Free Republic

The Kremlin said on Tuesday that a Ukrainian attack on an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea should be considered an assault on Iran itself and showed how important it was to eliminate what it said was the threat from Kyiv. Iran's Foreign Ministry on Saturday condemned the Ukrainian attack, saying it resulted in an explosion that killed one sailor and injured another. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv had struck vessels used in military cargo shipments involving Iran. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Tuesday accused Ukraine of widening the geographical scope of what he called "terrorist attacks."

ISTANBUL. Aug 19 (Interfax) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday he had reminded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at their meeting in Ukraine about his readiness to arrange Zelensky's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Turkey if that becomes possible, the TRT television channel said. "Erdogan said upon his return from Ukraine he had reminded Zelensky of his readiness to host Zelensky-Putin talks," the channel said. According to Erdogan, Turkey "will continue to promote a settlement of the Ukrainian crisis by means of diplomacy and talks." Turkey is also ready to participate in Ukraine's recovery, Erdogan said....