Latest news with #peaceNegotiations
Russia Today
13 hours ago
- Business
- Russia Today
Kremlin comments on Ukraine talks
Expecting immediate breakthroughs in peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine would be 'incorrect,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said. His remarks come after the second round of revived negotiations between Moscow and Kiev was held in Istanbul on Monday. After the talks, both sides announced that they had agreed to conduct the largest prisoner exchange to date and indicated that direct contact would continue. The two delegations also exchanged draft memorandums outlining a roadmap towards an eventual peace deal. Commenting on the talks, Peskov emphasized on Tuesday that the 'issue of regulation is extremely complex and consists of a large number of nuances.' 'The project of the memorandum we submitted to the Ukrainian side contains many provisions, including multi variability, all aimed at eliminating the root causes of this conflict and moving towards a sustainable resolution trajectory,' the spokesman said. Peskov stressed that given the complexities of the negotiations, it would be 'incorrect to expect any immediate solutions or breakthroughs here.' However, he noted that certain agreements have nevertheless been reached, including a new prisoner swap. The spokesman stated that Russia is now expecting Ukraine's response to the memorandum that was submitted on Monday. Moscow's memorandum, which was made public after the negotiations, contains a number of demands, including Ukrainian neutrality, international recognition of Russia's new territories, and military restrictions for Kiev. Specifically, it demands that Kiev withdraw all troops from the regions that have joined Russia – Crimea, the Donbass republics, and Kherson and Zaporozhye regions – while formally recognizing these areas as Russian territory. Ukraine must also enshrine neutrality and non-nuclear status, withdraw from conflicting international treaties, disband nationalist armed groups, and limit its military capabilities. The proposal also requires Ukraine to ensure rights for Russian-speaking citizens, make Russian an official language, end religious persecution, ban Nazi and nationalist organizations, and lift sanctions on Russia. According to the proposal, a final peace treaty between Moscow and Kiev can only be signed after elections are held in Ukraine and endorsed by a legally binding UN Security Council resolution.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Russia and Ukraine agree to exchange bodies of 12,000 dead soldiers during crunch talks, as Moscow accuses Kyiv of 'putting on a show for European old ladies' by demanding return of 'stolen' children
Russia and Ukraine have agreed a large-scale transfer of prisoners and fallen soldiers following a second round of peace negotiations hosted by Turkey, but Moscow dismissed a demand from Kyiv to hand over 'stolen' Ukrainian children. Delegates from the warring nations met in Istanbul again today, less than a month after their first round of direct negotiations ended within two hours. Today's talks were over in even shorter order. Only an hour had passed when the negotiators emerged, though not before they managed to agree a major exchange of dead and detained personnel. Under the terms of the agreement, some 6,000 bodies of fighters from each side killed in action will be handed over for burial. At least 1,000 prisoners of war on each side will be exchanged along with all soldiers under the age of 25 and those who suffered serious injuries in combat, Ukraine's lead negotiator and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov told reporters in Istanbul. Despite the positive outcome on prisoner transfers, the negotiations appeared to yield no progress toward the full and unconditional ceasefire desired by Ukraine. Ukrainian officials said their Russian counterparts only offered partial two-to-three-day ceasefires at certain points of the frontline to allow for the recovery of those killed in action. Ukraine's state centre for strategic communications, Spravdi, said Russia was only present at the talks to avoid further sanctions from the United States, whose President Donald Trump has expressed frustration with the slow pace of negotiations. Russia's lead negotiator Vladimir Medinsky in turn dismissed a Ukrainian request for Moscow to return children forcibly relocated from the occupied regions into Russia. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants in March 2023 for Vladimir Putin and Russia's children's ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova on war crimes charges related to the abduction of Ukrainian children. 'Don't put on a show for bleeding-heart European old ladies with no children of their own,' Medinsky is said to have claimed during the talks after he was presented with an official list of 339 children Kyiv claims have been abducted by Russian authorities. