"This is Russia's spit in the face of everything the international community is trying to do to stop this war ... At the same time as Putin tries to portray himself as a mediator for the Middle East. The level of cynicism is staggering."
"Yeah, I would be open to it," U.S. President Donald Trump said. "He is ready. He called me about it. We had a long talk about it. We talked about this more than his situation. This is something I believe is going to get resolved."
As world leaders prepare to gather in the remote community of Kananaskis in Alberta, Canada for the Group of Seven (G7) Leaders' Summit on June 15-17, Russia's war in Ukraine once again holds center stage — but views on how to address the three-year conflict diverge sharply. In the five months
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call on June 14 in which the two leaders discussed Ukraine and the conflict between Israel and Iran.
A "two week" deadline imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump to see if Russia is serious about peace in Ukraine has come and gone, with Moscow's escalation of attacks on civilians during this period failing to draw the slightest condemnation from the White House. "We're going to find out
The conversations took place just hours after Russia launched its own missile and drone assault on Ukraine.
"He (Russian President Vladimir Putin) fought with us in World War II… and now everybody hates Russia and loves Germany and Japan. It's a strange world," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
"We have accumulated a great deal of experience to create this branch of the armed forces," Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
Russian losses in Ukraine hit a massive, and grim milestone on June 12 — 1 million Russian soldiers killed or wounded during the 39-month-long full-scale war, according to figures from Kyiv. Although hugely symbolic, the number is unlikely to prompt a change in tactics from Moscow as it gears up for
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Moscow possesses the world's most advanced nuclear systems but must strengthen its ground forces.
Nastya Rodionova, a Russian writer and artist who has been based in Paris since 2022, had only met gallery manager Luiza Rozova in passing at events before she learned who the 22-year-old’s parents were. Described by a number of people as a “very nice and well-mannered girl,” Rozova is
Over the past two months, financial investors have hit upon a new trading strategy, based on a simple rule: TACO — Trump Always Chickens Out. America’s president threatens to slap massive import tariffs on friends and foes alike, or to remove the Federal Reserve chair, only to back down when
The Kyiv Independent's Chris York sits down with George Barros, team lead for the Russia and Ukraine portfolio at the Institute for the Study of War, to discuss what Russia’s approaching one million casualties mean for its war effort in Ukraine. They explore how the Kremlin might generate more forces — and what impact this could have on Russia’s economy.
In recent years, the Kremlin has sought to cast Russia as a bastion of so-called traditional values, positioning itself in stark contrast to what it describes as the morally decaying West. Yet beneath this veneer, a more complex reality persists. As exiled Russian philosopher Alexey Zhavoronkov told the Kyiv Independent,
Since September 2022, Ukraine has used naval kamikaze drones to target the Russian Black Sea Fleet, destroying several vessels. The latest strike sank a Mangust-class patrol boat off the coast of occupied Crimea using a domestically produced Magura drone.
"We are not kids with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin at the playground in the park," Zelensky said, as quoted by the TV network. "He is a murderer who came to this park to kill the kids."
U.S. President Donald Trump warned on June 5 that Russia's response to Ukraine's Operation Spiderweb is likely "not going to be pretty," following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin the day prior.
"I said (to Putin) it's time to open our eyes and to put an end to the insanity of war, which destroys everything and builds nothing," Brazilian President Lula da Silva told reporters during a visit to France.
On June 4, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the incident, saying Putin had been informed about the strike and that Russia’s Investigative Committee had launched a probe.
Trump said he spoke to Putin over the phone for an hour and 15 minutes on June 4 and that it was "a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace."
Key developments on June 4: * Ukraine hacks Russia's Tupolev bomber producer, source claims * Putin's 'disregard' for troops highlighted as Russian losses approach 1 million, study finds * Ukraine expects to exchange 500 POWs in next swap with Russia, Zelensky says * Russia strikes Ukrainian military training facility in Poltava Oblast, military says
Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4 accused Ukraine of being governed by a terrorist regime that deliberately targets civilians and claimed it is continuing to lose the war. He rejected the possibility of holding talks.
"The president received information about the incident online," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
Following the second round of direct peace talks with Ukraine, the Russian side leaked its proposal on how to end its war — effectively a demand for Ukraine's surrender. Yet, if the intentions of the Kremlin are no secret — continue the war until a political or military victory — getting information on
The Kremlin's statement comes a day after the White House said that Trump would not rule out participating in this format of talks.
"I told (Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan) that I support a meeting at the level of leaders, because I have the impression that there will be no ceasefire without our meeting," Zelensky said on June 2.
"If the Istanbul meeting brings nothing, that clearly means strong new sanctions are urgently needed,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on June 1 an updated 14-member Ukrainian delegation for upcoming peace talks with Russia in Istanbul, expanding the original group of 12.
As Ukraine and Russia prepare for peace talks scheduled for June 2 in Istanbul, few observers expect a breakthrough. While the U.S. and Ukraine have pushed for an unconditional ceasefire, the Kremlin has rejected it. Instead, Moscow has regularly voiced maximalist demands that are unlikely to be accepted by
In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur breaks down the top stories of the week, from Germany’s increased military aid to last weekend’s unprecedented attacks on Ukraine.
Former U.S. State Secretary Mike Pompeo acknowledged frustrations over the current front lines but cautioned against ceding Ukrainian land to Russia.
Claims of Russian President Vladimir Putin's helicopter being "at the epicenter" of a Ukrainian drone attack in Kursk Oblast were reportedly fabricated by the Kremlin, the Moscow Times reported on May 30, citing four Russian government sources.
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