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- By RFE/RL
COVID-19: Kazakhstan Locks Down Two Main Cities; Iran Warns Virus Could Kill 'Millions'
Kazakh authorities have imposed a quarantine on the capital, Nur-Sultan, and largest city, Almaty, after the number of people infected with coronavirus in the country more than doubled overnight to 33.
The Health Ministry said in three different announcements on March 17 that 18 people had been diagnosed with the deadly virus in Nur-Sultan and 15 in Almaty.
After the announcement, Prime Minister Asqar Mamin held a gathering of the presidential commission on the implementation of the state emergency -- which runs until April 15 -- introduced by Presidnet Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev the day before
It was decided at the gathering to impose the quarantine at midnight on March 19 to prevent the further spread of the deadly virus.
The measures include dividing the two cities into sectors and creating checkpoints to control access, limiting the population's movement by foot and by vehicles in the two cities, regulating the operations of medical institutions in which patients infected or suspected of coming into contact with the coronavirus are being treated.
Also, all stores and shopping malls in the two major cities will be closed and only grocery and drug stores will be allowed to operate during the quarantine.
According to the website, special points to distribute food, medicine, and other items will be defined in Nur-Sultan and Almaty.
Last week, Toqaev canceled Norouz holiday celebrations scheduled for March 21-23 and a military parade devoted to the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany scheduled for May 9, due to the coronavirus.
Interactive Coronavirus Map: The Spread Of The Infection
Iran
Iran's state television has warned, with the official coronavirus death toll at nearly 1,000 people, that the outbreak could kill "millions" in the Islamic republic if the public kept ignoring health measures.
The warning was broadcast at midday on March 17, after the Health Ministry said 135 more people had died over the past day, a 13 percent spike that pushed the death toll to 988.
Iran has the third-most registered cases after China and Italy.
"Reports by more than 56 laboratories indicated that we have had 1,178 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection in the past 24 hours," Health Ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur said.
"This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 16,169 as of today noon," he added.
The rise in deaths came amid the temporary release of some 85,000 inmates earlier on March 17 -- a measure that authorities said was meant to help curb the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
The husband of the jailed British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe said his wife was among those temporarily released.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been detained in Iran since April 3, 2016. In September 2016 she was sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly "plotting to topple the Iranian government."
The prosecutor-general of Tehran said in October 2017 that she was being held for running "a BBC Persian online journalism course that was aimed at recruiting and training people to spread propaganda against Iran."
The charges have been rejected by Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the BBC, and international rights groups as politically motivated.
Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili confirmed that those who were temporarily freed on March 17 included political prisoners, which Iranian authorities describe as "security-related prisoners."
"Some 50 percent of those released are security-related prisoners.... Also in the jails we have taken precautionary measures to confront the outbreak," Esmaili said, giving no further details.
There are suspicions that the outbreak in the Islamic republic -- whose government is known for its opaqueness and censorship -- is far worse than authorities are admitting.
President Hassan Rohani on March 16 urged Iranians to stay home for the Norouz holiday celebrations on March 20 and to avoid traveling over the festive period, while state TV announced the temporary closure of Shi'ite shrines to limit exposure to the corunavirus.
The announcement prompted angry crowds of hard-line Shi'ite faithful to storm into the courtyards of two major shrines -- Mashhad's Imam Reza shrine and Qom's Fatima Masumeh shrine -- late on March 16.
Crowds typically pray there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, touching and kissing the shrine. That's worried health officials, who for weeks have ordered Iran's Shi'ite clergy to close them.
Pakistan
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Pakistan has more than doubled for a second straight day, reaching 195 -- mainly due to what authorities said were mistakes in testing and the quarantine of travelers who recently returned from Iran.
Thousands of Pakistanis, mostly pilgrims, have been placed into quarantine in recent weeks at the Taftan border crossing in the southwestern province of Balochistan after returning from Iran, one of the world's worst-affected countries.
However, at least 119 of those people who were released have since tested positive after entering other regions of the country, officials said.
The chief minister of Balochistan said the area had housed some 5,000 people who had reentered Pakistan in recent weeks.
Amid the steep rise in known cases, Pakistani authorities have moved to discourage crowds and gatherings.
Islamabad on March 17 announced that all gyms, swimming pools, religious shrines, and children's parks will remain closed for three weeks.
Health officials in Punjab, Pakistan's largest province, on March 17 urged the public to avoid unnecessary social contacts or traveling and to stay indoors.
Pakistan also postponed its Super League cricket tournament.
Serbia
Serbia has declared a nighttime curfew and ordered that all elderly people remain at home as the Balkan country steps up measures to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
President Aleksandar Vucic on March 17 said the new, stricter regulations were necessary because many people had not followed earlier, less-restrictive recommendations in the country of some 7 million people.
Serbia has 72 confirmed infections of the coronavirus, which has affected every country in Europe as well as most countries worldwide since the outbreak began in China.
Under the new measures, people will not be able to move about in the evening hours as of March 18, Vucic said.
"There is a ban on the movement of all persons of any age from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. No one can be on the street, except the appropriate authorities who are on duty and those employed to work on the third shift," the president said.
He added that as of 10 a.m. on March 18, "it is absolutely forbidden for people over 65 to move about in urban areas and for those over 70 to go out in smaller towns and rural regions."
Most people who contract the highly contagious virus suffer only light to moderate effects, but it has proven to be fatal to many older people and those with underlying medical conditions.
Vucic said the penalties for those who do not respect the measures "will be very, very harsh."
Public transport will be suspended, except for special buses designated for workers in essential industries, the president said.
Vucic added that all border crossings, migrant centers, and hospitals will be under the control of Serbia’s military.
"Several doctors have been assaulted during this crisis. Medical staff will feel much safer with armed soldiers outside," Vucic said.
Serbia had already delayed general elections scheduled for April 26 until after the abolishment of a state of emergency previously imposed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
It also closed its borders to most foreigners and imposed quarantines on Serbian citizens returning from abroad.
Ukraine
KYIV -- Ukraine's government has suspended the operation of subways in three major cities, Kyiv -- the capital, and the eastern cities of Dnipro and Kharkiv -- as a measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Transport officials in Kyiv said on March 17 that the underground transportation operations will be stopped later in the day, but did not give an exact time.
Kharkiv Mayor Hennadiy Kernes said that subway operations in the city will be suspended as of 8 p.m. on that day until April 3.
In Dnipro, an official with the Transportation Department at the city council said that all public transportation units are working and that any changes in operations will be announced later.
The government announced on March 16 that subway operations would be suspended as of March 17, while all rail, air, and bus transportation between towns and cities, as well as interregional passenger links will be stopped on March 18.
To date, 14 coronavirus cases have been registered in Ukraine, up from seven the previous day. Two deaths have been reported.
Armenia
Armenia has banned all public events involving more than two dozen people after the number of coronavirus cases nearly doubled in a day, pushing authorities to declare a national emergency.
Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian, who was appointed chief coordinator of the 30-day state of emergency, said the temporary measure applies to concerts, exhibitions, theatrical performances, sports as well as cultural, educational, and entertainment events.
The government has also placed a temporary limit of 20 people for private events, including, but not limited to, birthday, wedding and engagement parties, memorial services and funerals.
"As regards funerals and memorial services, we will try to provide a slightly wider opportunity for participation while keeping an eye out for crowding during ceremonies," Avinian said.
Under the state-of-emergency decree, Armenia has also prohibited entry to foreigners coming from countries most hit by the new coronavirus.
The strict measures come after Armenia's Health Ministry reported an additional 22 cases on March 16, bringing the total number of patients in the country to 52.
In a live broadcast, Health Minister Arsen Torosian said that a vast majority of patients identified in Armenia do not even have noticeable symptoms.
He said some of the new patients had only been tested because they had been in close contact with infected people.
“Only two of the patients have developed pneumonia, but they have it in a mild form,” the minister said.
Following the declaration of a state of emergency in Armenia, the Armenian Apostolic Church said it would conduct all liturgies behind closed doors, but will schedule regular open hours for believers to make individual visits.
The church also announced it would suspend marriage ceremonies and limit its services during funerals to graveyard ceremonies.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian also called on people to take basic protective measures to reduce the risk of contracting the highly contagious and potentially deadly virus.
He also assured the public that Armenia has no shortage of food supply and urged people not to buy more than they needed.
Romania
Some 6,000 Romanians have been blocked at the border between Austria and Hungary after Budapest closed its border crossings to slow the spread of coronavirus, Romania's government says.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government imposed the sweeping restrictions just after at midnight on March 17, closing land crossings to foreigners as well as border crossings at airports.
