Latest news with #hostilities
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Zelensky rejects any limited ceasefire with Russia
Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky has rejected any limited ceasefire with Russia, insisting that Kiev will only agree to a complete halt in hostilities. His statement comes as Bloomberg has claimed that Moscow plans to propose a pause in air operations. Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Moscow and Kiev have agreed to several partial ceasefires. However, both sides have accused each other of violating the agreements shortly after they entered force. During the 72-hour Victory Day truce in May, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed that the Ukrainian military had committed more than 14,000 violations of the ceasefire. Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing anonymous sources, that the Kremlin is considering offering an 'air truce' during the visit of US special envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow this week. The arrangement would reportedly involve halting missile and drone strikes but would not end ground operations. The proposal is expected to come amid US President Donald Trump's threats to impose secondary tariffs on Russia and its trading partners unless a peace deal is reached soon. Moscow has not confirmed plans to propose any sort of limited truce. In a post on his Telegram channel, Zelensky wrote that Kiev supports only an 'immediate, complete and unconditional' ceasefire. 'We've already tried many different formats,' he said, referring to proposals for 'silence in the skies' and halts to energy‑sector attacks. He alleged that all such agreements were breached and urged further sanctions on Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow favors a peaceful resolution and a 'long‑term, lasting peace' rather than a temporary truce. He has stressed that any settlement must address the 'realities on the ground' and the root causes of the conflict. Russia has repeatedly called on Ukraine to recognize the loss of five of its former regions that joined Russia in public referendums, withdraw its forces from those territories, commit to neutrality, and limit its military capabilities. Moscow has also said a ceasefire could be possible if Ukraine halts troop movements, suspends mobilization, stops foreign arms shipments, and holds a presidential election. Kiev has rejected the terms as unacceptable.
France 24
3 days ago
- Politics
- France 24
Lebanon plans to disarm Hezbollah by year end
The thorny decision follows heavy US pressure and comes as part of implementing a November ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities between Israel and militant group Hezbollah including two months of all-out war. The cabinet held a nearly six-hour cabinet session on Tuesday headed by President Joseph Aoun on disarming the group, which emerged badly weakened from the latest war, with its arsenal pummelled and its senior leadership decimated. The Iran-backed group is the only faction that kept its weapons after Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war, doing so in the name of "resistance" against Israel, which occupied the country's south until 2000. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the government "tasked the Lebanese army with setting an implementation plan to restrict weapons" to the army and other state forces "before the end of this year". Under the ceasefire, government authorities including the army and internal security forces should be the exclusive bearers of weapons in Lebanon. The cabinet is to continue discussions this week on a proposal from US envoy Tom Barrack that includes a timetable for Hezbollah's disarmament. Timetable Information Minister Paul Morcos said Hezbollah-affiliated Health Minister Rakan Nassereldine and Environment Minister Tamara Elzein, who is affiliated with its ally the Amal movement, "withdrew from the session because they did not agree with the cabinet decision". Long the strongest political force in Lebanon -- with detractors accusing it of using the threat of its weaponry to impose its will on domestic decisions -- Hezbollah has also seen that influence diminish since the conflict. The group's chief Naim Qassem, in a televised address while the cabinet meeting was underway, said it would not disarm while Israeli attacks continue. "Any timetable presented for implementation under... Israeli aggression cannot be agreed to," he said. Israel has kept up raids on Lebanon despite the November truce, mostly saying it is striking Hezbollah targets, and has threatened to keep doing so until the group has been disarmed. On Tuesday, Lebanon's health ministry said an Israeli strike in Brital in the country's east killed one person. "Are we being asked to engage in dialogue, or to surrender our weapons without dialogue?" Qassem said. Hezbollah supporters on mopeds and motorbikes roamed Beirut's southern suburbs where the group enjoys strong support, brandishing the party's yellow flag and pictures of its leaders, an AFP photographer said. 'Dictates' Qassem criticised the US envoy's plan on disarming the group. "Whoever looks at the deal Barrack brought doesn't find an agreement but dictates," he said, arguing that "it removes the strength and capabilities of Hezbollah and Lebanon entirely." Last month, Barrack urged Lebanon to "act now" to impose a state weapons monopoly. A Lebanese official with knowledge of the talks told AFP on condition of anonymity that Hezbollah will not surrender its weapons "without something in return -- the Americans know this well". Aoun last week said Lebanon was committed to removing "weapons from all armed groups including Hezbollah" and seeing them surrendered to Lebanon's army. Lebanon is at "a crucial stage" and must choose "between collapse and stability", Aoun had said. The international community has linked its support for the crisis-hit country to disarming the group, while Washington has failed to provide guarantees it will prevent Israel from attacking Lebanon. Qassem warned Israel against launching any new "large-scale aggression" because "if it does, Hezbollah will go on the defensive, "and this defence will lead to rockets falling inside the Israeli entity". Before discussing the fate of its weapons, which it considers a matter of domestic defence strategy, Hezbollah has demanded that reconstruction of areas destroyed during the war begin. It has also demanded that Israel stop its attacks, withdraw from five border areas it has occupied since the war and release Lebanese prisoners. Ahead of the cabinet meeting, David Wood from the International Crisis Group said the militant group could apply pressure by objecting officially or encourage its supporters to demonstrate but a domestic confrontation was "not in Hezbollah's interest".
