World
Kremlin says it welcomes Trump’s desire to focus on search for peace in Ukraine after Gaza ceasefire
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia remained open to peace talks.
The Kremlin said on Tuesday it welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s desire to focus on the search for a peace deal to end the fighting in Ukraine after achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and hoped he’d be able to push Kyiv towards a settlement, Reuters reported.
Addressing the Israeli Knesset a day earlier after brokering a deal between Israel and Hamas, Trump spoke of wanting to get a deal done with Iran over its nuclear programme, but said he’d turn his attention to trying to end the war in Ukraine first.
“…first we have to get Russia done. We gotta get that one done. If you don’t mind, Steve, let’s focus on Russia first,” Trump said, addressing Steve Witkoff, his special envoy who has held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia remained open to peace talks, read the report.
“We certainly welcome such intentions and we welcome the confirmation of the political will to do everything possible to promote the search for peaceful solutions,” Peskov said, when asked about Trump’s comments.
“We are already well acquainted with Mr Witkoff; he is effective, has proven his effectiveness now in the Middle East, and we hope that his talents will continue to contribute to the work already underway in Ukraine.”
Russia accuses Ukraine of stalling negotiations and of not making good on an idea of setting up working groups to consider potential aspects of a deal. Ukraine accuses Moscow of not being serious about a deal and of putting forward conditions that are tantamount to asking for it to surrender, Reuters reported.
“The Russian side remains open and ready for peaceful dialogue, and we hope that the influence of the United States and the diplomatic skills of President Trump’s envoys will help encourage the Ukrainian side to be more active and more willing to engage in the peace process,” Peskov said.
Peskov has said that dialogue with the U.S. around Ukraine has stalled, while Trump has spoken of possibly supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles, something Moscow has made clear it would regard as a dangerous escalation.
World
Norway to give over $9 billion to Ukraine in 2027
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and leaders from across the Nordic and Baltic region are visiting Kyiv on Sunday in a show of support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.
Norway plans to give another 85 billion Norwegian crowns ($9.2 billion) in financial support to Ukraine in the 2027 fiscal year, in line with the amount given in 2026, the Nordic country’s government said in a statement on Sunday.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and leaders from across the Nordic and Baltic region are visiting Kyiv on Sunday in a show of support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.
Norway plans to give another 85 billion Norwegian crowns ($9.2 billion) in financial support to Ukraine in the 2027 fiscal year, in line with the amount given in 2026, the Nordic country’s government said in a statement on Sunday.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and leaders from across the Nordic and Baltic region are visiting Kyiv on Sunday in a show of support for Ukraine in the war with Russia.
Russia and Ukraine are both ramping up drone campaigns aiming to cripple each other’s economic infrastructure, often striking targets far beyond the frontlines of the war started by Moscow, as fighting on the battlefield grinds toward the 4-1/2-year mark.
World
Israel strikes southern Syria; Damascus condemns attack
Israeli troops continue to operate in southern Syria, and Israel occupies territory in southwest Syria it seized after the toppling of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
Israel said it targeted a “terrorist” in southern Syria on Saturday in what Syria’s foreign ministry said was a drone strike on a civilian vehicle on the outskirts of Damascus in a “blatant” violation of its territory.
The Syrian foreign ministry said the drone had hit a civilian car on a road near Beit Jinn village in the countryside west of the capital, which caused injuries amongst civilians.
Syrian state TV reported one person was injured.
The Israeli military said in a statement that it fired in southern Syria toward what it described as a terrorist, whose activity posed an immediate threat to its soldiers. It did not say how it fired.
Tensions between Israel and Syria flared up this week after Israel bombed an airbase in the northwest on Tuesday, an escalation U.S. special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, called “unnecessary.”
Syria’s foreign ministry said the strike was part of a pattern of repeated Israeli attacks on Syrian territory, and was a “blatant violation” of its sovereignty. It held Israel accountable for the consequences of such actions.
Israeli troops continue to operate in southern Syria, and Israel occupies territory in southwest Syria it seized after the toppling of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
World
Trump says Iran ‘Not Ready’ for the right deal as war nears six-month mark
The continuing US-Israeli strikes on Iran, along with Israeli attacks on Lebanon, have reportedly killed thousands of people and displaced millions across the region.
US President Donald Trump has said he does not believe Iran is ready to make what he described as the “right deal,” as the war between Tehran and Washington approaches its six-month mark, Reuters reported.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump said the United States was continuing to assess developments in the conflict when asked whether Washington’s military options against Iran had become limited.
“It just means that we’re seeing what happens,” Trump said.
Trump also claimed that the United States had “total control” over the region surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically vital waterway that previously carried around one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28.
“They would love to make a deal, but they’re not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion,” Trump said.
The remarks come after Washington pledged this week to impose what it described as the toughest financial penalties in history against Iran, with the stated aim of increasing pressure on the country’s leadership, read the report.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said further details of the planned sanctions would be announced on Monday, following Trump’s warning that any country providing “any type of lifeline” to Iran could face serious economic consequences.
Meanwhile, disruptions to energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have continued as Iran retains missile and drone capabilities that have affected oil tanker traffic in the waterway.
Iran responded to the initial attacks on February 28 with strikes on Israel and Gulf states hosting US military bases.
The continuing US-Israeli strikes on Iran, along with Israeli attacks on Lebanon, have reportedly killed thousands of people and displaced millions across the region.
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