Most of the delayed Romanians are returning from Italy and Spain, the world's second- and fourth-most affected countries.
There was a 20-kilometer-long traffic jam at the Nickelsdorf-Hegyeshalom border crossing on the Austrian side on March 17, with cars and trucks waiting to enter Hungary.
Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said that some 6,000 Romanians -- including young children and elderly people -- had been prevented from crossing into Hungary since midnight.
Aurescu asked Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto for Budapest to take urgent measures to allow the Romanian citizens to pass through Hungary, his ministry said in a statement.
Aurescu "called for support for the opening of a humanitarian corridor to allow the uninterrupted access through Hungary for all Romanian citizens currently waiting at the Austrian border with Hungary," the ministry said.
It said the blockage was caused by the lack of prior official notice from Hungary about its intention to close the borders.
The statement from Bucharest quoted Szijjarto as saying that Hungary would allow, "as an exceptional, onetime measure," the repatriation of Romanian citizens as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Szijjarto confirmed on Facebook that Hungary will permit the one-off transit of Romanian and Bulgarian citizens who are stuck in Austria.
Szijjarto said the step was being taken at the request of the Bulgarian and Romanian foreign ministers. He said they will have to take a designated transit route.
"We expect Austrian authorities to maintain order on the Austrian side of the border and allow Hungarian citizens and freight traffic to use the border crossing," Szijjarto said.
Hungary reported having 50 confirmed coronavirus infections on March 17, up from 39 on March 16.
Moldova
Moldova has declared a 60-day state of emergency in a bid to slow the coronavirus outbreak.
Lawmakers on March 17 voted unanimously in favor of the measure presented to parliament by Prime Minister Ion Chicu.
Moldova, a country of 3.5 million sandwiched between EU member Romania and Ukraine, has reported 29 confirmed coronavirus cases, with no deaths recorded.
The country, one of the poorest in Europe, has already temporarily shut its borders and suspended all international flights from March 17.
Separately, Moldova's breakaway region of Transdniester declared a state of emergency until April 5 in the wake of the outbreak.
Transdniester declared independence in 1990 and fought a bloody war with Moldova two years later. It is unrecognized by the international community but is unofficially backed by Russia, which stations hundreds of troops in the region.
Montenegro
Montenegro’s government has confirmed the first two cases of the coronavirus in the Western Balkan country, becoming the final European country to report infections to the potentially deadly disease.
The government made the announcement in a brief Twitter statement late on March 17.
Prime Minister Dusko Markovic identified the patients as two females who had arrived from the United States and Spain 12 days ago.
Both have been hospitalized, he said.
Montenegro, a former Yugoslav republic on the Adriatic coast with around 620,000 people, had previously sealed its borders, halted public transport, and closed schools and restaurants in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus.
Although the cases reported on March 17 were the first registered in the country, Montenegro has placed nearly 400 people in quarantine after they were potentially exposed to others with the virus.
North Macedonia
North Macedonia's main political parties have agreed to delay snap general elections scheduled for April 12 because of fears over the spread of the coronavirus.
Leaders from the parties met with President Stevo Pendarovski on March 17 to discuss the move. No new date for the vote was given.
"If the elections are postponed for a month or two, it will not be a collapse of the world," Pendarovski told a recent news conference.
The snap poll was called after former Prime Minister Zoran Zaev failed to get the go-ahead from the European Union to start accession talks in October 2019.
North Macedonia has confirmed 26 cases of the coronavirus, with no fatalities, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Face Masks And Empty Streets As Prague Lockdown Tightens
Uzbekistan
Uzbek authorities have warned against spreading "wrong" information to incite "panic" and fear among the public about the new coronavirus outbreak, saying offenders could face heavy fines and up to eight years in prison.
The country’s Justice Ministry said that, according to Uzbek laws, those involved in preparing material with the intention of inciting panic among the public -- and those saving such material for the purpose of distribution -- will face up to $9,400 in fines or up to three years in prison.
Those who spread such information through media and the Internet would face up to eight years in prison, the ministry said on March 16.
The statement came a day after the Central Asian nation announced its first confirmed coronavirus infection, which prompted the government to introduce sweeping measures to contain the outbreak.
The country has closed its borders, suspended international flights, shuttered schools, and banned public gatherings.
The number of infections rose to 10 as of the morning of March 17, the Health Ministry said.
The Health Ministry provides regular updates on its social-media accounts on the coronavirus situation in the country, frequently using the hashtag “quarantine without panic” in the Uzbek and Russian languages.
It also posts measures that the government has been taking to contain the spread of the virus and to protect the population.
The ministry said some of the precautionary measures have led to "misinterpretations and false rumors" on social media.
For example, the ministry said the number of passengers on intercity trains and buses rose considerably as students began going home following the closure of universities on March 16.
“This situation was misinterpreted by some residents, and incorrect information circulated on social media that all transport links to and from Tashkent will be suspended soon, and that people who come from provinces will be forcibly sent back to their home regions,” the ministry said.
The ministry said that this was “entirely groundless information” and that flights and train and bus services between the capital and provinces will continue “uninterrupted.”
The coronavirus outbreak also led to panic buying and food price hikes in grocery shops and bazaars across the country, while there was an immediate shortage of face masks and hand sanitizers in pharmacies.
The state-backed food agency, Uzbek-oziq-ovqat-holding, sought to reassure people that there “won’t be food shortages in Uzbekistan” despite the temporary border closure.
The agency said 98 percent of the food products Uzbeks consume is produced domestically and that only nonstaples, “such as cocoa and coffee grains and citrus fruits," are imported from abroad.
The Health Ministry said on March 17 that more than 640 people who were believed to have been exposed to the virus had been placed in quarantine in hospitals, while some 5,660 others were under quarantine at home.
Uzbek authorities say that the 10 individuals who tested positive for the coronavirus are all Uzbek citizens returning from Europe and Turkey.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Armenian, Kazakh, Romanian, Ukrainian, Uzbek services and Radio Mashaal, AP, dpa, IRNA, Reuters, UNIAN, Ukrayinska pravda, Nashe misto, Obozrevatel, Interfax, TASS, Hotnews.ro, Digi24.ro, and G4media.ro
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- By Todd Prince
Russia’s Ties With China, Iran Mean Conflicts Won’t Remain Local, US Military Leaders Say
WASHINGTON -- US military leaders are increasingly concerned that the United States faces the prospect of global flashpoints turning into prolonged, multi-front confrontations stoked by the United States' main adversaries -- Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.
Amid tightening ties between the four countries, this likely means that short, geographically contained wars -- the kind of confrontations that the US military has largely anticipated -- are things of the past, US military officials said on May 13 in Washington at a conference hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
“I think you have to immediately believe that if there is a fight in one geographic area, because of these relationships, they will immediately metastasize or have a geographic, a geopolitical protraction. It can’t be avoided,” said General Christopher Mahoney, assistant commandant of the US Marine Corps.
Mahoney’s warning echoes growing concern within the Pentagon that America’s traditional assumptions about conflict escalation no longer hold.
“The idea of a short, sharp conflict, I think, is a fantasy,” Mahoney said. “It just will not happen.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine -- which the Kremlin reportedly expected would last at most a few weeks -- is approaching its 40th month with fierce fighting still taking place along the 1,000 kilometer front line. The help Moscow has received from China, Iran, and North Korea arguably has prolonged the conflict.
General James Mingus, Army vice chief of staff, noted that while ties among these countries are not new -- Russia has maintained friendly relations with Iran and North Korea for decades -- the depth of current collaboration, particularly in technology and arms transfers, marks a dangerous new phase.
“This level of sharing -- we have to be very concerned about that,” Mingus said.
Admiral James Kilby, Navy vice chief of operations, added that the Navy’s Large Scale Exercise -- an integrated global training event involving U.S. fleets -- would return for a third iteration in August. The exercise is designed to prepare for precisely the kind of transregional conflicts U.S. officials now expect.
“It’s an acknowledgement that this is the place we are in,” Kilby told the conference.
A De Facto Axis
China, Iran, and North Korea have all supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with each supplying critical technology, drones, missiles, and artillery to Moscow. North Korea has sent thousands of troops to support Russian operations.
The nature of this cooperation, Mahoney said, “sounds a lot like an alliance.”
“So while it may not be a formalized agreement, it is happening, and I believe it will continue to happen,” he said.
