Putin says Russia goes through ‘difficult times’
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Supreme Court Chief Justice Vyacheslav Lebedev at the Kremlin in Moscow, May 22, 2023.
Mikhail Klimentev | afp | Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin told an audience on Tuesday that Russia was going through “difficult times” with the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, but said national pride was on the rise.
“Yes, Russia goes through difficult times right away; things have never been easy, but nevertheless, today we’re witnessing a moment of our common consolidation, and our national pride is sharpened,” Putin said at the awards ceremony on Tuesday, in response to the comments, state news agency Tass reported.
Putin said that Russia “is striving in any respect costs to strengthen the foundations of our spirituality, to create conditions in the economy, production and education of our youth, to make sure an unconditional future for our country.”
Putin said that Russia had develop into more self-sufficient in recent years, although he didn’t cite international sanctions as the reason.
“We have now develop into rather more self-sufficient. Without self-sufficiency there could be no sovereignty, and self-sufficiency is achieved in all areas: in the arts, in science, in industry and, in fact, in the military,” he said.
Russian officials have often tried to look on the shiny side of the string of international sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, in addition to past misdeeds, starting with meddling in the 2016 US election.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine caused massive destruction in the country and the death of 1000’s of civilians (the UN estimates their number at almost 9,000).
— Holly Ellyatt
The Kremlin says there are not any conditions for peace in Ukraine
A soldier of the Russian National Guard stands guard on the Moscow River embankment opposite the Kremlin on the morning of the Victory Day military parade.
Alexander Nemenov | afp | Getty Images
The Kremlin said on Wednesday it was too early to speak about a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Ukraine, while President Vladimir Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said there have been no preconditions yet for an end to the conflict.
When asked by journalists which peace proposals are closest to Russia’s position, Peskov said:
“It’s too early to speak about it until there are preconditions for a peaceful resolution. A special military operation is underway,” he said in comments Russian state news agency Tass reported.
He added that the Russian “special military operation”, as he calls the invasion of Ukraine, can be accomplished.
“Russia only considers the conclusion of its special military operation: securing its interests, achieving Russia’s goals either through a special military operation or by other available means.”
Asked to make clear whether the Kremlin is able to negotiate with its counterparts in Kiev, Peskov said: “It’s unlikely that this could be discussed because any negotiations with the Russian Federation are prohibited.” [in Ukraine]”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said last 12 months that Kiev wouldn’t negotiate with Russia under Putin.
Each Russia and Ukraine have “red lines” they are saying they’ll not cross with regards to a possible future peace deal. Kiev says Russia must remove all its troops from the occupied territories and wants all of its territory back, including Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.
Moscow wants all Ukrainian regions it has illegally annexed to be recognized as Russian territory and wants guarantees that Ukraine won’t join NATO. Ukraine said there might be room for compromise on the latter issue if it received security guarantees from its international allies.
— Holly Ellyatt
Russia and China are in a “convenient alliance”, not a “deep alliance”, says the professor
![The professor says that China and Russia are in an](https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/107245786-1684908158580-1684893016-29586295508-hd.jpg?v=1684908171&w=750&h=422&vtcrop=y)
Russia and China are in an “alliance of convenience,” not a deep alliance that “lasts 10 or 20 years,” said Joseph Nye, professor emeritus at Harvard University.
Each countries see the US as a “common irritant” reasonably than a “common enemy,” Nye told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia.”
China has positioned itself as a peace broker in the war in Ukraine, sending representatives to Russia, Ukraine and other European countries last week in an try and start negotiations. Released A 12 point peace plan in February calling for a de-escalation of the war.
The peace plan just isn’t realistic because “the Chinese don’t desire to bother the Russians,” Nye said. But when Ukraine’s planned spring offensive has some success, Putin may determine a ceasefire is sensible and China may “pressurize him to simply accept” something more serious, Nye explained.
The professor said Beijing desired to “play as a peacemaker” to regain its foothold in Europe. “China cares about its soft power, its attractiveness in Europe and has lost rather a lot by strong support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.”
Nonetheless, he added that in order to reduce the lack of fame, China could have to “push a bit harder on Russia.”
— Audrey Wan
Ukraine says it’s working to remove Russian troops from the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant
A Russian soldier guards the area of the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant in the territory under Russian military control in southeastern Ukraine, May 1, 2022.
AP
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on his official Telegram channel that Kiev is working to remove Russian forces from the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant.
“We’re working with all our partners to force Russia to depart the ZNPP and create a demilitarized zone around the plant,” in response to NBC News’ translation.
The nuclear facility, the largest in Europe, was occupied by Russian forces weeks after a full-scale Russian invasion.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has previously called on Russia and Ukraine to create a demilitarized zone around the facility to mitigate the effects of the nuclear disaster.
