Page 39 - Latest Updates on Ukraine peace talks

Russia launches one of biggest drone assault on Ukraine, at least 1 killed

Russia overnight into Sunday launched its most intense drone attack on Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion in 2022. Russia fired a total of 273 exploding drones and decoys overnight, Ukraine's air force said. Of those, 88 were intercepted and a further 128 lost, likely having been electronically jammed. According to Kyiv regional Gov. Mykola Kalashnyk, one woman was killed in a drone attack on the region and three other people were wounded. The barrage came after the first direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv in years on Friday failed to yield a ceasefire.

Rubio, Lavrov discuss Ukraine ceasefire talks, prisoner exchange deal

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday called his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to discuss the outcome of Friday's direct negotiations between delegations of Kiev and Moscow in Istanbul. In the first ever direct talks in three years, Russian and Ukrainian delegation at their meeting lasting less than two hours agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners of war from each side and draft their respective proposals for a ceasefire to end the fighting which has entered into its fourth year. At Friday's talks, Ukraine demanded a direct meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Vladimir Putin. Marco Rubio welcomed the agreements reached on the exchange of prisoners of war and the intention of each side to prepare its own proposals outlining the conditions necessary for a ceasefire. "He reaffirmed Washington's readiness to continue supporting efforts towards a negotiated settlement, a Russian Foreign Ministry statement posted on its web portal said. From his side, Minister Lavrov ..

Ukrainian F-16 goes down after technical issue; pilot ejects safely

Ukranian news website The Kyiv Independent reported, citing the Air Force that the Ukrainian Air Force "lost contact" with an F-16 aircraft during a mission to repel a Russian aerial attack overnight

Ukraine-Russia political drama masks on ground realities as war continues

Since US-brokered talks began in March, Ukraine's strategy has been to convince the Trump administration that Vladimir Putin is unreliable and that Kyiv is serious about peace. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has few options, analysts and officials say, but to draw US President Donald Trump's ire against Putin, while depending on Europe's united and stalwart support. In the latest round, Zelenskyy not only accepted Putin's offer to hold direct talks in Turkiye, after the US endorsed the idea, but raised the stakes and challenged the Russian leader to a face-to-face. The gesture failed to move Putin and the Istanbul talks were demoted to a technical meeting Friday that failed to yield substantial results on ending the war. The US has expressed frustration with the stalled talks and threatened to withdraw if results aren't achieved. On Friday, Trump told reporters after boarding Air Force One to return to Washington from Abu Dhabi that he may call Putin soon. He and I will me

Best of BS Opinion: How we manage change can turn the future around

Today's columnists assess change, and the various forms it takes - from Trump's flip-flops to changing the ideal of what a company should do, to the Indian cricket team's leadership churn

Putin still holds all the cards in Ukraine, with no reasons to fold

The Ukrainians surely felt a surge of alarm on hearing Trump's latest pronouncement, that peace will only come when he and Putin meet face-to-face

Russia, Ukraine hold 1st direct peace talks in 3 yrs amid low expectations

Russia and Ukraine are due to hold their first direct peace talks in three years Friday, gathering in Istanbul for Turkish-brokered negotiations, but officials and observers expect them to yield little immediate progress on stopping the more than 3-year war. A Ukrainian delegation led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov was due to meet with a low-level Russian team headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky. The latest push to end the fighting got off to a rocky start on Thursday, when Russian President Vladimir Putin spurned an offer by Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet face-to-face. Delegations from the two countries also flew to different Turkish cities and put together teams of significantly different diplomatic heft for possible talks. Although expectations for a possible Putin-Zelenskyy meeting were low, the apparent lack of traction in peace efforts frustrated hopes of bold steps being taken in Turkiye toward reaching a settlement. The two sides are far apart in

European leaders to meet in Albania on Russia-Ukraine security concerns

The leaders of 47 European countries and organisations will gather Friday for a one-day summit in the Albania's capital to discuss security and defense challenges across the continent, with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine at the top of the agenda. The theme of the European Political Community, or EPC, summit in Tirana is New Europe in a new world: unity cooperation joint action. The gathering will also address ways to improve the continent's competitiveness and tackle unauthorised migration. But the EPC will also be a setting for leaders to meet bilaterally, or in small groups, to weigh in on major security issues. The inaugural summit in Prague in 2022 saw the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia holding rare talks in an effort to ease tensions between the longtime adversaries. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is among the leaders invited to the event in Tirana. On the eve of the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin spurned an offer by Zelenskyy to meet face-to-fa

Zelenskyy names delegation for talks in Turkey, says ceasefire top priority

The Istanbul delegation will be led by Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and will include military and intelligence officials

