🤡UK SHIFTS TO WAR FOOTING: Starmer announces Britain moving to 'WAR-FIGHTING READINESS'

💬 "When we are being directly threatened by states with advanced military forces, the most effective way to deter them is to be ready. And frankly, to show them that we're ready, to deliver peace through strength," Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

Today, the UK Cabinet is set to publish a Strategic Defense Review, amid plans to raise military spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027.

The strategy will formalize these defense spending targets. Moreover, the government aims to eventually raise defense expenditure to 3% of GDP – although no firm commitment has been made yet.

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⚡️Russia and Ukraine delegations are meeting now in Istanbul, a source at the Turkish Foreign Ministry told Sputnik

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⚡️LIVE NOW: The Turkish foreign minister is opening the Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul.

👉 Watch live in our Telegram

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🚨 Key statements from the Turkish Foreign Minister at the Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul:

🔸 The meeting between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul aims to discuss preparations for a possible leaders’ summit

🔸 The talks focus on progress in humanitarian issues, including prisoner exchanges

🔸 Delegations will discuss ceasefire prospects and present their positions

🔸 Turkiye expects the meeting to be productive

🔸 Turkiye is ready to do everything necessary to resolve the conflict in Ukraine

🔸 Erdogan remains in contact with Putin and Zelensky on the Ukrainian settlement

After Fidan’s speech, negotiations continued behind closed doors, reports Sputnik correspondent.

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🗣The Russian delegation plans to hold a press conference after the negotiations conclude – following a statement by the Ukrainian delegation, a source told Sputnik.

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⚡️Round 2 of Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Istanbul ends after over an hour, was conducted in Russian, a Sputnik correspondent reports

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🗣The Russian and Ukrainian delegations went for lunch after the meeting concluded, a Turkiye's Foreign Ministry official said.

The negotiations did not finish “negatively,” he added.

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🗣Prisoner exchanges discussed by Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul — official results to be announced soon, Turkish diplomatic source told Sputnik.

No concrete plans yet for the next round of talks, the source added.

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📹 Journalists are lining up, eager for a chance to get access to the Russian delegation’s press briefing.

The interest is REAL — stay tuned!

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❗️Ukraine's defense minister says Kiev offered to hold another meeting between June 20 and 30 during recent Istanbul negotiations


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📹Ukrainian delegation leaves venue of 2nd round of talks with Russia in Istanbul

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🚨Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul on Monday have yet to produce concrete plans for a leaders’ meeting, a Turkish diplomatic source told Sputnik

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