Residents in Russian-controlled Melitopol - a municipality in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, southeastern Ukraine - expressed mixed hopes ahead of Putin-Trump talks in Alaska on Friday, where the leaders will discuss U.S.-Russia relations and prospects for ending the conflict in Ukraine.
The Alaska summit will be the first in-person meeting between the two leaders in six years. It comes as the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year, continues with no comprehensive ceasefire in place. Russian forces hold large swathes of territory in the east and south, including Melitopol, while Ukrainian troops press counteroffensives in multiple regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is not attending the Alaska talks, has warned that agreements made without Ukraine’s participation would be meaningless.
Alexander, a Melitopol resident, is among those hoping for a breakthrough.
“Well, I would like for some stability to appear in our life, so that there would not be these senseless human losses. So I hope that they will come to some positive decision,” he said. He added that life under Russian control had brought him “stability, positive moments and confidence in the future” he had not experienced before, citing “the size of my salary” as an example.
Sharing that sense of optimism, Anna, a Kherson native now living in Melitopol, described the meeting as “a very fateful event.” She said: “I just hope that everything will be resolved... we will forget about this whole conflict."
Roman, however, doubted the talks would succeed.
“Well, of course, they will try to reach an agreement, but the interests of Russia and America are completely diametrically different. Therefore, it is unlikely that there will be any effect from this."
Asked if Putin and Trump will be able to reach some kind of agreement, he responded "No, I don't think so."
Spain has faced a string of railway accidents in one week, including one of Europe’s deadliest in recent years, raising questions about whether main...
Hermès menswear designer Véronique Nichanian presented her final collection on Saturday at Paris Fashion Week, ending nearly four decades in the rol...
Almost 4,000 flights were cancelled across the United States on Saturday as a monster winter storm threatened to paralyse the eastern states with heav...
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will not attend the National Football League’s Super Bowl on 8 February, citing the distance to the venue as...
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had taken control of the village of Starytsya in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region on Saturday, near the border t...
Hermès menswear designer Véronique Nichanian presented her final collection on Saturday at Paris Fashion Week, ending nearly four decades in the role as she prepares to hand over to British designer Grace Wales Bonner.
Almost 4,000 flights were cancelled across the United States on Saturday as a monster winter storm threatened to paralyse the eastern states with heavy snowfall, sleet and freezing rain, while utilities from Texas to the Midwest faced power outages.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will not attend the National Football League’s Super Bowl on 8 February, citing the distance to the venue as the main reason.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had taken control of the village of Starytsya in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region on Saturday, near the border town of Vovchansk. Kyiv’s military did not confirm the claim, while Russian forces also reported strikes on drone and energy sites.
Firefighters were clearing the charred ruins of a Karachi shopping mall in Pakistan on Tuesday (20 January) as they searched for people still missing after a fire that burned for nearly two days and killed at least 67 people, police said.
Iran will treat any military attack as an “all-out war,” a senior Iranian official said on Friday, as the United States moves additional naval and air assets into the Middle East amid rising tensions.
Trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, Russia and the U.S. entered a second day in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, following an initial round of talks described by officials as productive.
In the snowy peaks of Davos, where the world’s most powerful leaders gather for the 56th World Economic Forum, a new narrative is emerging that challenges the current dominance of artificial intelligence (AI).
"When the rules no longer protect you, you must protect yourself,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in Davos on Tuesday (20 January), a speech that resonated at home and heightened tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump, who later withdrew Canada’s invitation to the Board of Peace.
Spain has faced a string of railway accidents in one week, including one of Europe’s deadliest in recent years, raising questions about whether maintenance investment is keeping pace with soaring passenger demand on the world’s largest high-speed rail network.
Almost 4,000 flights were cancelled across the United States on Saturday as a monster winter storm threatened to paralyse the eastern states with heavy snowfall, sleet and freezing rain, while utilities from Texas to the Midwest faced power outages.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will not attend the National Football League’s Super Bowl on 8 February, citing the distance to the venue as the main reason.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had taken control of the village of Starytsya in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region on Saturday, near the border town of Vovchansk. Kyiv’s military did not confirm the claim, while Russian forces also reported strikes on drone and energy sites.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said it regrets the United States’ formal decision to withdraw from the UN health body and has expressed hope that Washington will eventually resume active engagement with the agency.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment