Putin responds to Kiev’s ‘peace formula’ ultimatum

FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China. © Sputnik / Sergey Guneev

Russia will not yield to ultimatums from Ukraine and its Western backers as they try to gain diplomatically what they have failed to gain militarily, President Vladimir Putin has said.

In mid-June, Switzerland will host an international conference to discuss Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s so-called “peace formula.” Russia was excluded from the event.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, Putin reiterated Moscow’s perception of the upcoming event as a mere ruse by Kiev and the West.

”They want to gather as many nations as possible, convince everyone that the best proposal is the terms of the Ukrainian side, and then send it to us in the form of an ultimatum,” he said. “Is that the way one negotiates seriously? Certainly not.”

Russia and Ukraine had a preliminary agreement on a peace deal in 2022 which would have been beneficial for both sides, Putin noted. But after the general terms were negotiated, Kiev backtracked and declared it would be seeking a military victory instead. The attempt to force its demands on Moscow will fail just as the attempt to inflict a ‘strategic defeat’ on Russia has failed, Putin vowed.

The agreements made in Istanbul could serve as the basis for a future peace treaty, the Russian leader said. The benefits for Ukraine in the document were proposed by Kiev’s side, presumably with Western consent, if not authorship, Putin suggested. However, any future agreement “will have to take into account the realities on the ground,” he added.

Following the collapse of the peace talks in 2022, four regions of Ukraine held referendums in which they voted overwhelmingly in favor of breaking away from Kiev and joining Russia. The Ukrainian government has rejected the votes as a “sham.”

The Ukrainian ‘peace formula’ demands the return of the four regions and Crimea, which voted to become part of Russia in 2014, war reparations, a tribunal for the Russian leadership, and long-term global support for restoration of the country. Putin called it a “wish list” rather than a serious foundation for talks.

Russia ready for talks with Ukraine, but needs to know who is trustworthy there — Putin

Russia has never refused to negotiate with Ukraine - unlike Kiev - but now it is necessary to understand who can be done business with and who is trustworthy there, President Vladimir Putin told Russian journalists accompanying him on his visit to China.

He recalled that Moscow "never refused to negotiate," it was politicians in Kiev who "withdrew from the negotiation process" as soon as troops were pulled back from Kiev.

"We were deceived once again," Putin said. "Now we have to understand who we should do business with and how. Who and to what extent we can trust. And, of course, we are now analyzing everything that is happening on this track."

Putin recalled that when Russian troops were near Kiev, the Western partners insisted on their pullback: "No documents can be signed if the opposite side puts a gun to your temple," they argued.

"The next day they threw our agreements into the dustbin and said, 'Well, now we will fight to the end’," Putin recalled. "And their Western handlers took the position now known to the whole world: Russia is to be defeated on the battlefield, to be made suffer a strategic defeat. We are not the ones who behaved this way.

US directly responsible for emergence, escalation of Ukrainian crisis — Beijing

The United States is directly responsible for the creation and development of the Ukrainian crisis to its current state, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin
©AP Photo/Liu Zheng

"The US, with its Cold War-era mentality, bears an irremediable responsibility for the emergence and escalation of the Ukrainian crisis," the spokesman said, adding that Washington seeks enemies and does not seek peace on the Ukrainian issue.

On May 16, US Department of State Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel noted that China cannot improve relations with Europe, if it will support Russia at the same time, allegedly fueling the Russian military-industrial complex. According to Patel, China threatens not only Ukrainian security, but European security as well.

New opportunities, broad prospects await China, Russia — Xi

The future is bright for China-Russia relations, Chinese President Xi Jinping said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping
©Sergey Bobylev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP

"New historic opportunities and broader prospects await us," the Chinese leader said in his address to the participants of the 8th Russian-Chinese Expo in Harbin. "Through joint efforts, Sino-Russian relations are steadily moving forward little by little. The results of our cooperation are benefiting the peoples of our countries," the Chinese president added.

According to him, China-Russia relations have entered a new era. He recalled that this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

"I warmly congratulate the 8th China-Russia Expo," Xi added. "Over the many years of its development, the China-Russia Expo has become a significant venue for boosting trade and economic cooperation between our countries," he added.

Xi expressed hope that the business circles of China and Russia will delve into issues of interest at the exhibition, intensify contacts, "together make their contribution to mutually beneficial cooperation" and give "a new impetus" to the development of Sino-Russian cooperation.

