Page 42 - Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Putin running out of time to achieve breakthrough in Ukraine

Putin insists his war goals are unchanged and that Russia will fight for as long as needed to win in Ukraine, regardless of mounting casualties in a war that's in its third year with no end in sight

Amid sanctions, Putin pivots to eastern allies for Russian investment forum

Western sanctions have not torpedoed Russia's economy, however, and Moscow has nurtured ties with China, major regional powers in the Middle East and across Africa and Latin America

Russian warships to arrive in Havana, will not carry nukes: Cuban officials

Four Russian ships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, will arrive in Havana next week, Cuban officials said Thursday, citing historically friendly relations between both nations and as tensions escalate over Western military support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. Cuba's foreign ministry said in a news release that the ships will be in Havana between June 12 and June 17, noting that none of them will carry any nuclear weapons and assuring their presence does not represent a threat to the region. The announcement came a day after U.S. officials said that Washington had been tracking Russian warships and aircraft that were expected to arrive in the Caribbean for a military exercise. They said the exercise would be part of a broader Russian response to the U.S. support for Ukraine. The officials said that the Russian military presence was notable but not concerning. However, it's taking place as Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that Moscow could take asymmetrical

Russia could provide weapons to others to strike Western targets: Putin

Taking questions from international journalists for the first time since his inauguration last month to a fifth term, Putin also said nothing will change in terms of Russia-US relations

Ukraine using German weapons to strike Russia 'dangerous step' warns Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Germany on Wednesday that use of its weapons by Ukraine to strike targets in Russia would mark a dangerous step" and ruin relations between Berlin and Moscow. Germany joined the United States recently in authorizing Ukraine to hit some targets on Russian soil with the long-range weapons they are supplying. Putin said that the deliveries of German tanks to Ukraine came as a shock to many in Russia. Now if they use missiles to strike facilities on the Russian territory it will completely ruin Russian-German relations, he said.

Results of US elections won't change Moscow, Washington relations: Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that nothing will change in terms of Russia-US relations regardless of whether Joe Biden or Donald Trump wins the American presidential election in November. We will work with any president the American people elect, Putin said, responding to questions from international journalists on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum. I say absolutely sincerely, I wouldn't say that we believe that after the election something will change on the Russian track in the American politics, he added. We don't think so. We think nothing that serious will happen. Putin also said Trump's felony conviction at his hush money trial last week was the result of "the use of the court system as part of the internal political struggle. The Russian leader faced questions for the first time since his inauguration to a fifth term from senior news leaders of international news agencies, including The Associated Press. Putin has used the ann

World leaders including Biden, Putin congratulate PM Modi on poll victory

US President Joe Biden, Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz were among over 75 world leaders who congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the ruling NDA's electoral victory and hoped for deeper bilateral ties during his third term. President Putin and Sunak held separate phone conversations with Modi. Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Taiwanese President Lai Ching Te, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the Chinese Foreign Ministry also sent congratulatory messages to Modi. "Congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the National Democratic Alliance on their victory, and the nearly 650 million voters in this historic election," Biden said on X. "The friendship between our nations is only growing as we unlock a shared future of unlimited potential," he said. In his message, Putin, congratulating Modi, said Russia attaches great importance to the relationsh

Zelenskyy hopes for India's presence at Swiss peace summit next week

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday on his party-led coalition's third consecutive victory in the parliamentary elections and said he was looking forward to India's presence at the peace summit concerning the Russia-Ukrainian war in Switzerland next week. Zelensky also welcomed the successful holding of the world's largest democratic elections in India. "Congratulations to Prime Minister @NarendraModi, the BJP, and BJP-led NDA on the third consecutive victory in India's parliamentary elections. I wish the people of India peace and prosperity, and I hope for continued cooperation between our countries. India and Ukraine share common values and a rich history. May our partnership continue to thrive, bringing progress and mutual understanding for our nations," he said. Asserting that everyone in the world recognises the significance and weight of India's role in global affairs, he said, "it is critical that we all work together to

China, Russia trying to undermine peace summit on Ukraine war: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in the Philippines on Monday in a rare Asian trip to urge regional leaders to attend a Swiss-organised global peace summit on the war in Ukraine that he accuses Russia, with China's help, of trying to undermine. Zelenskyy arrived unannounced and under heavy security in Manila late Sunday after speaking over the weekend at the Shangri-La defence forum in Singapore. He had planned but failed to meet with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on the sidelines of that annual defence gathering and decided to fly here to personally invite Marcos to attend the summit in Switzerland, two Filipino officials told AP. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss details of Zelenskyy's secretive trip to Manila. Both leaders spoke critically of China at the defence forum in Singapore, which was attended by top defence and government officials from around the world, including from Washington and Beijing. Th

