Ukraine-Russia War, Today's News. Kremlin: "Putin at the Table Only in Case of Progress"
There is a stalemate between Russia and Ukraine over the proposal for direct talks in Istanbul on June 2: Moscow is waiting for Kiev's response, but does not want to deliver its memorandum before then. "The Russians' fear suggests that the document is full of unrealistic ultimatums," Kiev comments. Meanwhile, Turkish leader Erdogan speaks of "contacts with both sides to end the conflict." Russian demands include a halt to NATO expansion and an end to sanctions. Zelensky: "True peace only after Putin"
Orban: “Ukraine is a dangerous country, it is better that it does not join the EU”
"Ukraine is a dangerous country" and for this reason "it is better to keep it out of the EU", Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said in an interview with Kossuth radio station. Orban blamed "Ukrainian criminal gangs" for "the increase in telephone fraud and financial crimes", adding that, according to law enforcement, 80% of such crimes in Hungary involve Ukrainian citizens.
IAEA: “Zaporizhzhia power plant restart impossible safely”
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) believes that restarting the Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia, occupied by the Russian military since March 2022, is impossible under the current circumstances due to the lack of safety conditions, Ukrinform writes.
Kremlin: The future of Europe's security must be discussed with Europe
"The future of European security must be discussed with Europe" and "there is no way to avoid it," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a press conference.
Kremlin, we hope both draft agreements discussed in Istanbul
"We hope that both draft memoranda, the Russian and the Ukrainian ones, will be discussed in the second round of negotiations, for which the Russian delegation will be ready on Monday morning in Istanbul," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, as reported by Tass . Kiev had demanded to get the Russian draft memorandum before the talks.
Kremlin, Russian delegation leaving for Istanbul
A Russian delegation will leave for Istanbul, where it will await the Ukrainian delegation for the new round of direct negotiations proposed by Moscow for Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, quoted by Tass .
Kremlin: “Putin at the table in case of progress. Glad that the US understands concerns about NATO”
Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to negotiate "at the highest level" with Ukraine, but only if direct negotiations between Moscow and Kiev delegations scheduled for Istanbul on June 2 produce "results." Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a press conference, also expressing satisfaction with the US "understanding" of his concerns about NATO's expansion eastward, commenting on an interview with ABC by US envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg , who said Russian concerns were justified.
BBC Estimate Confirms, West Funds Russia With Gas and Oil
A BBC analysis of updated data provided by various European and North American activist groups confirms that Russia - despite the barrage of sanctions adopted so far - continues to be financed by the West in the midst of the war in Ukraine that has been ongoing for over three years. Indeed, it appears to have budgeted revenues from hydrocarbon exports to EU and NATO countries that are more than three times higher than the massive aid - military and otherwise - provided by its allies to Ukraine from February 2022 onwards. Moscow has been cashing in on the same countries since almost 2022
Zelesnky: “Moscow will stop only with adequate pressure”
"The Russian strategy is simply to destroy human lives. Russia will not abandon this strategy without adequate pressure. Even talking about a pause in pressure or easing sanctions is perceived by Moscow as a political advantage and encourages further attacks, ignoring diplomacy." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram, adding: "It is worth being decisive and strong for everyone in the world: the United States, Europe and anyone who wants peace. Not to bargain with the aggressor, but to force him to stop killing and restore security."
Zelensky: “Trolleybus depot in Kharkiv destroyed during the night”
A Russian attack with at least eight Shahed kamikaze drones destroyed a trolleybus depot and damaged "ordinary apartment buildings nearby" in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram, commenting that it was "a typical Russian attack on the lives of ordinary people". The head of state also confirmed that Moscow's military had launched two ballistic missiles and 90 drones during the night: "Strikes of this type are carried out daily. The vast majority of them are against civilian infrastructure and have no military significance," he noted.
Russia, village conquered in north-eastern Ukraine
The Russian Defense Ministry said its troops had taken control of the village of Kindrashivka in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine, RIA Novosti reported. Moscow's statements cannot be confirmed at this time.
Kiev: "We are ready for a ceasefire, Russia must accept it unconditionally"
"Ukraine is ready for a ceasefire for a long period to stop the killings and make diplomacy effective. Russia must also accept a complete and unconditional ceasefire," wrote Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha in a post on X, welcoming his counterpart Hakan Fidan to Kiev, thanking Turkey "for its support for Ukraine and sincere commitment to peace" and appreciating "the important role" of Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan .
Kiev, Russia should present us with draft agreement before new meetings
"We are interested in these meetings continuing because we want to end the war this year and we are interested in establishing a ceasefire, whether it is for 30, 50 or 100 days. Ukraine is open to discussing it directly with Russia," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said at a joint press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Kiev. Ukrinform reports. "We are also waiting for a memorandum from the Russian side, as announced. We are expecting it in advance. This was also promised to the American side," Sybiha added, "therefore, in order for the upcoming planned meeting to be substantive and objective, it is important to get the document in advance, so that the delegation that will go to the negotiations has the authority to discuss the relevant positions."
Moscow, 27 Ukrainian drones shot down during the night
Russian anti-aircraft guns shot down 27 Ukrainian drones last night, 15 over the Belgorod region and 12 over the Kursk region. This was reported by the Russian Defense Ministry. Kursk Governor Alexander Khinshtein accused Ukrainian troops of injuring a man and damaging the windows of a hospital clinic in a drone strike. According to Khinshtein, there were no injuries among the patients or medical staff at the clinic. This was reported by the Interfax agency.
