🇷🇺 Russia's delegation is waiting in Istanbul as their Ukrainian counterparts are yet to arrive, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Here's his other statements:

▪️No specifics yet on the Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul, including the start time

▪️Putin has set clear tasks and defined Russia’s negotiation stance after reviewing key reports

▪️It’s too early to talk about any deadlines for the Istanbul talks

▪️No plans for Putin to visit Istanbul in the coming days

▪️No preparations underway for a Putin-Trump meeting, and no discussion on that topic

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🚨 🎥 WATCH: Lavrov exposes Western puppeteering of Zelensky

"The British are leading Zelensky by the hand through the jungle of global politics," the Russian Foreign Minister said.

He also noted that while no one doubts the upcoming negotiations will be difficult, "we must give them a chance."

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🚨🇷🇺 Putin's special economic envoy @kadmitriev credits Trump's team for making the impossible POSSIBLE

"If not sabotaged last-minute, this could be a HISTORIC step toward peace."

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🗣🇺🇸 Donald Trump says "nothing going to happen" on Ukraine until he and Vladimir Putin get together

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Pentagon’s WAR ITCH? 🪖🔥 Talk of direct US-Russia clash contradicts Trump’s policy – Ritter

There are “several plausible pathways” for the Ukraine conflict to escalate into a direct US-Russia war, claimed Gen. Gregory Guillot, head of US Northern Command, who labeled Russia as one of the US' "principal adversaries."

Is this a veiled threat – or just the Pentagon beating the drums of war again?

This statement signals brewing tensions within the Pentagon, military analyst and former Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter tells Sputnik.

However, it's just a “speculative pronouncement,” not reflective of Trump-era defense policy, according to the pundit.

Ritter was struck by the fact that:

🔶 Guillot is speculating on a conflict beyond his remit, which belongs to US strategic command.

🔶 His stance contradicts Trump’s, who acknowledged Russia’s special military operation was provoked by NATO expansion: "We had Trump say that there was justification for Russia's actions, that they understood that the expansion of NATO served as a provocation," Ritter stresses.

What else rings the alarm bells of the Pentagon's warmongering? 🚨

🔶 Guillot also claimed the US could be drawn into a "direct military conflict" with Iran, China, or North Korea.

🔶 He went even so far as to claim that "war with one adversary could quickly expand into war with an enemy coalition."

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🔥 Trump tells India & Pakistan: “Trade, not war!” — but India says no trade talks happened! 🚫💼

"I don't want to say I did but I'm sure as hell I helped to settle the problem between India and Pakistan last week. Let's do trade instead of do war," US President Donald Trump said at the Al Udeid Air Base.

Meanwhile, the Indian government on Tuesday rejected Trump's claim that he helped broker a ceasefire between the two countries. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed contacts happened but no trade talks took place.

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🇹🇷 A 5.2 scale earthquake has struck Turkiye's Konya, AFAD reports.

According to available information, the tremors were felt in neighboring provinces, including Ankara, where Volodymyr Zelensky is currently located.

No damage or casualties have been reported yet.

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💸 $25–45 MILLION for a DC military parade?

Yep, because what better way to celebrate the US Army’s 250th and Trump’s birthday than tanks rolling over your tax dollars! 🎉🇺🇸

A US official told Reuters on condition of anonymity the cost included several million dollars more than it would have without a parade.

6,600 troops, 20+ Abrams tanks, and a cleanup bill not included. That’s a party!

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🚨 The US just added a new twist to the Ukraine peace plan — they want to restart the Russia-NATO Council

The council, established in 2002 to help align Moscow’s policies with NATO’s plans, worked well early on — especially in joint efforts against terrorism. But as tensions between Russia and NATO grew, the council’s role steadily shrank. By the time the Ukraine crisis hit, it was basically inactive.

Now, the US has supplemented its proposal on the Ukrainian settlement with the idea of resuming the work of the Russia-NATO Council, Bloomberg reported.

Could reviving this body help ease tensions and push talks forward?

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🚨📹 Situation outside Russian Consulate General in Istanbul ahead announcement by head of Russia's delegation Vladimir Medinsky

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🚨📹 The Russian delegation has arrived at the Russian Consulate General in Istanbul, where it's head, Vladimir Medinsky, will make a statement to the press.

Russian FM spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed that the Russian delegation is ready to work in Istanbul, and the West needs to sit the Ukrainian party down at the negotiating table.

