Page 30 - Ukraine

No seat for Ukraine as US and Russia hold crucial talks in Saudi Arabia

Top diplomats from the US and Russia are set to meet in Saudi Arabia, with Ukraine left out of the talks as tensions rise over the ongoing conflict and efforts for peace

US 'backstop' needed before committing forces to Ukraine: UK PM Starmer

At the conclusion of a summit in Paris, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his willingness to commit British forces on the ground alongside other nations if a lasting peace agreement is reached

Zelenskyy visits UAE as momentum grows for peace talks to end war

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the leader of the United Arab Emirates on Monday as momentum grows for potential peace talks ending Russia's war on the country. US President Donald Trump last week suggested he would be meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia. The UAE, home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, has long been floated as a possible site for peace talks as well, given the large population of Russian and Ukrainian expatriates who have flooded the country since the war began, and due to the Emirates' work on prisoner exchanges in the past. Zelenskyy arrived in Abu Dhabi late Sunday after attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany. Footage released by his office showed him and his wife, Olena Zelenska, being greeted by an Emirati official and honor guard at the airport. The trip is Zelenskyy's first to the UAE since the war began. Our top priority is bringing even more of our people home from captivity, Zelenskyy's office said in messages onlin

UK offers peacekeeping troops to Ukraine as Europeans hold emergency summit

The Europeans were holding an emergency summit in Paris to discuss their role in Ukraine's future after President Trump announced it would sit down with Russia to seek an end to the 3-year-old war

Zelenskyy says Ukraine to skip US-Russia talks, rejects any imposed outcome

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday his country won't take part in US-Russia talks this week on ending the war and won't accept the outcome of the talks if Ukraine doesn't take part. Speaking to journalists on a conference call from the United Arab Emirates, Zelenskyy said his government had not been invited to Tuesday's planned talks in Saudi Arabia. He said they would yield no results, given the absence of any Ukrainian officials. Zelenskyy said he would travel to Turkiye on Monday and to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, but that his trip to the Arab nation was unrelated to planned US-Russia talks there on Tuesday.

Oil steady as Russia-Ukraine peace deal may ease supply chain disruptions

Brent crude futures ticked up 5 cents, or 0.07 per cent to $74.79 a barrel at 1003 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was up 8 cents, or 0.11 per cent at $70.82 a barrel

Ukraine's Prez Zelenskyy travels to UAE as momentum grows for peace talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy travelled to the United Arab Emirates late Sunday as momentum grows for potential peace talks ending Moscow's war on the country. US President Donald Trump last week suggested he would be meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia. The UAE, home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, long has been floated as a possible site for peace talks as well given the large population of Russian and Ukrainian expatriates who have flooded the country since the war began, and due to the Emirates' work on prisoner exchanges in the past. Zelenskyy arrived in Abu Dhabi after attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany. Footage released by his office showed him and his wife, Olena Zelenska, being greeted by an Emirati official and honor guard at the airport late Sunday night. Zelenska has travelled to the UAE since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, but this trip is Zelenskyy's first to the UAE since the war began. "Our top priority is bringing eve

Ukraine, Europe will be part of 'real' peace talks to end war, says Rubio

Rubio said a negotiation process had not yet begun in earnest, and if talks advanced, the Ukrainians and other Europeans would be brought into the fold.

Ukraine, Europe fear being sidelined as Trump pushes talks with Russia

President Donald Trump's approach to ending Russia's war against Ukraine has left European allies and Ukrainian officials worried they are being largely sidelined by the new US administration as Washington and Moscow plan direct negotiations. With the three-year war grinding on, Trump is sending Secretary of State Marco Rubio, national security advisor Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff to Saudi Arabia for talks with Russian counterparts, according to a US official who was not authorised to publicly discuss the upcoming diplomatic efforts and spoke on condition of anonymity. The outreach comes after comments by top Trump advisors this past week, including Vice-President JD Vance, raised new concerns in Kyiv and other European capitals that the Republican administration is intent on quick resolution to the conflict with minimum input from Europe. "Decades of the old relationship between Europe and America are ending," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an address at t

US, Russia to hold peace talks in Saudi Arabia to end Ukraine war

The US has asked its European allies what they would need from Washington to participate in Ukraine security arrangements and to outline how they see lasting guarantees

In Ukraine, potential arms-for-minerals deal inspires hope, scepticism

The mineral ilmenite is extracted from mounds of sand deep in the earth and refined using a method that summons the force of gravity, resulting in a substance that glimmers like a moonlit sky. Ukraine boasts vast reserves of ilmenite a key element used to produce titanium in the heavy mineral sands that stretch for miles along the country's embattled east. Much of it, as with all of Ukraine's critical minerals industry, is underdeveloped because of war as well as onerous state policies. That is poised to change if US President Donald Trump's administration agrees to a deal with Ukraine to exchange critical minerals for continued American military aid. In the central region of Kirovohrad, the ilmenite open-pit mine is a canyon of precious deposits that its owner is keen to develop with US companies. But many unknowns stand in the way of turning these riches into profit: cost, licensing terms and whether such a deal will be underpinned by security guarantees. Ukrainian President .