The alignment extends beyond Ukraine. Iran’s proxy Hamas launched its October 7 attack on Israel while Iran was simultaneously helping Russia sidestep Western sanctions and sustain its war machine. At the same time, China continues aggressive maneuvers in the South China Sea and around Taiwan, even as it expands economic and military ties with both Iran and Russia.
Can the US Industrial Base Keep Up?
Analysts and defense officials are increasingly skeptical that the US defense industrial base is prepared for an extended, high-intensity conflict, let alone multiple ones.
After two decades of counterterrorism operations focused on small, specialized forces and limited procurement of high-end platforms like F-35s, the US now faces a steep ramp-up challenge.
Artillery production, particularly the 155-millimeter shells critical to Ukraine’s defense, had dwindled. Shipbuilding has also slowed dramatically. China, which now possesses the world’s largest navy by number of hulls, is launching new ships at up to 200 times the rate of the United States, according to Kilby.
President Donald Trump, who swept to office on a promise to strengthen the US armed forces, has made rebuilding the Navy a key pillar of his defense agenda. In April, he issued an executive order aimed at reviving the shipbuilding industry and reestablishing American maritime dominance.
But industry executives and military leaders warn that the problem goes beyond any one administration. Chronic delays in passing budgets, short-term continuing resolutions, and partisan brinkmanship -- including three government shutdowns over the past 12 years -- have made it difficult for defense companies to commit to long-term investments.
The Pentagon’s acquisition process itself has also come under fire. Experts say the system is too slow and conservative, bogged down by bureaucracy that hampers innovation and deters new entrants.
Mahoney said all legs of the acquisition process have to be reformed “or you won’t get much advantage out of that” effort.
The Money Question
Despite growing threats, US defense spending has remained relatively flat in inflation-adjusted terms for much of the past two decades. As a share of GDP, it now stands at about 3 percent -- less than half the Cold War average -- Senator Mitch McConnell (Republican-Kentucky) noted at the conference.
Compounding the issue, the share of the defense budget spent on weapons procurement has declined, McConnell said.
The Trump administration’s proposed 2026 defense budget includes $893 billion in direct spending, similar to the previous year, with an additional $119 billion over a decade through a reconciliation process. But critics say that’s not enough.
“The chasm between the threats we face and what we’re doing to meet them is wide. And it ought to terrify us,” McConnell said.
He pointed to Ukraine’s defense as a model not just of resilience but of rapid innovation.
“Our friends have developed what is arguably the world’s foremost drone innovation sector,” he said. “But even more remarkable is the sustained speed with which Ukrainian producers are honing and refining unmanned systems in real time.”
McConnell agreed with the military leaders that any future conflict is unlikely to be small or isolated.
“One of the greatest strategic challenges we’re facing today is the prospect of high-end conflict or simultaneous conflicts in different theaters that would strain the depth of our arsenal and the resilience of our supply lines,” he said. “Victory would depend on delivering at scale and in time.”
That would be an immense challenge in a conflict over Taiwan as the island lies more than 6,000 miles from the US mainland.
Fortress America?
As the Trump administration admonishes European governments over joint defense spending, raising questions about US commitment to NATO allies, McConnell also said the United States cannot fight its adversaries alone.
He said the administration’s trade war with European and Asian allies comes at a time when adversaries like Russia and China are coming together to challenge the US-led international order.
“There’s little question that our adversaries are working hard to split America and its European allies. If we’re making their job easier, we’re doing something wrong,” said McConnell, who stepped down from Senate leadership in February.
He said the United States will need to rely on allies and partners to help it deter and contain aggression in the coming years from the Indo-Pacific to Eastern Europe.
“Going it alone will only increase costs for taxpayers and risks to our warfighters,” he said.
- By Kian Sharifi
Trump Signs Economic Deal With Saudis On First Day Of Mideast Tour
US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman signed a strategic economic partnership agreement hours after the US leader arrived in the kingdom to kick off a four-day Middle East tour.
The White House claimed the deal, which includes agreements for energy, mining, and defense, was the largest in "history."
"The United States and Saudi Arabia signed the largest defense sales agreement in history -- nearly $142 billion, providing Saudi Arabia with state-of-the-art warfighting equipment," the White House said in a statement.
Trump touched down in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on May 13, marking the start of a trip across the Persian Gulf region that will also see him visit Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
This is the second time Trump has chosen the kingdom as the first foreign destination of his presidency, having made the same choice at the start of his first term in 2017.
Upon arrival, Trump was greeted by bin Salman at the airport, where an official welcome ceremony took place, including a royal purple carpet and a coffee ceremony.
The streets of Riyadh were decorated with Saudi and US flags, and Air Force One received a military escort from Saudi F-15 fighter jets as it landed.
Trump's agenda in Saudi Arabia centers on securing significant business agreements, with a focus on investments in artificial intelligence, energy, and substantial arms deals. He aims to finalize agreements exceeding $1 trillion during this trip, although experts note such a figure would be unprecedented.
Prior to signing the agreement, Trump welcomed a pledge from the Saudi crown prince -- widely known by his initials MBS -- for $600 billion in investment, joking that the figure should be $1 trillion.
"We have the biggest business leaders in the world here today and they're going to walk away with a lot of checks," Trump told MBS.
"For the United States, it's probably 2 million jobs that we're talking about," the US president said.
The visit also includes participation in an investment forum, bilateral talks, and a dinner with the crown prince.
One of the key deals on the table during Trump's visit is a US-Saudi civil nuclear agreement, which would support the kingdom's ambitions to develop its own nuclear energy sector.
Notably, the Trump administration is no longer requiring Saudi Arabia to normalize relations with Israel as a precondition for advancing these nuclear talks -- a significant shift from previous US policy under President Joe Biden, when nuclear cooperation was tied to progress on Israeli normalization.
This delinking of the nuclear deal from Israeli normalization reflects both the stalled peace process due to the Gaza conflict and a major concession by Washington to Riyadh.
White House officials and Trump himself have confirmed that a visit to Israel will not occur on this trip, despite speculation and some Israeli hopes that he might add a stop in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv.
"We will be doing it at some point. But not for this trip," Trump said last week.
The decision has caused unease among Israeli officials, who see it as a signal of shifting US priorities in the region and growing friction between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, particularly over the Gaza war, the president's Iran policy, and his broader regional strategy.
With reporting by AFP and Reuters
- By RFE/RL
Zelenskyy Wants Face-To-Face Meeting With Putin In Turkey But Russian Leader's Participation Up In The Air
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he will be waiting in the Turkish capital, Ankara, to hold a meeting on May 15 with President Vladimir Putin, and will only meet face-to-face his Russian counterpart, whose participation is still up in the air, and not other Russian officials.
Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv on May 13 that he has invited US President Donald Trump, currently on a trip to the Middle East, to the talks, as the White House and Ukraine's European allies push for an end to the war, the largest and deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II.
Trump, speaking in Riyadh after signing "historic" agreements with the Saudi government, said that potential talks between Ukraine and Russia in Turkey this week "could produce some pretty good results."
He said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio would be among the top US officials traveling to Turkey for the talks on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Zelenskyy, however, made it clear that Putin must be at the meetings for any progress to be made.
"It is with [Putin] that I must negotiate a cease-fire, as only he can decide on it," Zelenskyy said, adding that if Putin decides to travel to Istanbul -- where the meeting was initially expected to take place -- then he would meet him there.
"If he [Putin] takes the step to say he is ready for a cease-fire then it opens the way to discussing all the elements to end the war," he added.
Over the weekend Putin proposed talks in Istanbul on May 15, to which Zelenskyy agreed. However, the Kremlin has not yet confirmed the Russian leader's participation.
“As soon as the president considers it necessary, we will make an announcement,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow, adding Russia continues to "move forward with preparations for the talks."
The European Union's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said on May 13 that Putin wouldn't "dare" to show up at the meeting as "Russia is clearly playing games, trying to buy time."
"I don't think they (Russia) are interested in peace. They are still bombing Ukraine. If they were interested in peace, they could stop right now," Kallas told reporters at a democracy summit in Copenhagen.
Sources told US media outlets that senior Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Keith Kellogg will travel to Istanbul for the talks, while Rubio is scheduled to be in Turkey for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in addition to the talks.
In the past, Putin has questioned Zelenskyy's legitimacy.
"If Putin shows up in Istanbul, it would already be a defeat. Simply entering negotiations with Zelenskyy would signal a loss for him -- especially if he arrives under pressure, to a summit he clearly never planned to attend," Alexander Friedman, a Russian political observer and historian, told Current Time on May 13.
