Author: Anadolu Agency

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Friday that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to carry out the largest prisoner-of-war exchange since the onset of the conflict between the two countries. Speaking at a news conference in Istanbul, Umerov emphasized that this agreement was the key outcome of the meeting, mentioning that the date for the exchange has been set but cannot be disclosed at this stage. “The meeting has concluded. We discussed a ceasefire and prisoner exchanges. Currently, we have agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners for 1,000 prisoners. These are the results of our meeting,” he stated. Umerov further…

Japan will supply emergency relief kits, including water tanks and emergency evacuation tents, to earthquake-hit Myanmar, an official statement said on Friday. The supplies will be provided to people at monastic schools in Mandalay Region who have been forced to live in evacuation sites due to the damage caused by the March 28 earthquake that struck central Myanmar, said Japan’s Foreign Ministry. Myanmar was hit by a strong earthquake on March 28, which killed nearly 3,800 and left tens of thousands homeless. The earthquake also rattled neighboring Thailand, where at least 89 people were killed, while seven others remain missing.…

The sixth European Political Community (EPC) summit began on Friday in Albania. A total of 47 heads of state or government as well as EU institutions are attending the summit in the capital Tirana. Among those attending are Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. From international groups or organizations, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and Council of Europe Secretary…

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday called for a renewed commitment to diplomacy at the Türkiye-Russia-Ukraine trilateral meeting on Russia-Ukraine peace in Istanbul. “We must seize this opportunity to advance on the path to peace,” Fidan said during his opening speech, addressing delegations from both Russia and Ukraine, as well as Turkish mediators.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin for skipping direct peace talks in Türkiye. During his address at the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Tirana on Friday, Zelensky expressed frustration over what he described as a missed opportunity to take meaningful steps toward ending the ongoing war in Ukraine. Türkiye is hosting the Russia-Ukraine peace talks on May 15-16 in the Dolmabahçe Presidential Working Office in Istanbul. “This week, we had a real chance to take important steps toward ending this war, if only Putin had not been afraid to come to Türkiye,” Zelensky said. “I was…

The Turkish foreign minister underlined the importance of Istanbul peace talks as Russian and Ukrainian delegations held a meeting in Istanbul aimed at advancing peace efforts between the two countries. “Today was an important day for world peace,” Hakan Fidan said on X, regarding the Istanbul peace talks. The intense diplomatic talks, held under Türkiye’s facilitation, resulted in an agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners from each side as a confidence-building measure, Fidan noted. They also agreed to share in writing the conditions that would enable a ceasefire with the other party, he added. “Parties also have agreed in principle to…

New York University (NYU) has withheld a student’s diploma after he accused the US of supporting “genocide” in Gaza and condemned Israel’s actions during his graduation speech. Logan Rozos, an undergraduate speaker from NYU, said in his speech: “The only thing that is appropriate to say in this time and to a group this large is a recognition of the atrocities currently happening in Palestine.” He further said that the ongoing genocide in Gaza “is supported politically and militarily by the United States.” An NYU spokesperson said in a statement that Rozos misled the university about his planned remarks to…

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of not taking Türkiye-hosted peace negotiations seriously, following developments in talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul. Speaking to reporters in Albania, Starmer criticized Putin’s refusal to attend the talks, claiming it showed a lack of commitment to resolving the conflict. “Well, I think that what we saw yesterday and overnight is yet more evidence that Putin is not serious about peace. He’s been dragging his heels, and I think it’s really important, therefore, that we have absolute unity with our allies,” he said. Starmer emphasized the importance…

Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Friday that Russia and Ukraine have agreed to carry out the largest prisoner-of-war exchange since the onset of the conflict between the two countries. Speaking at a news conference in Istanbul, Umerov emphasized that this agreement was the key outcome of the meeting, mentioning that the date for the exchange has been set but cannot be disclosed at this stage. “The meeting has concluded. We discussed a ceasefire and prisoner exchanges. Currently, we have agreed to swap 1,000 prisoners for 1,000 prisoners. These are the results of our meeting,” he stated. Umerov further…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday held talks with the prime ministers of the Netherlands, Denmark, Bulgaria, and Sweden following the conclusion of peace negotiations with Russia in Istanbul, and called for sustained international pressure to secure a full and unconditional ceasefire. Zelensky said he briefed Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof on the Istanbul talks and thanked the Netherlands for nearly tripling its defense aid to Ukraine this year. “This contribution is crucial to protecting lives and advancing our path to peace,” he said. Meeting Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Zelensky emphasized Denmark’s role in preparing the 26th military aid…