+++ Ukraine war +++: Europeans attach conditions to security talks

Europeans attach conditions to security talks

Germany and the vast majority of other European states only want to talk to Russia about key security issues after the end of the Ukraine war. A statement signed by 39 countries at the European Summit in Ireland's capital Dublin said they supported discussions on further risk management and risk reduction mechanisms that would contribute to stability in Europe. But such talks can only take place when peace has been restored in Europe.

Both military risks and risks arising from actions below the threshold of armed aggression could be addressed. This usually refers to so-called hybrid threats such as acts of sabotage and disinformation campaigns. In the past, Russia has called for, among other things, a restriction on the NATO presence near its borders.

Zelenskyj: Ceasefire should be the topic of the next peace talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is hoping for negotiations on a ceasefire and de-escalation at the next peace talks with Russia. He also welcomed the planned participation of European representatives in the US-mediated talks and announced the largest prisoner exchange of the war to date.

Zelensky made the comments on the sidelines of a European summit in Dublin after meeting with US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. It is important that the peace process gets back on track, said the President. For his part, Kushner said an agreement could not be concluded without the Europeans at the negotiating table. Witkoff had announced a new round of talks with the participation of European government representatives.

US negotiators' meeting with Putin over

According to Russian media, the meeting between US negotiators and Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin in the struggle to end the Ukraine war is over. According to the Interfax news agency, it took around two and a half hours.

At the meeting in the Kremlin, Putin reiterated his unyielding territorial demands in Ukraine. For Russia there is only one possible border line with Ukraine. According to Putin's understanding, this border also includes Ukrainian territories that Russia has annexed.

Putin also proposed a humanitarian operation for the Donbas town of Kostiantynivka in order to evacuate civilians from there, as was recently the case in the Moscow-occupied front-line town of Oleshky. The proposal was rejected in Kyiv. While Oleshky to the south in the Kherson region is clearly in Russian hands, the situation in Kostiantynivka is less clear.

At the meeting, Kushner also raised the question of European participation in negotiations to end the Russian war of aggression that has been going on for more than four and a half years.

The meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the two US negotiators Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff is over.

US representative in Moscow - Putin unyielding on territorial issues

Russian leader Vladimir Putin reiterated his unyielding Russian territorial demands on Ukraine at a meeting with US negotiators. In a conversation with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow, the Kremlin chief said that for Russia there was only one possible border line with Ukraine, and that was the official Russian external border. According to Putin's understanding, this border also includes Ukrainian territories that Russia has annexed. The Kremlin released a video recording of the start of the conversation.

In addition to the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed in 2014, Moscow also declared the Ukrainian administrative regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Kherson to be Russian territory in 2022. From a military point of view, the four areas are partly under Ukrainian control. Above all, Russia demands a withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donetsk and Luhansk, the so-called Donbass, which Putin was unable to conquer in almost five years of war.

Putin proposes ceasefire for Kostiantynivka in Donbass

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a new temporary ceasefire, this time for the embattled town of Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region, at a meeting with US negotiators in the Kremlin. There, as was recently the case in the front-line town of Oleshky in the Kherson region, hundreds of people could be brought to safety in a humanitarian operation, Putin said. Russia needs five days of ceasefire to clear the area of ​​mines, he said at the start of the meeting with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

Putin stated that Ukraine expects to control Kostiantynivka. He emphasized that he himself sees the city near Kramatorsk under Russian control. Hundreds of people could be saved in a new joint operation by Kiev and Moscow, he said. International media representatives, including from the USA, should also be invited to get an idea of ​​the situation - as was the case in Oleschky at the end of October.

In Oleschky, the human rights representatives of Ukraine and Russia led the mission together after the mediation of US First Lady Melania Trump. They then announced that there could be further operations of this kind. After the talks with Putin, Witkoff and Kushner also want to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Dublin.

Great Britain: Sanctions against Russia's ten largest oil producers

Britain has imposed sanctions on Russian oil producer Slavneft as well as a number of organizations and vessels related to the energy sector. According to its own information, the country is the first country to take action against Russia's ten largest oil producers.

Putin proposes humanitarian mission to Kostyantynivka to US envoy

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposes a joint Russian-Ukrainian humanitarian operation in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka. Putin reported this to US mediators, the Interfax news agency reported. The plan could be modeled on a similar initiative late last month in the Russian-controlled city of Oleshky in southeastern Ukraine, Putin was quoted as saying. This allowed residents to leave the area while relief supplies were delivered to those who remained there. According to the agency, Russia needs five days to clear the area in the Kostiantynivka area.

Ukraine talks between Putin and US negotiators begin in the Kremlin

Ukraine peace talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US mediators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have begun in the Kremlin. Kushner told Putin that Europe wanted to take part in future negotiations. Witkoff said the major prisoner swap agreed at talks in Abu Dhabi this week was a sign of progress.