"Most likely, Russia won't be able to offer anything that would satisfy the Americans, the Ukrainians, or the Europeans. That could mark the end of the negotiations altogether."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held talks on May 12 with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss Moscow's direct talks with Kyiv, a proposal that came from Putin at the weekend, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
The planned direct talks would be the first between the two sides since March 2022, in the early days of the full-scale war launched by Russia the previous month.
Oleh Saakyan, a political commentator who spoke with Current Time, said both Ukraine and Europe know they cannot trust Putin and that he likely has begun preparing a new stage of the war and strengthened his positions through talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Moscow last week.
"The whole cease-fire and talks spectacle has been staged for one spectator -- Trump -- in order to expose Putin as someone you can't do business with," said Saakyan, who also cast doubt on the prospect of Putin traveling to Istanbul or any agreements coming from there.
"The focus is likely now to shift toward the trans-Atlantic axis and the readiness of the West to actually and jointly impose sanctions on Russia," he said. "This is key now, and it will greatly shape the future of talks."
Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the international affairs committee of the Federation Council, the upper house of Russia's parliament, told the Izvestia media outlet that the talks between Moscow and Kyiv can move further than they did in the 2022 discussions.
"If the Ukrainian delegation shows up at these talks with a mandate to abandon any ultimatums and look for common ground, I am sure that we could move forward even further than we did," Izvestia quoted Kosachev as saying.
With reporting by Reuters and AP
- By RFE/RL
Russia Blamed By UN Body For 2014 MH17 Shootdown, Moscow Rejects Decision
The UN aviation council on May 12 found that Russia was responsible for the downing of a Malaysian commercial jet over Ukraine that killed all 298 passengers and crew, a ruling Moscow criticized as being "biased."
The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) said in a statement that Russia “failed to uphold its obligations under international air law” in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 on July 17, 2014.
The council agreed that claims brought to the ICAO by Australia and the Netherlands as a result of the shooting down of the airliner were “well founded in fact and in law.”
The ICAO added it was the first time in its history that the council had made a determination on the merits of a dispute between member states.
Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 departed from Amsterdam for Kuala Lumpur and was hit by a surface-to-air missile over eastern Ukraine as fighting raged between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces. Among the people killed were 196 Dutch citizens and 38 Australian citizens or residents.
Dutch judges in November 2022 convicted two Russian men and a Ukrainian man in absentia of murder for their role in the downing of the aircraft. Moscow called the ruling "scandalous" and said it would not extradite its citizens.
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp said the vote of the ICAO Council “is an important step towards establishing the truth and achieving justice and accountability for all victims of Flight MH17, and their families and loved ones."
The decision also sends a clear message to the international community that states cannot violate international law with impunity, Veldkamp said in a Dutch government statement.
Australia Foreign Minister Penny Wong said her government welcomed the decision, calling it a "historic moment in the pursuit of truth, justice and accountability for the victims" and urged ICAO to move swiftly to determine remedies.
"In reaching its decision, the ICAO Council has upheld the fundamental principle that weapons should not be used against civil aircraft," she said in a statement.
"We call upon Russia to finally face up to its responsibility for this horrific act of violence and make reparations for its egregious conduct, as required under international law," Wong said.
That call was rejected by the Kremlin, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov that since Russia was not a member of the team that investigated the incident, "we do not accept any biased conclusions."
Moscow has called the conviction of the two Russians and the Ukrainian "scandalous" and has refused to extradite them.
The Montreal-based ICAO will consider what form of reparation is in order in the coming weeks, the Dutch government statement said.
The Netherlands and Australia want the ICAO Council to order Russia to enter into negotiations over reparations, Veldkamp said.
ICAO is a UN body with 193 member states that decides whether countries have violated the Convention on International Civil Aviation, which requires that member states "refrain from resorting to the use of weapons against civil aircraft in flight."
A large majority of the council voted in favor of the Netherlands’ and Australia’s position in the decision reached on May 12, the Dutch government statement said, but it did not provide a breakdown of the vote.
With reporting by AFP and Reuters
- By RFE/RL
US Revokes Temporary Protection For Thousands Of Afghans
The US Department of Homeland Security on May 12 announced an end to temporary protections for some Afghans living in the United States citing improved security and economic conditions in Afghanistan.
"We've reviewed the conditions in Afghanistan with our interagency partners, and they do not meet the requirements for a TPS (temporary protected status) designation," Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement.
"Afghanistan has had an improved security situation, and its stabilizing economy no longer prevent them from returning to their home country," she said.
Noem said the TPS designation for Afghanistan would expire on May 20 and the termination would take effect on July 12.
TPS is designed for foreign citizens who cannot return home because of war, natural disasters, or other "extraordinary" conditions.
The statement said Noem determined that, “overall, there are notable improvements in the security and economic situation such that requiring the return of Afghan nationals to Afghanistan does not pose a threat to their personal safety due to ongoing-armed conflict or extraordinary and temporary conditions.”
Noem was also quoted in the statement as saying that the termination of TPS is in the national interest of the United States "as DHS records indicate that there are recipients who have been under investigation for fraud and threatening our public safety and national security.”
According to the nonprofit AfghanEvac, some 11,000 Afghans are currently covered by TPS in the United States.
"The decision to terminate TPS for Afghanistan is not rooted in reality -- it's rooted in politics," said Shawn VanDiver, president of AfghanEvac.
"Afghanistan remains under the control of the Taliban," VanDiver said in a statement.
"There is no functioning asylum system. There are still assassinations, arbitrary arrests, and ongoing human rights abuses, especially against women and ethnic minorities.
"What the administration has done today is betray people who risked their lives for America, built lives here, and believed in our promises."
Former President Joe Biden extended TPS protections for nationals of several countries in January. President Donald Trump has moved to strip TPS protections from citizens of other countries, including Haiti and Venezuela, as part of a broader crackdown on immigration.
With reporting by AFP
Interim President Bolojan Warns Romania 'At A Crossroads' Ahead of Controversial Runoff Election
BUCHAREST -- Interim President Ilie Bolojan, Romania's most popular politician, says the country faces a "difficult but decisive" period as voters head into a presidential runoff election this weekend that pits ultranationalist politician George Simion against pro-Western reformist Nicusor Dan.
Speaking to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Romanian Service in a live interview on May 12, Bolojan urged voters to "vote as their conscience dictates" in a presidential election that is being rerun after the first attempt was canceled over claims of Russian interference.
While Simion easily won the first round of voting on May 4 with almost 41 percent of the vote, he fell short of a majority, setting up the runoff with Dan, who took just under 21 percent.
"My message to all Romanians is to go vote and vote as their conscience dictates. However, considering Romania is currently at an important crossroads...each person, through the vote they cast, will make history for Romania," he said, adding he would vote for Dan.
Romania's Controversial Presidential Election
Romania has been roiled by political turmoil since November, when Calin Georgescu, a pro-Russian nationalist seen as a fringe candidate, pulled off a surprise win in the first round of voting.
However, authorities annulled the results amid accusations of a Russian influence campaign to boost his candidacy. Georgescu was banned from running in the new elections, and a raft of new rules were introduced for the May 4 rerun.
The canceled vote drew criticism outside of Romania, most prominently from US Vice President JD Vance, who weighed in during a speech at the Munich Security Conference in February, accusing officials of acting on "flimsy suspicious and enormous pressure from its continental neighbors."
Bolojan, who regularly scores the highest popularity in public opinion polls, became interim president after Klaus Iohannis stepped down amid an effort by the opposition to have him impeached after he stayed in power following the Constitutional Court's annulment of the presidential election.
Bolojan said during the RFE/RL interview that the instability needs to end if the country is to avoid an economic and social crisis in the next 18 months.
"I'm worried because it's going to be a difficult period, and there are some combinations of factors that could create problems for us: the large deficit, the risk of financing it, the risk of relegation," he said.
"Political instability is the second risk, because, you see, now we have interims everywhere and it's not good to have interim leaders everywhere.... The faster these problems are resolved, the better the president is. So we need political stability. It's not easy with seven parties," he added.
To that end, Bolojan said he would be willing to have a "serious discussion" over forming a "stable government" -- meaning an administration that has majority support in parliament -- once the presidential election is over.
"We must prevent a budget crisis, exacerbated by a political crisis, from turning into an economic crisis that means inflation and interest rate hikes. Ordinary people will feel it first," he said.
"It's not about a prime minister; we need strong teams of people who have the same vision. The Romanian state has lost control in many areas.... Without a parliamentary majority and without collaboration, [the new government] will not be able to give its best for Romania."
The Scandals Of George Simion
Simion, an outspoken supporter of US President Donald Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni who leads the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians (AUR), has promoted reunifying Romania and neighboring Moldova, along with halting military aid to Ukraine.
