Latest Updates on Ukraine peace talks

Russian strikes kill 2 in Odesa ahead of proposed 32-hr Easter ceasefire

Russian drone strikes killed at least two people in the Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight into Saturday, local authorities reported, ahead of a proposed ceasefire for Orthodox Easter. A further two people were wounded in the attack on the Black Sea port city, when drones hit a residential area, damaging apartment buildings, houses and a kindergarten. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia targeted Ukraine with 160 drones overnight, of which 133 were shot down or intercepted, hours before a proposed Easter ceasefire was due to come into force. Russia's Defence Ministry said 99 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight across Russia and occupied Crimea. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declared a 32-hour ceasefire over the Orthodox Easter weekend, ordering Russian forces to halt hostilities from 4 pm Saturday until the end of Sunday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that Ukraine is ready to mirror any ceasefire steps, having earlier proposed to .

Putin announces 32-hour ceasefire in Ukraine for Orthodox Easter weekend

Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declared a 32-hour ceasefire in Ukraine over the Orthodox Easter weekend. Putin's decree, released by the Kremlin, orders Russian forces to observe a ceasefire starting on 4 pm Saturday and lasting until the end of Sunday. Putin's move follows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's proposal earlier this week to observe a pause in attacks on each other's energy infrastructure over the Orthodox Easter. He said he made the offer through the United States, which has been mediating talks between delegations from Moscow and Kyiv as the conflict stretches into a fifth year.

Prolonged West Asia war could erode US support for Ukraine: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed concern that a prolonged US-Israeli war on Iran could further erode America's support for Ukraine as Washington's global priorities shift and Kyiv braces for reduced deliveries of critically needed Patriot air defence missiles. Ukraine desperately needs more US-made Patriot air defence systems to help it counter Russia's daily barrages, Zelenskyy said, speaking to The Associated Press in an exclusive interview late Saturday in Istanbul. Russia's relentless pounding of urban areas behind the front line following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago has killed thousands of civilians. It has also targeted Ukraine's energy supply to disrupt the industrial production of Ukraine's newly developed drones and missiles, while also denying civilians heat and running water in winter. "We have to recognise that we are not the priority for today," Zelenskyy said. "That's why I am afraid a long (Iran) war will give us less .

Russian oil output cuts loom as Ukraine's strikes hit export infrastructure

A cut in output in Russia would add to the strain on global supplies when oil markets have already been jolted by unprecedented supply disruption because of the conflict in the Middle East

Zelenskyy urged to curtail Russia energy strikes, proposes truce

"If Russia is ready to stop striking Ukrainian energy, we won't be returning the strikes against their energy," Zelenskyy said

Ukraine drone strike hits Russia's Ust-Luga port, fire under control

The recent attacks have caused severe oil supply disruption for Russia, the world's second-largest oil exporter, and have come just as oil prices exceeded $100 a barrel due to the Iran war

Rubio denies US asked Ukraine to cede Donbas for security guarantees

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's assertion that the Trump administration is demanding Kyiv hand over its eastern Donbas region to Russia to receive American security guarantees in any ceasefire plan. Speaking to reporters following a Group of Seven meeting in France, Rubio disputed Zelenskyy's recent comments and said the US has made no such stipulation in its talks with Ukraine. "That's a lie," Rubio said. "And I saw him say that. And it's unfortunate he would say that because he knows that's not true and that's not what he was told." In an interview published this week, Zelenskyy told Reuters the US was making its offer of security guarantees for Ukraine contingent on the ceding of the Donbas region, the industrial heartland long coveted by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Moscow's forces occupy the bulk of the region, but have not seized a strip of land that is among the most heavily fortified parts of the front ...

Ukrainian drone strike hits Russia's Primorsk oil port, damages fuel tank

Emergency services are working to extinguish the blaze at the fuel storage tank at Primorsk, and personnel have been evacuated

How Ukraine's front line became a testing ground for drone innovation

The night air in eastern Ukraine is crisp, and a myriad of stars scatter above a small crew of soldiers watching for Iranian-designed Shahed drones that Russia launches in waves. Such teams are deployed across the country as part of a constantly evolving effort to counter the low-cost loitering munitions that have become a deadly weapon of modern warfare, from Ukraine to the Middle East. While waiting, the crew from the 127th Brigade tests and fine-tunes their self-made interceptor drones, searching for flaws that could undermine performance once the buzzing threat appears. When Shahed drones first appeared in autumn 2022, Ukraine had few ways to stop them. Today, drone crews intercept them in flight with continually adapting technology. In recent years, Ukraine's domestic drone interceptor market has burgeoned, producing some key players who tout their products at international arms shows. But it's on the front line where small teams have become laboratories of rapid military ...

At least 4 killed as Russia, Ukraine trade attacks ahead of US talks

Russia and Ukraine traded attacks that killed at least four people Saturday, officials said, ahead of US-Ukraine talks on ways to end Russia's invasion of its neighbour. A man and a woman were killed and six people wounded, including two children, when a Russian drone hit a house in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, regional head Ivan Fedorov said. Russian strikes also knocked out power across much of the northern Ukrainian region of Chernihiv, according to local officials. In Russia, two women were killed and another wounded by Ukrainian shelling of the Belgorod border region, Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said. The attacks came ahead of US-Ukraine talks in Miami that US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said on X were "constructive." He said the meetings, which included US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, were "part of ongoing mediation efforts, with discussions focused on narrowing and resolving remaining items to move closer to a comprehensive peace agreement." Ukrainia

An economic policy response to the West Asia crisis: Managing supply shock

Policymakers will need to rely on both internal and external shock absorbers to guide the economy to its new equilibrium

