logo
Ukraine proposes truce talks with Russia after negotiations stalled in June

Ukraine proposes truce talks with Russia after negotiations stalled in June

Times of Oman3 days ago
Kyiv: Ukraine has proposed to hold a new round of peace talks with Russia next week, following negotiations that stalled last month, according to Al Jazeera.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Saturday that Defence Council Secretary Rustem Umerov had made an offer for a meeting with Russian negotiators for next week.
"Everything should be done to achieve a ceasefire," Zelenskyy said in his evening address to the nation, Al Jazeera reported. "The Russian side should stop hiding from decisions."
Ukraine's leader also reiterated his readiness to have a face-to-face sit-down with Putin. "A meeting at the leadership level is needed to truly ensure peace-lasting peace," he said.
There was no immediate response from Russia, as per Al Jazeera.
Umerov, a former defence minister, was appointed last week as the head of the National Security and Defence Council and tasked with adding more momentum to the negotiations.
He headed his country's delegation in two previous rounds of talks in Turkiye earlier this year, which yielded little more than an agreement to exchange prisoners and soldiers' remains.
In previous rounds, Russia outlined a list of hardline demands that were not acceptable to Ukraine, calling on it to cede four Ukrainian regions it claims as its own and reject Western military support, as per Al Jazeera.
However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Friday indicated that Moscow agreed with a statement by Zelenskyy that peace efforts needed "more momentum".
The shift came after United States President Donald Trump, who initially appeared to adopt a conciliatory approach towards Russia after entering office, upped the pressure on Moscow.
This week, Trump set a 50-day deadline for Moscow to reach a ceasefire in Ukraine or face "100 per cent tariffs" and the prospect of secondary sanctions being imposed on countries that buy Russian oil.
He also promised to ramp up arms shipments to the war-battered country.
Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the ministry, said on Thursday that Russia would not accept the "blackmail" of Washington's sanctions ultimatum, and the decision to resume weapons deliveries was a signal to Ukraine to "abandon the peace process".
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Kremlin signals openness to Putin-Trump talks in Beijing
Kremlin signals openness to Putin-Trump talks in Beijing

Times of Oman

time21 hours ago

  • Times of Oman

Kremlin signals openness to Putin-Trump talks in Beijing

Moscow: Russia is open to discussing the possibility of holding talks between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, should the latter attend the upcoming commemorative events in Beijing this September, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, according to RT. The Chinese capital is set to host a military parade on September 3 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Putin has already accepted an invitation to attend the event, as per RT. Amid speculation about a potential high-level meeting involving Putin, Trump, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, RT cited a report from Japan's Kyodo News suggesting that China has extended an invitation to Trump. The Times also reported that Beijing may be positioning itself to host a trilateral summit, though Chinese officials have not confirmed any such plans. "If it so happens that [Trump] is there, then, of course, we cannot rule out that the question of the expediency of holding a meeting will be raised," Peskov told reporters, as quoted by RT. He added that the Kremlin has not yet received confirmation regarding Trump's attendance in Beijing. On Sunday, Peskov noted that while a future meeting between Putin and Trump is expected, "it would require a lot of preparation, and the time has not yet come," RT reported. The renewed speculation comes after a phone call between Trump and Xi Jinping in June. During the call, Trump reportedly said he had received an invitation to visit China, though no specific date was provided, RT said. Putin and Trump have also held several phone conversations in recent months, primarily focused on the Ukraine conflict. Trump recently criticized the Russian president for resisting a settlement, a remark that drew a calm response from the Kremlin. "It viewed the criticism calmly and intended to maintain dialogue with Washington," RT reported. China, meanwhile, continues to project itself as a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict. According to RT, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called for a "fair, lasting, and binding" peace agreement and urged all parties to prioritize a ceasefire and political dialogue. Beijing has also voiced support for renewed direct talks between Moscow and Kiev. The last in-person meeting between Putin and Trump took place in 2018 during the Russia-US summit held in Helsinki, Finland.