Known for his fiery speeches and the fact he was once an active soccer hooligan, he was banned in 2024 from entering Ukraine for three years for what Kyiv called "systematic anti-Ukrainian activities" while Moldova has called him a national security threat and barred him from entering the country as well.
On April 24, electoral authorities announced an investigation into Simion's political party over allegations it had violated campaign-financing rules.
The investigation has centered on allegations that Simion organized a $1.5 million payment to a US lobbying firm to set up meetings in Washington with prominent media figures allied with Trump. Simion has denied the allegations.
Romania held parliamentary elections in December that the ruling center-left Social Democratic Party won. It created a pro-European coalition government led by leftist Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu.
- By Kian Sharifi
PKK Ends Armed Struggle, Seeks Peaceful Path For Kurdish Rights
The Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, has announced it is dissolving its organizational structure and ending its decades-long armed struggle against Turkey, marking a historic shift after more than 40 years of conflict that has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of people.
The decision, announced on May 12, marks a significant step toward ending one of the region's longest and deadliest insurgencies, with the group now calling for the Kurdish issue to be resolved through democratic means.
The PKK: From Cultural Rights To Armed Insurgency To Disbanding
The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) is a Kurdish militant organization founded in 1978 by Abdullah Ocalan and others with the aim of establishing an independent Kurdish state or achieving greater Kurdish autonomy within Turkey.
The PKK initially sought to promote Kurdish cultural rights and political recognition but later embraced a more armed insurgency to pursue its objectives. It is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, the European Union, and several other countries, due to its involvement in numerous attacks, bombings, and clashes resulting in civilian and military casualties.
The PKK operates predominantly in southeastern Turkey, as well as in parts of Iraq, Syria, and Iran where Kurdish populations reside. Over the years, the group has experienced periods of cease-fire and peace talks, especially during the early 2010s, but conflicts have largely continued. The PKK's ideology combines Kurdish nationalism with socialist principles, emphasizing Kurdish cultural rights, gender equality, and social justice.
The Turkish government has regarded the PKK as a major threat to national security, advocating strong military action against the group. Conversely, some Kurdish groups and international entities view the PKK as a liberation movement fighting for minority rights and self-determination.
The decision was made during the group's 12th congress, held last week in northern Iraq, and comes in response to a call from its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, who urged the group in February to lay down arms and pursue peace. The announcement was first reported by the Firat News Agency, an affiliate of PKK.
"The 12th PKK Congress has decided to dissolve the PKK's organizational structure and end its method of armed struggle," the group said in a statement. "As a result, activities carried out under the name 'PKK' were formally terminated."
Wladimir van Wilgenburg, a political analyst specializing in Kurdish affairs, told RFE/RL that the Kurdish community in Turkey had grown "tired of the conflict and is hoping for peace."
However, he added that Kurds were not sure whether they could trust the Turkish government and wondered if Ankara would take steps toward reconciliation, such as releasing Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtas and recognizing Kurdish rights.
"So, they're a bit mistrustful and unsure about what will happen," van Wilgenburg said.
Resolution Through Democratic Means
The PKK said the practical process of dissolution and disarmament will be managed and overseen by Ocalan, who has been incarcerated on an island near Istanbul since 1999.
According to the congress declaration, the PKK's struggle had "brought the Kurdish issue to the point of resolution through democratic politics, thus completing its historical mission."
The group did not elaborate on what the exactly means, but van Wilgenburg said it was unlikely PKK commanders would enter Turkish politics, seeing as there already is an active pro-Kurdish party in Turkey in the form of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).
"Most likely they mean that from now on Kurdish politics will be conducted through legal politics and the Turkish parliament, not guerrilla warfare," he added.
The PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, began its insurgency in 1984 with the initial aim of creating an independent Kurdish state. In recent years, its demands shifted toward greater autonomy and rights for Kurds within Turkey.
United, But To What Extent?
Earlier this year, the PKK declared a unilateral cease-fire, stating it was "to pave the way for...peace and democratic society," but set conditions including the creation of a legal framework for peace negotiations.
The group's statement said its mission had been completed and expressed hope that Kurdish political parties would "fulfill their responsibilities in developing Kurdish democracy and ensure the formation of a Kurdish democratic nation."
Van Wilgenburg noted that while PKK seems united in its decision, the organization has had issues with splinter groups in the past, such as when Ocalan's younger brother Osman Ocalan broke away and formed his own short-lived political-military group in 2004.
One key question, van Wilgenburg said, is whether the organization's affiliates in other countries, such as Iran, will abide by the decision or continue their struggle.
Omer Celik, a spokesman for Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), demanded on May 12 that the PKK's decision to disarm and disband be implemented "concretely and in full as well as in a manner comprising all of the PKK's branches."
It is estimated that 40,000 people have lost their lives in the PKK-Turkey conflict, with some casualties resulting from PKK attacks on military and civilian targets, as well as Turkish military operations against the group and the communities that supported it.
Taliban 'Suspends' Chess Playing In Afghanistan Citing Religious, Gambling Concerns
The hard-line Taliban rulers of Afghanistan have "suspended" the holding of chess matches in the country, citing "religious considerations" and claiming it represents a form of "gambling."
A Taliban official on May 11 said a decision will be made on the possible resumption of chess under the auspices of country's sports department, but no time frame was given.
Since returning to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban rulers have imposed a series of restrictions on sports and other cultural events.
They have also regularly been assailed by the world community for more serious human rights violation, including the oppression of women and girls.
Women and girls are banned from sports in Afghanistan, and bodybuilding athletes are not allowed to show their thighs to judges and spectators during competitions.
"Chess in Shari'a [Islamic law] is considered a means of gambling," sports directorate spokesman Atal Mashwani was quoted by AFP as saying.
"There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess," he said.
He also cited concerns with the national Chess Federation, which he said had "some issues on the leadership level."
"Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan," he added.
Kheybar Farazi, an adviser to the federation, told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi that the decision "shocked me immensely."
He said that since the Taliban came to power, the federation is not officially recognized by the sports directorate due to organizational issues and the absence of officials.
Esmail Jamshidi, a former head of the federation, questioned the Taliban's reasoning, telling Radio Azadi that there is "no religious prohibition" against chess.
"If there were, then all Islamic countries -- including Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Pakistan -- would not have federations for both men and women. Chess is a science, and opposing science is wrong and shameful," he added.
AFP also quoted Azizullah Gulzada, the owner of a Kabul cafe who has hosted informal chess competitions in recent years, as rejecting the suggestion that gambling took place and said chess was allowed in other Muslim-majority countries.
"Young people don't have a lot of activities these days, so many came here," he told AFP.
"They would have a cup of tea and challenge their friends to a game of chess."
With reporting by AFP
- By RFE/RL
Kremlin Avoids Comment On Zelenskyy Peace Talks Proposal As Russian Drones Attack Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he is ready to meet Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Istanbul on May 15, a call Moscow avoided agreeing to after it launched dozens of attack drones at Ukraine.
Zelenskyy late on May 11 proposed a cease-fire to begin on May 12, which the Kremlin did not address.
He added that he will be in Istanbul this on May 15, "and I expect Putin to come to Turkey as well."
"A full and unconditional cease-fire -- one that lasts long enough to provide a necessary foundation for diplomacy -- could significantly bring peace closer. Ukraine has long proposed this, our partners are proposing it, and the whole world is calling for it," Zelenskyy wrote.
"We await a clear response from Russia."
Zelenskyy said Kyiv has "absolutely no problem engaging in negotiations, and we are ready for any format."
It wasn't immediately clear if Zelenskyy was conditioning his trip to Turkey on the immediate start of a cease-fire, or on whether he would only meet with Putin, and not other Russian officials if Moscow sent them instead.
The Kremlin on May 12 said Putin was "serious" about seeking a peace agreement, saying "we are committed to a serious search for ways of a long-term peaceful settlement."
But he refused to comment further on issues such as whether Putin would sit down with Zelenskyy, or other issues related to any possible talks in Istanbul.
"That's all. I've said everything I could about this story," Peskov said.
Trump Pushes Direct Russia-Ukraine Talks
Speaking at the White House before departing for a trip to the Middle East on May 12, US President Donald Trump insisted that the May 16 meeting "is very important" and that he "really insisted it take place."
"I think good things can come out of that meeting," he told reporters. "I was thinking about actually flying over there. There's a possibility of it, I guess, if I think things can happen."
The day before, he had taken to his social media platform Truth Social to urge Putin and Zelenskyy to the table this week.
"Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY," Trump wrote. "At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!"
Putin and Zelenskyy have met only one time, back in 2019, well before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Trump has said that a "deep hatred" between the two sides has hindered peace efforts.
Cease-Fire Before Talks Or After?
Trump's demand that Ukraine drop its precondition for a cease-fire and go straight into negotiations with Russia came just hours after his Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, backed Kyiv's call for a cease-fire.
"As President Trump has repeatedly said, stop the killing!!" Kellogg wrote on X. "An unconditional 30-day cease-fire first and, during it, move into comprehensive peace discussions. Not the other way around."
Late on May 11, the US State Department issued a statement saying that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken by phone with British counterpart David Lammy and stressed that Washington's "top priority remains bringing an end to the fighting and an immediate cease-fire," without elaborating.
Speaking to Russian pro-Kremlin media, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on May 11 dismissed Kyiv's calls -- backed by its allies -- for Russia to pause the war, saying Kyiv must have misread the Russian leader's message.
"Putin made it clear in his statement," she said. "First talks about the root causes, and then we can perhaps talk about a cease-fire."
Zelenskyy's presidential adviser Andriy Yermak responded on Telegram to Putin's call for talks by saying: "First, a 30-day cease-fire -- then everything else."
"Russia must not disguise its desire to continue the war behind rhetorical constructions," he said. "A cease-fire is the first step toward ending the war, and it will demonstrate Russia's willingness to stop the killings."
Russian Drone Attacks On Ukraine Continue
As news of Zelenskyy's proposal for a cease-fire on May 12 spread, Ukraine said Russia launched another attack, sending 108 Shahed drones at targets in several areas of the country.
Residential buildings in the southern coastal city of Odesa were reported to be hit, injuring one person, while a civilian freight train and rail lines in the eastern Donetsk region was also struck.
"Cease-fire proposals are being ignored, and the enemy continues attacks on railway infrastructure," Ukrainian national railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia said, adding that a train driver had been wounded by the attack.
- By RFE/RL
Indian Prime Minister Warns Pakistan Against 'Terrorist Attacks' As US-Brokered Cease-Fire Appears To Hold
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 12 warned Pakistan against launching any "terrorist attack on India," saying that New Delhi would respond with a "fitting reply" if it did.
Modi's comments -- his first since the Indian military launched strikes on what New Delhi said were "terrorist camps" across the border -- came after the nuclear-armed neighbors agreed to a cease-fire announced over the weekend by US President Donald Trump following.
"If there is a terrorist attack on India, a fitting reply will be given...on our terms," Modi said in a televised address. "In the coming days, we will measure every step of Pakistan...what kind of attitude Pakistan will adopt."
He also sad India has only “paused" its military action and will retaliate if there is any more attacks on his country.
Modi spoke after Indian and Pakistani authorities said there was no gunfire reported overnight along the heavily militarized region between their countries.
Pakistan denies Indian accusations that it supports militants and says the locations hit by India last week were civilian sites. There was no immediate response from Islamabad to Modi's comments.
Pakistan and India both declared victory on May 11 as the US-mediated cease-fire appeared to largely hold and the two sides stepped back from a potential full-scale war over the disputed Kashmir region.
The truce was reached after the two sides used missiles and drones over four days of violent exchanges that killed dozens of civilians.
The military confrontation began on May 7 when India said it launched strikes on nine "terrorist infrastructure" sites in Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir following an attack on Hindu tourists by Islamist militants in Indian Kashmir last month that killed 26 men.
Islamabad denied any links to the attack and called for a neutral investigation.
Trump said Islamabad and New Delhi agreed to an immediate cessation of hostilities after a "long night of talks mediated by the United States." He announced on May 10 that India and Pakistan had agreed to a full and immediate cease-fire.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country agreed to the cease-fire “in the spirit of peace” but will never tolerate violations of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He spoke during a meeting with the Turkish ambassador, according to a government statement on May 12.
India and Pakistan regularly come close to igniting a catastrophic full-scale war in the tense South Asian region, usually related to the disputed Kashmir region, which is split into Indian- and Pakistani-controlled areas but claimed in full by both.
In apparent efforts to reassure their domestic populations, both sides claimed victory in the latest outbreak of violence.
On May 11, New Delhi offered a tally of its claimed success during the flare-up in violence, saying its military strikes into Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and Pakistan earlier in the week killed more than 100 militants.
Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, director general of Indian military operations, claimed that among those killed were prominent militant leaders.
"We achieved total surprise," Ghai told a New Delhi news conference, describing Pakistan's response as "erratic and rattled."
Meanwhile, Pakistani Lieutenant General Ahmad Sharif told a news briefing that Islamabad's forces on May 10 hit 26 Indian military installations in response to missile strikes launched by New Delhi.
Earlier, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated the nation for its "victory" over India, while at the same time expressing desires for meaningful dialogue with India and for resolution of all issues dividing the bitter rivals.
"This is a victory not just for the armed forces, but for the whole nation," Sharif said.
International leaders welcomed the cease-fire breakthrough.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the governments of India and Pakistan had agreed "to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site."
In a post on X on May 10, Rubio said he and Vice President JD Vance had been in contact with senior Indian and Pakistani officials over the previous 48 hours.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the cease-fire agreement a "positive step" and "hopes the agreement will contribute to lasting peace and foster an environment conducive to addressing broader, longstanding issues between the two countries," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
Trump has said he is ready to work to resolve the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan and to help boost the economies of both nations.
"While not even discussed, I am going to increase trade, substantially, with both of these great Nations," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
"Additionally, I will work with you both to see if, after a 'thousand years,' a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir. God Bless the leadership of India and Pakistan on a job well done!!!”
The cease-fire follows weeks of escalating violence that began after a deadly April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir killed 26 civilians, most of them Hindu tourists. India blamed Pakistan-based militants for the assault -- a claim Islamabad denies. The incident triggered a series of strikes, including reported missile and drone attacks, cross-border shelling, and cyberattacks.
India and Pakistan, which gained independence from Britain in 1947, fought full-scale wars in 1948, 1965, and 1971, and a limited conflict in 1999. The central issue remains the Kashmir Valley, which India regards as its Atoot Ang -- integral part -- while Pakistan sees it as the “unfinished agenda of partition” of the subcontinent.
Kashmir is divided between three nuclear-armed neighbors, with India controlling about 45 percent, Pakistan about 35 percent, and China -- following a brief war with India in 1962 -- the remaining 20 percent.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, AP, Reuters, and the BBC
- By RFE/RL
India-Pakistan Cease-Fire Appears To Be Holding After Accusations Of Early Violations
A US-mediated cease-fire between India and Pakistan is largely holding, despite both sides accusing the other of violating the truce just hours after it was signed -- a truce aimed at halting the latest surge in violence over the disputed Kashmir region.
India and Pakistan had agreed to an immediate cessation of hostilities, US President Donald Trump and officials from both South Asian countries said on May 10, after the biggest flare-up of fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbors in years sparked fears of a full-scale war.
"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform. "Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence."
The announcement was subsequently confirmed by Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who wrote on X that the South Asian archrivals "have agreed to a cease-fire with immediate effect."
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told a news conference that a senior Pakistani military official called his Indian counterpart in the afternoon and they agreed "that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air, and sea with effect from 1700 hours IST (13:30 CET)."
Despite talk of the cease-fire, India and Pakistan accused each other of violations in the following hours.
Misri said Islamabad had been repeatedly breaching the agreement, and explosions were heard in Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir, according to the BBC.
"For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding we arrived at earlier this evening," Misri said, adding that Indian forces have been "given instructions to deal strongly with violations.”
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry accused India of its own violations and said Pakistani forces "are handling the situation with responsibility and restraint."`1
But the situation appeared to have calmed later on May 11, with reports indicating that the cease-fire was largely holding.
In the northern town of Kupwara, in Indian-administered Kashmir near the Line of Control -- the de facto border with the Pakistan-controlled part of the contested region -- residents expressed cautious relief.
"We are happy to see this," local resident Anas Khan told Reuters. "This is a good thing. Nobody wants war. No solution could be found with war. It is only through dialogue."
Another resident, Nazram Ali, described the toll of the past few days.
"We were facing a lot of troubles due to the cross-border shelling," they said. "From children to the elderly, everyone stayed indoors during the day and moved to different villages during the night due to the firing. We are very happy that there is a cease-fire."
International leaders have also welcomed the breakthrough.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the governments of India and Pakistan had agreed "to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site."