Zelenskyy, Starmer urge support for Ukraine as Iran war steals focus

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Russia and Iran "brothers in hatred" on Tuesday as he sought support from U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a time when the Iran war has robbed momentum from U.S.-brokered talks to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Zelenskyy urged Ukraine's allies not to forget about his country, and suggested the U.S. and others should make use of Ukraine's anti-drone technology during a Middle East war that has also revived Russia's ailing economy through increased oil revenue and could soon limit Kyiv's access to vital Western air defense systems, which are needed in the Middle East. "The regimes in Russia and Iran are brothers in hatred and that is why they are brothers in weapons," Zelenskyy told lawmakers in Britain's Parliament. "And we want regimes built on hatred to never, never win in anything." Holding talks with Zelenskyy at 10 Downing Street, Starmer said "(Russian President Vladimir) Putin can't be the one who benefits from the conflict

Russia intercepts 250 Ukrainian drones attempting to attack Moscow

Russian air defences intercepted and destroyed 250 Ukrainian drones targeting the capital over the weekend, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on Monday. The mayor's remarks came as some of the major airports curtailed their operations on Monday morning. "Thank you to the Ministry of Defence's Air Defence System for your professional and dedicated work," Sobyanin wrote in a social media post, noting that about 250 fixed-wing drones, directly approaching the capital or on the second line of defence, were shot down. A massive Ukrainian drone attack on the city began on March 14. A total of 159 unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down while approaching the capital. It also led to major airports restricting operations on Monday. "Due to air safety concerns, the capital's Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports are currently accepting and dispatching aircraft in coordination with the relevant authorities," the Moskva 24 channel said. It advised passengers to check their airports' online time

Russia downs 16 Ukrainian drones flying towards Moscow, says mayor

Russia on Saturday shot down 16 Ukrainian drones heading to attack Moscow, officials said. In a social media post, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said first responders have reached the sites where the debris of the drones fell. He said 16 Ukrainian drones were shot down as they were heading towards Moscow. The mayor, however, did not give any details of damage or casualties on the ground. According to Moskva 24 TV channel, three of the four local airports, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky, located in the capital, had suspended their operations for several hours, disrupting air traffic. As part of preparedness against drone attacks, Moscow city and the capital region have been selectively switching off mobile internet, and people have been advised to use applications available offline. Maxim Korkin, the regional official in charge of Transport and Information technology, cautioned residents of the Moscow region about possible "temporary difficulties with mobile communications and .

Businesses in Moscow struggle as Russia restricts mobile internet services

Many foreign websites were blocked Friday on mobile phones in central Moscow under restrictions that have gripped the Russian capital for more than a week, derailing the routine of millions of residents and slamming businesses that rely on cellphone internet. Russian authorities have said the restrictions are part of security measures to fend off Ukrainian drone attacks, but many industry experts suspect they are part of preparations by the authorities to block Russians' access to the global web if the Kremlin decides to do so. The intermittent shutdowns, which had previously been recorded in dozens of Russia's regions for months, have prompted some Moscow residents to turn to long-forgotten gadgets like walkie talkies, pagers and media players. The shutdowns are part of multipronged efforts by the authorities to rein in the internet. They have adopted restrictive laws and banned websites and platforms that don't comply. Technology also has been perfected to monitor and manipulate .

Trump and Putin discuss Iran, Ukraine conflicts during telephone call

The conversation between the two focused on the Iran conflict and trilateral talks between Washington, Moscow and Kyiv aimed at settling the Ukraine conflict

NHRC chief pitches for complete overhaul of Paris Principles amid conflicts

In the backdrop of multiple ongoing conflicts in the world, NHRC chairperson Justice V Ramasubramanian (retd) on Saturday pitched for a "complete overhaul" of the Paris Principles so that international standards are set for better protection of human rights. In his remarks during a session -- 'NHRCs in Turbulent Times' -- held as part of the Raisina Dialogue here, he argued that Paris Principles take care of only a "cosmetic outlook" of the matter, as to how a human rights institution is to be constituted. The Paris Principles are a set of standards for National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) developed by the United Nations in 1993. These were subsequently endorsed by the UN General Assembly in 1993, and set out the basic guidelines recommended by the UN in the establishment of a national human rights institution. On the current global situation when several conflicts are taking place in the world, the NHRC chief, without naming anyone or any country, lamented that the first ...

Russian missile hits building in Ukraine's Kharkiv; 8 killed, 10 injured

At least seven people were killed and 10 others, including three children, were wounded on Saturday by a Russian missile that hit a five-story residential building in Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv, officials said. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack and called for an international response. He said that Russia struck Ukraine overnight with 29 missiles and 480 drones, targeting energy facilities in Kyiv and other central regions and with damage reported in at least seven other locations across the country. According to preliminary data, air defence systems downed 19 missiles and 453 drones, with hits from 9 missiles and 26 strike drones recorded at 22 locations. In Kharkiv, in Ukraine's northeast, emergency workers were combing the rubble, looking for survivors. In the Kyiv region, damage from debris was reported in three districts, according to local authorities. In the southern Odesa region, 80 firefighters were called in to help battle massive fires at ...

David vs Goliath: Iran war reveals pricing asymmetry of weapons systems

Wars, as the historian Correlli Barnett once argued, are the ultimate audit. They reveal the strengths and weaknesses of states, economies, and institutions

Ukraine offers help downing Iranian drones in exchange for Patriot missiles

He offered to share his country's expertise in protecting against explosives-laden Iranian drones, which are swarming the defenses of the US and its West Asia allies