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Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has urged Washington’s chief negotiator with Moscow, Steve Witkoff, to consult European leaders before placing trust in Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. Witkoff has been part of U.S. delegations leading talks with Moscow and Kyiv since February, after Trump tasked members of his administration to help negotiate an end to Russia’s three-year war in Ukraine. However, he has faced criticism from Kyiv for peddling Russian narratives, including a suggestion to hand over four partially occupied eastern Ukrainian regions to Moscow. In March, Witkoff said that Putin has no intention to “take all of...

President Donald Trump has had a simple and bold plan to win the peace in the brutal war between Russia and Ukraine. In my opinion, Trump knew getting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainians to negotiate was never going to be the problem. But Russian President Vladimir Putin would be. So Trump seemingly castigated the Ukrainians at the very same time he extended a very welcoming hand to Putin, a nonthreatening and nonjudgmental one at that. Trump's maneuver was a brilliant one, including a peace deal that would start with both sides agreeing to an immediate ceasefire. As expected, Zelenskyy...

Donald Trump issued an ominous warning to Vladimir Putin after accusing him of deliberately drawing out the fragile peace process in Ukraine. The US president was asked whether he thought it was "disrespectful" of his Russian counterpart to accuse him of being overly emotional. A reporter questioned: "Do you believe the Russians are being disrespectful when they say that your criticisms of Putin are simply an emotional response? And do you still believe that Putin actually wants to end the war? Mr Trump responded: "I can't tell you that, but I'll let you know in about two weeks. Within two...

US President Donald Trump’s envoy, Keith Kellogg, on Wednesday scolded a top Russian official for stoking fears of World War Three after Trump warned President Vladimir Putin was “playing with fire” over Ukraine. -snip- US envoy Kellogg quoted Medvedev’s post and said it reckless. “Stoking fears of WW III is an unfortunate, reckless comment... and unfitting of a world power,” Kellogg said on X. “President Trump @POTUS is working to stop this war and end the killing. We await receipt of RU Memorandum (Term Sheet) that you promised a week ago. Cease fire now.”

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev warned on Tuesday United States President Donald Trump to the possibility of World War III. "Regarding Trump's words about Putin 'playing with fire' and 'really bad things' happening to Russia. I only know of one REALLY BAD thing - WWIII," Medvedev posted on his X account, regarding Trump's earlier remarks, and added "I hope Trump understands this!"

President Trump’s “Golden Dome” plan has riled the three countries whose weapons technology poses the greatest threat to American territory, with China, Russia and North Korea claiming the missile-defense project is driving a dangerous new arms race. -snip- North Korea slammed the Golden Dome on Tuesday as the “largest arms-buildup plan in history.” China and Russia in a joint statement earlier this month called the project “deeply destabilizing.” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, in a briefing to journalists Tuesday, said the plan “represented a direct disruption to the foundations of strategic stability.” All three countries have also denounced Trump’s...

Russia criticized the U.S. for its Golden Dome anti-missile system, announced recently by President Donald Trump, saying it undermines strategic stability. Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, told Washington to abandon the deployment of weapons in space. Her comments came at a press briefing on Tuesday morning and were reported by TASS, a Russian state news agency. -snip- Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a press briefing: "This highly offensive system violates the principle of peaceful use of outer space. It will exacerbate the risk of turning outer space into a battlefield and...

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that Russia and the United States "cannot agree on everything" after US President Donald Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin "absolutely crazy" and criticized strikes on Ukrainian cities. "But the political will to implement the agreements that are reached is there, and the work continues," Peskov added.

Russia has handed Ukraine a list of 1,000 prisoners of war it wants Kyiv to return in a forthcoming exchange deal, the Kremlin said on Thursday, according to Russia's Interfax news agency. Ukrainian military intelligence told Reuters on Thursday that it had submitted its corresponding list. Russian state media outlet Interfax reported. An agreement to conduct such an exchange was reached earlier this month in Istanbul during the first direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in more than three years.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart, Donald Trump, will speak by phone on Monday evening. During a press conference in Moscow on Monday, Peskov confirmed that the call is scheduled for 5 p.m. Moscow time (GMT1400). According to him, the purpose of the call is to discuss the outcomes of the recent Russia-Ukraine talks held in Istanbul last week. Peskov described the upcoming contact as "important," noting that the leaders will also discuss future communications between the two countries.

