1 week ago
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Ukraine says its peace talks with the US in Saudi Arabia yesterday were "constructive and meaningful" as American and Russian officials meet in Riyadh. Kyiv defence minister said the the discussions focused "particularly on the energy sector" with Russian and American delegations now speaking, according to Russian state media.
Donald Trump's personal envoy, who has criticised Sir Keir Starmer's coalition of the willing plans as "posture and pose", said he believes the Russian President "wants peace". The Kremlin spokesman, however, has warned: "We are only at the beginning of this path."
18 mins ago07:44 James Knuckey
US-Russia talks begin - Russian state media
The US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia have now started, according to TASS, the Russian state news agency.
Updates to follow.
28 mins ago07:34 James Knuckey
Zelensky: Putin must give 'real order to stop the strikes'
Volodymyr Zelensky used his evening address on Sunday to say Vladimir Putin "must be pushed to issue a real order to stop the strikes".
The Ukrainian President discussed the impact of recent Russian strikes which included a father and his five-year-old daughter who were killed in a Russian drone attack on Kyiv.
Speaking ahead of the meeting of US and Russian officials, he said "there must be more pressure on Russia to stop this terror".
Mr Zelensky said: "Since March 11, a proposal for an unconditional ceasefire has been on the table—and these attacks could have already stopped. But it is Russia that continues all this.
"Every night, every single day, it carries out the most cynical strikes."
The Ukrainian President also discussed Ukraine's talks with the US in Saudi Arabia, saying: "Our team is working in a fully constructive manner, and the discussion is quite useful."
54 mins ago07:08 James Knuckey
Anger over Steve Witkoff's comments on Ukraine
Steve Witkoff faced criticsm for some of his comments made during his interview with Tucker Carlson.
Donald Trump's envoy floundered as he tried to name the the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Luhansk which have been occupied by Russia following Moscow's full-scale invasion.
He said the regions were "Russian-speaking" and that "there have been referendums where the majority of the people have indicated that they want to be under Russian rule", a reference to Kremlin-organised votes after the invasion.
Labour MP Neil Coyle said: "Many people in Florida and Texas speak Spanish but it would be idiotic and offensive to claim that they belong to Spain. Ukrainian territory belongs to the Ukrainian state alone."
Lib Dem MP Sarah Green, who sits on the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ukraine, said: "Witkoff doesn't care about Ukraine's sovereignty. He's more comfortable repeating Putin's propaganda than supporting Ukraine's heroic fighters and civilians."
Former Tory MP Bob Seely said Mr Witkoff is "simply regurgitating Kremlin propaganda" aand should "apologise to Ukrainians".
Broadcaster and author John Simpson said: "I’ve finally read Steve Witkoff’s long interview with Tucker Carlson about Gaza and Ukraine, which he’s supposedly negotiating on.
"It’s embarrassing — very little awareness of the complexities, and shockingly ignorant of detail. Carlson knows even less and can’t challenge him."
I\u2019ve finally read Steve Witkoff\u2019s long interview with Tucker Carlson about Gaza and Ukraine, which he\u2019s supposedly negotiating on. It\u2019s embarrassing \u2014 very little awareness of the complexities, and shockingly ignorant of detail. Carlson knows even less and can\u2019t challenge him.
\u2014 John Simpson (@JohnSimpsonNews) March 23, 20251 hour ago06:50 James Knuckey
Starmer’s Ukraine peace plan torn apart - ‘not remotely possible’
Donald Trump's personal envoy Steve Witkoff hit out at Sir Keir Starmer's peaceekping plans for Ukraine as "a posture and a pose".
The PM is working on the so-called coalition of the willing to help support any peace deal made in Ukraine, with further talks expected later this week.
However, Mr Witkoff criticised the plans in an interview with pro-Trump journalist Tucker Carlson.
He said: "I think it's a combination of a posture and a pose and a combination of also being simplistic. There is this sort of notion that we have all got to be like Winston Churchill. Russians are going to march across Europe.
"That is preposterous by the way. We have something called NATO that we did not have in World War Two."
Mr Witkoff also said he had developed a "friendship" with the Russian President, describing Vladimir Putin as "super smart".
1 hour ago06:34 James Knuckey
Russia-US talks to start imminently
Talks between Russia and US delegations in Riyadh are set to begin at 7am UK time, according to Russian state media.
Washington is looking to introduce a Black Sea ceasefire and the US has been positive over the talks.
However, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, has warned: "We are only at the beginning of this path."
2 hours ago06:24 James Knuckey
Ukraine says talks with US were 'constructive and meaningful'
Ukraine said peace talks with the US on Sunday were "constructive and meaningful".
Ukraine defence minister Rustem Umerov said the talks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, focused on key areas, "particularly the energy sector".
Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's energy infrastrucutre and the issue has been a crucial part of peace talks so far.
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