16 Mar, 2025 07:26

Lavrov and Rubio discuss ‘next steps’ in restoring Russia-US ties

The phone conversation between the senior officials comes amid a thaw in relations following years of tensions over the Ukraine conflict

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday, as Washington and Moscow work to restore bilateral relations and advance negotiations for a Ukraine ceasefire.

According to a statement from the US State Department,Rubio and Lavrov discussed steps to reestablish direct communication between the two countries.

“Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke today with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. [They] discussed next steps to follow up on recent meetings in Saudi Arabia andagreed to continue working towards restoring communication between the United States and Russia,” the statement read.

The call follows high-level talks in Saudi Arabia on February 18, in which Washington and Moscow agreed to assign teams to work on resolving the Ukraine conflict, restore embassy operations, and address other points of contention in bilateral relations. Since then, additional discussions were held in Istanbul, focusing ondiplomatic funding and a proposal from Moscow to reinstate direct flights between Russia and the US.

In the phone call,Rubio also briefed Lavrov on US military strikes against Houthi militants in Yemen, stressing that continued Houthi attacks in the Red Sea “will not be tolerated.” US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social on Saturday that the US had launched a military action against the group, citing its “unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American and other ships, aircraft, and drones.”

No further details were provided on the US-Russia call. Following talks with US officials on March 11 in Saudi Arabia, Kiev agreed to a 30-day ceasefire. Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, arrived in Moscow on Thursday to present Russian President Vladimir Putin with the details of the proposal.

Putin has welcomed the ceasefire in principle, but insisted on addressing several issues before its implementation, including the fate of Ukrainian forces currently encircled in Russia’s Kursk Region. While the details of Witkoff’s meeting with Putin have not been made public, Trump hinted at progress, stating that the White House had received “some pretty good news”regarding the ceasefire efforts and that US-Russia meetings over the past several days have been “very productive.”

https://www.rt.com/news/614302-lavrov-rubio-phone-call/

16 Mar, 2025 07:19

Merkel slams ‘Putinversteher’ witch hunts

The former German chancellor has said that discussions about Russia’s interests should not be silenced

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel hascriticized the use of pejorative terms to slanderthose advocating a greater understanding of Moscow's perspective on international affairs.

The term ‘Putinversteher’ (Putin understander) is being used by figures seeking to silence thosewho advocating for more balance on discussing Russia. Merkel has argued that the pejorative term prevents meaningful dialogue and complicates diplomacy.

In an interview with Berliner Zeitung on Friday, she was asked how she felt aboutthe term, which is oftenused to label peoplewho address Russian President VladimirPutin’s concernsover NATO expansion. “Not good, because there has to be a discussion about it. You have to plan ahead for diplomatic initiatives so that they are available at the right moment,” she said.

She alsorejected the idea that seeking to understand Moscow’s position amounts to supporting it.“I find the accusation of being a Putinversteher inappropriate. It is used as a conversation-stopper, a way to shut down debate.”

Asked if she has ever been called one, Merkel replied: “No one has ever called me that – it’s a strange word.Understanding what Putin does and putting oneself in his position is not wrong. It is a fundamental task of diplomacy and something entirely different from supporting him.”

Her remarks come amid an ongoing debate in Germany over its policy toward Russia. The term ‘Putinversteher’ is frequently used to criticize those who advocate for diplomatic engagement with Moscow, portraying them as sympathetic to the Kremlin.

Speaking on European security concerns, Merkel warned thatfailing to address Russia’s interests could increase the risk of future conflicts. “There is no justification for him [Putin] invading another country, but the discussion about Russia’s interests must be allowed.”

Merkel was a key mediator in the Minsk agreements, a 2015 road map negotiated along with then-French President Francois Hollande, which was officially intended to reintegrate the Donbass region into Ukraine. However, after the 2022 escalation, both Merkel and Hollande admitted that the accords were never meant to bring peace, but rather to buy time for Kiev to strengthen its military with NATO’s help.

https://www.rt.com/news/614301-merkel-slams-putinversteher-witch-hunts/

(I wonder if Trump made a friendly call to Merkle?)