Zelenskyy accuses China of pressuring countries to skip Ukraine peace talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused China of helping Russia to disrupt a Swiss-organised peace conference on the war in Ukraine, speaking at Asia's premier security conference on Sunday. In a news conference at the Shangri-La defense forum in Singapore, Zelenskyy said that China is pressuring other countries and their leaders not to attend the upcoming talks. Russia, using Chinese influence in the region, using Chinese diplomats also, does everything to disrupt the peace summit, he said, according to a simultaneous translation of his remarks. Regrettably this is unfortunate that such a big independent powerful country as China is an instrument in hands of Putin. In a speech earlier in the day, Zelenskyy urged top defence officials to attend the upcoming summit, saying he was disappointed at the failure of some countries to commit to joining. Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun spoke earlier in the day at the Shangri-La conference but he did not appear to be in the room wh

Trump's attacks on US justice system may be useful to autocrats like Putin

After his historic guilty verdict in his hush money case, Donald Trump attacked the US criminal justice system, making unfounded claims of a rigged trial that echoed remarks from the Kremlin. If they can do this to me, they can do this to anyone, Trump said Friday, speaking from his namesake tower in New York on Friday. Thousands of miles away, Russian President Vladimir Putin was probably rubbing his hands with glee, said Fiona Hill, a former senior White House national security adviser to three US presidents, including Trump. Hill and other analysts say Trump's attacks could be useful to Putin and other autocrats as they look to boost their standing among their own citizens, potentially sway the upcoming US presidential election in which Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee, and undermine the United States' global influence. Some autocratic countries reacted swiftly in support of Trump. Moscow agreed with Trump's assessment of Thursday's verdict, calling it the eliminatio

Hard to meet discussions on Russia-Ukraine war, says China citing problems

China said Friday it would be 'hard to meet calls for discussions on the Russia-Ukraine war, citing problems with arrangements that appear to point to Beijing's strongly pro-Moscow stance. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that China's hopes appear to be hard to meet at the meeting". There is still a clear gap between the arrangements for the meeting and the demands of the Chinese side, as well as the general expectations of the international community, Mao said. Mao gave no details, but said that China has "informed parties concerned about our considerations and concerns and would keep in touch with all parties concerned. China claims to be neutral in the conflict, but has strongly backed Russia, most recently hosting President Vladimir Putin on a state visit. In an interview with China's official Xinhua News Agency released Wednesday, Putin hailed his ties with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, saying that President Xi maintains a respectful, friendly, open and at the same tim

China declines invitation to Swiss peace conference on Ukraine next month

Beijing declined the invitation because the conditions for them to participate were not met, including the participation of both Russia and Ukraine

Prez Putin makes ex-bodyguard Alexei Dyumin secretary of State Council

After being re-elected for another six-year term earlier this year, Putin made Dyumin an aide specialising in the defence industry

Reliance signs deal with Russia's Rosneft to buy oil in roubles: Report

A term deal with Rosneft also helps privately run Reliance to secure oil at discounted rates at a time when the OPEC+ group of oil producers is expected to extend voluntary supply cuts beyond June

Amid Russian gains in the Ukraine war, Putin overhauls defence ministry

The timing of Putin's recent moves is most likely a sign that he has greater confidence about his battlefield prospects in Ukraine and his hold on political power as he begins his fifth term as prez

Ukraine has taken back control in embattled Kharkiv region: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian forces have secured combat control of areas where Russian troops entered the northeastern Kharkiv region earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Our soldiers have now managed to take combat control of the border area where the Russian occupiers entered, Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address on Friday evening. Zelenskyy's comments appeared to be at odds with those made by Russian officials. Viktor Vodolatskiy, a member of Russia's lower house of parliament, said Russian forces now controlled more than half of the town of Vovchansk, three miles (five kilometres) inside the border, Russian state news agency Tass reported Friday. Vovchansk has been a flashpoint for fighting since Russia launched an offensive in the Kharkiv region on May 10. Vodolatskiy was also quoted as saying that, once Vovchansk was secured, Russian forces would target the cities of Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Pokrovsk in the neighbouring Donetsk region. No independent ...

Russian military officials are being arrested. All you need to know

The arrests began after President Vladimir Putin began his fifth term and shuffled his ally, longtime Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, into a new post

Putin arrives in neighbouring Belarus for two-day state visit with key ally

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived Thursday in Belarus for a two-day visit as part of several foreign tours to kick off his fifth term in office, underscoring close ties with a neighboring ally that has been instrumental in Russia's war effort in Ukraine. Putin traveled to China earlier this month, and is expected in Uzbekistan on Sunday. Earlier on Thursday, the Russian president hosted Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in the Kremlin. In Belarus, Putin is to hold talks with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko. Lukashenko greeted him on the tarmac, and then the two sat down for a short conversation at the airport, the Kremlin reported. Lukashenko promised to discuss security issues at the forefront, and tomorrow we will discuss economic issues together with our colleagues from the governments. The Belarusian leader on Thursday appointed a new chief of the country's military general staff in a move that analysts say is aimed at showing the Kremlin the utmost

Russia proposes revising borders of territorial waters in Baltic Sea

Ministry proposed adjusting the border around Russian islands in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland and around Kaliningrad