In a post on X on May 10, Rubio said he and Vice President JD Vance had been in contact with senior Indian and Pakistani officials over the previous 48 hours.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the cease-fire agreement a "positive step" and "hopes the agreement will contribute to lasting peace and foster an environment conducive to addressing broader, longstanding issues between the two countries," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
The cease-fire follows weeks of escalating violence that began after a deadly April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir killed 26 civilians, most of them Hindu tourists. India blamed Pakistan-based militants for the assault -- a claim Islamabad denies. The incident triggered a series of strikes, including reported missile and drone attacks, cross-border shelling, and cyberattacks.
India and Pakistan, which gained independence from Britain in 1947, fought full-scale wars in 1948, 1965, and 1971, and a limited conflict in 1999. The central issue remains the Kashmir Valley, which India regards as its Atoot Ang -- integral part -- while Pakistan sees it as the “unfinished agenda of partition” of the subcontinent.
Kashmir is divided between three nuclear-armed neighbors, with India controlling about 45 percent, Pakistan about 35 percent, and China -- following a brief war with India in 1962 -- the remaining 20 percent.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, AP, Reuters, and the BBC
Iran, US End 'Difficult But Useful' Round Of Nuclear Talks In Oman
The fourth round of nuclear talks between Iran and the United States has ended in Muscat, with Tehran suggesting a new round will be scheduled by Omani mediators.
Iranian Foreign Minister spokesman Esmail Baqaei wrote on X that the talks on May 11 were "difficult but useful" to help "better understand each other's positions and to find reasonable and realistic ways" to resolve differences.
"Next round will be coordinated and announced by Oman," he wrote.
There were no immediate comments from the White House or the State Department on the talks, but US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff had suggested earlier that the outcome of the Oman talks could decide whether diplomacy continues or collapses.
Deep divisions have emerged over red lines in the past several weeks that threaten to derail the negotiations.
Witkoff, who is Washington's chief negotiator, stated in an interview ahead of the talks that Washington's position is "no enrichment," meaning Iran must dismantle its nuclear program, including key facilities at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan.
"If Sunday’s discussions do not yield positive results, we will have to explore alternative approaches," Witkoff warned, strongly implying that a lack of progress in Oman could end the current negotiation track.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, who serves as Tehran’s top negotiator, has said enrichment is "nonnegotiable" and rejected the possibility of dismantling the nuclear program.
Speaking ahead of the talks in Oman, Araqchi said a deal can be reached with the United States if Washington’s goal is to ensure that Tehran does not acquire nuclear weapons.
“But if the goal of the negotiations is to deprive Iran of its nuclear rights, I state clearly that Iran will not back down from any of its rights,” he added.
Speaking ahead of the talks in Oman, Araqchi said a deal can be reached with the United States if Washington’s goal is to ensure that Tehran does not acquire nuclear weapons.
“But if the goal of the negotiations is to deprive Iran of its nuclear rights, I state clearly that Iran will not back down from any of its rights,” he added.
US President Donald Trump has warned of the possibility of military action if diplomatic efforts collapse, with Israel likely taking part in strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Iran has vowed to respond to any attack and has been showcasing its military capabilities in recent weeks, including the unveiling of a new missile and underground drone base.
Meanwhile, the United States in March deployed at least six B-2 bombers to Diego Garcia, a joint US-British military base on a remote island in the Indian Ocean. Last month, the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier was dispatched to join the USS Harry S. Truman, which is already stationed in the region.
Trump Urges Ukraine To Negotiate With Putin 'Now,' Ignoring Kyiv's Cease-Fire Demand
US President Donald Trump has demanded that Ukraine should "immediately" hold direct talks with Russia to end the war, ignoring Kyiv's call for a cease-fire before any negotiations.
Trump made the demand on May 11 after Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed direct talks with Kyiv in Turkey after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, backed by European allies, called for a quick 30-day cease-fire.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump noted that Putin "doesn't want to have" a cease-fire agreement with Ukraine and instead wants direct talks to "negotiate a possible end to the bloodbath."
“Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump added. “At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!”
The US president said he was with Putin,” urging Kyiv to accept the meeting invitation, adding, "Have the meeting now".
Posting on Telegram after Trump’s comments, Zelenskyy reiterated his call for a “complete and lasting” cease-fire to “provide the necessary basis for diplomacy.”
“There is no point in prolonging the killings,” Zelenskyy wrote. “And I will expect Putin on Thursday [May 15] in Turkey. Personally.”
Trump’s demand that Ukraine drop its precondition for a cease-fire and go straight into negotiations with Russia comes just hours after his Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, backed Kyiv’s call for a cease-fire.
"As President Trump has repeatedly said, stop the killing!!" he said on X. "An unconditional 30-day cease-fire first and, during it, move into comprehensive peace discussions. Not the other way around."
During a middle-of-the-night press briefing in Moscow on May 11, Putin ignored the cease-fire call in the Ukraine war and instead offered to hold direct peace talks with Kyiv, possibly in Istanbul on May 15, “without preconditions.”
Speaking to Russian pro-Kremlin media, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed Kyiv's calls -- backed by its allies -- for Russia to pause the war, saying that Kyiv must have misread the Russian leader's message. "Putin made it clear in his statement," she said. "First talks about the root causes, and then we can perhaps talk about a cease-fire."
Zelenskyy's presidential adviser Andriy Yermak responded on Telegram to Putin's call for talks by saying: "First, a 30-day ceasefire -- then everything else."
"Russia must not disguise its desire to continue the war behind rhetorical constructions," he said. "A cease-fire is the first step toward ending the war, and it will demonstrate Russia’s willingness to stop the killings."
Later on May 11, Erdogan told Putin in a phone call that Ankara is ready to host negotiations for a cease-fire and permanent peace between Russia and Ukraine, the Turkish president's office said.
In a separate phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Erdogan said "a historic turning point" had been reached toward ending the war.
Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Zelenskyy, and British and Polish prime ministers Keir Starmer and Donald Tusk announced the proposal for a cease-fire beginning on May 12 after a meeting in Kyiv on May 10.
They warned Moscow that it would face "massive" new sanctions if it balked at the proposed truce. They said they had spoken to Trump by phone following the talks.
Macron, speaking from the Polish border town of Przemysl on his return from Kyiv, described Putin’s offer of direct talks as “a first step, but not enough,” adding that “an unconditional cease-fire is not preceded by negotiations.”
Merz struck a similar note, calling the proposal “a good sign” but “far from sufficient.”
“First, the weapons must be silenced, then the discussions can begin,” he said in a statement.
Before their visit to Ukraine, Macron and the other European leaders promised they would "stand in Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine against Russia’s barbaric and illegal full-scale invasion," now well into its fourth year.
In a statement published on the British government website, they reiterated their support for Trump’s call for an agreement to end the war and urged Russia “to stop obstructing efforts to secure a lasting peace.”
Speaking to RFE/RL after Putin's comments on May 11, John Hardie, deputy director of the Russia Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the Russian leader was continuing "to attempt to walk the line between placating President Trump and still refusing a cease-fire absent significant Ukrainian and Western concessions."
"Putin essentially proposed that Russia and Ukraine pick up where they left off with the 2022 Istanbul negotiations, where Moscow sought to impose harsh peace terms,” he said, adding that the US president has a decision to make.
“Will he continue to allow Putin to 'tap him along,' or will he follow through on his threat to turn the economic screws on Russia?” he said.
With reporting by AFP
Putin Proposes Direct Talks With Ukraine In Turkey, Ignoring Europeans' Call For May 12 Cease-Fire
KYIV -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has ignored a call for quick 30-day cease-fire in the Ukraine war and instead offered to hold direct peace talks with Kyiv, possibly in Istanbul on May 15, “without preconditions.”
Speaking to reporters at a middle-of-the-night briefing in Moscow on May 11, Putin offered to “restart” peace talks that were held by Russia and Ukraine in April 2022 -- which was weeks after Russia's full-scale invasion if its western neighbor began on February 24.
"We are determined to have serious negotiations. Their purpose is to eliminate the root causes of the conflict...and establish a long-term, lasting peace in the historical perspective," said Putin, who has often used such phrases to reject Ukraine's desires to join NATO and his insistence that Kyiv remain neutral.
Putin said he would soon speak with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to seek his help to facilitate the talks in Istanbul.
"We do not exclude that, during these talks, we will be able to agree on some new cease-fire," Putin added.
Shortly after Putin made his remarks, authorities in Kyiv said Russian forces had launched an air attack on the Ukrainian capital.
The local military administration said drones had been launched at Kyiv and that air defenses had responded. Some targets were shot down but no infrastructure was hit.
