After a two-hour call between US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin, both sides now say they’re ready to begin immediate ceasefire negotiations. It’s the clearest sign in months that diplomacy could be making a comeback.
Trump said the call went “very well” and described the tone as “excellent.” Russia also confirmed that contact between negotiators has restarted and a possible memorandum for a future peace agreement is being discussed.
But while the mood may be shifting, the details are still unclear. There’s no outline yet of what either side is willing to give up, or how far apart they are on key issues like territory and long-term security.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he asked Trump not to make any decisions “without us” and is now proposing a high-level meeting between Ukraine, Russia, the US, EU and UK. He says it could be hosted in Turkey, the Vatican or Switzerland. A major prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine could also be announced within days.
After the Putin call, Trump spoke with leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Finland and the European Commission — a signal he’s trying to line up support behind the scenes.
Putin, for his part, said the conversation was “frank and informative” and that Russia remains open to a peaceful solution. But he also repeated that the “root causes” of the war need to be addressed — a phrase often used by Moscow to push its demands on NATO and Ukraine’s international ties.
Trump also mentioned the Vatican as a possible location for talks, following vice president JD Vance’s visit to Pope Leo XIV earlier in the day.
Skeptics, however, warn that both sides may be using this moment to buy time or shift blame. Putin skipped a peace invitation in Istanbul just last week, and past negotiations have collapsed over major disagreements.
For now, there’s momentum. But whether it leads to a lasting peace — or just more posturing — is still uncertain.
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Israel's defence minister said on Wednesday Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, highlighting a hurdle to Iran-U.S. peace talks, as the top U.S. diplomat tours the Middle East to win over allies sceptical about a proposed deal.
China’s anti-corruption authorities have launched an investigation into Bian Zhigang, a senior defence and space official, over suspected serious violations of discipline and law, officials said on Wednesday.
Israel and Lebanon are discussing a U.S.-backed proposal that would see Israeli forces withdraw from parts of southern Lebanon and transfer control of those areas to the Lebanese army, according to officials from both sides.
The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog has said inspections in Iran will resume in the near future following an interim peace agreement between Tehran and Washington. However, Iranian officials insist access to key facilities remains contingent on a final deal and the lifting of sanctions.
Tehran has agreed to let the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommence inspections of its nuclear programme, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said. The U.S. and Iran have settled on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final deal, according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Israel's defence minister said on Wednesday Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, highlighting a hurdle to Iran-U.S. peace talks, as the top U.S. diplomat tours the Middle East to win over allies sceptical about a proposed deal.
U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections into "infinity, despite Tehran's denials, and that unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to buy humanitarian supplies from the United States.
Authorities in France are reporting that about 20 people have died over the weekend while swimming in unsupervised areas of rivers, lakes and coastal waters as they tried to escape the heatwave.
The European Union and Taliban officials held talks in Brussels on Tuesday on consular services and the situation of Afghans whose asylum applications have been rejected in Europe.
China’s anti-corruption authorities have launched an investigation into Bian Zhigang, a senior defence and space official, over suspected serious violations of discipline and law, officials said on Wednesday.
Alibaba, one of the world's largest technology and e-commerce companies, has sued the U.S. Pentagon after being added to a blacklist of firms it claims support China's military, escalating a dispute with potentially significant consequences for the company.
The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog has said inspections in Iran will resume in the near future following an interim peace agreement between Tehran and Washington. However, Iranian officials insist access to key facilities remains contingent on a final deal and the lifting of sanctions.
Pakistan and Russia have agreed to deepen counterterrorism cooperation amid continuing concerns over militant threats emanating from Afghanistan, underlining growing alignment between the two countries on regional security.
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