Free Malaysia Today
7 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Israeli strikes in south and east Lebanon leave 4 dead
Israel has kept up near-daily air strikes in Lebanon despite a November ceasefire. (AFP pic) BEIRUT : A series of Israeli air strikes killed four people in south and east Lebanon, the health ministry said today, referring to strikes that occurred the previous evening. 'The series of strikes launched by the Israeli enemy Thursday evening led to the death of four people,' the Lebanese health ministry said. The Israeli military said yesterday that it had targeted Hezbollah 'infrastructure that was used for producing and storing strategic weapons' in south Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz described one of the targets as Hezbollah's 'biggest precision missile manufacturing site'. More than a year of hostilities – including two months of all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah which largely ended with a November ceasefire – left the resistance group badly weakened. Israel has nonetheless kept up near-daily air strikes in Lebanon despite the ceasefire, and has threatened to continue them until the group has been disarmed. 'Any attempt by the terrorist organisation to recover, re-establish or threaten will be met with relentless intensity,' Katz said yesterday. Under the terms of the truce, Hezbollah was to withdraw its fighters north of the Litani River, about 30km from the Israeli border. Israel was meant to withdraw all its troops from Lebanon, but has kept them in five areas it deems strategic. In a speech yesterday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said he was determined to disarm Hezbollah, a step he has come under heavy US pressure to take, despite the group's protests that doing so would serve Israeli goals.
Russia Today
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Lasting peace with Ukraine and EU's loss of sovereignty: key takeaways from Putin's press event
Moscow is prepared to 'wait' if Kiev opts to abandon the peace process, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said, reiterating that only a long-term, lasting solution is an acceptable end to hostilities, rather than a temporary truce. The president made the remarks to the media on Friday when he hosted his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, for an informal meeting on Valaam Island, the home of a major Orthodox Christian monastery on Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia. Here are the key takeaways from Putin's remarks: Moscow can wait The Russian president dismissed comments made by Vladimir Zelensky earlier in the day, when Ukraine's leader suggested it was not the time for peace talks with Russia and urged the 'world' to push for 'regime change' in the country instead. 'If the Ukrainian leadership believes it is not the time and waiting is necessary, they are welcome. We are ready to wait,' Putin stated. Moscow believes that 'negotiations are always required and important, especially when they lead to peace,' he added, pointing out that agreements on assorted humanitarian issues, such as exchanging prisoners or returning bodies of fallen soldiers, were positive outcomes of the recent direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations hosted by Türkiye. Putin questions legitimacy of Ukraine's leadership The Russian president also slammed Zelensky's 'regime change' remarks, saying that the Ukrainian leader was in no position to call for that. 'Our political regime is grounded in the Constitution of the Russian Federation, and our government was formed in full compliance with the basic law. The same cannot be said about Ukraine,' he said. Zelensky has remained in office beyond the expiration of his term last year, suspending elections on the pretext of martial law. Moscow has repeatedly raised concerns about his legitimacy, suggesting he might not be in a position to sign a peace treaty with Russia. Russia seeks lasting peace with Ukraine Putin reiterated Moscow's longstanding position that the settlement of the conflict with Kiev should result in a 'long-term, lasting peace' rather than a temporary ceasefire. The solution must address issues related to broader European security, Putin said, adding that the same position had been articulated by a high-ranking Ukrainian official during the recent talks in Istanbul. 'The Ukrainian delegation expressed the idea that it probably makes sense to talk about the security of both Russia and Ukraine in the context of pan-European security. One of the leaders of the Ukrainian delegation expressed this idea. And in general, we believe that this is correct; we share this stance,' Putin said. EU has no sovereignty Asked about the recent 'shameful' one-sided trade deal imposed by the US on the EU, Putin described the current situation as long in coming for the bloc, which had been frequently described in private by top officials as 'an economic giant but a political midget.' 'It was clear that the European Union, Europe, did not have that much sovereignty. Today it has become obvious that it does not exist at all. And this is immediately followed – in the critical situation that has developed – by economic losses,' the Russian president said. Reinforcing Russia's own sovereignty is among the goals of the military operation against Ukraine.
