US Pitches Anti-China ‘Shield' With Manila? China ‘Preps Military City', ‘Shadows' NATO Warship
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Mint
29 minutes ago
- Mint
Russia-Ukraine Talks End With Deal on POWs, No Progress on Peace
Officials from Russia and Ukraine ended a third round of formal negotiations in Istanbul with an agreement to swap more prisoners but little sign of progress on a deal to halt the war. Ukraine proposed a summit of the leaders of the two countries by the end of August that should also include US President Donald Trump and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Ukrainian delegation leader, Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, told reporters after the talks late Wednesday. There's no point to a summit without first having negotiated a peace deal, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, who led Moscow's delegation, told a news conference in response. 'It doesn't make sense to meet in order to discuss it all over again from scratch,' he said. Medinsky said the two sides had agreed to a new exchange of about 1,200 prisoners, and Russia had also proposed returning the bodies of 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers. While the Russian and Ukrainian negotiating 'positions are quite distant from each other,' they had agreed to continue contacts, Medinsky said. Russia proposed establishing three working groups on political issues, humanitarian questions and military matters, he said. Umerov said Ukraine continues to insist on a full and unconditional ceasefire to allow for peace talks. It was up to Russia to demonstrate a constructive and realistic approach, he said. Umerov and Medinsky met for direct talks ahead of the main group negotiations that lasted for less than 40 minutes. 'The ultimate aim is a ceasefire that will pave the way to peace,' Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in televised comments at the start of the meeting. 'Turkey is ready, as ever, to support the process.' The latest discussions took place after Trump issued a 50-day deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire, and threatened 'very severe' secondary sanctions against countries that buy Russian oil and gas if he fails to comply. Trump also said the US would send additional military aid to Ukraine including Patriot air defense systems that will be paid for by Kyiv's European allies. Russia has unleashed record drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, prompting Trump to accuse Putin of a lack of sincerity in diplomacy to end the war. 'He talks nice and then he bombs everybody in the evening,' Trump said. The previous rounds of Istanbul talks between Ukraine and Russia in June and May led to exchanges of prisoners, but no progress in negotiations to end the Russian invasion that began in February 2022. GLOBAL PREVIEW: Istanbul Talks Unlikely to Yield Ukraine Peace Russia has rejected calls from Ukraine and its US and European allies for a ceasefire to allow for peace talks. The Kremlin is maintaining hardline demands for Kyiv to accept a neutral status and to withdraw its forces from four regions of eastern and southern Ukraine that Moscow is claiming but doesn't fully occupy. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Zelenskiy vows to protect Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies, bows to protests
By Olena Harmash and Dan Peleschuk Zelenskiy vows to protect Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies, bows to protests KYIV -Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy vowed on Wednesday to retain the independence of anti-corruption agencies, bowing to pressure from the first wartime street protests and rare rebukes from European allies. For a second day in a row, thousands of people across the country - from Kharkiv in the northeast to the capital Kyiv to Lviv in the west - took to the streets demanding reversal of the law curbing the independence of anti-graft agencies. In his evening address to the nation on Wednesday, Zelenskiy said he would submit a new bill to ensure the rule of law and retain the independence of the anti-corruption agencies. "Of course, everyone has heard what people are saying these days... on social media, to each other, on the streets. It's not falling on deaf ears," Zelenskiy said. Thousands of people turned up for a second day of protests in central Kyiv, close to Zelenskiy's office. In the first such demonstrations of the war, the youth, activists, and war veterans chanted 'Shame' and 'Veto the Law'. "It's like a knife in the back, to be honest," Maryna Mykhalchuk, 26, who has friends killed in the war and plans to join the army soon, told Reuters. Opposition lawmakers and European officials also called for reversal of the law, which Zelenskiy signed overnight. The law gives the Prosecutor General appointed by Zelenskiy more power over two investigative anti-corruption agencies. It was rushed through parliament on Tuesday, a day after the security services arrested two anti-corruption officials for suspected Russian ties. In a joint statement, both agencies - the anti-corruption bureau NABU and the specialised prosecutors SO - said they wanted their independence restored through legislation. Parliament is expected to hold an emergency session next week to consider the new draft bill from Zelenskiy's office, several lawmakers said. STRONGEST CRITICISM SINCE THE WAR BEGAN The law prompted some of Ukraine's European allies to deliver their strongest criticism of Zelenskiy's government since Russia's invasion in February 2022. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her strong concern to Zelenskiy and asked for an explanation, said the spokesman. The law's critics say the government appears to be trying to rein in anti-corruption agencies to protect officials. After decades of endemic corruption in Ukraine, cleaning up its government has been held up as the key condition for the country to join the EU, tap billions of dollars in foreign aid, and integrate more broadly with the West. The issue risks antagonising Kyiv's most loyal allies at a time when it is trying to smooth over the relationship with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has frequently criticised Zelenskiy. "Ukraine's anti-corruption institutions are vital to its reform path. Restricting them would be a significant setback," Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said in a post on X. Benjamin Haddad, France's European Affairs minister, said it was not too late to reverse the decision. Ukrainian political analysts said the legislation risked undermining society's trust in Zelenskiy during a critical stage of the war against Russia. Fierce fighting rages along more than 1,000 kilometres of the frontline. Russian troops continue their grinding advance in the east and have stepped up near daily attacks on Ukrainian cities with hundreds of drones. Hundreds of protesters, some clad in military uniforms, in the city of Zaporizhzhia, close to the frontline in the southeast, demanded overturning the law with chants of "Ukraine is not Russia." Similar rallies took place in other major cities across the country. The public's European aspirations are vital to sustaining the war effort, said Valerii Pekar, a Kyiv-based analyst: "Only democracy and the European choice give us a chance to win," he posted on Facebook. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
World War 3 is Coming: Nuclear war between Russia and West may happen soon, say reports. Here's what happened
World War 3 may happen as Russian media is raising alarms about a potential nuclear conflict between Russia and NATO countries. Reports by Moscow-based newspapers describe possible war scenarios. Experts and analysts close to the Kremlin claim the West is preparing for conflict. These narratives aim to prepare Russian citizens for potential escalation. Russian Papers Warn of Nuclear War in Future Several state-linked Russian news outlets, including Komsomolskaya Pravda (KP), are warning of a nuclear war with NATO. The reports claim that the West, including Britain and European countries, may provoke a large-scale war by the end of this decade. These reports feature Russian experts outlining what a confrontation could look like. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Operations Management Cybersecurity others Leadership Healthcare Technology Project Management Degree MBA Data Science Product Management Public Policy Management PGDM MCA CXO Data Science healthcare Digital Marketing Design Thinking Data Analytics Finance Artificial Intelligence Others Skills you'll gain: Quality Management & Lean Six Sigma Analytical Tools Supply Chain Management & Strategies Service Operations Management Duration: 10 Months IIM Lucknow IIML Executive Programme in Strategic Operations Management & Supply Chain Analytics Starts on Jan 27, 2024 Get Details The articles state that NATO forces might be ready for combat by the end of the decade. Readers are told that this buildup is part of a strategy to provoke and divide Russia. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Immediately Do Something if You See These Bugs In Cite Alyssa 1 Undo Also Read: Nintendo Direct July 2025 Rumors: Insider predicts upcoming livestream for Switch 2 games. Here's who he is and what he said Kaliningrad as a Strategic Flashpoint General Christopher Donahue of the US Army Europe and Africa recently said NATO could seize Russia's Kaliningrad region quickly if conflict begins. Kaliningrad is surrounded by NATO members and separated from the rest of Russia. It holds military value and could be central in any confrontation. Live Events Russian commentators warn that the West is turning surrounding areas, such as Sweden's Gotland island, into military zones. These include air defense systems and missiles, seen as preparation for a ground offensive. Klintsevich, a military analyst quoted in KP, claims NATO plans to cut off Kaliningrad by blocking air and sea routes. He predicts a military response through the Suwalki Gap, a 60-mile strip linking NATO nations that sits between Kaliningrad and Belarus. Finland and the Arctic as New Hotspots Experts cited in Russian media claim that Finland, which recently joined NATO, could become a new launch zone for Western attacks. They mention military infrastructure in Finland that could target St Petersburg and other Russian regions. There is also a suggestion from analysts that Russia should conduct a nuclear weapons test in the Arctic to deter NATO aggression. This would be the first such test since the Cold War. Also Read: Big Bombshell Revelation: Did Megan Kerrigan plan Coldplay Concert Kiss Cam expose to reveal Andy Byron's affair? Here's all details Moldova and NATO Presence KP also names Moldova as another risk zone. Russia's SVR intelligence service has accused NATO of turning Moldova into a military base. This could create another direct confrontation between NATO and Russia in Eastern Europe. Zimovsky, a military commentator, warned that any assault on St Petersburg, even if Kaliningrad is taken peacefully, would trigger a broader war. Political Voices Promote World War 3 Narrative Andrei Klintsevich and other experts featured in Russian media say the West is mobilising its defense industries and pushing for war. They accuse NATO of planning to break Russia into smaller regions to gain access to its resources. Dmitry Medvedev, a top Russian official and former president, recently said that World War Three has already started. He blamed the US and Europe for provoking the conflict. He also called for Russian strikes on the West. US and Ukrainian Response The rise in rhetoric comes amid Russia's continued bombing of Ukraine. The US is backing Ukraine militarily. Donald Trump, a US presidential candidate, has reportedly promised Ukraine defense systems and 100% tariffs on Russia unless a peace agreement is made within 50 days. Meanwhile, British documents obtained by The Sun reportedly describe London's plans in case of a nuclear attack. These documents give an idea of how seriously governments are considering worst-case scenarios. FAQs Why is Russia warning about a nuclear war now? Russian media says NATO is preparing military zones near its borders, which they claim could provoke a future war. What is the importance of Kaliningrad in this situation? Kaliningrad is a Russian military area in Europe. NATO sees it as a threat, and Russia sees it as a base to defend.