United States President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he expects some "pretty good news" on the war in Ukraine soon. During a meeting with Qatar's Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, Trump thanked the Arab country for its peace efforts, noting Doha was "very much involved in helping us in other regions," like Ukraine. "I think we're having some pretty good news coming out of there today, and maybe tomorrow, and maybe Friday, frankly," the US president stated. The comments come ahead of expected talks in Istanbul on Thursday between Moscow and Kiev. It is still unclear if the...

United States President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he is unsure whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will participate in the proposed Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul, suggesting the leader may decline if Trump himself does not attend. When asked about Putin's possible participation, Trump admitted to reporters on Air Force One that he does not know if the Russian head of state will travel to Istanbul. "I don't know if he's showing up [at peace negotiations]. I know he would like me to be there ... and that's a possibility," Trump replied. "I don't know that he would be there...

President Trump said Tuesday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will represent him at Russia-Ukraine peace talks expected to take place Thursday in Istanbul — after suggesting he might go himself to try to end Europe’s bloodiest conflict since World War II. -snip- “Talks are being held in Turkey later this week — probably on Thursday, and they could produce some pretty good results. Our people are going to be going there, Marco is going to be going there, others are going to be going, and we’ll see if we can get it done,” Trump said.

Important events are developing on the international political scene - according to Keith Kellogg, the US special representative for Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin may personally participate in the Russia-Ukraine talks scheduled for May 15 in Istanbul. If this happens, it is possible that US President Donald Trump will also attend the meeting. Kellogg explained this proposal as follows: "We hope that President Putin will also go to the talks. If so, then President Trump may also come to Istanbul. This will be a completely unexpected, historic meeting," he told reporters. Hope and pressure from Trump's visit According to a...

U.S. President Donald Trump's senior envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg will travel to Istanbul for potential talks on Thursday on how to end Russia's war in Ukraine, three sources familiar with the plans said on Tuesday. However, a senior U.S. official said it was unclear whether anyone from the Russian government would show up. The White House, State Department, National Security Council and a spokesperson for Witkoff did not immediately respond to a request for comment. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will only attend the talks this week if Russia's Vladimir Putin is also there, an aide to the Ukrainian leader...

Türkiye is ready to host negotiations for a cease-fire and permanent peace between Russia and Ukraine, President Tayyip Erdoğan said Sunday. Erdoğan held a key phone call wıth Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin amid Moscow's overtures for cease-fire negotiations with Ukraine. His comments came during a phone call with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, the presidential office confirmed. Erdoğan told Macron that a "historic turning point" has been reached in efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. "A historic turning point has been reached in efforts to end the war between Ukraine and Russia, that this opportunity must be seized, and that Türkiye...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday welcomed Russia’s offer for direct peace talks, but insisted there must be a full, temporary ceasefire in place before negotiations can start. Zelenskyy, writing on X, called Russian President Vladimir Putin’s counter-offer to start talks without a ceasefire a “positive sign,” and said that “the entire world has been waiting for this for a very long time.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call, according to Türkiye’s Presidential Communications Directorate, News.Az reports. It was noted that the parties discussed Turkiye-Russia relations, regional and global issues. Erdogan expressed his satisfaction with Putin's statement on the resumption of Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul, and stressed that Turkiye is ready to host the discussions. The Turkish President also noted that a window of opportunity for peace has opened, and that ensuring a ceasefire will create the necessary environment for peace talks.

Vladimir Putin’s top security official has vanished during efforts to end the war in Ukraine, amid swirling health rumours and claims he could be caught up in a corruption probe. Sergei Shoigu, 69, is a Russian army general and currently the secretary of the powerful Russian Security Council. He served as defence minister for most of the war in Ukraine before being replaced one year ago, and is a very well-known member of Putin's entourage. Speculation is swirling in Moscow after he missed the Red Square parade on Friday amid claims his absence was health-related. But an explanation that he...

Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed he will personally attend landmark peace talks on Thursday with Russia in a direct ultimatum to Vladimir Putin. Writing on social media on Sunday afternoon, Ukraine's President said he "will be waiting" in Istanbul for his Russian counterpart to sit down and negotiate.