Arab News
27-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Thai and Cambodian leaders to meet in Malaysia for talks to end deadly border dispute
BANGKOK: Thai and Cambodian leaders will meet in Malaysia for talks to end hostilities, a spokesperson for the Thai prime minister's office said Sunday. This comes following pressure from US President Donald Trump to end a deadly border dispute, now in its fourth day, which has killed at least 35 people and displaced more than 218,000. Jirayu Huangsap said Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai will attend Monday's talks in response to an invitation from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim 'to discuss peace efforts in the region.' Anwar has been acting in his capacity as this year's chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet late Sunday night on several social media platforms confirmed his participation as well. 'I will lead (the) Cambodian delegation to attend a special meeting in Kuala Lumpur hosted by Malaysia, co-organized by the United States and with participation of China,' he said. China is a close ally of Cambodia, and had early in the fighting urged the two nations to resolve their differences peacefully, but Hun Manet's statement appeared to be the first mentioning a Chinese link to Monday's planned talks. Trump posted on the Truth Social social network Saturday that he spoke to the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia and suggested he would not move forward with trade agreements with either country if the hostilities continued. He later said both sides agreed to meet to negotiate a ceasefire. Both sides agree to discuss a ceasefire Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said earlier Sunday his country agreed to pursue an 'immediate and unconditional ceasefire.' He said Trump told him that Thailand had also agreed to halt attacks following the US president's conversation with Phumtham. Phumtham thanked Trump and qualified Thailand's position, saying it agreed in principle to a ceasefire but stressed the need for 'sincere intention' from Cambodia, the Thai Foreign Ministry said. US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce on Sunday said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken with the foreign ministers of both Thailand and Cambodia urging them 'to de-escalate tensions immediately and agree to a ceasefire.' Her statement added that the US 'is prepared to facilitate future discussions in order to ensure peace and stability' between the two countries. Each side blames the other for the clashes The fighting flared Thursday after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers. Both sides blamed each other for starting the clashes. Both countries recalled their ambassadors and Thailand closed its border crossings with Cambodia, with an exception for migrant Cambodian workers returning home. Despite the diplomatic efforts, fighting continued Sunday along parts of the contested border, with both sides refusing to budge and trading blame over renewed shelling and troop movements. Col. Richa Suksowanont, a Thai army deputy spokesperson, said Cambodian forces fired heavy artillery into Surin province, including at civilian homes, early Sunday. He said Cambodia also launched rocket attacks targeting the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple, claimed by both countries, and other areas in a bid to reclaim territory secured by Thai troops. Thai forces responded with long-range artillery to strike Cambodian artillery and rocket launchers. Battlefield operations will continue and a ceasefire can only happen if Cambodia formally initiates negotiations, he added. 'Cambodian attacks remain irregular and may constitute violations of rules of engagement, posing further risk to border communities,' said the Thai military's daily summary of the fighting issued Sunday night. 'The situation remains highly tense, and it is anticipated that Cambodia may be preparing for a major military operation prior to entering negotiations,' it said. Cambodian Defense Ministry spokesperson Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata accused Thai forces of escalating the violence with bombardment of Cambodian territory early Sunday, followed by a 'large-scale incursion' involving tanks and ground troops in multiple areas. 'Such actions undermine all efforts toward peaceful resolution and expose Thailand's clear intent to escalate rather than de-escalate the conflict,' she said. Thailand on Sunday reported a new death of a soldier, bringing its total number of fatalities to 22, mostly civilians. Cambodia said 13 people have been killed, though it was unclear if that included Lt. Gen. Duong Samnieng, whose death in combat was announced Sunday. More than 139,000 people in Thailand have evacuated to safe locations and over 79,000 people fled from three Cambodian provinces. Many border villages are mostly deserted, with many schools and hospitals shut. Evacuees hope for a swift end to the fighting Pichayut Surasit, an air-conditioning technician in Thailand, said the sudden outbreak of fighting meant leaving his work in Bangkok to return home to protect his family. 'I didn't have the heart to continue with my work when I heard the news. I wanted to come back as soon as possible, but I had to wait until the evening,' he said. Now at a shelter in Surin housing some 6,000 evacuees, Pichayut worries for his wife and twin daughters, hoping the conflict will end soon so they can return to their home in Kap Choeng district, one of the hardest hit by shelling. Bualee Chanduang, a local vendor who moved to the same shelter Thursday with her family and pet rabbit, is counting on swift negotiations to end the violence. 'I pray for God to help so that both sides can agree to talk and end this war,' she said. At the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV said he was praying for all those affected by war in the world, including 'for those affected by the clashes on the border between Thailand and Cambodia, especially the children and displaced families.' The 800-kilometer (500-mile) frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for decades, but past confrontations have been limited and brief. The latest tensions erupted in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand's domestic politics.
