
Trump 'open' to meeting Putin and Zelensky
Delegations from both sides did, however, agree another large-scale prisoner exchange in their meeting in Istanbul, which in midMay also hosted their first round of face-to-face talks.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan proposed that Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump come together for a third round later this month in either Istanbul or Ankara.
Putin has thus far refused such a meeting. But Zelensky has said he is willing, underlining that key issues can only be resolved at leaders-level. Trump wants a swift end to the three-year war.

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Daily Tribune
17 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Stage set for new Russia-Ukraine talks
Russia and Ukraine will hold new peace talks in Turkey tomorrow as a follow-up to two rounds in Istanbul that made little progress on ending their war, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced. While US President Donald Trump has increased the pressure by giving Russia 50 days to agree on a deal or face sanctions, Zelensky spoke only hours after the Kremlin had downplayed hopes for a breakthrough. His announcement of a fresh round of negotiations also came in the wake of a fresh Russian barrage on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, which sparked several fires and damaged an underground air-raid shelter where civilians had taken refuge.


Gulf Insider
17 hours ago
- Gulf Insider
EU Relaxes Schengen Visa Rules for Some Citizens
The European Union has relaxed visa requirements for Turkish citizens seeking to enter the Schengen area, with new measures taking effect from July 15, aimed at addressing long-standing complaints about bureaucratic delays. EU Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Hans Ossowski announced the changes on Friday, describing them as a step towards resolving issues that have frustrated Turkish travellers for years, Reuters reported. The European Commission's decision simplifies the process for obtaining multiple-entry visas to the 27-country bloc. Unified visa for UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman launching 'soon' says GCC chief Under the new system, Turkish citizens who have previously used visas correctly can obtain a six-month visa from their second application. This can then be extended to one-year, three-year and five-year multiple-entry visas in subsequent applications. 'It will be much easier and much faster for Turkish citizens,' Ossowski told reporters in Ankara. The ambassador acknowledged the changes would help address Turkish complaints about lengthy bureaucratic processes but warned the measures would not permanently solve all problems. For years, Turkish citizens have faced delays in the EU's visa system, which operates through accredited visa agencies that have struggled with high application volumes. Turkey's foreign ministry welcomed the move and confirmed that Turkish institutions and the EU Commission would continue seeking further visa relaxation measures. Trade Minister Omer Bolat described the decision as a 'facilitation that our citizens have been awaiting for a long time.' Speaking to the state-owned Anadolu news agency, Bolat also said Turkey wanted to begin talks on modernising its customs union with the EU and expanding the accord to include service and e-commerce sectors. The visa changes come amid signs of renewed engagement between Turkey and the EU after years of strained relations. Turkey has held EU membership candidate status since 1999, but its accession process has been frozen over concerns including human rights and democratic backsliding. Recent months have seen increased economic cooperation and diplomatic engagement. Ossowski emphasised that the EU has offered Turkey visa-free travel prospects for more than a decade and called for urgent revival of the liberalisation process. 'Every other candidate country has visa-free travel except Turkey,' he said. 'It is urgent to re-engage in this process of visa-free travel in the Schengen space and the EU.' The European Commission plans to restart formal negotiations after the summer break and will work with Ankara on fulfilling six remaining benchmarks required by the visa liberalisation roadmap, according to Ossowski. 'We are ready, the Commission is ready to work closely with Turkish authorities,' he said. The EU and Turkey have been discussing possible workarounds to address the slow processing times that have affected Turkish visa applications due to high demand. Also read: Turkey Becomes First Country To Block Grok After The AI Bot Insults Erdoğan


Gulf Insider
2 days ago
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Trump To Prevent US Bank Digital Currency
A central bank digital currency (CBDC) will not be allowed in the United States, President Donald Trump said at a White House event on July 18, promising to take legislative action to prevent such a situation. 'I also remain fully committed to my pledge, never to allow the creation of a central bank digital currency in America,' Trump said. 'My first week in office, I signed an executive order to ban the creation of a CBDC in the United States. And very soon, I look forward to signing legislation that will codify and make it a permanent law.' Trump's comments came amid the signing of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act into law. During a campaign event in January last year, Trump had said that once he became president, 'I will never allow the creation of a central bank digital currency. Such a currency would give the federal government absolute control of your money,' which would be 'a dangerous threat to freedom.' On Jan. 23 this year, the first week after becoming president, Trump signed the executive order banning CBDCs. 'Agencies are hereby prohibited from undertaking any action to establish, issue, or promote CBDCs within the jurisdiction of the United States or abroad,' the order said. Globally, various nations are at different stages when it comes to their approach towards CBDCs and introducing such currencies into their economy. According to a July update from the Central Bank Digital Currency Tracker from the Atlantic Council, of the 137 countries or currency unions tracked by the group, three have already launched a CBDC—Nigeria, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. Moreover, 49 nations or currency unions are piloting CBDCs, 36 are researching such a currency, and 20 are engaged in the development of such a currency. In addition, 21 are in an inactive status, while two have canceled launching a central bank digital currency, according to the analysis. Stablecoins are a type of crypto asset that tracks a reference asset, such as currency or commodities, on a 1:1 basis. For instance, if a stablecoin references the U.S. dollar, the issuer of stablecoins will offer one stablecoin for every dollar. The GENIUS Act establishes a regulatory framework for stablecoins. The Act requires stablecoins to have '100 percent reserve backing with liquid assets like U.S. dollars or short-term Treasuries,' according to a July 18 White House Fact Sheet. It also requires issuers of stablecoins to 'make monthly, public disclosures of the composition of reserves.' 'Stablecoin issuers must comply with strict marketing rules to protect consumers from deceptive practices. Crucially, they are forbidden from making misleading claims that their stablecoins are backed by the U.S. government, federally insured, or legal tender.' In case a stablecoin issuer becomes insolvent, the GENIUS Act will prioritize the claims of stablecoin holders over all other creditors, ensuring very strong consumer protection, the Fact Sheet said. Since stablecoin issuers have to back their assets with U.S. Treasuries and dollars, the GENIUS Act is expected to generate higher demand for U.S. debt and 'cement the dollar's status as the global reserve currency,' according to the White House. During the White House event, Trump said the Act unleashes the 'immense power' of U.S. dollar-backed stablecoins. 'This could be perhaps the greatest revolution in financial technology since the birth of the internet,' the president said. In addition to boosting demand for U.S. Treasuries, stablecoins can also bring down interest rates, according to Trump. 'This revolution has the potential to supercharge American economic growth and empower billions of people to save and transfer U.S. dollars.' Crypto czar David Sacks called the passage of the GENIUS Act a 'historical legislative achievement,' with stablecoins estimated to create trillions of dollars in demand for U.S. Treasury securities. Trump's promotion of stablecoins while opposing CBDCs, despite both being crypto assets, comes from concerns over threats to freedom. Also read: Trump Again Threatens To Destroy New Iran Nuclear Assets As Tehran Teases Pullout From NPT