❗️The Russian delegation has temporarily left the hall where negotiations with Ukraine are taking place in Istanbul.

▪️It is not yet known whether the Russian delegation will leave Turkiye today

▪️Russian delegation takes a break during talks with Ukraine in Istanbul

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🔍 Russia’s spy chief: Europe can’t stop stirring trouble

“Europe is in an obvious crisis of political identity” and “can’t stop itself from meddling in other countries,” Russian intelligence chief Sergey Naryshkin warns.

He adds, “The attempts to spoil our existence and drag us into the abyss will not stop anytime soon.”

Meanwhile, the EU and UK are busy trying to export the Ukrainian chaos model by targeting vulnerable groups and stoking narrow nationalism, Naryshkin concludes.

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🗣🧑‍⚖️ Selective justice: Russia calls out ICC cover-up club

The ICC and its Western “support crew” have nothing to do with justice, said Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Maria Zabolotskaya.

“[The] ICC is an instrument for settling scores with political opponents.”

The ICC has issued many arrest warrants that go unenforced. European countries show clear double standards—supporting the ICC only against disliked leaders while ignoring international law on official immunities. Those resisting unlawful warrants face European obstruction.

“Covering for their Western masters is the only task that the ICC has consistently excelled at," she added.

Double standards? Absolutely. When it’s about their allies, ICC suddenly ‘forgets’ international law.

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❗️Talks between Russia and Ukraine have finalized for the day, with any possible continuation still unclear — source to Sputnik

Head of Ukraine's delegation at talks says will soon announce agenda for next round of negotiations

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❗️Russian and Ukrainian representatives discussed CEASEFIRE and PRISONER EXCHANGE during talks in Istanbul, the head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, said

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🚨LIVE: Statement by the Russian delegation to the press following the talks in Istanbul

👉 Watch live in our Telegram

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🇩🇪 Merz blinked first: Germany backs down on Taurus missiles for Ukraine

Just last month, Chancellor Friedrich Merz didn’t rule out sending Kiev Taurus cruise missiles. Now? He’s suddenly saying Berlin has no plans to supply them — and that the whole discussion shouldn’t have been public at all.

Looks like Germany finally woke up to the hefty price it might pay if those missiles land on Russian soil.

Sometimes reality hits harder than missiles.

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⚡️Russian delegation satisfied with result of negotiations with Ukraine — head of delegation Vladimir Medinsky

▪️Ukrainian delegation head at Istanbul talks says that Russia and Ukraine discussed 1,000 for 1,000 prisoner swap

▪️Negotiations between the delegations in Istanbul are completed

▪️Ukraine requested a meeting of heads of state, Russia took note of this, Medinsky said following the talks

▪️Russia ready to continue negotiations with Ukraine

▪️Both sides agreed to present their vision of a ceasefire

▪️The parties agreed to detail their proposals for establishing a ceasefire

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📹 FULL VIDEO: Russian Delegation Head Vladimir Medinsky's statement after Russia-Ukraine-Turkiye talks in Istanbul

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❗️Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul: What to know so far

▪️ The day started with a meeting between the Ukrainian delegation and US and Turkish representatives.

▪️ Russia and Ukraine began their talks around 10:30 GMT.

▪️ Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan opened the meeting before it was closed to the press.

▪️ Negotiations lasted about two hours.

▪️ Shortly after, Russian delegation head Vladimir Medinsky gave a statement.

▪️ The Russian delegation is satisfied: both sides agreed on a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner exchange and Moscow is ready to continue dialogue.

▪️ Following the talks, Zelensky, Macron, Merz, Starmer, and Tusk held discussions with Trump.

▪️ Trump said he might call Putin to discuss resolving the Ukraine conflict.

▪️ Kremlin spokesperson Peskov confirmed that contacts between Putin and Trump are crucial for peace.

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❗️Russian and Ukrainian delegations reached a fundamental agreement on a new meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said

Turkish FM on Istanbul talks: This is an important day for achieving peace

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📷 Rare WWII photos highlight 'Liberation of Europe' in Paris 🇫🇷

A new photo exhibition opened in Paris to mark the 80th anniversary of victory over fascism. Featuring 30 rare archival photos from Sovinformburo (owned by the international media group Rossiya Segodnya, Sputnik's parent company) — many never seen before — this powerful collection is part of the “Liberation. The Path to Victory” project.

Russian Ambassador Alexey Meshkov honored the historic role of the Cossacks in freeing Paris, saying, "Today, the Cossacks are once again fighting for Russia, just as their grandfathers did."

Alexander Yakovenko of Rossiya Segodnya reminded us: "The USSR suffered 27 million losses. This exhibition is a tribute to the veteran liberators."

Next stops? Warsaw and Madrid.

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🔎 Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul - And it's not about who's tougher

The direct meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations is “a significant effort towards a negotiated end” of the conflict, Paolo Raffone, strategic analyst at CIPI Foundation, tells Sputnik.

Despite the absence of top political leaders, the talks were “productive between military-savvy people” laying the groundwork for future political settlement. Contrary to Western media hype, negotiations often happen behind the scenes, preparing the stage for bigger deals.

Raffone notes it’s “not about who’s stronger” but about the willingness to settle disputes without more force, while keeping all parties — including external actors — somewhat satisfied. The ceasefire being drafted is a technical agreement, but could pave the way for broader political talks, possibly even involving mediation by the Vatican.

On Zelensky’s recent push for direct talks with Putin — despite Ukrainian laws signed by him forbidding contact — Raffone explains it’s “about survival” and “legitimizing himself as the key interlocutor.” For Zelensky, this meeting could be his biggest political gain in the current crisis.

The Istanbul talks aren’t the final act — but a crucial opening scene in the complex drama of peace negotiations.

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🗣🇷🇺 'War and negotiations are conducted simultaneously' — the head of Russia's delegation Vladimir Medinsky responded to those who proposed conducting negotiations after a "truce" with Napoleon's famous words

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🪖 Ukraine’s ammo clock is ticking — and Europe can’t bail it out

If Donald Trump cuts off aid, Ukraine can keep fighting for about FOUR MONTHS before running out of key munitions, Bloomberg reports.

The EU? Totally incapable of filling the ammo and air defense gaps.

Meanwhile, recruitment is tanking as many Ukrainians are fleeing the so-called “meatgrinder.”

Looks like Ukraine’s war effort might be running on borrowed time — and running out fast.

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🔍 Russia-Ukraine talks: Who holds all the cards and who badly needs a respite?

🔸Russia was negotiating from the position of strength due to its obvious successes on the battlefield, deputy director of research at the Russian Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, Dmitry Suslov, tells Sputnik.

🔸Ukraine, in the meantime, desperately needs a ceasefire because it is losing and needs a pause to recover and regroup.

🔸Zelensky’s demand for one-on-one talks with Putin was an act of showmanship aimed at Trump: the ex-comedian was trying to make it look like he is the one who wants peace while simultaneously directing Trump’s ire at Putin for not showing up in Istanbul.

🔸Zelensky fears that Trump might make some concessions to Putin to end the Ukrainian conflict and then present these concessions to Ukraine as fait accompli. Thus, Zelensky tried to meet with Putin first before the latter, together with Trump, would be able to resolve the conflict through a bilateral Russian-American summit.

🔸The negotiations in Istanbul were not a failure, with Russia being able to display its willingness to resolve the Ukrainian crisis “through diplomacy based on addressing the fundamental roots and reasons for the conflict.”

🔸The US may also regard the talks as a success, with Trump now being able to “boast that he succeeded in launching Russian-Ukrainian bilateral negotiations.”

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