Zelensky announces date for next round of Russia-Ukraine talks
Zelensky announces date for next round of Russia-Ukraine talks

Times of Oman

time21 hours ago

  • Times of Oman

Zelensky announces date for next round of Russia-Ukraine talks

Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that the next round of direct peace talks between Ukraine and Russia will be held in Turkiye on Wednesday, according to a video statement released on Telegram, as reported by RT. Moscow and Kyiv have already conducted two rounds of negotiations in Istanbul earlier this year. During their last meeting, both sides exchanged draft memorandums outlining potential roadmaps toward resolving the conflict and also agreed on fresh prisoner-of-war exchanges, RT stated. "I discussed with Rustem Umerov the preparation of the [POW] exchange and another meeting in Turkiye with the Russian side. Umerov reported that the meeting is planned for Wednesday," Zelensky said in the statement. Rustem Umerov, the secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, who also led Kyiv's delegation at the previous rounds of talks, was cited by Zelensky as the official coordinating the preparations for the upcoming meeting. RT noted that earlier reports from TASS, citing an insider source, had indicated the talks would take place on Thursday. However, Zelensky confirmed Wednesday as the planned date for the dialogue, according to the latest update. The upcoming discussions mark a continuation of the diplomatic engagement between the two countries amid ongoing efforts to resolve the conflict through negotiation, RT added. In line with this, the Russian leadership is preparing a response to Kiev's proposal for a new round of negotiations if the Ukrainian side has approached Russia with such an initiative, Grigory Karasin, head of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, told Izvestia. "If there really was a statement (about Ukraine's readiness for negotiations), I am convinced that it is being seriously considered by the Russian leadership. And, apparently, we will find out the decision in the coming days. If the proposal is accepted, we need to prepare for contacts," he said. On July 17, Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation, said that during the third round, the parties would discuss the draft memoranda that they exchanged at the previous meeting. They set out the specific conditions for each side to cease fire and establish peace. Grigory Karasin commented with scepticism on the possible positive results of the discussion of the memoranda. "If we talk from a position of optimism, which is typical for us, then yes, it can bring results. But this optimism is peculiar, in my opinion, only to us, and everyone else is playing some kind of game. I mean the participants in the process, first of all, the Kiev authorities," he clarified.

Syria moves to restore order in Suwayda with new ceasefire and troop deployment
Syria moves to restore order in Suwayda with new ceasefire and troop deployment

Times of Oman

time3 days ago

  • Times of Oman

Syria moves to restore order in Suwayda with new ceasefire and troop deployment

Suwayda: Syria has started deploying its security forces in the troubled southern province of Suwayda, following intense clashes between Druze and Bedouin armed groups that have left hundreds dead, compounded by Israeli military intervention, Al Jazeera reported. The deployment came shortly after the United States announced an agreement between Israel and Syria to enforce a ceasefire, though the truce remains uncertain amid ongoing fighting, Al Jazeera said. Syria's government confirmed the ceasefire, stating it aims "to spare Syrian blood, preserve the unity of Syrian territory, the safety of its people." President Ahmed al-Sharaa, in a televised address, noted that he had "received international calls to intervene in what is happening in Suwayda and restore security to the country." He described Israeli intervention as having "reignited tensions" and called the fighting "a dangerous turning point," while thanking the US for its support, according to Al Jazeera. Interior Ministry spokesman Noureddine al-Baba announced on Telegram that "internal security forces have begun deploying in Suwayda province ... with the aim of protecting civilians and putting an end to the chaos," Al Jazeera reported. Despite this, it remains unclear whether Syrian troops have entered Suwayda city or are still on the outskirts, Al Jazeera added. The ethnic clashes between Druze and Bedouin armed groups and government forces have reportedly caused at least 260 deaths, with an estimated 80,000 people displaced, according to Syria's Health Ministry and the International Organisation for Migration, Al Jazeera noted. Al Jazeera's correspondent Mohamed Vall reported that "a lot of extrajudicial killings [are] being reported," and many civilians suffer from a lack of basic services due to the conflict. Al Jazeera also highlighted that some Druze leaders welcome the ceasefire while others pledge to continue fighting. Meanwhile, Bedouin fighters are preparing to travel to Suwayda to support their counterparts, with one fighter telling Al Jazeera their conflict is with forces loyal to Druze leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri, whom they accuse of aligning with Israeli interests. An Israeli official told reporters that Israel had agreed to allow "the limited entry of the [Syrian] internal security forces into Suwayda district for the next 48 hours," amid the ongoing instability, Al Jazeera reported. Al Jazeera's analysts say Israel's attacks in the region serve "less to do with the minority Druze community and more with a strategic Israeli objective to create a new reality," describing it as part of Israel's attempt to assert itself as the dominant power in the Middle East through territorial expansion and ongoing conflicts across the region. The conflict and military actions in Suwayda contradict earlier efforts by the Trump administration to expand normalisation deals with Israel in the region, a policy that the Syrian government had initially welcomed before the crisis, Al Jazeera concluded.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store