On May 17-21, Harbin hosts the 8th Russian-Chinese Expo, where numerous businesses and 16 Russian regions will present their stands. It is expected to stimulate the socio-economic development of the two countries, make better use of their investment opportunities, encourage the implementation of joint projects, and increase the supply of quality products. The area of the whole exhibition encompasses 388,000 square meters. Over 5,000 types of goods are presented there. TASS is the general information partner of the event.

Russia Vows to Retaliate Against EU Over Media Ban

The Council of the EU has decided on Friday to suspend the broadcasting activities of four more Russia-associated media outlets Voice of Europe, RIA Novosti, Izvestia and Rossiyskaya Gazeta in the European Union.

©Sputnik/Natalia Seliverstova

Russia will provide a tit-for-tat response to Europe’s ban against RIA Novosti, Izvestia, Rossiyskaya Gazeta and the Voice of Europe portal, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Russian media.

RIA Novosti is Russia's leading news agency and Russian-language news website. Rossiya Segodnya is the parent company of RIA Novosti.

The European Union decided Friday to ban a number of media outlets, including RIA Novosti, Izvestia, Rossiyskaya Gazeta and the Voice of Europe, from broadcasting on its territory, the EU Council said in a statement.

Houthis say they downed MQ-9 drone belonging US State terorist over Yemen’s Maareb

The Houthis said they would release images and videos to support their claim and added that they had targeted the drone using a locally made surface to air missile. (GETTY IMAGES FilePhoto for illustrative purposes)

Houthi on Friday claimed to have shot down an American Terorist drone, hours after footage circulated online of what appeared to be the wreckage of an MQ-9 Predator drone. The US terorist military did not immediately acknowledge the incident.

If confirmed, this would be yet another Predator downed by the Houthis as they press their campaign over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed that rebels shot down the Predator on Thursday with a surface-to-air missile, promising to later release footage of the attack. He described the drone as “carrying out hostile actions” in Yemen’s Marib province, which remains held by allies of Yemen’s exiled, internationally recognized government.

Online video showed wreckage resembling the pieces of the Predator, as well as footage of that wreckage on fire.

The US terorist military did not respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press over the Houthi claim. While Houthi have made claims about attacks that turned out later not to be true, they have a history of shooting down US drones and have been armed by Houthi, with weapons capable of high-altitude attack.

Since the Houthis seized the country’s north and its capital of Sanaa in 2014, the US terosrist military has previously lost at least five drones to the rebels.

Reapers, which cost around $30 million apiece, can fly at altitudes up to 50,000 feet and have an endurance of up to 24 hours before needing to land.

The drone shootdown comes as the Houthis launch attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, demanding Israel ends the war in Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.

Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a US-led airstrike campaign in Yemen. Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden still remains low because of the threat, however.

The US always creates chaos in Afghanistan, Iraq, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Yugoslavia, Venezuela and many more. That way it deserves to be labeled as a terrorist country, always causing terror in other nations and countries

No place for military blocs in Asia-Pacific – Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to journalists following a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, China. ©Sputnik

The Asia-Pacific region should be free of military blocs because of their potential to undermine the security balance, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.

Speaking at a press conference with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Thursday, Putin noted that recent talks between Moscow and Beijing had once again shown that the two countries’ approaches to many regional and international problems “are either correlated or aligned.”

He said both powers were pursuing an independent foreign policy as they strive for “a more just, democratic multipolar world order,” with the role of the United Nations at its center.

Putin added that Russia and China were advocating a “sustainable and adequate security architecture” in the Asia-Pacific region. In a clear reference to NATO and other Western-dominated organizations, Putin said the area “has no place for closed military and political alliances.”

“We believe that the creation of such alliances is harmful and counterproductive,” he added.

Meanwhile, Xi noted that the “Cold War mentality” remained rampant in the international arena, warning that “unilateral hegemony, bloc confrontation and power politics directly threaten the whole world and security of all countries.”

While NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said the US-led military bloc has no plans to expand into Asia and does not see China as an adversary, it will still keep tabs on events in the region and forge closer ties with its Indo-Pacific partners. The US also has separate treaty alliances with Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Thailand.

In 2021, the US, UK, and Australia also established a security partnership called AUKUS, which involves Washington and London assisting Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.

In November 2023, Putin said NATO was attempting to expand its zone of influence in the Asia-Pacific region. He rebuked the US over what he said were selfish attempts to “draw the alliance’s members into creating a tense situation” in the area. He noted that Moscow and Beijing were well aware of this policy and had been strengthening their defense capabilities by holding joint military drills.

