Author: Anadolu Agency

US President Donald Trump voiced optimism Tuesday that talks between Ukraine and Russia, set for Istanbul later this week, could yield “pretty good results.” “I’ve also been working relentlessly to end the terrible bloodshed between Russia and Ukraine, and very importantly, talks are being held in Turkey later this week, probably on Thursday, and they could produce some pretty good results,” Trump said in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. “Our people are going to be going there — (Secretary of State) Marco (Rubio) is going to be going there. Others are going to be going, and we’ll see if we…

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that he is ready to fly to Istanbul to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin if necessary. Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, that he will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday in Ankara, where they will both await the arrival of Russian President Vladimir Putin. “So that Russia does not manipulate the cities and does not say that Putin is not ready to fly to Ankara but is ready to fly only to Istanbul… I want to say right away, if Putin flies to Istanbul… the Turkish side is…

Tensions between Israel and the US are escalating with Israeli ministers criticizing President Donald Trump’s administration for securing the release of Israeli American soldier Edan Alexander from Hamas without coordinating with Tel Aviv, local media reported Monday. Israel’s Channel 13 said that despite efforts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office to portray healthy ties with Washington, relations are growing increasingly strained daily. The ministers sharply criticized Trump over the deal with the Palestinian group to release Alexander, according to the channel. Netanyahu convened an emergency meeting Sunday evening with security chiefs and select ministers after Trump announced the agreement, the…

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has said the topics for negotiations on Thursday in Istanbul will include sustainable settlement and ground realities, as well as territorial concerns. Russia is willing to engage in responsible negotiations, but it doubts the other party’s ability to reach an agreement, he stated after meeting with Turkish Ambassador Tanju Bilgiç in Moscow on Tuesday. “It is necessary to ensure recognition of the realities ‘on the ground’ in the context of the conflict in Ukraine, including the entry of new territories into Russia,” he stressed. He, however, added that Kyiv’s inability to negotiate is one…

The UN human rights chief on Tuesday voiced “deep concern” over the deportation of large numbers of non-nationals from the US, particularly those sent to countries other than their own, warning the practice may breach international human rights standards. Between Jan. 20 and April 29, 142,000 individuals were deported from the US, according to official data. Among them, at least 245 Venezuelans and around 30 Salvadorans were removed to El Salvador, where many are believed to be held in the notorious maximum-security prison, CECOT. “This situation raises serious concerns regarding a wide array of rights that are fundamental to both…

A Saudi-US investment forum opened in Riyadh on Tuesday as President Donald Trump started his first Middle East tour since taking office in January. The forum brings together business leaders to explore new opportunities that further strengthen the partnership between Riyadh and Washington. The forum “comes at a historic moment in which the shared commitment to strengthening the strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and the US is renewed, for the benefit of both countries and the entire world,” Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih said in his opening speech. He said Saudi Arabia will inject new investments worth $600 billion in…

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday welcomed the PKK terrorist group’s announcement to disband and disarm, calling it a significant step toward a resolution in Türkiye. Speaking at a news conference, Guterres’ spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said that the secretary-general of the global body welcomed the news of the PKK’s decision to disband and disarm. “This decision, if implemented, represents another important step towards a peaceful resolution of a long-standing conflict,” he said. The PKK announcement follows a February statement by jailed PKK ringleader Abdullah Öcalan, who called for the dissolution of the PKK and its affiliated groups, urging an end…

Türkiye is back in the spotlight as a key international mediator as it gears up to host a new round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine on Thursday in Istanbul that could prove momentous. Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy signaled a willingness to meet in person in the Turkish metropolis to resume talks, bringing global attention to Ankara’s position as a central player in regional and international diplomacy. From facilitating critical grain exports from Ukraine during the ongoing war to hosting peace talks between African and other nations, Türkiye has emerged as a trusted intermediary capable of steering high-stakes…

The 90-day relief in reciprocal tariffs with the US is in the interests of both countries and the world, China said on Monday. It “is in line with the expectations of producers and consumers in both countries,” said a statement by China’s Commerce Ministry, moments after the two sides announced the agreement reached during weekend talks held in the Swiss city of Geneva. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer held wide-ranging talks with the Chinese side led by top trade negotiator Vice Premier He Lifeng. The two sides agreed to a sweeping rollback of punitive…

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is “alarmed” by the latest data revealing a growing risk of famine across the Gaza Strip, with nearly a half-million people facing “catastrophic hunger” under Israel’s nine-week aid blockade, his spokesman said Monday. “I can tell you that the secretary-general is indeed alarmed by the findings released today, that one in every five people in Gaza is facing starvation, while the entire population is facing high levels of acute food insecurity and the risk of famine,” spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a news conference. Citing the latest findings by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification System (IPC),…