"If they speak to each other in Russian, he doesn't know what they are saying," one Western official told NBC News. ichael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia, called Witkoff's approach "a very bad idea."
Tougher sanctions "should be applied to (Russia's) banking and energy sectors, targeting fossil fuels, oil, and the shadow fleet," the leaders of Ukraine, the U.K., France, Germany, and Poland said in a joint statement.
"Russia is ready for negotiations without any preconditions," Putin claimed in an address marking the end of the three-day Victory Day ceasefire. He invited Ukraine to begin talks in Istanbul on May 15.
While serving as a bishop in Peru, Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, called the full-scale war "a true invasion, imperialist in nature, where Russia seeks to conquer territory for reasons of power.”
Speaking to CNN on May 10, Peskov commented on the latest ceasefire proposal from Ukraine and Europe, responding that Russia needs to "think about" it, but is "resistant" to pressure.
Speaking at a press conference in Kyiv on May 10, President Volodymyr Zelensky rebuked the idea of a demilitarized zone in the war and emphasized the importance of first securing a ceasefire.
"We agreed that a full and unconditional ceasefire must begin on Monday, May 12, for at least 30 days. We jointly demand this from Russia, and we know we are supported in this by the United States," Zelensky said.
Ukrainian media outlet ZN.UA reported on May 10 that their law enforcement sources confirmed an ongoing probe by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau into suspected embezzlement, money laundering and bribery.
Iran is preparing to send Russia Fath-360 short-range ballistic missile launchers, Reuters reported on May 9, citing Western security and regional officials familiar with the matter.
"Ukraine and all allies are ready for a complete unconditional ceasefire on land, in the air, and at sea for at least 30 days, starting as early as Monday," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote.
The Russian and U.S. flags. Photo for illustrative purposes. (Getty Images)
A Russian delegation arrived at the residence of the U.S. Consul General in Istanbul, starting the second round of Russian-U.S. talks, the state news agency TASS reported on Feb. 27.
U.S. and Russian delegates previously met for the first round of talks in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18 as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes to broker a peace deal in Ukraine. Ukrainian delegates were not invited to the talks.
The second meeting will not include discussions on Ukraine, a U.S. State Department spokesperson told the media. According to Lavrov, the deliberations will focus on embassy operations.
The meeting will be held behind closed doors. Russia's diplomacy chief said that the Russian delegation will include "high-level diplomats and experts," without providing names.
The discussions would concern "systemic problems that have accumulated as a result of the illegal activities of the previous U.S. administration to create artificial obstacles to the activities of the Russian Embassy," leading Moscow to "respond in kind," Lavrov said.
TASS reported later during the day that the talks concluded after six and a half hours. Russian delegates left the meeting without providing comments for the media.
The Biden administration has cut most official contacts with Russia after the outbreak of the full-scale war in an attempt to isolate Russian President Vladimir Putin on the global stage.
Trump's return to the White House marked a tectonic shift in U.S. foreign policy. The new president adopted more critical rhetoric toward Ukraine and other partners, at times echoing Russian narratives.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
