Latest news with #diplomatic solution
News24
21-07-2025
- Politics
- News24
Kremlin cautions 'lots of work' ahead before Ukraine peace deal
Handout/Ukrainian presidential press-service/AFP Russia on Monday downplayed the chances of a breakthrough in peace talks with Ukraine, saying the two sides held "diametrically" opposed positions, hours after it launched a massive drone and missile barrage on Kyiv. Moscow said a date for talks was being worked on, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed holding fresh negotiations over the weekend. Efforts to reach a diplomatic solution to the three-year-long war have stalled after US President Donald Trump forced the two sides to open direct talks after he returned to the White House in January. The two sides last met more than a month ago in Istanbul, exchanging draft ideas of what a peace deal could look like. "We now need to exchange views and hold negotiations on these two drafts, which are currently diametrically opposed. A lot of diplomatic work lies ahead," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters, including AFP, in a briefing call. The talks have so far resulted only in prisoner exchanges, with momentum for a ceasefire having sapped. AFP Trump, who has expressed mounting frustration with Vladimir Putin, last week gave the Russian leader a 50-day ultimatum to make a deal or face massive economic sanctions. Zelensky on Friday called for talks to take place this week. Moscow said it was ready but that no agreement had been reached on when the next round would take place. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters: As soon as there is final agreement on the dates, we will inform you immediately. Russia last month demanded Kyiv's army retreat from four Ukrainian regions Moscow claimed to annex in September 2022, but does not have full control over, as well as reject all forms of Western military support. Kyiv dismissed it as an unacceptable ultimatum, and has at times questioned the point of further negotiations if Moscow was not willing to make concessions. Ukraine called for an immediate ceasefire and for Moscow to respect its NATO and EU ambitions. French foreign minister in Kyiv Russia has fired a record number of drones and missiles at Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, deadly attacks that Kyiv says show Moscow is not serious about halting its invasion. Two people were killed across the country in the latest wave, Zelensky said on Monday, calling it an "assault on humanity". French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot arrived in the capital for a surprise visit while rescuers were still sifting through the rubble. READ | Trump gives Russia 50 days to resolve Ukraine war Six districts of Kyiv came under attack on Monday, sparking fires at a supermarket, multiple residential buildings and a nursery, authorities said. An AFP reporter saw damage to multiple buildings, as well as debris and shattered glass on streets. The entrance to a metro station where civilians were sheltering from the barrage was also damaged. Russia's invasion has killed tens of thousands, forced millions to flee their homes and devastated much of eastern Ukraine. Russia launched 450 drones and missiles in total, according to Ukraine's air force. Barrot condemned the attacks during a visit to the Kyiv station. "The shelters themselves are no longer entirely safe, as the metro station behind me, which is being used as a shelter for the people of Kyiv, has been targeted," he said. "These strikes have no military purpose. They're meant to terrorise Ukrainian people and they must stop now," he said in a speech in Kyiv. The European Union agreed on Friday on an 18th package of sanctions on Moscow, targeting Russian banks and lowering a price cap on oil exports. Barrot said the sanctions aimed to increase the cost of war so Russia could pressure Putin into negotiations.
