Regardless of US efforts to rearrange a high-profile summit, Russia has confirmed there aren’t any instant plans for a gathering between President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The announcement comes simply days after US President Donald Trump claimed he had initiated preparations for the 2 leaders to sit down down collectively.
“There is no such thing as a assembly deliberate” between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders, Russian International Minister Sergey Lavrov informed a international media outlet, in accordance with AP.
Trump had introduced on social media earlier this week that he had personally spoken to Putin and was facilitating a summit at an as-yet-undecided location, including that he supposed to take part in a trilateral assembly following the discussions.
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In the meantime, doubts are rising over Moscow’s dedication to US-led peace initiatives, as Russian officers have voiced objections to key parts of the proposed plan.
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Situations for peace talks?
Lavrov mentioned Thursday that Putin is able to meet with Zelenskyy to debate peace phrases, however solely after key points have first been labored out by senior officers. That might contain a protracted negotiating course of as a result of the 2 sides stay far aside.
Ukraine desires Western safety ensures to discourage any postwar Russian assault, and US and European officers are scrambling to provide you with detailed proposals of how that may work. However Lavrov mentioned earlier this week that making safety preparations for Ukraine with out Moscow’s involvement was pointless.
On Thursday, a serious Russian drone and missile assault on Ukraine struck an American-owned electronics plant, regardless of Trump’s criticism of Putin for persevering with to bomb Ukrainian targets whereas speaking peace.
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EU warns of Putin ‘entice’ over concessions
The European Union’s international coverage chief mentioned Friday that the potential for Ukraine ceding land to Russia as a part of a peace deal to finish their three-year warfare is “a entice” set by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Russian chief is demanding Ukrainian concessions in return for halting his military’s invasion however granting him these calls for would quantity to rewarding the nation that began the combating, Kaja Kallas mentioned.
Russia ‘dragging ft’ on peace, says Kallas
The current speak about handing Putin concessions is “precisely the entice that Russia desires us to stroll into,” Kallas mentioned in an interview.
“I imply, the dialogue all about what Ukraine ought to hand over, what the concessions that Ukraine is prepared to (make), whereas we’re forgetting that Russia has not made one single concession and they’re those who’re the aggressor right here, they’re those who’re brutally attacking one other nation and killing folks,” she mentioned.
“Russia is simply dragging ft. It’s clear that Russia doesn’t need peace,” Kallas mentioned. “President Trump has been repeatedly saying that the killing has to cease and Putin is simply laughing, not stopping the killing, however rising the killing.”
Ukraine strikes Russian oil infra
Ukraine, in the meantime, has hit again at Russia with long-range weapons which are concentrating on infrastructure supporting Moscow’s warfare effort. It has hit oil refineries, amongst different targets, and Russian wholesale gasoline costs have reached document highs in current days.
Ukrainian forces on Friday focused the Druzhba oil pipeline in Russia, hitting the Unecha oil pumping station within the Bryansk area, in accordance with the commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Programs Forces, Robert Brovdy, also called Magyar.
Druzhba pipeline assault raises power considerations
The Druzhba pipeline begins in Russia and takes oil via Belarus and Ukraine to Slovakia and Hungary. In Russia, a bit of it goes via the Bryansk area and the Unecha district.
Ukraine fired HIMARS rockets and drones on the area in a mixed assault, Bryansk regional Gov. Alexander Bogomaz mentioned in a Telegram put up.
The pipeline provides Hungary with greater than half of its crude oil. Hungarian International Minister Péter Szijjártó wrote on Fb on Friday that the Druzhba pipeline had been attacked “for the third time in a short while.”
“That is one other assault on the power safety of our nation. One other try to tug us into warfare,” the minister wrote. Hungary below Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has taken a combative stance towards each Kyiv and its EU backers whereas most EU nations have provided political, monetary, and army help to Kyiv.
(With inputs from AP)