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.
Key developments on May 28: * Ukraine attacks elite Russian unit base nearly 7,000km away in Vladivostok, source claims * Ukraine ready for 2nd round of Istanbul talks but seeks Russian draft memo in advance, Yermak says * Senate to 'start moving' Russia sanctions bill next week, Graham says * Russia may 'consider'
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stressed that a high-level summit would require concrete outcomes from the negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations.
The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York sits down with Michael Carpenter, former U.S. Ambassador to OSCE and senior director for Europe at the National Security Council, to discuss the current lagging U.S. military support for Ukraine amid the ongoing ceasefire talks with Russia. Carpenter also offers his predictions for the future of Ukraine’s occupied territories.
"And that's one of the issues Russia will bring up... They're also talking about Georgia, they're talking about Moldova, they're talking — obviously — about Ukraine. And we're saying, 'Okay, let's address this comprehensively,'" U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Keith Kellogg said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on May 28 that he has not yet imposed new sanctions on Russia because he believes a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine may be within reach.
BANJA LUKA, Bosnia and Herzegovina — When a court convicted Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik of defying an international peace envoy in February, it was supposed to end his career in politics. He faced not only jail time, but a ban on holding public office. But three months later, little has
"Our position on the fundamental possibility of such a meeting has not changed," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
One senior Russian source told Reuters that Putin is ready for a peace agreement, but "not at any price."
"We are ready for the 'Trump, Putin, and me' format, and we are ready for the Trump-Putin, Trump-Zelensky format, and then the three of us," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
During a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week, Trump was told that a "memorandum of peace" outlining conditions for a ceasefire would be delivered shortly. As of May 27, no such document has been received.
U.S. experts believe President Vladimir Putin remains convinced that a military victory is still possible, although continued sanctions and battlefield losses have strained Russia's capabilities, according to the Washington Post.
Despite months of resisting President Donald Trump's peace process, the U.S. has yet to take a single concrete step to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin into ending his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on May 26 to discuss recent peace initiatives and the May 16 talks in Istanbul, Reuters reported.
"This is a very crucial moment, which is associated, of course, with the emotional overload of everyone absolutely and with emotional reactions," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said when asked about Trump calling Putin "absolutely crazy."
"We should strangle them. I agree completely. I'm speaking without any shame, because they're trying to strangle us," Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"I think President Trump realizes that when President Putin told him he was ready for peace, he lied to him," French President Emmanuel Macron said.
"I’ve always gotten along with him," Trump said of Putin to reporters at an airport in New Jersey on May 25. "But he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all."
Key developments on May 24-25: * Ukraine brings home 303 POWs in final phase of biggest prisoner swap with Russia * Russian missile, drone attack kills 12, injures 79 * US silence 'encourages Putin', Zelensky says after massive Russian attack * Russia losing battlefield edge in war against Ukraine, WP reports * Russia will reveal
"We were simultaneously engaged in an air defense battle and ensuring airspace security for the president’s helicopter flight," Yury Dashkin, commander of an air defense division, said, as cited by the Russian news agency on May 25.
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