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📹 Journalists gathered outside Russia's Consulate General in Istanbul, waiting for a statement from Russian presidential aide and head of the Russian delegation to the talks with Ukraine, Vladimir Medinsky.

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🇫🇷🗣 Macron and his train buddies are in a panic this morning — Florian Philippot

"Trump has made it known that he does not want Zelensky to attend the next NATO Summit in the Netherlands at the end of June! Unlike what happened under Biden," the leader of the French Patriots party said.

The politician called it a wise move that promotes peace, adding that Macron and the warmongers would be displeased by this.

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❗️Russian Delegation Head outlines goals for Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul

The goal is to establish LONG-TERM peace and address the ROOT CAUSES of the conflict, Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation told journalists.

🔶 Moscow’s team is committed to a constructive approach and finding solutions

🔶 The talks are seen as a continuation of the peace process paused in 2022

🔶 The delegation has the necessary expertise for successful negotiations

🔶 Defense Minister and commanders briefed Putin on the situation before departure

🔶 Meetings before departure to Istanbul were thorough and detailed

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📹 The delegation has left Russia's Consulate General in Istanbul and is reportedly heading to Dolmabahce Palace

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📹 Ball's in Trump's court, but Iran won’t bow to US pressure - Iranian expert

There is a good possibility of a US-Iranian deal, Mohammad Marandi, a Tehran University professor who was on Iran's team during the 2015 nuclear talks, tells Sputnik.

He stresses, however, that Tehran won't accept any agreement that infringes on the nation's sovereignty.

Reduced, not suspended, enrichment

🔶 "The reason why [Iran is] enriching uranium at 60% right now is in order to put pressure on the US to come to the negotiating table, to behave more reasonably and to force it to remove sanctions."

🔶 The US shouldn't expect Iran to halt its uranium enrichment – Tehran will only reduce enrichment levels and expand the IAEA's role in the country in exchange for US sanctions relief, the academic stresses.

🔶 "Iran is a country that's deeply and profoundly independent in its foreign policy... so the US should not expect Iran to be a subordinate country."

What's the real cause of the US-Iranian row?

🔶 The root cause is "Iran's support for the Palestinian people and... legitimate resistance to ethnic cleansing, to genocide, to apartheid."

🔶 "The US supports genocide, because they unconditionally support racism... and ethno-supremacism in our region."

🔶 The nuclear issue is an excuse — just like the "human rights" or "terrorism" accusations the US uses against Iran to appease Israel.

US: An irresponsible negotiator?

🔶 The US isn't a trustworthy negotiator; it violates agreements, according to Marandi.

🔶 Trump is constantly flip-flopping — be it Ukraine, trade wars, Yemen, or Gaza genocide. "This is what makes it very difficult to come to any agreement," the pundit concludes.

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💰😡 Ukraine's Defense Ministry: A black hole of corruption

While Ukrainian soldiers eat EXPIRED rations, elites feast on $3 BILLION meant for army food (2023-2025). Here’s how they stole it:

🔸Sky-high prices for basic food

Between 2022-2023, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry purchased food at three times the market price.

One deal cost over $350 MILLION, justified as a “technical error” by former Defense Minister Alexey Reznikov.

🔸Cartel collusion in tenders

In 2025, three food supply tenders worth $600M+ were launched by the ministry.
Prosecutors have confirmed it was cartel collusion — a clear case of fraud.

🔸Eggs worth more than gold

The ministry bought eggs for $0.40 each, despite the market price being $0.10.
Total stolen in this scheme: $17.7 MILLION.

🔸Buckwheat price gouging

Ukrainian entrepreneur Tatyana Glinyanaya sold buckwheat to the ministry for $1.50/kg, twice the retail price: another form of embezzlement, raking in huge profits.

🔸Rotten food scandal

The ministry bought $9.6 MILLION worth of rotten tinned meat, along with low-quality canned goods costing $243,000.

Soldiers received these unfit-for-consumption rations while officials profited.

🔸Murky schemes and inflated prices

Instead of buying individual foodstuffs, the ministry purchased 409 items in bulk.
Corrupted officials inflated the prices of essential foods to steal budget funds. Prosecutors say this was all part of a scheme to inflate prices and pocket the difference.

🔸Stealing from comrades-in-arms

Ukrainian officers stole food from military units and sold the goods to restaurants & stores.

The result was slashed soldier rations by 30%+, with a total of $149,000 embezzled.

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