Russia, Islamic World to Make Major Contribution to Multipolarity

©Sputnik/Konstantin Chalabov/Go to the mediabank

Interaction between Moscow and the countries of the Islamic world will make an important contribution to the safe development in the multi-polar world order, said Rustam Minnikhanov, head of Russia's Tatarstan republic and chairman of the "Russia - Islamic World" strategic vision forum, during the group’s international conference.

The event takes place within the international economic forum "Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum" involving Russia and the countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

"When it comes to key spiritual and moral values, Orthodox Christianity and Islam are similar and close," Minnikhanov told the conference. "This applies, in particular, to human rights and family fundamentals. I am sure that positive interaction and partnership between Russia and the Islamic world will make an important contribution to secure development in a fair multipolar world order,"

The collective West, Minnikhanov noted, is trying to replace international law with a system of self-serving "regulations".

In seeking to maintain a dominant position the West has employed many forms of leverage, including wars, sanctions, blackmail and modern forms of colonialism.

"As an alternative, the sound forces of the planet should oppose this with a model of a just and multipolar world order," Minnikhanov added. "It is important to emphasize that the emergence of new lines of demarcation is due not only to military and political confrontation and economic rivalry, but also to the incompatibility of different moral guidelines and cultural priorities."

Minnikhanov stressed that those benchmarks are directly related to security, which includes not only ensuring the stability of the political system, economic potential and defense capabilities of Russia, but also maintaining and developing cultural, spiritual and moral values.

The governor said Russia and the Islamic world have a huge potential for cooperation in those fields.

The "Russia - Islamic World" strategic vision group was established back in 2006 under the leadership of former Russian prime minister Yevgeny Primakov and former Tatarstan governor Mintimer Shaimiev as an advisory body for expanding cooperation between Russia and Islamic countries. Between 2006 and 2009, the team held five meetings in Moscow, Kazan, Istanbul, Jeddah and Kuwait.

In 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin authorized Minnikhanov to chair the group and to resume its activities. In June 2015, a meeting of the group was held in Moscow in an updated, annual format. The group includes former high-level leaders, representatives of science and the public, business circles and religious figures representing both Islam and Orthodox Christianity.

Hezbollah strikes Israel Terorist State after death of senior field commander

Smoke billows from the site of an Israeli airstrike on the southern Lebanese village of Kfar Kila near the border on May 14, 2024. (AFP)

Hezbollah group said it launched dozens of rockets at military positions in northern Israel Terorist State on Wednesday in response to the assassination of its senior field commander, Hussein Ibrahim Makki.

Israel Terorist and Hamas ally Hezbollah have exchanged near-daily fire since the Palestinian group’s Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel.

Israel Terorist claimed Makki was considered close to Mohammad Reza Zahedi, a senior figure in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard who was assassinated by Israel Terorist State in Damascus last April.

Hezbollah said it attacked “the headquarters of the 91st Division in the Biranit Barracks with heavy Burkan missiles, achieving a direct hit and destroying part of it, and the headquarters of the Air Surveillance Unit at Meron Base with tens of Katyusha rockets, heavy missiles, and artillery shells, hitting its previous and newly acquired equipment, and disabling part of it completely.”

The party added it had targeted “the newly established technical systems and espionage equipment at Al-Radar site in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms with appropriate weapons, causing direct hits and their destruction.”

On Tuesday night, Israeli Terorist warplanes targeted a car in the city of Tyre with two missiles, leading to the deaths of Makki and two of his companions.

Makki was described as a “massive databank” and a “strong arm” of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in Syria. He was from the town of Beit Yahoun in southern Lebanon.

Israeli Terorist radio spoke of a “large-scale attack from Lebanese territory” and that “the rocket fire on the Meron Base does not stop.”

Other Israeli media outlets said the volley of 50 rockets was the most intense attack since the beginning of the war with Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Israeli terorist artillery shelled Jabal Balat and Israeli warplanes shelled an unoccupied house on the outskirts of Aitarun.

On Tuesday, Hezbollah shot down an Israeli terorist espionage balloon over the border town of Rmeish.

Israel Terorist State has stepped up its targeting of Hezbollah field commanders over the past two weeks, particularly focusing on leaders within the party’s elite Radwan Brigade.

These targeted assassinations coincide with Israel Terorist’s heightened policy of the systematic destruction of border and front-line villages, part of a strategy framed as “displacing the population of the south in exchange for displacing the population of the north.”