16 Mar, 2025 07:18

Trump clarifies Ukraine envoy’s duties

Keith Kellogg will deal directly with Vladimir Zelensky, after he was reportedly ousted from talks with Moscow

US President Donald Trump has appointed Keith Kellogg to lead talks with Kiev. Earlier, media reports suggested that the retired lieutenant general was ousted from peace talks with Russia at Moscow’s request.

“I am pleased to inform you that General Keith Kellogg has been appointed Special Envoy to Ukraine,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday. He added thatKellogg will lead direct talks with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky and senior officials. “He [Kellogg] knows them well, and they have a very good working relationship together,” Trump said.

NBC News and Reuters reported on Thursday, citing sources, that Russian officials demanded that Kellogg be excluded from peace talks due to his pro-Kiev position.

The retired US Army lieutenant general was absent from last month’s Russia-US talks in Saudi Arabia and this week’s US-Ukraine talks in Jeddah, where the delegations proposed a 30-day ceasefire.

On Thursday, US special envoy Steve Witkoff traveled to Moscow to formally present the details of the initiative to Russian officials.Witkoff’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was hailed as “very good and productive” by Trump.

Putin expressed support for a potential 30-day ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict, but has raised concerns regarding how it can be implemented. He also offered the Ukrainian forces encircled in Russia’s Kursk Region time to surrender, guaranteeing them their lives and dignified treatment.

Regarding ties between Moscow and Washington, theRussian president acknowledged the Trump administration’s efforts to rebuild them, but said the process remains challenging. “We know the new administration, headed by President Trump, is doing everything to restore at least part of what was practically reduced to zero, destroyed by the previous American administration,” Putin said.

https://www.rt.com/news/614303-trump-kellogg-ukraine-envoy/

16 Mar, 2025 04:32

Vance explains how Zelensky White House argument started

The US vice president has dismissed allegations that his heated exchange with the Ukrainian leader was premeditated

US Vice President J.D. Vance has dismissed allegations that his heated exchange with Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky in the Oval Office was premeditated, rejecting claims that he and President Donald Trump staged a “good cop, bad cop” routine to humiliate and expel their guest.

Zelensky engaged in a shouting match with Trump and Vance during a tense meeting at the White House last month. Trump accused Zelensky of showing disrespect toward the United States, failing to appreciate past US aid, and refusing to pursue peace with Russia. Zelensky was ultimately asked to leave the White House before closed-door talks even began, leading many of his supporters to speculate that the confrontation had been orchestrated.

Asked in a recent Fox News interview whether the clash was a “good cop, bad cop” setup, Vance explained how events unfolded.

“No, it was certainly not planned,” Vance said, explaining that Trump was responding to the third consecutive question from the same reporter when he decided to interject.

“I just wanted to answer the question. And then, of course, something I said in my answer caused the blowup. Zelensky got frustrated with it, and then everything went from there,” Vance said.

“I’m the vice president, I try to be respectful. But I also recognize that sometimes the president wants me to say stuff. And of course, if I think there’s something useful I can say and I think that it’s going to be deferential to the president – I’ll jump in and offer my thoughts,” he added.

The press conference took a turn when Trump explained his decision to remain neutral in an effort to mediate a settlement with Moscow rather than increasing support for Kiev. Vance commented:“The path to peace and the path to prosperity is maybe engaging in diplomacy”

Zelensky interjected with a rant about how Russia had “occupied parts of Ukraine since 2014” and that no US administration had stopped it. “What kind of diplomacy, J.D., you are speaking about?” he asked.

“I am talking about the kind of diplomacy that is going to end the destruction of your country…”Vance began to respond before Zelensky cut him off again, saying, “Yes, but what do you…”

“Mr. President, with respect, I think it isdisrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media,” Vance stated.

