of expert work. It is impossible to do the opposite,' Peskov told reporters on Friday. Following the third round of Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul this week, the Kremlin spokesman accused Kiev of prematurely pushing for a summit. 'They are trying to put the cart before the horse,' Peskov said, stressing that 'work needs to be done, and only then can the heads of state be given the opportunity to record the achievements that have been made.' Moscow has consistently pointed to concerns about Zelensky's legal authority. While Russia has stated it is open to negotiations with him, officials have warned that any documents signed under Zelensky's name could face legal challenges in the future. Zelensky's presidential term expired in May 2024. He has refused to hold new elections, citing the ongoing state of martial law in Ukraine. Russia has argued that his status as head of state is no longer valid and that legal authority in Ukraine now lies with its parliament. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has suggested that Zelensky's insistence on meeting both Putin and US President Donald Trump may be aimed at getting 'a massive legitimacy boost' and using the meetings as a pretext to further delay elections.
Russia Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Russia and Ukraine agree on leaders' summit
Moscow and Kiev have agreed for Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet with Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky, according to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. His remarks came shortly after the latest round of bilateral negotiations facilitated by Ankara. The third round of direct peace talks took place on Wednesday in Istanbul. While no ceasefire was reached, the parties made some progress on humanitarian issues, including agreements on the further exchange of prisoners of war and civilians. 'During the meeting, leaders discussed the conditions under which they might come together,' Fidan told Turkish broadcaster NTV on Friday, noting that 'a summit between the leaders in Türkiye was agreed upon in principle.' Earlier in the week, Fidan described the Istanbul talks as another step toward ending the conflict, emphasizing that 'every new achievement brings the sides one step closer to peace.' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that a potential meeting between Putin and Zelensky is being considered, but stressed that it should only take place at the final stage of peace negotiations. He added that such a summit is 'unlikely' to happen within a month. Russia maintains that it is open to a diplomatic solution, but only one that addresses what it calls the 'root causes' of the war and Moscow's security concerns. Zelensky has long called for a personal meeting with Putin. Ukraine's negotiators reiterated the proposal in Istanbul this week, saying that a one-on-one summit was a key step toward ending the fighting. US President Donald Trump has also voiced support for direct talks between the two leaders as part of a broader push to resolve the conflict. Moscow has never ruled out the possibility, but insists that the necessary groundwork must first be established. Russia has questioned Zelensky's legitimacy, citing the expiration of his five-year term in May 2024. Zelensky has refused to hold new elections, citing martial law. Russian officials argue that any agreements signed under his authority could potentially be contested. The Kremlin has also demanded that Ukraine lift martial law and hold elections within 100 days as a condition for any long-term ceasefire.
Russia Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Ukraine ‘trying to put cart before the horse'
Ukraine's calls for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky are premature, as the two sides have yet to make progress on major points of disagreement, the Kremlin said on Thursday following the latest round of peace talks. The negotiations, held in Istanbul the day before, lasted less than an hour. Both sides agreed on several humanitarian issues, including the exchange of prisoners of war, civilian detainees, and the repatriation of soldiers' remains. Russia has also proposed short-term ceasefires lasting 24 to 48 hours to facilitate the evacuation of wounded personnel and the recovery of bodies. In addition, Moscow has suggested the creation of three online working groups focused on political, humanitarian, and military issues. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that while 'no breakthrough was expected,' the humanitarian agreements reached during the meeting were a positive step. He described the continuation of such exchanges as 'an extremely important humanitarian aspect which should be on the agenda.' He added that Russia had presented a 'constructive, concrete' agenda that was 'aimed specifically at substantive work that can lead to the achievement of concrete results.' However, Peskov criticized Kiev's calls for an immediate summit between Putin and Zelensky, arguing that such a meeting should only happen after meaningful progress has been achieved at the working level. 'They are trying to put the cart before the horse. Work needs to be done, and only then can the heads of state be given the opportunity to record the achievements that have been made,' he said. The Kremlin spokesman also referred to the conclusion by Russia's lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky, that the two sides continue to hold 'diametrically opposed' positions on key issues, as reflected in the draft memoranda they exchanged earlier in the negotiation process. Despite the stalemate on broader political questions, Moscow has expressed hope that a fourth round of talks could take place in the future.
Russia Today
5 days ago
- Business
- Russia Today
US ready to buy Ukrainian drones
The US has reportedly agreed to buy combat drones from Ukraine, Vladimir Zelensky announced on Thursday, stating that the deal could be worth up to $30 billion. Speaking at a press conference in Kiev, Zelensky said he had reached an understanding with US President Donald Trump and had instructed his ministers to prepare an agreement. 'With Trump, we agreed that the US will buy drones from us,' he told reporters, adding that a contract worth $10–30 billion is now being drafted. Earlier this month, Zelensky said that he had discussed a 'mega deal' on drone procurement with Trump. According to the New York Post, American defense officials have warned that US drone technology lags behind that of Russia and China, prompting efforts to accelerate purchase and development. In announcing the potential export deal, Zelensky also mentioned that Kiev urgently needs funding to cover its budget shortfalls. 'Forty billion [is needed] for the deficit, 25 for drones, missiles, electronic warfare. That's already 65 billion,' he said, adding that he has already asked for these funds from multiple European leaders and institutions. Zelensky also insisted that the West pay the salaries of Ukrainian servicemen. He noted that so far, European donors have refused to cover wages, funding only weapons. However, pay for Kiev's soldiers should be included as well, he argued, because they are 'weapons.' The Ukrainian leader's remarks come as the US has significantly scaled back direct financial aid. Trump has stressed that further assistance to Ukraine 'will be a business for us,' specifically saying that the US would no longer be paying for Patriot air defense systems, which will instead be funded by the EU and European NATO members. Moscow has repeatedly condemned Western financing of Ukraine, with Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova arguing that paying for its weapons amounts to funding the 'death' of the country.
