Articles in this Cluster
29-05-2025
US President Donald Trump has intensified his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that he will soon determine if Putin is "tapping" him along in ceasefire talks. This comes as Russia proposed a second round of peace talks with Ukraine, to be held in Istanbul on June 2, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stating that Moscow will present its peace deal proposals directly to Ukraine. Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umerov responded, saying his government is "not against" further meetings but wants Russia to deliver its memorandum to Kyiv beforehand. Trump warned that if Putin is delaying talks, the US will "respond a little differently".
29-05-2025
Germany's new Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has promised to help Ukraine produce long-range missiles to defend against Russian attacks during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin. Merz stated that a "memorandum of understanding" on long-range missiles would be signed by the German and Ukrainian defence ministers. The Taurus missile, which has a range of 500km, is believed to be the type of missile in question, and its production would allow Ukraine to strike deeper into Russian territory. Merz's announcement marks a shift towards a more assertive stance on supporting Ukraine compared to his predecessor, Olaf Scholz. The development comes as Ukraine and Russia continue to engage in diplomatic efforts, with Russia expressing readiness to hold further peace talks, but Ukraine insisting that the next meeting must yield results.
29-05-2025
US President Donald Trump appears to have set a two-week deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, warning that if Putin is "stringing him along," the US will respond differently. Trump's comments come as Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukraine, killing at least 13 people in Kyiv and injuring dozens more. Trump had a recent two-hour phone call with Putin, after which he said the discussions went "very well," but Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles towards Ukraine's capital a week later. Trump's threats have not appeared to concern Moscow, and the White House's mediation approach has been criticized for empowering the Kremlin.
29-05-2025
Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that his country will jointly develop new long-range weapons with Ukraine, allowing Ukraine to defend itself against military targets in Russian territory. The move comes as UN experts accused Russia of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity through drone attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine's Kherson region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of stalling peace talks and said Moscow did not want to halt its three-year invasion. Meanwhile, US President Trump lashed out at Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him "crazy," prompting a response from the Kremlin that Trump was "not being informed enough" about the conflict.
29-05-2025
President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that a resolution in the Ukraine war is two weeks away, a claim he has made since at least April 2025. This is not a new tactic for Trump, as he has used two-week deadlines throughout his presidency for various policy decisions and announcements, many of which never materialized. Trump has expressed frustration with the conflict's progress and has considered various options, including imposing new sanctions on Moscow or walking away from efforts to broker peace. Despite his top lieutenants warning that time is growing short for an American role in ending the war, Trump remains undecided, saying he needs more time to assess whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is serious about ending the conflict.
29-05-2025
President Donald Trump said he believes the US is close to reaching a new Iran nuclear deal and has warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to disrupt the talks. Trump confirmed he told Netanyahu that any move to upend the negotiations would be "inappropriate." Sources say the US and Iran are closing in on a broad agreement, with talks led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and moderated by Oman. The key sticking point remains Iran's uranium enrichment, with the US demanding a stop to all enrichment and Iran willing to commit not to enrich to weapons-grade levels. Trump indicated he may be open to limited enrichment with increased inspections. The talks have discussed the US investing in Iran's nuclear power program and a consortium producing enriched uranium for Iran's reactors.
29-05-2025
An Austrian intelligence report claims Iran is continuing with its active nuclear weapons program, contradicting the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence's assessment that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon. The Austrian report states that Iran's nuclear weapons development program is well advanced and that it possesses a growing arsenal of ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads over long distances. The report also notes that Iran has developed sophisticated sanctions-evasion networks, which have benefited Russia. The findings could complicate President Trump's negotiation process to resolve the atomic crisis with Iran's rulers.
29-05-2025
President Donald Trump confirmed that he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off on striking Iran's nuclear sites amid ongoing negotiations on its nuclear program, saying "I don't think it's appropriate." The comments came after reports suggested Netanyahu had threatened to upend the talks by striking Iran's nuclear facilities, and amid growing friction between the two leaders. Trump is pushing for a diplomatic agreement to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, and described recent negotiations with Iran as "very, very good talks."
