Page 13 - Vladimir Putin

Why Russia's bonhomie with North Korea is potential danger to the world

Russia's forces have been able to blast thousands of artillery shells a day at Ukraine thanks to supplies sent by Kim Jong Un

Meloni describes Putin's cease-fire offer for Ukraine as 'propaganda'

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni on Saturday dismissed a cease-fire offer for Ukraine by Russian President Vladimir Putin as propaganda, as she wrapped up a Group of Seven summit that saw a deal reached for a USD 50 billion loan to Ukraine. The loan will be provided by the US, UK, Canada and possibly Japan, Meloni said. The frozen Russian assets to be used as collateral are mainly in Europe, so Europe is already contributing by identifying the guarantee mechanism, she added. The loan agreement was reached at the opening Thursday of the two-day annual meeting of leaders from the G7 countries of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States in southern Italy's Puglia region. Asked about Putin's cease-fire proposal, Meloni said it seems to me more like a propaganda move than a real one. The Russian president said Friday he would immediately order a cease-fire in Ukraine and start negotiations if Kyiv begins withdrawing troops from the four regions Mosco

Putin sets terms for ceasefire: Ukraine must pull out from 'annexed' parts

Russian President Vladimir Putin promised on Friday to immediately order a cease-fire in Ukraine and start negotiations if Kyiv began withdrawing troops from the four regions annexed by Moscow in 2022 and renounced plans to join NATO. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected what he called an ultimatum by Putin to surrender more territory. Putin's remarks came as Switzerland prepared to host scores of world leaders -- but not from Moscow -- this weekend to try to map out first steps toward peace in Ukraine. They also coincided with a meeting of leaders of the Group of Seven leading industrialised nations in Italy and after the US and Ukraine this week signed a 10-year security agreement that Russian officials, including Putin, denounced as null and void. Putin blasted the Switzerland conference as just another ploy to divert everyone's attention, reverse the cause and effect of the Ukrainian crisis (and) set the discussion on the wrong track. His demands came in a speech a

South Korea, US sound alarm over North Korea-Russia ties before Putin visit

Security Council resolutions, officials of South Korea and the United States warned on Friday

Peace summit for Ukraine conflict opens in Switzerland without Russia

Switzerland will host scores of world leaders this weekend to try to map out first steps toward peace in Ukraine even though Russia, which launched and is continuing the war, won't take part. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's government didn't want Russia involved, and the Swiss aware of Moscow's reservations about the talks didn't invite Russia. The Swiss insist Russia must be involved at some point, and hope it will join the process one day. Ukrainians too are considering that possibility, Zelenskyy's top adviser says. The process unlikely to produce major results this weekend is seen as a largely symbolic effort on the part of Kyiv to rally the international community and project strength against its better armed and manned adversary. But the question looming over the summit will be how the two countries can move back from the brink and eventually silence guns in a war that has cost hundreds of billions of dollars and caused hundreds and thousands of deaths and ...

Security deal with US is 'bridge' to Ukraine's Nato membership: Zelenskyy

Zelenskyy made the remarks at a joint news conference with US President Joe Biden, which was held on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy on Thursday

Indians in war zone should be brought back: India to Russian officials

According to MEA reports, two Indian nationals who had been recruited by the Russian Army have recently been killed in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine

US to widen sanctions to curb semiconductor sales to Russia's war machine

Russia's war, now in its third year, has seen a renewed offensive and intensified aerial bombardment of Ukrainian cities

Vladimir Putin to keep demoted ally Patrushev on Russia's Security Council

Russia's Security Council, chaired by Putin, is a Kremlin consultative body responsible for managing and integrating national security policy

Russia may have been behind recent failed arson attack in Prague: Czech PM

Czech authorities suspect that Russia may have been behind last week's attempt to set Prague public transport buses on fire, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said Monday. A 26-year-old suspect was arrested Saturday and charged with terrorism in connection with Thursday's failed arson attack. The suspect, who is from Latin America, faces up to life in prison if convicted, said police chief officer Martin Vondrek. There's a suspicion that the attack was likely organised and financed from Russia, Fiala said. He said the failed attempt was likely part of Russia's hybrid war against his country. He said the attempt was part of Russia's repeated effort to undermine the trust of citizens in our state. Czechia is a staunch supporter of Ukraine that is fighting Russia's invasion. Unfortunately, it's not the first case, Fiala said, pointing to a huge ammunition depot explosion allegedly caused by Russian spies. Czech leaders said in 2021 that they had evidence pointing to the participation of two

Putin to visit North Korea, Vietnam soon to strengthen diplomatic ties

The Kremlin has said Russia wants to build a partnership with North Korea "in all areas" but has yet to confirm the date of the visit

