US President Donald Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Wednesday to begin talks immediately to end the war in Ukraine. In a post on the Truth Social platform, Mr Trump said Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff would lead the peace negotiations.
“We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now,” Mr Trump said.
Mr Trump, who took office on January 20, has said one of his first goals in the White House is to bring a swift end to the war in Ukraine, which began almost three years ago. The US leader spoke to Mr Zelenskyy shortly after talking to Mr Putin.
“It is time to stop this ridiculous war, where there has been massive, and totally unnecessary, death and destruction. God bless the people of Russia and Ukraine,” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social.
In a post on X, Mr Zelenskyy said he had had “a meaningful conversation” with Mr Trump, discussing what he said were “opportunities to achieve peace”.
“No one wants peace more than Ukraine. Together with the US, we are charting our next steps to stop Russian aggression and ensure a lasting, reliable peace. As President Trump said, let’s get it done.”
Later, Mr Trump was asked in the White House if he expected Mr Zelenskyy to give up territory to Russia.
"Well, he's gonna have to do what he has to do. But you know, his poll numbers aren't particularly great," Mr Trump said.
He also said he wanted the US to recoup some of the money it had given Ukraine.
"We're going to, in some form, get this money back, because we're putting up far more money than Europe, and Europe is in far more danger than we are. We have an ocean in between. Europe has nothing in between."
US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth on Wednesday ruled out any return to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders in peace talks with the Kremlin, as he warned the US would leave the policing of a deal to Europeans and other countries.
Mr Hegseth, a former TV news anchor, said in Brussels that Ukraine's need for security guarantees would not be met by the US and that troops posted to support any armistice would not be covered by Nato's Article 5 mutual defence pact.
The developments come a day after the Trump administration brought home Marc Fogel, a US schoolteacher who had been held in Russia for more than three years on drug charges. His release was part of a prisoner exchange with Moscow.
“We appreciate President Putin for what he did, he was able to pull it off for you, right?” Mr Trump said while standing next to Mr Fogel in the White House late on Tuesday.
He called the prisoner exchange a “catalyst” for ending the war in Ukraine. “I want to get the war ended. That war should not have happened. It would have never happened if I were president,” he said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US had released Alexander Vinnik, a "non-violent crypto criminal", as part of the prisoner exchange.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
Bloomsbury Academic
The%20specs
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Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
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Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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More from Aya Iskandarani
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What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
South Africa squad
Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
New schools in Dubai
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