Zelensky remarked that: “During the war everybody has problems, even you. But you have [a] nice ocean and do not feel [it] now, but you will feel it in the future…”

This prompted Trump to jump in, telling Zelensky:“Do not tell us what we are going to feel. We are trying to solve a problem. Because you are in no position to dictate.”

The increasingly heated exchange continued for several minutes before Trump eventually ended the press conference, concluding: “Alright, I think we have seen enough. What do you think? This is going to be great television.”

https://www.rt.com/news/614300-zelensky-vance-trump-meeting/

16 Mar, 2025 10:48

US shuts down probe into alleged Russian ‘kidnapping’ of Ukrainian children – media

Moscow has repeatedly explained that minors are evacuated from conflict zones for their own safety

The US government has terminated funding for a project investigating alleged Russian abductions of Ukrainian children, several media outlets reported this week, citing sources.

Ukrainian and Western officials have repeatedly accused Moscow of “kidnapping” Ukrainian minors. International Criminal Court arrest warrants have been issued for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova over alleged “unlawful deportations.” Russia, however, has dismissed the claims as politically motivated, explaining that it evacuates children from the conflict zone to protect them.

According to iPaper andThe New Republic, funding for the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab(HRL), which was tasked with identifying and tracking Ukrainian minors allegedly taken to Russia,has been terminated. The project reportedlyshared its findings with the Ukrainian authorities and Europol.

Thefunding was reportedly cuton orders from Elon Musk’s US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), DOGE has been helping implement President Donald Trump’s initiative to curb what the US president claims is wasteful government spending, bureaucracy, and corruption.

A Yale spokesperson has confirmed the funding cut, telling the media that HRL researchers were “notified recently that government funding for their work on the war in Ukraine has been discontinued.” He added thatYale was “not in a position” to comment on the development. The White House, State Department, and DOGE all did not respond to media requests for comment.

The reports have come amid renewed accusations fromUkraine’s permanent representativeto the UN, Yury Vitrenko, at an OSCE meeting on Thursdaythat Russia has “illegally placed” over 19,000 Ukrainian childrenin its territory andwas “forcibly” Russifying them. Vitrenko said that 1,227 displaced children had been returned to Ukraine but blamed Moscow for allegedly obstructing the process.

Russian authorities have regularly reported on the efforts undertaken to reunite displaced Ukrainian children with their families. Last month, Lvova-Belova announced that 17 children from 11 families had recently been reunited with relatives in Russia, while 95 more – with relatives in Ukraine and other countries under a Qatar-mediated agreement with Kiev reached last year.

She has repeatedly called Kiev’s claims of abductions a “systemic myth” and pledged to continue facilitating family reunifications. Russian officials have also stressedthat displaced children are not adopted in Russiabut placed under temporary guardianship or foster care until they can be returned to their families.

(The real question is why Kiev left these children in a war zone and serious danger?)

https://www.rt.com/news/614310-us-project-ukrainian-children/

16 Mar, 2025 02:43

Major rival rallies held in Hungary (VIDEOS)

Tens of thousands have taken to the streets of Budapest in support of PM Viktor Orban, as well as his opposition rival, Peter Magyar

Tens of thousands of Hungarians took to the streets of Budapest on Saturday to attend rallies organized by Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his rival, former Fidesz party member Peter Magyar.

March 15 is a national holiday in Hungary, commemorating the 1848 revolution against Austrian rule. Both Orban’s Fidesz Party and the opposition center-right Tisza Party used the occasion to rally support ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for April 2026.

More than 50,000 protesters attended the Tisza event, according to Reuters. Photos and videos circulating on social media show massive crowds flooding several streets in the Hungarian capital.