US offered Ukraine deal to access minerals but offered little in return

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he directed his ministers not to sign off on a proposed agreement to give the United States access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals because the document was too focused on US interests. The proposal, which was at the centre of Zelenskyy's talks with US Vice President JD Vance on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Friday, did not offer any specific security guarantees in return, according to one current and one former senior official familiar with the talks. Zelenskyy's decision to reject a deal, at least for now, was described as short-sighted by a senior White House official. I didn't let the ministers sign a relevant agreement because in my view it is not ready to protect us, our interest, Zelenskyy told The Associated Press on Saturday in Munich. The proposal focused on how the US could use Kyiv's rare earth minerals as compensation for support already given to Ukraine by the Biden administration and as payment for fut

Russian forces claim capturing another village in eastern Ukraine

Russia said Saturday its forces had captured the village of Berezivka in their latest breakthrough in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, where Ukrainian defences are creaking. Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment. Russia's much larger army has conducted a sustained yearlong campaign along the eastern front, gradually loosening the short-handed and weary Ukrainian forces' grip on its strongholds as the war approaches its fourth year later this month. Though only a small settlement, the capture of Berezivka would advance Russia's sweep across the Donetsk region, which has cost Moscow heavily in troops and equipment but has paid dividends for the Kremlin. In the offensive, Russian forces crush settlements with the brute force of 3,000-pound (1,300-kilo) glide bombs, artillery, missiles and drones, then send in infantry units to attack the exposed defenders. Russia seeks to take control of all parts of Donetsk and neighbouring Luhansk, which together make up Ukraine's Donbas

Ukraine rejects bid by US to own 50% of rare earth minerals: Report

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent presented the proposal to Zelenskiy in a draft contract, which was brought to their meeting on Wednesday

Highlighting war with Russia, Zelenskyy pitches for 'Europe's armed forces'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday the time has come for the creation of an armed forces of Europe and says his country's fight against Russia has proved that a foundation for it already exists. The Ukrainian leader said Europe cannot rule out the possibility that American might say no to Europe on issues that threaten it, and noted that many leaders have long spoken about how Europe needs its own military. I really believe that time has come, Zelenskyy told the Munich Security Conference. The armed forces of Europe must be created.

Jaishankar meets Ukrainian counterpart on sidelines of Munich Conference

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday met his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference and discussed the resolution of the Ukraine conflict. "Good to meet FM Andrii Sybiha of Ukraine on the sidelines of #MSC2025 today (Friday). Discussed ongoing efforts towards the resolution of the Ukraine conflict. Also spoke about further advancement of our bilateral cooperation," Jaishankar said on X. The minister, who is here to attend the Munich Security Conference 2025, met several world leaders and joined Norway PM Jonas Gahr Store, Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, and Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski in a panel discussion on 'Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience' at the event. "Highlighted India as a democracy that delivers. Differed with the prevailing political pessimism. Spoke my mind on foreign interference," Jaishankar said in another post on X. Jaishankar also participated in Ananta Aspen Centre's 'Coming

Europe quietly plans to send troops to Ukraine for post-war security

Increasingly alarmed that US security priorities lie elsewhere, a group of European countries has been quietly working on a plan to send troops into Ukraine to help enforce any future peace settlement with Russia. Britain and France are at the forefront of the effort, though details remain scarce. The countries involved in the discussions are reluctant to tip their hand and give Russian President Vladimir Putin an edge should he agree to negotiate an end to the war he launched three years ago. What is clear is that Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy needs a guarantee that his country's security will be assured until peace takes hold. The best protection would be the NATO membership that Ukraine has long been promised, but the US has taken that option off the table. I won't get into the particular capabilities, but I do accept that if there is peace then there needs to be some sort of security guarantee for Ukraine and the UK will play its part in that, British Prime Minister Ke

Ukraine needs security guarantees as Trump eyes war end: Zelenskyy to Vance

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country wants security guarantees before any talks to end the Ukraine-Russia war. Zelenskyy made his remarks Friday during a meeting with US Vice President JD Vance. The two met at the Munich Security Conference. Many observers, particularly in Europe, are hoping Vance will shed at least some light on US President Donald Trump's ideas for a negotiated settlement to the war.

Oil edges lower as potential Ukraine peace deal eases supply worries

For the week, Brent was set to gain about 0.5 per cent and WTI was up about 0.01 per cent

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