— Amanda Macias
“The more weapons are delivered, the more dangerous the world can be,” the Kremlin says of Western support for Ukraine
Security Council Vice-President Dmitry Medvedev (seen here with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2020) told Russian media on Thursday that “the desire of the West may be very easy – to destabilize the political situation, to divide the country into several parts that might be large enough, agreements with each of those parts, denuclearize and demilitarize all of them, and then offer yours [security] services,” state news agency Tass reported.
Dmitry Astakhov | AFP | Getty Images
The Kremlin has placed the blame on Western governments supplying Ukraine with weapons, saying it contributes to global security instability.
“The more weapons are delivered, the more dangerous the world can be,” Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, told reporters. in response to the TASS report.
“The more destructive these weapons are, the more likely the scenario of what is usually called a nuclear apocalypse becomes,” he added.
Over the weekend, the Biden administration announced its thirty eighth arms package for Ukraine price about $375 million.
— Amanda Macias
The US Embassy in Moscow appeals for normal consular contact with the detained WSJ reporter
American journalist Evan Gershkovich, arrested on espionage charges, stands in the defendants’ cage before trial to listen to an appeal against his arrest at a Moscow City Court, April 18, 2023.
Natalia Kolesnikova | afp | Getty Images
The US Embassy in Moscow has rejected a choice by a Russian court to increase the pre-trial detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich by three months.
The embassy also appealed for normal consular access to Gerszkowicz, adding that it had up to now been denied two attempts.
Probably the most recent incident occurred last week.
“We reiterate that the allegations against him are baseless and call for the immediate release of Mr. Gerszkowicz,” the US Embassy in Moscow said in a press release.
— Amanda Macias
No ship has sailed under the Black Sea grain deal in the last 4 days
A Ukrainian soldier stands in front of grain silos from the port of Odessa on the Black Sea, before grain is shipped as the government of Ukraine waits for a signal from the UN and Turkey to start shipping grain, during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in Odessa, Ukraine, July 29, 2022. REUTERS/Nacho Doce
Nacho Doce | Reuters
No ship left Ukrainian ports for 4 days after the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, in response to the latest data provided by the United Nations-backed export tracking organization.
The last ship to sail under the deal was carrying 6,800 metric tons of wheat and set sail from the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk for Italy on May 19.
The deal, which reopened three Ukrainian ports and established a humanitarian sea corridor for agricultural exports, was prolonged last week, someday before it expired.
— Amanda Macias
A Russian court has prolonged the detention of a Wall Street Journal reporter by three months
American journalist Evan Gershkovich, arrested on espionage charges, stands in the defendants’ cage before trial to listen to an appeal against his arrest at a Moscow City Court, April 18, 2023.
Natalia Kolesnikova | afp | Getty Images
A Russian court has decided to increase the detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich for 3 months, in response to a report by NBC News in Moscow.
Gerszkowicz, a reporter from Moscow, was arrested by Russian authorities in March on charges of espionage.
The choice of the Lefortovo District Court in Moscow was issued after the Federal Security Service (FSB) filed a request to detain Gershkowicz.
The Biden administration and The Wall Street Journal deny Russian allegations that Gerszkowicz was operating in Russia as a spy.
— Amanda Macias
Hungarian Orban Says Ukraine Cannot Win the War, Urges Washington to Discover a Solution
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrives at the venue on the final day of the NATO Summit in Madrid, Spain, June 30, 2022.
Jakub Porzycki | Nurphoto | Getty Images
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has spoken out against further fighting in Ukraine, claiming that Ukraine alone cannot win the war and that the West must step in to finish the conflict.
“Taking a look at the reality, taking a look at the numbers, taking a look at the environment, taking a look at the undeniable fact that NATO just isn’t able to send troops, it is apparent that poor Ukrainians cannot win on the battlefield,” Orban said at the Qatar Economic Forum.
“That’s my position… Escalation should be stopped and we should always be in favor of peace and negotiation.” He added that the war was the results of a “diplomatic failure”.
The suitable-wing, populist Orbán is on good terms with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has in a roundabout way condemned him for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He also openly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, calling him an “adversary” and opposing the sanctions imposed on Russia and some European Union aid packages for Ukraine.
“As a state, Ukraine is in fact very necessary, but in the long run, pondering strategically, Europe’s future security is at stake,” Orban said at the forum.
“It is obvious that without the United States there is no such thing as a security architecture for Europe. And this war can’t be stopped… unless the Russians could make an agreement with the United States. As a European, I’m not comfortable about it. But it surely’s the only way out.”
— Natasha Turak