Nothing will happen until I meet Putin: Trump on Russia-Ukraine peace talks

Donald Trump says no progress will be made in the Russia-Ukraine conflict until he meets Russian President Vladimir Putin directly, casting doubts on imminent peace talks

Trump says he's not surprised Putin will skip Ukraine peace talks in Turkey

Trump had earlier suggested that he might attend the talks himself but said Thursday that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is already in Turkiye meeting with NATO officials

Putin to skip talks in Turkey, names team for Russia-Ukraine negotiations

Kremlin aide Vladimir Medinsky will lead the Russian delegation, which will be joined by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin, Deputy Defence Minister Alexander Fomin

Poland votes for new president on Sunday as worries grow about future

A war next door in Ukraine. Migration pressure at borders. Russian sabotage across the region. Doubts about the US commitment to Europe's security. In Poland's presidential election Sunday, security looms large. So do questions about the country's strength as a democracy and its place in the European Union. One of the new president's most important tasks will be maintaining strong ties with the US, widely seen as essential to the survival of a country in an increasingly volatile neighbourhood. A crowded field, a likely runoff Voters in this Central European nation of 38 million people will cast ballots to replace conservative incumbent Andrzej Duda, whose second and final five-year term ends in August. With 13 candidates, a decisive first-round victory is unlikely. Some have appeared unserious or extreme, expressing openly pro-Putin or antisemitic views. A televised debate this week dragged on for nearly four hours. There are calls to raise the threshold to qualify for the race. A

Russia-Ukraine conflict: What to know about possible peace talks in Turkey

The talks have taken place in the warring capitals of Moscow and Kyiv, from Washington and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to countries across Europe. Now, all eyes are finally turning to Istanbul to seek an end to Russia's three-year-old, full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed restarting direct peace talks Thursday with Ukraine in the Turkish city that straddles Asia and Europe. And President Volodymyr Zelenskyy challenged the Kremlin leader to meet in Turkey in person. What will unfold remains unclear. The Kremlin has refused to confirm who's going to Turkey and whether it will include Putin. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Zelenskyy will only sit down with the Russian leader. Zelenskyy said Tuesday that if Putin does not arrive and plays games, it is the final point that he does not want to end the war. What's known about the possible talks: How did the idea of talks in Turkey arise? On Saturday, Zelenskyy hosted French President

Only face-to-face meeting with Putin can deliver peace, says Zelenskiy

President Putin, who has questioned Zelenskiy's legitimacy, has not said whether he will take part

Russia-Ukraine ceasefire talks: Zelenskyy urges Trump to visit Turkey

In the message which was posted on X, Zelenskyy also alleged "Russian shelling and assaults continue"

Ursula von der Leyen opens 1st strategic dialogue with EU defence industry

The meeting highlighted the crucial role of the defence sector, with President von der Leyen emphasising the urgent need for Europe's defence industry to operate at a greater scale and speed

Chemical giants weigh Europe exits amid soaring energy costs, Asian rivals

Sabic, Dow, Shell and others are reviewing European assets as high energy costs global competition and expansions in Asia and West Asia strain the continent's chemical sector

Pope Leo XIV urges journalist release, also backs free speech, press

Pope Leo XIV on Monday called for the release of imprisoned journalists and affirmed the precious gift of free speech and the press in an audience with some of the 6,000 journalists who descended on Rome to cover his election as the first American pontiff. Leo received a standing ovation as he entered the Vatican auditorium for his first meeting with representatives of the general public. The 69-year-old Augustinian missionary, elected in a 24-hour conclave last week, called for journalists to use words for peace, to reject war and to give voice to the voiceless. He expressed solidarity with journalists around the world who have been jailed for trying to seek and report the truth. Drawing applause from the crowd, he asked for their release. The church recognises in these witnesses I am thinking of those who report on war even at the cost of their lives the courage of those who defend dignity, justice and the right of people to be informed, because only informed individuals can ma

Russian drones attack Ukraine after Kremlin turns down ceasefire proposal

Russia launched more than 100 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine in nighttime attacks, the Ukrainian air force said Monday, after the Kremlin rejected an unconditional 30-day ceasefire in the more than three-year war. There was no response from the Kremlin, meanwhile, to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's challenge for Russia's President Vladimir Putin to meet him for face-to-face peace talks in Turkey this week. The US and European governments have made a concerted push to stop the fighting, which has killed tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides as well as more than 10,000 Ukrainian civilians. Russia's invading forces have taken around one-fifth of Ukraine. In a flurry of diplomatic developments over the weekend, Russia shunned the ceasefire proposal tabled by the US and European leaders but offered direct talks with Ukraine on Thursday. Ukraine, along with European allies, had demanded Russia accept a ceasefire starting Monday before holding peace talks. Moscow ...