Russian President Vladimir Putin and US emissary Steve Witkoff addressed today in the Kremlin possible direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to achieve a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
“It was about, among other things, the possible resumption of direct negotiations between representatives of Russia and Ukraine,” said Yuri Ushakov, international adviser to the Kremlin, during a telephone press conference.
Ushakov stressed that the meeting, which lasted for three hours, served to “bring positions closer” between the Kremlin and the White House.
In addition, he stressed that, by virtue of what was agreed by both presidents, the Russian-American consultations will soon continue actively.
US President Donald Trump today defended Moscow’s position on the membership of the annexed Crimean peninsula to the Russian Federation, something that Ukraine considers inadmissible.
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In addition, he assured that Russia’s commitment to cease hostilities and give up taking more territories than it already controls in the neighboring country are sufficient concessions.
Putin was willing for the first time to resume direct contacts with Kiev this week by alluding to a possible 30-day truce in the attacks on civilian infrastructure, at the proposal of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“This must all be studied thoroughly, even at a bilateral level,” he said at the time.
In this regard, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said that the main obstacle is the decree signed by Zelenski that prevents him from negotiating face to face with Putin.
Representatives of Russia and Ukraine held direct negotiations in Minsk just after the start of the Russian military intervention on February 24, 2022 and met again in March in Istanbul.
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Russia maintains that both parties had reached a principle of agreement, but the interference of the United Kingdom threw down the consensus, although experts claim that the Russian demands represented, in fact, the capitulation of Kiev.
Meanwhile, Russia continues its offensive against Ukraine and last night launched 103 drones on Ukrainian territory, of which 41 were attack and were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses and another 40 without explosive charge fell without causing damage, according to the report issued on Friday by the Ukrainian Air Force.
The attack caused damage in the regions of Kharkov and Sumi, in northeastern Ukraine, in Donetsk in the east of the country and in the Cherkasi and Dnipropetrovsk regions, in the center.
In the town of Pavlograd in the latter region, three people, including a child, died, according to regional authorities.
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call. “A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire. “It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
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Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists. “Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
