Ukraine’s NATO membership ‘key question’ in US talks: Russia

Ukraine’s tendency to articulation NATO was a “key question” discussed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and elder American officials during talks successful Moscow, the Kremlin says.

Putin’s apical aide, Yury Ushakov, made the remark connected Wednesday, the time aft an astir five-hour gathering betwixt Putin and Washington officials Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner failed to present a breakthrough successful Ukraine bid negotiations.

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“The American partners person confirmed their readiness to instrumentality into relationship our considerations and our cardinal proposals,” Ushakov told reporters.

While Kyiv argues it indispensable articulation NATO to support itself against aboriginal Russian aggression, Moscow says Ukraine indispensable ne'er beryllium allowed to articulation the subject alliance.

Another important country of disagreement is territory, with Ushakov saying soon aft the Witkoff gathering that “no compromise” has been recovered connected regions Russia captured and plans to keep.

Ukraine’s European allies aboriginal deed retired astatine Russia astatine a gathering successful Belgium, accusing Putin of having nary volition of stopping the full-scale warfare it launched against its neighbour successful February 2022.

“What we spot is that Putin has not changed immoderate course. He’s pushing much aggressively connected the battlefield,” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said. “It’s beauteous evident that helium doesn’t privation to person immoderate benignant of peace.”

President Putin attends a unpaid forum successful Moscow connected Wednesday [Alexander Shcherbak/Sputnik via AFP]

‘Positive outcome’

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said connected Wednesday it’s “not correct” to accidental Russia is against the US bid plan.

“We’re deliberately not going to adhd anything,” helium said. “It’s understood that the quieter these negotiations are conducted, the much productive they volition be.”

Responding to Tuesday’s US-Russian negotiations, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed that Witkoff, the US peculiar envoy, spoke to the caput of the Ukrainian delegation aft helium met with Putin successful Moscow.

“Representatives of the American delegation reported that, successful their opinion, the talks successful Moscow had a affirmative outcome,” helium said, adding representatives from Kyiv would beryllium invited to the US again soon. The 2 sides held talks successful Florida connected Sunday.

Witkoff and Kushner briefed US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian officials aft a “thorough, productive meeting” with Russia’s leader, the White House said.

Speaking successful Brussels connected Wednesday, NATO main Mark Rutte said Putin is “wrong” to judge helium could “outlast” the alliance.

“We’re not going anywhere,” helium promised, adding that two-thirds of subordinate states person committed to sending $4bn successful weapons to Ukraine arsenic portion of a caller initiative.

Hungary, however, said it volition not nonstop immoderate weapons oregon wealth to Ukraine, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told a media briefing pursuing the gathering of NATO overseas ministers.

“A brutal warfare fanaticism has gripped the European members of NATO. This blinds them and makes them incapable of making rational decisions,” Szijjarto said, adding Europe’s mainstream members of NATO are undermining Trump’s bid efforts.

What’s Trump’s adjacent move?

Reporting from Kyiv, Al Jazeera’s Jonah Hull said the Putin-Witkoff gathering appeared not to person progressed Washington’s purpose of brokering peace.

“The signals that look to person travel retired of it is that the hunt for a bid statement acceptable to some sides has, for the clip being, stalled,” helium noted.

“What truly matters present successful Ukraine is what Donald Trump’s adjacent determination is. Will helium travel backmost with different barrage of threats to get Ukraine to capitulate to a atrocious deal? Or does he, perchance worse, suffer involvement and locomotion away?”

In different developments, the EU agreed to signifier out Russian state by precocious 2027. “By depleting Putin’s warfare chest, we basal successful solidarity with Ukraine,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said successful a statement.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s parliament passed a fund for 2026 successful which much than one-quarter of GDP volition beryllium spent connected the army, arsenic good arsenic buying and producing weapons.

“This is an important awesome of Ukraine’s resilience and securing a unchangeable fiscal proviso for the adjacent year’s needs,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

“The priorities are clear: ensuring our defence, societal programmes, and the quality to rebuild our lives aft Russia’s attacks.”