Page 133 - Latest Updates on Ukraine peace talks

Jaishankar discusses Indo-Pacific, Ukraine with 8 counterparts in Sweden

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has discussed a range of issues, including the Indo-Pacific and the Ukraine war, during his meetings here with his counterparts from France, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania. Jaishankar is on a three-day visit to Sweden to participate in the EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum (EIPMF). He met his counterparts on the sidelines of the EIPMF on Saturday. Glad to meet French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna. Share her enthusiasm for making PM Narendra Modi's visit to the Bastille Day a success. Exchanged views on the Indo-Pacific and G20, he tweeted. Prime Minister Modi will attend this year's Bastille Day Parade as the guest of honour on July 14. Modi was invited by French President Emmanuel Macron to attend the Parade in Paris. A contingent of the Indian armed forces will also participate in the parade along with their French counterparts, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. Jaishankar also met Austri

Zelenskyy arrives in Berlin to meet German leaders, discuss arms deliveries

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Berlin early Sunday for talks with German leaders about further arms deliveries to help his country fend off the Russian invasion and rebuild what's been destroyed by more than a year of devastating conflict. A Luftwaffe jet flew Zelenskyy to the German capital from Rome, where he had met Saturday with Pope Francis and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni. On the eve of his arrival which took place amid tight security the German government announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine with aid worth more than 2.7 billion euros (USD 3 billion), including tanks, anti-aircraft systems and ammunition. Already in Berlin. Weapons. Powerful package. Air defense. Reconstruction. EU. NATO. Security, Zelenskyy tweeted Sunday, in an apparent reference to the key priorities of his trip. After initially hesitating to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons, Germany has become one of the biggest suppliers of arms to Ukraine, including Leopard 1 an

Four Russian military aircraft shot down near Ukraine's border, says report

Two Russian fighter jets and two military helicopters were shot down on Saturday close to the Ukrainian border, reported Sky News

G7 finance leaders say greater economic uncertainty requires vigilance

The Group of Seven's top financial leaders united Saturday in their support for Ukraine and their determination to enforce sanctions against Russia for its aggression but stopped short of any overt mention of China. The finance ministers and central bank chiefs ended three days of talks in Niigata, Japan, with a joint statement pledging to bring inflation under control while aiding those suffering the most from surging prices. They also committed to collaborating to build more stable, diversified supply chains for developing clean energy sources and to enhance economic resilience globally against various shocks. The statement did not include any specific mention of China or assertions regarding economic coercion in pursuit of political objectives, such as penalizing the companies of countries whose governments take actions that anger another country. Talk this week of economic coercion by China had drawn outraged rebukes from Beijing. Officials attending the talks in this port city

Have retaken territory near embattled eastern city of Bakhmut: Ukraine

Ukrainian military commanders said on Friday that their troops had recaptured more territory from Russian forces at the scene of the war's longest and bloodiest battle, for the eastern city of Bakhmut, but it wasn't clear if this marked the start of Kyiv's long-expected counteroffensive. Russia's Defense Ministry, meanwhile, said Kyiv had stepped up attacks north of the region. The 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) of territory retaken by Ukrainian forces south of Bakhmut this week represented a significant gain and will protect an important supply chain, according to commanders of Ukraine's 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, a special forces unit that led the attack. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he met with the top military commanders Friday, noting that he heard a report from Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi whose forces stopped the enemy and even pushed him back in some directions. In a statement on Telegram on Friday, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar confirmed that Ukrainian forces

US calls for S Korea to be vocal against Russia's aggression of Ukraine

US Ambassador Philip called for South Korea to "keep speaking out" against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, stressing the importance of the two allies working together on global issues

Zelenskyy barred from addressing 'nonpolitical' Eurovision Song Contest

This weekend's Eurovision Song Contest will have Ukrainian flags, Ukrainian musicians and Ukrainian fans but not the country's wartime leader. Organisers rejected a request from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to make a video address to the final of the pan-continental music competition on Saturday. He was expected to urge the world continue its support for Ukraine's fight to repel Russian invasion. The European Broadcasting Union, which runs Eurovision, said that letting Zelenskyy participate would breach the nonpolitical nature of the event. Zelenskyy's request "to address the audience at the Eurovision Song Contest, whilst made with laudable intentions, regrettably cannot be granted by the European Broadcasting Union management as it would be against the rules of the event, the organization said. Founded in 1956 to help heal a continent shattered by war, Eurovision strives to keep pop and politics separate. Overtly political lyrics, signs and symbols are banned. But politics can

Shouldn't return to old pension system with same formula: C Rangarajan

Private investment needs to pick up if India's economic growth has to be sustained at 6-7%, says former RBI governor

Ukraine needs more than a $30 billion arsenal for counterstrike on Russia

A dramatic breakthrough similar to Ukraine's Kharkiv offensive last year could help bring an early end to an invasion that's disrupted energy and grain markets, fueling cost-of-living crises