Vladimir Putin running out of time to achieve breakthrough in Ukraine

Putin insists his war goals are unchanged and that Russia will fight for as long as needed to win in Ukraine, regardless of mounting casualties in a war that's in its third year with no end in sight

Amid sanctions, Putin pivots to eastern allies for Russian investment forum

Western sanctions have not torpedoed Russia's economy, however, and Moscow has nurtured ties with China, major regional powers in the Middle East and across Africa and Latin America

Russian warships to arrive in Havana, will not carry nukes: Cuban officials

Four Russian ships, including a nuclear-powered submarine, will arrive in Havana next week, Cuban officials said Thursday, citing historically friendly relations between both nations and as tensions escalate over Western military support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. Cuba's foreign ministry said in a news release that the ships will be in Havana between June 12 and June 17, noting that none of them will carry any nuclear weapons and assuring their presence does not represent a threat to the region. The announcement came a day after U.S. officials said that Washington had been tracking Russian warships and aircraft that were expected to arrive in the Caribbean for a military exercise. They said the exercise would be part of a broader Russian response to the U.S. support for Ukraine. The officials said that the Russian military presence was notable but not concerning. However, it's taking place as Russian President Vladimir Putin has suggested that Moscow could take asymmetrical

Russia could provide weapons to others to strike Western targets: Putin

Taking questions from international journalists for the first time since his inauguration last month to a fifth term, Putin also said nothing will change in terms of Russia-US relations

Ukraine using German weapons to strike Russia 'dangerous step' warns Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Germany on Wednesday that use of its weapons by Ukraine to strike targets in Russia would mark a dangerous step" and ruin relations between Berlin and Moscow. Germany joined the United States recently in authorizing Ukraine to hit some targets on Russian soil with the long-range weapons they are supplying. Putin said that the deliveries of German tanks to Ukraine came as a shock to many in Russia. Now if they use missiles to strike facilities on the Russian territory it will completely ruin Russian-German relations, he said.

Results of US elections won't change Moscow, Washington relations: Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that nothing will change in terms of Russia-US relations regardless of whether Joe Biden or Donald Trump wins the American presidential election in November. We will work with any president the American people elect, Putin said, responding to questions from international journalists on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum. I say absolutely sincerely, I wouldn't say that we believe that after the election something will change on the Russian track in the American politics, he added. We don't think so. We think nothing that serious will happen. Putin also said Trump's felony conviction at his hush money trial last week was the result of "the use of the court system as part of the internal political struggle. The Russian leader faced questions for the first time since his inauguration to a fifth term from senior news leaders of international news agencies, including The Associated Press. Putin has used the ann

World leaders including Biden, Putin congratulate PM Modi on poll victory

US President Joe Biden, Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz were among over 75 world leaders who congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the ruling NDA's electoral victory and hoped for deeper bilateral ties during his third term. President Putin and Sunak held separate phone conversations with Modi. Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Taiwanese President Lai Ching Te, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the Chinese Foreign Ministry also sent congratulatory messages to Modi. "Congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the National Democratic Alliance on their victory, and the nearly 650 million voters in this historic election," Biden said on X. "The friendship between our nations is only growing as we unlock a shared future of unlimited potential," he said. In his message, Putin, congratulating Modi, said Russia attaches great importance to the relationsh

Zelenskyy hopes for India's presence at Swiss peace summit next week

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday on his party-led coalition's third consecutive victory in the parliamentary elections and said he was looking forward to India's presence at the peace summit concerning the Russia-Ukrainian war in Switzerland next week. Zelensky also welcomed the successful holding of the world's largest democratic elections in India. "Congratulations to Prime Minister @NarendraModi, the BJP, and BJP-led NDA on the third consecutive victory in India's parliamentary elections. I wish the people of India peace and prosperity, and I hope for continued cooperation between our countries. India and Ukraine share common values and a rich history. May our partnership continue to thrive, bringing progress and mutual understanding for our nations," he said. Asserting that everyone in the world recognises the significance and weight of India's role in global affairs, he said, "it is critical that we all work together to

China, Russia trying to undermine peace summit on Ukraine war: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in the Philippines on Monday in a rare Asian trip to urge regional leaders to attend a Swiss-organised global peace summit on the war in Ukraine that he accuses Russia, with China's help, of trying to undermine. Zelenskyy arrived unannounced and under heavy security in Manila late Sunday after speaking over the weekend at the Shangri-La defence forum in Singapore. He had planned but failed to meet with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on the sidelines of that annual defence gathering and decided to fly here to personally invite Marcos to attend the summit in Switzerland, two Filipino officials told AP. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack of authority to discuss details of Zelenskyy's secretive trip to Manila. Both leaders spoke critically of China at the defence forum in Singapore, which was attended by top defence and government officials from around the world, including from Washington and Beijing. Th