“Tisza is flooding,” demonstrators chanted, referring to both the opposition party and the river of the same name. Founded in 2020, the Tisza Party has recently seen a surge in approval ratings, reportedly surpassing Fidesz by around 10%, according to a Telex report this week.

Magyar, who joined the party last year and quickly became its leader, has accused Orban’s government of corruption and enriching itself at the expense of ordinary Hungarians. He promised his supporters a political “spring”following what he called Orban’s “winter.”

The opposition leader also pledged to conduct a public survey on 12 key economic and political issues, including tax cuts, Hungary’s NATO and EU membership, and Ukraine’s bid to join the EU. While Tisza has been highly critical of Fidesz on domestic policy, it has aligned with Orban’s stance on not supplying weapons to Kiev.

Addressing his supporters in Budapest, Orban said it is time toeliminatewhat he calledthe “shadow army” of media organizations and NGOs that receive foreign funding and serve EU interests.

“We will dismantle the financial machinethat has used corrupt dollars to buy politicians, judges, journalists, pseudo-NGOs, and political activists. We will eliminate the entire shadow army,” Orban said.

A staunch opponent of Western military aid to Kiev, Orban also claimed that the Ukraine conflict is being used as a tool of “colonization”by what he called the global liberal “empire.”

“The instrument of colonization is war. The rulers of Europe decided that Ukraine should continue the war, whatever it costs,” he told the crowd. Echoing a similar proposal by Magyar, Orban said he would hold a public survey to allow the people to decide whether they support Ukraine’s EU accession.

https://www.rt.com/news/614282-rival-rallies-hungary-budapest/

(The EU is still up to their Color Revolution plays in those countries in Europe that want their own sovereignty and opposes the Cutting off ties to Russia for support of Kiev and NATO admission. And don’t want to join the EU.)Pray for Orban him and his Admin are always in danger.

15 Mar, 2025 20:57

UK against new nuclearization of Europe – Starmer

France has floated the idea of sharing its nuclear arms with EU member states

The UK opposes the spread of nuclear weapons, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said amid to repeated calls for such weapons to be distributed to other countries in Europe.

French President Emmanuel Macron recently floated the idea of extending France’s nuclear umbrella to other EU member states in light of fears of a US withdrawal from the continent. In a televised national address,the French leader called Russia a “threat to France and Europe.”In response, Moscow accused him of having aggressive intentions against Russia.

The UK, which is the only other Western European nation besides France that possesses nuclear weapons, will oppose such weapons being distributed to other countries, Starmer said during a press conference on Saturday.

“On the question of nuclear weapons, obviously our position is that we will do everything we can to prevent any increase in the availability of nuclear weapons,” he said when asked about concerns about other countries seeking to obtain nuclear arms.

Polish President Andrzej Duda has urged the US to move some of its nuclear weapons to Poland as part of NATO’s nuclear-sharing scheme, he told the Financial Times in an interview published on Thursday. Five states of the US-led military bloc reportedly host American nuclear weapons on their territory:Germany, Italy, Belgium, Türkiye, and the Netherlands.

US Vice President J.D. Vance has said he would be “shocked” if President Donald Trump were amenable to deploying nuclear weapons any further east in Europe. “People like” former US President Joe Biden are “sleepily walking us into a nuclear conflict,” he told Fox News on Thursday, when asked about Duda’s appeal.

Commenting on Macron’s idea of a French nuclear-sharing scheme, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called the president’s words a “threat” against Russia.

If European officials see Moscow as a threat and openly discuss their readiness to use nuclear weapons against Russia, “we regard this as a threat,” the top diplomat stressed.

(Based on all the irrational, emotional and downright wacky personalities of European leaders, no one should have nuclear weapons. They would be threatening their neighbors if there is a disagreement. And especially don’t give Poland any, they are beyond being war hawks, they seem to love confrontation and chaos. Poland has been asking for nuclear weapons since Trump was in his first term.)

https://www.rt.com/news/614277-uk-against-nuclearization-europe/