ONGC to get dividend from Russian field; repatriation of income an issue

PSUs have found it challenging to repatriate their dividend incomes from some other Russian oil and gas fields as well, thanks to the Western sanctions

Russia has again halted the Black sea grain deal, says Ukraine

Russia launches 'biggest' kamikaze drone attack

Russia's Wagner group appears to do U-turn on Bakhmut withdrawal

Elsewhere, Ukrainian and Russian media reported explosions across Russian-occupied Crimea

Ukraine conflict: Air raid alerts in Kyiv as multiple blasts rock Crimea

As air raid sirens wailed across most of Ukraine overnight for several hours, numerous explosions were reported in Crimea on Sunday, according to Al Jazeera

UN's nuclear watchdog growingly worried over Ukraine plant safety

The head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog is expressing growing anxiety about the safety of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, after the governor of the Russia-occupied area ordered the evacuation of a town where most plant staff live amid ongoing attacks in the area. The plant is near the front lines of fighting, and Ukrainian authorities on Sunday said that a 72-year-old woman was killed and three others were wounded when Russian forces fired more than 30 shells at Nikopol, a Ukrainian-held town neighbouring the plant. The general situation in the area near the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant is becoming increasingly unpredictable and potentially dangerous," International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi said in a warning that came Saturday before the latest report of attacks. I'm extremely concerned about the very real nuclear safety and security risks facing the plant. Grossi's comments were prompted by an announcement Friday by Yevgeny Balitsky, the ...

Ukraine farmers in Russia-free land risks lives to get rid of explosives

A grassy lane rutted with tire tracks leads to Volodymyr Zaiets' farm in southern Ukraine. He is careful, driving only within those shallow grooves veering away might cost him his life in the field dotted with explosive mines. Weeds grow tall where rows of sunflowers once bloomed. Zaiets' land hasn't been touched since the fall of 2021, when it was last seeded with wheat. Now, it's a minefield left by retreating Russian forces. Zaiets eschewed official warnings and demined this patch of land himself, determined not to lose the year's harvest. He expects that 15 per cent of his 1,600 hectares (4,000 acres) of farmland was salvaged. Workers like Victor Kostiuk still spot mines, but he's ready to start the tractor. We have to do it, he says, Why be afraid? Across Ukraine, the war has forced grain growers into a vicious dilemma. Farmers in areas now free from Russian occupation are risking their lives to strip their land of explosives before the critical spring planting season. Even

Russia's Wagner Group boss threatens Bakhmut pullout in Ukraine

The owner of Russia's Wagner Group military contractor threatened on Friday to pull his troops out of the protracted battle for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut next week, accusing Russia's military command of starving his forces of ammunition and causing them heavy losses. Yevgeny Prigozhin, a notorious millionaire with longtime links to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed that Wagner had planned to capture Bakhmut by May 9. That day is a major Russian holiday marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. But, Prigozhin said, his force hasn't received enough artillery ammunition supplies from the Russian military since Monday. Known for his bluster, Prigozhin has previously made unverifiable claims and made threats he hasn't carried out. Hours before releasing the statement, Prigozhin's spokespeople published a video of him angrily demanding ammunition from Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and General Staff Chief Valery Gerasimov. In the video, Prigozhin s

Ukraine Air Force shoots down own drone over Kiev after 'losing control'

It added that it had taken a decision to shoot it down "since the uncontrolled presence of UAVs in the sky of the capital could lead to undesirable consequences"

US denies claims on role in Kremlin drone attack, says Russia is lying

"The United States has nothing to do with it. We don't even know exactly what happened here, but I can assure you the United States had no role in it whatsoever"

US intensely engaged in seeking immediate release of WSJ reporter: Blinken

He further stated that US Ambassador had a chance to be with Evan about ten days ago; found Gerschkovich "incredibly strong of mind and spirit", which is a very powerful thing in this situation

Ukraine's Zelenskyy wants Putin trial; Russia accuses US on drones

Ukraine and Russia pressed their wartime rhetoric Thursday, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressing confidence that Vladimir Putin would be convicted of war crimes, and the Kremlin alleging that the U.S. was behind what it called an assassination attempt against the Russian president. The countries' leaders have personally attacked each other multiple times during the war that Russia started by invading Ukraine in February 2022. The latest flare-up came Wednesday, with Russia's claim that Ukraine had attacked the Kremlin in Moscow with drones meant to assassinate Putin. Zelenskyy denied that Ukrainian forces were responsible for the purported drone attack. The Kremlin promised unspecified retaliation for what it termed a "terrorist" act, and pro-Kremlin figures called for the assassinations of senior Ukraine leaders. Uncertainty still surrounds exactly what happened in the purported attack. Putin's spokesman on Thursday accused the United States of involvement. To .