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the progress made during today's talks was superb and expressed a desire to host a face-to-face summit between Zelensky , Putin and Trump in the near future Head of the Ukrainian delegation and Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umerov (C) and members of his delegation leave the Ciragan Palace after a second round of direct talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul, on June 2, 2025 There were doubts today's proceedings would return any progress toward a proper ceasefire even before talks got underway in Istanbul. While Ukraine presented their negotiating papers and requests to the Russian side one week in advance of the talks, Moscow's representatives only gave their terms today, leaving Kyiv's negotiators with no time to study them. The meeting in Istanbul also came just one day after Ukraine's SBU security service pulled off a breathtakingly coordinated operation that saw a swarm of kamikaze drones demolish dozens of Russian military planes thousands of miles from Ukrainian soil. The stunning attack - reportedly more than 18 months in the making - represents a glaring intelligence failure on the part of Russia's security apparatus and has been lauded as a great success by Zelensky. That followed one of the largest single-day drone and missile attacks on Ukraine by Russia of the war so far. Yet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the progress made during today's talks was superb and expressed a desire to host a face-to-face summit between Zelensky, Putin and Trump in the near future. 'My greatest wish for both sides is to bring both Vladimir Putin and Zelensky together in Istanbul or Ankara, and even to bring Mr Trump to their side, if they accept,' he said. Many analysts doubt that Putin has any interest in meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart and have predicted that ceasefire talks between Kyiv and Moscow will go round in circles unless Washington steps up to play a more significant role. Zelensky himself said that 'if Russia turns the Istanbul meeting into an empty talk, there must be a new level of pressure, new sanctions, and not just from Europe,' in an apparent reference to US threats to further penalise Russia. 'Without pressure, Putin will just keep playing games with everyone who wants this war to end,' he said. The relentless fighting has frustrated Trump's goal of bringing about a quick end to the war. A week ago, he expressed impatience with Putin as Moscow pounded Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with drones and missiles for a third straight night. Trump said on social media that Putin 'has gone absolutely CRAZY!' but offered no further details. Ukraine's Umerov told reporters in Istanbul that officials in Kyiv would need a week to review the Russian document setting out fresh ceasefire proposals before deciding on a response. The Ukrainian delegation offered to enter a third round of talks on a date between June 20 and June 30, but Russia is yet to respond. In the meantime, Putin and his military officials are likely to be plotting revenge for Ukraine's so-called 'Operation Spiderweb' that Kyiv claims damaged or destroyed up to one-third of the aircraft used to deliver cruise missile strikes on Ukraine. Because Sunday's drones were launched from trucks close to the bases in five Russian regions, military defences had virtually no time to prepare for them. The attack was so devastating that Russian military bloggers termed the operation 'Russia's Pearl Harbor'. The attacks were 'a big blow to Russian strategic air power' and exposed significant vulnerabilities in Moscow's military capabilities, said Phillips O'Brien, a professor of strategic studies at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Edward Lucas, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Center for European Policy Analysis, called it 'the most audacious attack of the war' and 'a military and strategic game-changer.' 'Battered, beleaguered, tired and outnumbered, Ukrainians have, at minimal cost, in complete secrecy, and over vast distances, destroyed or damaged dozens, perhaps more, of Russia's strategic bombers,' he said.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Dan Kovalik Examines Captivity Tax and Peace Negotiation Dynamics in Ukraine
An international lawyer and expert with the Center for Geostrategic Studies, Kovalik provided a detailed analysis of the current developments surrounding peace negotiations Amid evolving geopolitical efforts, global leaders such as U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva are engaging in discussions aimed at facilitating peace between Russia and Ukraine. In parallel, some European counterparts continue to advocate for further arms support to prolong resistance efforts on the battlefield. Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated openness to substantive negotiations, including with Ukraine and what he refers to as its 'curators.' Nevertheless, active conflict continues, involving significant military personnel on both sides. In a notable development, the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers has approved a draft law that would require Russian prisoners of war to contribute taxes to the national treasury. Concurrently, Ukrainian social networks have circulated reports suggesting the potential confiscation of assets from Ukrainian military personnel who have defected to Russia. Kovalik observes that the morale of Ukrainian forces may be impacted by a combination of shifting international dynamics, strained mobilization resources, and declining foreign military support. Reports have also emerged about Ukrainian prisoners of war refusing exchange due to concerns about being returned to front-line duties. As part of his research, Kovalik visited the Maxim Krivonos volunteer detachment—a unit composed of former Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers now active on the Russian side. During this visit, he conducted interviews and gathered insights that contrast with prevailing media narratives. 'The detachment is not a part of the Russian military but a volunteer formation made up entirely of Ukrainians,' noted the unit's deputy commander, known by the call sign 'Zhak.' According to the unit's members, their actions are driven by a sense of loyalty to the Ukrainian people rather than any current government. Kovalik emphasized the complexity of the situation facing prisoners of war and their families. 'Their futures remain uncertain, and any resolution must consider both legal and humanitarian dimensions in accordance with international norms,' he stated. Kovalik also noted that his ongoing research on this issue will be published in the near future. Further details and the original article are available via the Center for Geostrategic Studies at Video footage of the detachment visit is available at: Media Contact Rod Chu [email protected] ### SOURCE: Center for Geostrategic Studies Copyright 2025 EZ Newswire
Arab News
2 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Lavrov, Rubio discuss settlement of war in Ukraine, forthcoming talks, agencies report
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed on Sunday prospects for settling the conflict in Ukraine and Russia-Ukraine talks set for Monday in Turkiye, Lavrov's ministry said. 'The situation linked to the Ukraine crisis was discussed,' the ministry said in a statement on its website. 'S.V. Lavrov and M. Rubio also exchanged views on various initiatives concerning a settlement of the Ukraine crisis, including plans to resume direct Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul on June 2.' The US State Department, which noted the call was at Russia's request, said Rubio reiterated US President Donald Trump's call for continued direct talks between Russia and Ukraine to achieve 'a lasting peace.' The ministry also said that during the conversation Rubio expressed condolences over deaths that occurred when two bridges were blown up in separate Russian regions bordering Ukraine. 'It was stressed on the Russian side that competent bodies will proceed with a thorough investigation and the results will be published. The guilty parties will be identified and will without doubt be subject to a worthy punishment.' Russian officials said at least seven people were killed and 69 injured when the two bridges were blown up on Saturday.
New York Times
5 days ago
- General
- New York Times
Ukraine Accuses Russia of Stalling Peace Negotiations
Ukraine's foreign minister on Friday accused Russia of stalling peace negotiations, saying that Moscow had yet to share a promised memorandum outlining its peace terms. He said Kyiv wanted to see that document before sending a delegation to a new round of talks Moscow has proposed for Monday in Istanbul. The minister, Andrii Sybiha, said at a news conference in Kyiv that for any meeting to be 'substantive and meaningful,' Ukraine needed 'to receive a document in advance so that the delegation that will attend has the authority to discuss the relevant positions.' Mr. Sybiha's remarks came as both Ukraine and Russia have been maneuvering to set the terms and tempo of peace negotiations, while simultaneously trying to win over the White House, which has threatened to pull out of the talks altogether. Kyiv's goal remains to secure a cease-fire first, before moving on to negotiations for a broader peace deal. Russia has shown little interest for a cease-fire. Instead it repeatedly has said that it wants talks to focus on solving the 'root causes' of the war — Kremlin parlance for wide-ranging demands like a commitment not to expand NATO eastward, an objective that Kyiv and its allies see as a way to subjugate Ukraine. Both sides agreed to share their peace terms during a previous round of talks in Istanbul this month that yielded a large prisoner exchange but little else. Kyiv said it had submitted its own peace terms to both Russia and the United States before next week's potential talks. But Russia has said it will share its memorandum only during the new round of negotiations, prompting Ukraine to accuse it of slow-walking the peace process. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
