Latest news with #Volodymyr Zelenskiy
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Volodymyr Zelenskiy orders officials to prepare for new peace talks with Russia
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy has ordered officials to prepare for a new round of peace talks with Russia that could start on Wednesday, as critics accused him of trying to assert de facto control over his country's top anti-corruption agencies. Mr Zelenskiy on Tuesday appointed Rustem Umerov, the secretary of Ukraine's national security and defence council, to lead a delegation that he said would also include officials from the foreign ministry, intelligence services and his own office. Kyiv officials have said their first peace talks with Russia since early June are scheduled to start in Istanbul on Wednesday. The Kremlin has said it hopes talks could resume this week, without confirming a date or location. 'Let's be honest: the issue of a Ukrainian settlement is so complicated that even reaching agreements on prisoner exchanges or the return of bodies is already a success,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday. 'So ... we have no reason to expect any magical breakthroughs – such outcomes are hardly likely in the current situation.' READ MORE Talks in Istanbul on May 16th and June 2nd resulted in the exchange of thousands of prisoners and the remains of dead soldiers, but made no headway on US-led calls for a full ceasefire – which Ukraine supports – and top-level talks on a possible peace deal. The US has expressed growing impatience with Moscow and last week agreed to send more arms to Ukraine via Nato and threatened to impose 'severe' tariffs on Russian trade if the Kremlin failed to seek peace within 50 days. Russia responded by saying it rejected ultimatums and by reiterating that peace was possible only if Ukraine accepted the permanent occupation of five of its regions and formally agreed never to join Nato – terms that Kyiv says amount to capitulation. 'Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible for the release of our people from captivity and the return of abducted children, as well as to stop the killings and prepare for a meeting of leaders to achieve the real end of this war,' Mr Zelenskiy said. 'Our position is as transparent as possible. Ukraine never wanted this war, and it is Russia that must end the war that it started.' As he focused publicly on potential peace talks, critics accused Mr Zelenskiy of aiming to crush the independence of the national anti-corruption bureau (Nabu) and specialised anti-corruption prosecutor's office (Sapo), which are central to western-backed efforts to root out the high-level graft that has plagued Ukraine for decades. Deputies rushed through a Bill on Tuesday that would dramatically restrict the two agencies' freedom of operation and effectively subordinate them to Ukraine's prosecutor general, who is appointed directly by the country's president. Opponents of the move urged Mr Zelenskiy not to sign the Bill into law, amid widespread anger among civil society activists over a spate of raids and arrests that they regard as attempts to intimidate and sideline anti-corruption investigators and campaigners. Nabu director Semen Kryvonos urged Mr Zelenskiy to veto a Bill that he said had been supported by deputies who face anti-corruption investigations, and which 'threatened' Ukraine's bid to join the European Union and Nato. 'The European Union is concerned about Ukraine's recent actions with regard to ... Nabu and Sapo. These institutions are crucial to Ukraine's reform agenda and must operate independently to fight corruption and maintain public trust,' said European Commission spokesman Guillaume Mercier. 'The EU provides significant financial assistance to Ukraine, conditional on progress in transparency, judicial reform, and democratic governance. Ukraine's EU accession will require a strong capacity to combat corruption and to ensure institutional resilience.'
Reuters
a day ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Ukraine's Zelenskiy says new peace talks in Turkey on Wednesday
July 21 (Reuters) - The next set of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia - the first meeting in seven weeks - is planned for Wednesday in Turkey, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy quoted the head of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council as saying on Monday. Zelenskiy's statement followed his fresh appeal earlier in the day for greater momentum in negotiations. The Kremlin said it was waiting for an understanding on the date of the talks, but acknowledged that the two sides were "diametrically opposed" in their positions on how to end the war. "Today I discussed with Rustem Umerov the preparation for a prisoner exchange and another meeting with the Russian side in Turkey," Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address. "Umerov reported that the meeting is planned for Wednesday. More details will follow tomorrow." Umerov, previously defence minister and appointed Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council last week, headed the first two rounds of talks with Russia. An unidentified source had earlier told Russian state news agency TASS that negotiators may meet in Turkey on Thursday and Friday. Zelenskiy earlier told a gathering of his diplomats in Kyiv: "We need greater momentum in negotiations to end the war." He added: "The agenda from our side is clear: the return of prisoners of war, the return of children abducted by Russia, and the preparation of a leaders' meeting." Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is under increasing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to show progress towards ending the conflict, turned down a previous challenge from Zelenskiy to meet him in person. Putin has repeatedly said he does not see Zelenskiy as a legitimate leader because Ukraine, which is under martial law, did not hold new elections when his five-year mandate expired last year. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "There is our draft memorandum, there is a draft memorandum that has been handed over by the Ukrainian side. There is to be an exchange of views and talks on these two drafts, which are diametrically opposed so far." Ukraine and Russia have held two rounds of talks in Istanbul, on May 16 and June 2, that led to the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war and the remains of dead soldiers. But the two sides have made no breakthrough towards a ceasefire or a settlement to end almost three and a half years of war. Trump said last week he would impose new sanctions in 50 days on Russia and countries that buy its exports if there is no deal before then to end the conflict.