Japan Times
11-07-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Brazil's Lula pledges retaliation to Trump tariffs but keeps diplomacy open
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said he wanted to find a diplomatic solution to U.S. President Donald Trump's threat of 50% tariffs on Brazilian exports, but vowed to reciprocate like-for-like if they take effect on Aug. 1. "We'll first try to negotiate, but if there's no negotiation, the law of reciprocity will be put into practice," Lula said in an interview to Record TV, citing a law the Brazil's Congress recently passed giving the president powers to retaliate against trade barriers. "If they're going to charge us 50, we'll charge them 50." The president is unlikely to announce any retaliatory measures until the tariffs are implemented, said a Brazilian diplomat who requested anonymity to describe internal government debates. "We have until August 1," the source added. In a letter to Lula published on Wednesday, Trump linked the tariffs to Brazil's judiciary launching legal proceedings against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is on trial over charges of plotting a coup to stop Lula from taking office in 2023 after hundreds of pro-Bolsonaro supporters stormed Congress. Trump said Bolsonaro was the victim of a "witch hunt." Lula criticized Bolsonaro for perpetuating claims of legal persecution, stressing that the former president's son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, took leave from his role in Congress, at least in part to lead a campaign in his father's favor in the U.S. "The former president of the Republic should take responsibility, because he is agreeing with Trump's taxation of Brazil. In fact, it was his son who went there to influence Trump's mind," said Lula. Lula said the government will set up a committee with Brazilian business leaders to "rethink" the country's commercial policy with the U.S. He also mentioned Brazil's new reciprocity law, passed just after Trump made his first tariff announcements in April, that allows the government to respond with reciprocal measures in case other countries impose unilateral barriers to Brazilian products. Beyond imposing counter-tariffs, the law would also allow Lula to restrict imports, investments and suspend intellectual property rights from U.S. firms, among other measures. The U.S. is Brazil's second-largest trading partner after China and has a rare trade surplus with Latin America's largest economy. While the broader economic impact on Brazil appeared limited, some sectors, including aviation and banking, felt immediate pressure. Shares of some Brazilian firms declined on Thursday, with planemaker Embraer and major banks such as Itau Unibanco and Banco Santander posting losses. But the tariffs could inflict pain in the U.S. too, disrupting food prices, given Brazil's role as a major agricultural exporter of coffee, orange juice, sugar, beef, and ethanol. The proposed 50% tariff would effectively halt the flow of Brazilian coffee to the United States, its largest buyer, four trade sources said on Thursday. Brazilian industry lobby groups representing sectors such as coffee and oil issued statements on Thursday, urging for a diplomatic solution to the crisis. "We hope that diplomacy and balanced negotiations will prevail, despite ideologies and personal preferences, and that common sense will once again guide the relationship between these two great sovereign nations," Josue Gomes da Silva, the president of Sao Paulo industry group Fiesp, said in a statement.
CNA
11-07-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Brazil's Lula pledges retaliation to Trump tariffs but keeps diplomacy open
BRASILIA: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said he wanted to find a diplomatic solution to US President Donald Trump's threat of 50 per cent tariffs on Brazilian exports, but vowed to reciprocate like-for-like if they take effect on Aug 1. "We'll first try to negotiate, but if there's no negotiation, the law of reciprocity will be put into practice," Lula said in an interview with Record TV, citing a law Congress recently passed giving the president powers to retaliate against trade barriers. "If they're going to charge us 50, we'll charge them 50." The president is unlikely to announce any retaliatory measures until the tariffs are implemented, said a Brazilian diplomat who requested anonymity to describe internal government debates. "We have until Aug 1," the source said. In a letter to Lula published on Wednesday (Jul 9), Trump linked the tariffs to Brazil's judiciary launching legal proceedings against former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is on trial on charges of plotting a coup to stop Lula from taking office in 2023 after hundreds of pro-Bolsonaro supporters stormed Congress. Trump said Bolsonaro was the victim of a "witch hunt." Lula criticised Bolsonaro for perpetuating claims of legal persecution, stressing the former president's son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, took leave from his role in Congress at least in part to head a campaign in his father's favour in the United States. "The former president of the Republic should take responsibility, because he is agreeing with Trump's taxation of Brazil. In fact, it was his son who went there to influence Trump's mind," Lula said. In a social media post late on Thursday, Bolsonaro said Trump's letter announcing tariffs was received with "a sense of responsibility", adding he respects and admires the US government. Bolsonaro argued the US measure was a reaction to Brazil's distancing from freedom. "This would never have happened under my government," he wrote. The former president also urged the powers to act by presenting measures to restore what he called "institutional normality".
Asharq Al-Awsat
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
China, Russia Should Work Together for Middle East Peace, Beijing Says
China's foreign minister told his Russian counterpart on Thursday that China and Russia should strengthen strategic coordination to promote peace in the Middle East, according to a ministry statement, Reuters reported. Wang Yi said the two countries should push for a diplomatic solution to the Iran nuclear issue, as he met with Russia's Sergei Lavrov in Kuala Lumpur, China's foreign ministry said. "Peace cannot be achieved through force, and applying pressure won't solve problems," Wang said, adding that dialogue and negotiations were the way out.
Arab News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
China, Russia should work together for Middle East peace, Beijing says
BEIJING: China's foreign minister told his Russian counterpart on Thursday that China and Russia should strengthen strategic coordination to promote peace in the Middle East, according to a ministry statement. Wang Yi said the two countries should push for a diplomatic solution to the Iran nuclear issue, as he met with Russia's Sergei Lavrov in Kuala Lumpur, China's foreign ministry said. "Peace cannot be achieved through force, and applying pressure won't solve problems," Wang said, adding that dialogue and negotiations were the way out.