Ukraine demands details from US on Starshield restrictions

According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine is trying to clarify the restrictions on the Starshield communications service from the USA. The restrictions on the military version of Starlink significantly affected Ukraine's air defense, Zelensky told European leaders in Dublin. "So far we know very little. But something is already clear: If someone in America makes decisions that essentially treat Ukrainian territory as if it does not belong to Ukraine, then that shows us the direction in which things are going," he explained.

Merz: We have to close Ukraine's financial gap for 2027

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called on European partners to close Ukraine's financial gap by 2027. “It goes without saying to me that this is a common European task,” he said before the start of the meeting of the European Political Community in Dublin. “It’s important that we Europeans stand together.” There were “some positive signals” during the peace negotiations in Abu Dhabi. But he expects that Russian President Vladimir Putin will finally agree to talks with the Europeans at the table. “I note with some satisfaction that there is obviously a willingness to recognize more and more on the Russian side that we cannot talk about Europe without Europe,” said Merz.

EU Commission President announces 22nd sanctions package against Russia

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced that her authority will present both a 22nd sanctions package against Russia and a proposal to cover Ukraine's financial needs next year before the EU summit in December. Before a meeting of the European Political Community in Dublin, she also welcomed the peace talks in Abu Dhabi. “It is good that the Europeans were represented to protect our interests.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked for this. “We will support Ukraine, be it in wartime or peacetime.”

Luxembourg: EU Council President Costa should speak for Europe

Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden has spoken out in favor of EU Council President Antonio Costa representing the European Union in talks with Russia. “If we need a common representation, then he is the natural representative,” said Costa before the meeting of the European Political Community in Dublin, which also includes numerous non-EU countries.

Ukraine: One dead and damage in eight regions in Russian attacks

Nightly Russian attacks have caused damage in eight regions of the country, according to Ukrainian sources. The attack was primarily aimed at the energy and transport infrastructure, Prime Minister Serhiy Koretskyj said on Telegram. A drone hit a nine-story residential building in Kiev this morning, killing one person and injuring at least six. Three people were rescued. According to Koretskyj, Russia also attacked an electricity generation plant in Zaporizhia and high-voltage substations in the Odessa and Rivne regions.

Zelenskyj: Disruptions to the Starshield satellite service across the entire front

According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian military has been experiencing significant disruptions to the Starshield satellite service for several days. This affects the entire front as well as Russian-occupied areas, Zelensky said on Telegram. Starshield is the military version of the US company SpaceX's Starlink satellite communications service. System limitations limited the permissible movement speed when using Starshield to 161 kilometers per hour. As a result, Ukrainian defense missiles would not be able to achieve sufficient speed to intercept Russian missiles. This led to some impacts. “This helps the Russians kill more Ukrainians and carry out more precise attacks against Ukraine,” Zelensky said. Ukraine is trying to clarify the reasons for the restriction with the US side.

US envoy arrives in Moscow for talks with Putin

US special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have arrived in Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriyev received the US delegation at the airport. The trip follows two days of negotiations between Ukraine, Russia and the United States in Abu Dhabi that ended on Wednesday. They were the first direct, US-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine on ways to end the war in nine months. Kushner and Witkoff want to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Dublin following their visit to Moscow. The summit of EU heads of state and government of the European Political Community, of which Ukraine is also a member, is taking place in the Irish capital.

Russia and Ukraine attack each other's capitals

Russia and Ukraine attacked each other's capitals early this morning. The attacks came a day after peace talks ended. According to an eyewitness from the Reuters news agency, explosions were heard in the early hours of the morning in the Ukrainian capital Kiev. It was initially unclear whether any damage was caused in the city. The mayor of Moscow said on Telegram that Russia had shot down five drones heading for the Russian capital. He did not give any further details.

Eyewitnesses: Explosions in Kyiv

According to eyewitnesses from the Reuters news agency, explosions can be heard in the Ukrainian capital Kiev.

Kushner and Witkoff are expected to meet Putin on Thursday

In the shuttle diplomacy over the Ukraine war, US negotiators will speak again today in Moscow with Russian head of state Vladimir Putin. Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's special envoy, and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner want to inform Putin about their views on the recent three-way talks with Russia, Ukraine and the USA in Abu Dhabi.

Putin's foreign policy adviser announced the meeting for the first half of the day, the state news agency Tass reported. “They bring something with them,” Ushakov said of the US representatives, without giving details. This is Witkoff's fourth visit to Putin this year. On the flight back to the USA, Witkoff and Kushner want to speak to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Irish capital Dublin.

Russian ambassador to US dies

According to the government in Moscow, Russia's ambassador to the United States is dead. Alexander Darchiev has died at the age of 66, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday. Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova later wrote on Telegram that Darchiev died in Moscow as a result of a chronic illness.

Darchiev was an experienced diplomat and was known in the past for his strong condemnations of the West. Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Darchiev as ambassador to Washington in March 2025 to promote rapprochement with the government of US President Donald Trump.

Russia rules out territorial exchanges with Ukraine

Russia sees no possibility of exchanging territory with Ukraine as part of a peace agreement. This was stated by the Russian Chief Undersecretary