Turkish Foreign Minister Proposes Trump-Putin-Zelensky Meeting
"In Istanbul we have shown that negotiations" between Ukraine and Russia, after more than three years of conflict, "can lead to tangible results and we want this dynamic to continue." And "we think it is possible to crown the negotiations in Istanbul with a Trump - Putin - Zelensky meeting hosted by Erdogan ." This was stated by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan , in statements reported by the official Turkish agency Anadolu
Media: US will not send delegation to Istanbul
The United States will not send a delegation to the second round of Russian-Ukrainian talks scheduled for June 2 in Istanbul, sources familiar with the matter told The Atlantic . The absence of a delegation to meet at special tables with their counterparts in Kiev and Moscow, as occurred during the first round, does not mean that American officials will be completely absent. In fact, White House envoy Keith Kellogg announced to ABC that not only Americans but also French, German and British national security advisers will be present. According to The Atlantic , Trump expects progress from the new talks but has already discussed new sanctions against Russia with his advisers, although he is concerned about their possible impact on natural gas prices.
Tajani: “Putin has no intention of ending the war any time soon”
"I don't think Putin wants to end the war on Ukraine quickly. His soldiers, one million, earn more than double that of a worker and the Russian economy is now a war economy. It takes time to go back: but we will have to understand if Putin will have the courage to do it, to transform himself into a man of peace". This is what the Vice President of the Council and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in an interview with L'Eco di Bergamo . When asked about these and other issues regarding the relationship with France, Tajani replied: "France is a friendly country, the Quirinale Treaty is in force between us and I am a pragmatist. We must dialogue with everyone in a constructive way. There may be disagreements, but then everything will be clarified". "The interposition force of the 'willing' for Ukraine?", he adds, "let's talk about it when the conflict ends or there is a ceasefire. For now it is a rhetorical exercise. If anything, we are thinking of a 'buffer' zone guarded by the UN. In any case, we are still discussing it".
Kellogg: “OK to No Kiev in NATO, but Moscow Is Unreasonable”
The United States is willing to ensure that Kiev stays out of NATO as requested by Russia, but Russia is showing "unreasonableness" in refusing to lay out the contents of the truce memorandum, while continuing to attack Ukraine, White House special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg told ABC . "I think his (Trump's, ed.) frustration is that he made a series of reasonable suggestions and tried to have a constructive discussion," Kellogg explained, "and instead, he saw a level of unreasonableness that really pissed me off." Kellogg assured that Washington is ready to ensure that NATO will not expand further to the East. "This is a perfectly legitimate concern. This is an issue that Russia will always raise. They are not just talking about Ukraine, but also about Moldova and Georgia. And we say: OK, we can discuss stopping NATO expansion to your borders. This is in the interest of their security," the diplomat said. "The United States has said that Ukraine's membership in NATO is not on our agenda, and we are not the only ones saying that. I can name four other NATO countries that are against it."
Washington: “Trump Extremely Disappointed with Putin”
US President Donald Trump is "extremely disappointed" by the actions of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, who continues to attack Ukraine and kill civilians while the US is trying to reach a ceasefire, US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters, US media reported.
Kellogg: “Allied officials also in Istanbul”
Officials from France, Germany and the United Kingdom will also be present at the Russian-Ukrainian talks scheduled for Istanbul on June 2, US special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg said in an interview with ABC . "We will have what we call the E3, which is the national security advisers of Germany, France and the United Kingdom," Kellogg said. "When we were in London, they kind of helped us shape the document with the conditions for Ukraine. They will be there as well and we will have their assessments as well." Kellogg did not say whether allied officials would be directly involved in the talks.
Türkiye: “Moscow and Kiev want a ceasefire”
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who is due in Kiev today, believes that Russia and Ukraine "want a ceasefire" and must now "express their negotiating positions." "I see that the issue is starting to take a more optimistic turn with the start of negotiations. Both sides want a ceasefire," Fidan said on the train to Kiev.
US: “Russia and North Korea are violating UN sanctions with their military agreements”
The United States and 10 allied countries have said that military cooperation between Russia and North Korea is a flagrant violation of UN sanctions and has helped Moscow increase its missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. The allegations were made in a 29-page report by the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Group (the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea and the United Kingdom) which said evidence showed that North Korea and Russia have engaged in "a myriad of illegal activities" explicitly prohibited by UN sanctions resolutions. The report added that North Korea has transferred weapons and related material by sea, air and rail, including artillery, ballistic missiles and combat vehicles, destined for Russia for the war in Ukraine. The team said in a joint statement that it will continue to monitor the implementation of UN resolutions "and raise awareness of continued attempts to violate and evade UN sanctions." He urged North Korea "to engage in meaningful diplomacy."
Kiev: "2 missiles and 90 Russian drones against Ukraine during the night"
Russian forces attacked Ukraine last night with two Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles and 90 drones of various types, including Shahed kamikazes, the Kiev Air Force reported on Telegram, adding that a total of 56 unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down or neutralized in the east, south and north of the country. Of these, 26 were destroyed by fire and 30 were targeted by electronic warfare units.
Macron: “Ukraine is a credibility test for the US”
The decision to sanction Russia if it refuses a ceasefire in Ukraine is a "credibility test" for Donald Trump's United States, French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters during a visit to Singapore, adding: "I spoke 48 hours ago with President Trump, who expressed his impatience. The question now is: what do we do? We are ready, and if Russia confirms that it is not ready to make peace, Washington must confirm its commitment to sanction Moscow."
Ukraine: Nine injured in Russian drone strike in Kharkiv
According to social media reports by The Kyiv Independent, at least 9 people were injured in a Russian drone strike in Kharkiv. Explosions in the area were confirmed by several other social media channels.
Ukrainian Drones Damage Hospital, Homes in Russia's Kursk Region
Ukrainian drones launched a night-time attack on Russia's western Kursk region, damaging a hospital and several residential buildings and wounding at least one person, the regional governor said early on Friday.
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