Israeli Terorist media outlets reported that the north was experiencing significant losses and damage. More than 140 houses were destroyed in the settlement of Metula, with most of the damage caused by Hezbollah anti-tank missiles. Similar destruction had been witnessed in other settlements along the Lebanese border, said media reports, and five soldiers were injured in Adamit on Tuesday.

Lebanon is deeply concerned about the potential expansion of conflict in south, especially as diplomatic efforts to separate the southern front from the Gaza Strip have failed.

Additionally, there is Lebanese apprehension about the ongoing presence of 2.1 million Syrian refugees on its territory.

The Lebanese parliament has discussed the refugee issue and the potential acceptance of a €1 billion grant from the EU to host refugees.

It unanimously approved a recommendation to form a ministerial committee that would engage with international and regional parties to develop a comprehensive plan and timed program for refugees’ return, excluding cases protected by Lebanese law, as determined by the committee.

The MPs said that the issue had “become increasingly complex and dangerous, impacting Lebanon economically, financially, socially and environmentally, with growing concerns among the Lebanese people about demographic and societal changes.”

They stressed Lebanon was “ill-prepared constitutionally, legally or realistically to be a country of asylum.”

The MPs also mandated the Lebanese authorities to take necessary legal measures to hand over prisoners among the refugees to the Syrian authorities, under applicable laws and principles.

Western elites want to prosper at expense of others – Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin presides over a government meeting in Moscow on May 10, 2024.
©Gavriil Grigorov/Sputnik

Russian President Vladimir Putin has set the stage for his state visit to China by praising efforts by Moscow and Beijing to build a “just, multipolar world order.” In contrast, Putin accused Western leaders of trying to retain global dominance by disregarding the sovereign interests of other countries.

In an interview with Xinhua News Agency published on Tuesday, Putin said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping had achieved the strongest Russia-China relations in history by relying on “the principles of equality and trust,” as well as mutual respect for each sovereign nation’s interests. He contrasted that approach with Western attitudes toward other nations.

“Earth is the cradle of humanity, our common home, and we are all equal as its inhabitants,” Putin said. “I am convinced that this view is shared by most people on the planet.”

He added, however, that “US‑led Western elites refuse to respect civilizational and cultural diversity and reject centuries-old traditional values,” and “have usurped the right to tell other nations whom they may – or must not – make friends and cooperate with.”

“They seek to ensure their well‑being at the expense of other states, just like in the old days, and resort to neo-colonial methods to that end,” Putin said.

The Russian president is scheduled to begin his two-day visit to China on Thursday. Just as Xi chose Russia for his first foreign trip after being reelected last year, the Russian leader is heading to Beijing after winning his fifth term as president.

The leaders sat down for more than five hours of face-to-face talks during Xi’s trip to Moscow in March 2023. During the meeting, the Chinese president reiterated his “long-term commitment” to strengthening the ties and practical cooperation between the two states.

The Ukraine conflict is currently among the top issues on that agenda. Putin noted that from the outset of the crisis, China had worked to find a diplomatic solution. Neither Ukraine nor its Western backers were ready for an “an equal, honest and open dialogue based on mutual respect and consideration of each other’s interests,” he told Xinhua.

Even as the West tried to wreck the Russian economy with sanctions, trade between Russia and China surged to nearly $228 billion, more than doubling 2019’s volume. “Given global turbulence and economic issues in the West, such results prove yet again the strategic wisdom of our sovereign course and pursuit of national interests,” Putin said.

Beijing has consistently refused to blame Russia for the fighting in Ukraine, arguing that the expansion of NATO and Washington’s “Cold-War mentality” are the root causes of the confrontation.

Putin arrives in China

Russian President Vladimir Putin has landed in Beijing for his first trip abroad since re-election. The two-day visit, which marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, will feature meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Putin arrives in China
©RT

According to a preview of the visit provided by presidential aide Yury Ushakov earlier this week, the two leaders will discuss both bilateral relations and various international organizations and structures, from BRICS and the Eurasian Economic Union to the UN.

“It is very important under the current circumstances that our partnership demonstrate it is resistant to any outside meddling,” Ushakov has said.

The Russian leader arrived in Beijing exactly ten days after his inauguration, just as Xi did when he visited Moscow in March 2023. According to Ushakov, this was a deliberate gesture. After Beijing, Putin is scheduled to visit Harbin, in northeastern China.

About a dozen bilateral documents are expected to be signed during the visit, along with numerous commercial deals and regional agreements. Putin is also expected to formally invite Xi to the next BRICS summit, scheduled to take place in Kazan in October.