Reuters
a day ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Russia and Ukraine edge closer to first talks in seven weeks
MOSCOW, July 21 (Reuters) - Russia and Ukraine appear close to agreeing to hold a new round of peace talks in Turkey this week, although the Kremlin said on Monday that the two sides held "diametrically opposed" positions on how to end the war. Two days after Ukraine called for new talks in Istanbul this week, Russian state news agency TASS quoted an unidentified source as saying that negotiators - who have not sat down together for seven weeks - may meet there on Thursday and Friday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told a gathering of his diplomats in Kyiv: "We need greater momentum in negotiations to end the war." He added: "The agenda from our side is clear: the return of prisoners of war, the return of children abducted by Russia, and the preparation of a leaders' meeting." Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is under increasing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to show progress towards ending the conflict, turned down a previous challenge from Zelenskiy to meet him in person. Putin has repeatedly said he does not see Zelenskiy as a legitimate leader because Ukraine, which is under martial law, did not hold new elections when his five-year mandate expired last year. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that as soon as there was a definitive understanding of the date for the next round of talks, then Moscow would announce it. "There is our draft memorandum, there is a draft memorandum that has been handed over by the Ukrainian side. There is to be an exchange of views and talks on these two drafts, which are diametrically opposed so far," Peskov said. Ukraine and Russia have held two rounds of talks in Istanbul, on May 16 and June 2, that led to the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war and the remains of dead soldiers. But the two sides have made no breakthrough towards a ceasefire or a settlement to end almost three and a half years of war. Trump said last week he would impose new sanctions in 50 days on Russia and countries that buy its exports if there is no deal before then to end the conflict.
Reuters
a day ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Zelenskiy names new ambassadors during Ukraine political shakeup
July 21 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appointed over a dozen new ambassadors on Monday, during a big shakeup that has seen him replace top cabinet officials and envoys to shore up relations with Washington and isolate Russia internationally. The new envoys named on Monday include ambassadors to NATO members Belgium, Canada, Estonia and Spain, as well as major donor Japan and regional heavyweights South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. Zelenskiy launched a major government reshuffle last week, promoting Yulia Svyrydenko, 39, who had served as economy minister and is well known in Washington, to head the cabinet as prime minister. Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna is set to become Ukraine's new envoy to the United States, as Ukraine seeks to mend ties with the Trump administration. In remarks to the diplomatic corps released by his office, Zelenskiy said envoys needed to support "everything that causes Russia pain for its war". "While the content of our relationship with America has transformed following the change in administration, the goal remains unchanged: Ukraine must withstand Russia's strikes," Zelenskiy said.
Reuters
a day ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Russia says it favours new round of peace talks with Ukraine, highlights gulf between them
MOSCOW, July 21 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Monday that Moscow was in favour of a new round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine but the two sides' positions were diametrically opposed so there was a lot of diplomatic work to be done. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday that Kyiv has sent Moscow an offer to hold another round of peace talks this week, and that he wants to speed up negotiations for a ceasefire. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that as soon as there was a definitive understanding of the date for the next round of talks then Moscow would announce it. "There is our draft memorandum, there is a draft memorandum that has been handed over by the Ukrainian side. There is to be an exchange of views and talks on these two drafts, which are diametrically opposed so far," Peskov said. Ukraine and Russia have held two rounds of talks in Istanbul, on May 16 and June 2, that led to the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war and the remains of dead soldiers. But the two sides have made no breakthrough towards a ceasefire or a settlement to end almost three and a half years of war.