Authorities said a summer house was struck in the city's suburban Brovary district and that one man was being treated for shock. Five private residences were also damaged in the Obukhiv district.
Putin began his comments at 1:38 a.m. in the Kremlin by hailing Moscow’s Victory Day celebrations marking the end of World War II before moving on to remarks about the Ukraine war.
Hours after Putin's early morning briefing, US President Donald Trump said on his Truth Social account that it was a "potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine!"
"Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending 'bloodbath' hopefully comes to an end," he added. "It will be a whole new, and much better, WORLD. I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens."
There was no immediate comment from Ukraine or European leaders.
Hours earlier in Kyiv, the leaders of Germany, France, Poland, and Britain joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in pressing for an unconditional 30-day cease-fire in Russia's war against Ukraine, warning Moscow that it would face "massive" new sanctions if balked at the proposed truce.
The leaders said they had agreed that the cease-fire should begin on May 12.
Putin did not directly mention the call for a cease-fire by the European leaders in his early morning remarks.
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Zelenskyy, and British and Polish prime ministers Keir Starmer and Donald Tusk announced the proposal after a meeting in Kyiv on May 10. They spoke to Trump by phone following the talks.
"So all of us here together with the US are calling Putin out. If he is serious about peace, then he has a chance to show it," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at a news conference. "No more ifs and buts, no more conditions and delays."
"If he turns his back on peace, we will respond. Working with President Trump, with all our partners, we will ramp up sanctions and increase our military aid for Ukraine's defense," said Starmer, who also stated that the plan calls for the cease-fire to begin on May 12.
The New York Times quoted an unidentified senior US official as saying Trump supported the Europeans' proposal for new sanctions if a cease-fire were not in place by May 12.
Macron said: "We have just now...decided to support a cease-fire which will begin [May 12], without any preconditions."
Before the visit, the four European leaders promised they would "stand in Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine against Russia’s barbaric and illegal full-scale invasion," now well into its fourth year.
In a statement published on the British government website, they reiterated their support for Trump’s call for an agreement to end the war and urged Russia “to stop obstructing efforts to secure a lasting peace.”
In his Kremlin comments, Putin continually accused Kyiv of breaking previous cease-fire agreements, including one the Russian president had called for on May 8-10 surrounding Russia’s Victory Day celebrations marking the end of World War II.
Despite the Kremlin call for that three-day cease-fire, Russia continued to carry out attacks on Ukrainian forces and civilian infrastructure. Kyiv said it would respect the cease-fire only if Russia did, but also said it sought a longer truce, one of at least 30 days.
Trump ran for president on a promise to end the war quickly. In an interview with NBC News that aired on May 4, he expressed hope a peace deal could still be reached while also suggesting his patience with both Ukraine and Russia was limited.
“There will be a time when I will say, ‘OK, keep going. Keep being stupid and keep fighting,’” he said.
In early May, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said if there isn't a real breakthrough on the war in Ukraine in the near future, Trump will have to decide how much more time to dedicate to the negotiation process.
Many analysts have said Putin is not interested in a quick cease-fire because the Russian leader believes he is winning the war and that time is on his side, encouraging him to drag out cease-fire talks rather than reject them outright so as not to anger Trump.
Putin, during his remarks on May 11, also hailed the presence of North Korean troops in the war against Ukraine, saying they helped fight Kyiv’s forces that had made a stunning incursion into Russia’s Kursk region.
Unable to secure a decisive victory, Moscow has turned elsewhere for men and materiel to continue the war -- most notably, North Korea.
Late in 2024, around 11,000 North Korean troops were deployed to fight alongside Russian troops, mainly in the Kursk border region, which Ukraine invaded last summer, embarrassing the Kremlin. Russian commanders have credited the troops with success in mostly pushing Ukraine’s forces out of Kursk.
Putin also referred to talks conducted in Istanbul in late March 2022, shortly after Russia realized its blitz attack on Ukraine was stalling. Kyiv left the talks after being handed an ultimatum, which to this day Moscow is presenting as Ukraine's blunder and unwillingness to talk.
With reporting by AFP
European Leaders, Ukraine Press Russia For A 30-Day Cease-Fire, Starting May 12
KYIV -- The leaders of Germany, France, Poland, and Britain joined President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in pressing for an unconditional 30-day cease-fire in Russia's war against Ukraine, warning Moscow it would face "massive" new sanctions if President Vladimir Putin balks at the proposed truce.
Zelenskyy and his foreign minister said the leaders agreed the cease-fire should start on May 12.
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Zelenskyy, and British and Polish prime ministers Keir Starmer and Donald Tusk announced the proposal after a meeting in Kyiv on May 10. They spoke to US President Donald Trump by phone following the talks.
"So all of us here together with the US are calling Putin out. If he is serious about peace, then he has a chance to show it," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at a news conference. "No more ifs and buts, no more conditions and delays."
"If he turns his back on peace, we will respond. Working with President Trump, with all our partners, we will ramp up sanctions and increase our military aid for Ukraine's defense," said Starmer, who also stated that the plan calls for the cease-fire to begin on May 12.
The New York Times quoted an unidentified senior U.S. official as saying Trump supported the Europeans' proposal for new sanctions if a cease-fire were not in place by May 12.
Macron said: "We have just now...decided to support a cease-fire which will begin [May 12], without any preconditions."
Before the visit, the four European leaders promised they would "stand in Kyiv in solidarity with Ukraine against Russia’s barbaric and illegal full-scale invasion," now well into its fourth year.
In a statement published on the British government website, they reiterated their support for Trump’s call for an agreement to end the war and urged Russia “to stop obstructing efforts to secure a lasting peace.”
As the meeting progressed, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said that Kyiv "and all allies are ready for a full unconditional cease-fire on land, air, and at sea for at least 30 days starting already on Monday," May 12.
"If Russia agrees and effective monitoring is ensured, a durable ceasefire and confidence-building measures can pave the way to peace negotiations," Sybiha wrote in a post on X.
"A comprehensive (air, land, sea, infrastructure) cease fire for 30 days will start the process for ending the largest and longest war in Europe since World War II," Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, wrote on X.
Macron, Merz, Starmer, and Tusk also declared their readiness to support peace talks, discuss the technical implementation of a cease-fire, and help prepare for a comprehensive peace agreement.
"We are clear the bloodshed must end," they said. "Russia must stop its illegal invasion, and Ukraine must be able to prosper as a safe, secure and sovereign nation within its internationally recognized borders for generations to come."
The visiting European leaders were in Kyiv to participate in a "coalition of the willing" summit, announced earlier by Zelenskyy, bringing together countries committed to sustaining military and political support for Ukraine.
The coalition includes Great Britain, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Ukraine.
On May 8, following a call with Zelenskyy, Trump renewed his call for an unconditional 30-day cease-fire and warned that failure to reach such an agreement would result in further sanctions from Washington and its allies.
Russia had earlier declared a separate, three-day cease-fire from May 8 to 10 to coincide with its Victory Day commemorations. Zelenskyy dismissed it as a "theatrical production," and Kyiv accused Moscow of violating it hundreds of times. Russia also accused Ukraine of launching attacks during the three-day period.
That three-day cease-fire officially ended at midnight on May 10 heading into May 11.
In March, Ukraine agreed to a US proposal for an extendable 30-day cease-fire. Russia effectively rejected it, saying it agreed in principle but attaching numerous conditions that Putin called "nuances."
Speaking to ABC News on May 10, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin would reject a longer cease-fire if Ukraine’s Western allies continue supplying it with weapons during that time.
He hinted that Russia would continue to seek to place conditions on a cease-fire agreement before accepting it, saying that when Trump proposed a 30-day truce n March "it was supported by Putin with the reservation that it is very difficult to discuss this in detail if no answers are found to a large number of nuances."
Peskov also claimed Kyiv is not ready for negotiations, but suggested Trump could play a key role in persuading the Ukrainian leadership to enter talks.
He told CNN that Russia will "consider" the idea of a cease-fire. "Generally speaking, Putin supports the idea, but there are many questions about it," Peskov added.
Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Brussels on May 10 that any cease-fire “must be implemented without preconditions” and warned that Moscow would face tougher sanctions if it breached an agreement.
Peskov said on a state TV program aired earlier in the day that it was "pointless to frighten" Moscow with new sanctions, saying Russians "are already used to sanctions, and we can even imagine what we will do after these sanctions are announced and how we will minimize their consequences."
With reporting by RFE/RL's Russian Service, Reuters, and dpa
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