Ukraine war briefing: Putin stays home and fires a general instead of peace talks

Vladimir Putin has sacked the main of the Russian military’s onshore forces, Gen. Oleg Salyukov, according to a decree published by the Kremlin, successful the latest removal of a high-profile fig from Russia’s subject during its warfare connected Ukraine. Salyukov, 70, volition go a deputy to the also-sacked defence curate Sergei Shoigu, who was removed successful 2024 and made caput of the information council.

The improvement came arsenic the Russian president snubbed peace talks that helium suggested successful Turkey with Ukraine. Putin alternatively sent a lower-level delegation to Istanbul, and Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy – who had promised to be if Putin did – reciprocated with a Ukrainian negotiating contingent. Putin had insisted connected the Istanbul meeting alternatively of agreeing to the longstanding connection by Ukraine and its allies of a 30-day unconditional ceasefire.

Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, said Putin and Russia would look caller sanctions arsenic a consequence. “The information that President Zelenskyy travelled to Istanbul contempt this is an tremendous gesture,” Merz posted. “Putin didn’t amusement up – and that enactment him successful the wrong. A caller sanctions bundle is ready. We volition follow it successful Brussels connected Tuesday.”

UK premier curate Keir Starmer accused Putin of stymying advancement connected peace. “There was lone 1 state that started this struggle – that was Russia. That was Putin,” helium said, speaking successful Albania. “There’s lone 1 state present lasting successful the mode of bid – that is Russia. That is Putin.” There’s lone 1 state present lasting successful the mode of bid – that is Russia. That is Putin.”

France’s overseas minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, echoed that sentiment: “In beforehand of Ukrainians, determination is an bare chair, 1 that should person been occupied by Vladimir Putin,” helium said. Putin “is dragging his feet and successful each grounds does not privation to participate into these bid discussions.”

Due to Putin’s no-show , it appeared that immoderate talks taking spot would lone statesman successful earnest connected Friday, nether Turkey’s supervision. Zelenskyy connected Thursday arrived successful Turkey’s capital, Ankara, for abstracted meetings, having said helium would conscionable Putin successful Istanbul if the Russian president arrived.

Late connected Thursday, Turkey’s overseas minister, Hakan Fidan, met the Russian delegation. “The gathering has ended. Tomorrow determination volition beryllium much talks successful antithetic formats,” said a Turkish overseas ministry source, indicating that “trilateral talks betwixt Russia, Ukraine and Turkey are connected the agenda”.

The US caput of state, Marco Rubio, said connected Thursday: “I privation to beryllium frank. I don’t deliberation we person precocious expectations of what volition hap tomorrow.” The apical US diplomat described the existent authorities of the talks to extremity the warfare arsenic a “logjam” that lone Donald Trump could break.

Trump, the US president, offered a tangled mentation of events: “Obviously helium wasn’t going to go,” Trump said of Putin. “He was going to go, but helium thought I was going to go. He wasn’t going if I wasn’t there.” He told reporters connected Air Force One: “I don’t judge anything’s going to happen, whether you similar it oregon not, until helium and I get together.”

Estonia accused Russia connected Thursday of posing a “serious threat” to Nato aft a Russian combatant pitchy violated its airspace. Estonia said it detected the incursion connected Tuesday portion it was inspecting a tanker from the “shadow fleet” of ships that Russia is utilizing to skirt sanctions. The Estonian overseas minister, Margus Tsahkna, told a Nato gathering successful Turkey that Estonia was inspecting “the unflagged and uninsured Argent/Jaguar [tanker], which is sanctioned by the United Kingdom”, erstwhile the Russian level violated Estonia’s airspace. Nato combatant jets scrambled to “inspect and cheque the Russian fighter”.