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☆ The pope raises eyebrows after saying Ukraine should have the 'courage of the white flag' and negotiate with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Pope Francis said Ukraine should have the 'courage of the white flag' and negotiate with Russia. AdvertisementPope Francis has sparked controversy after saying Ukraine should have the "courage of the white flag" and negotiate an end to the war with Russia. "You are the heirs of the great Russia. The great Russia of the saints, of the kings, of the great Russia of Peter the Great, of Catherine II, that great imperial Russia, cultivated, with so much culture and humanity," he said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in Istanbul March 8, 2024 Ozan Guzelce/dia images via Getty ImagesBut Russia and Ukraine continue to speak at cross purposes.

Persons: Pope Francis, —, Edgers Rinkēvičs, Matteo Bruni, Bruni, Zelenskyy, Darya, Alexander Dugin, Dugina, Dmytro Kuleba, Francis, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Peter the Great, Catherine II, Oleh, " Bruni, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ozan Organizations: Service, RSI, Catholic Church, Ukrainian Foreign, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Kremlin, Kyiv Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Swiss, Turkey, Visegrad, Latvian, Russian, Moscow, Ukrainian, Istanbul, Turkish, Crimea

CNN —Ukraine has rejected suggestions by Slovakia’s new Prime Minister Robert Fico that it will need to cede territory to Russia to end the war. “There can be no compromise on territorial integrity, neither for Ukraine, nor for Slovakia, nor for any other country,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko wrote on Facebook. Speaking just days ahead of a scheduled visit to Ukraine, Fico told the public broadcaster both Kyiv and Moscow would need to make painful compromises to bring the war to an end. In the European Union, he is closely aligned with Hungary’s Victor Orban and has been very open about his intentions to block Ukraine’s bid to join the EU and NATO. Bringing a very different sort of message Monday to Ukraine was Poland’s new Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

Persons: Robert Fico, Oleh Nikolenko, ”, Fico, ” Fico, Viktor Yanukovich, Hungary’s Victor Orban, Denys Shmyhal, “, Donald Tusk, Volodymyr Zelensky, Tusk Organizations: CNN, Foreign, Facebook, European Union, Kyiv, Ukraine, United, EU, NATO, Ukraine’s NATO, Slovak Army Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Slovakia, Europe, Moscow, Donbas, Luhansk, Crimea, United States, Uzhhorod, Kyiv, Poland, Ukrainian

☆ Dagestan riot: Anti-Jewish protest in Russia’s Dagestan shows risks of Putin’s balancing act on Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“Threats to exterminate the Jews are the result of the work of Russian state propaganda, which for decades cultivated feelings of hatred towards other peoples among Russians,” he noted. Kadyrov has also provided footsoldiers for Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Gaza war adds one more match to the fire. Additionally, Russia’s war in Ukraine has impacted Dagestan heavily, with significant casualties. But an anti-Jewish riot in the southern region of Dagestan shows how quickly that model can backfire, particularly for those trapped inside the echo of Russian state propaganda.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, –, Matthew Miller, Israel, ”, Putin, ” Putin, “, Bashar al, Assad, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Benjamin Netanyahu, Strategic Communications John Kirby, “ we’ve, ” Kirby, Volodymyr Zelensky, Oleh Nikolenko, Ramzan Kadyrov, – Kadyrov, Kadyrov, Harold Chambers, Riddle, Yevgenia Albats Organizations: CNN, multiconfessional, Ukraine –, Kremlin, Red Wings Airlines, Tel Aviv –, Jewish, Authorities, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hamas, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sunday, Saudi, Israeli, National Security, Strategic Communications, ” Observers, Criminal Court, ICC, Russian National Guard, AFP, Getty, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Global Locations: Russia, Dagestan, Makhachkala Uytash, Ukraine, Gaza, Tel Aviv, ”, Russian, Makhachkala, Palestine, Beijing, China, Israel, Jerusalem, Moscow, Iran, United States, Chechnya, Chechen, Russia’s, Kremlin, East

☆ Governments repatriate citizens from Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

REUTERS/Pilar Olivares Acquire Licensing RightsOct 12 (Reuters) - Governments around the world have arranged repatriation flights from Tel Aviv in reaction to the conflict in Israel. AUSTRALIAAustralia organised two special flights on Friday and Sunday to bring back citizens from Israel, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday. CANADACanada plans to operate evacuation flights for Canadians stranded in Israel, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Tuesday. ITALYItaly arranged for seven flights between Tuesday and Wednesday, the Italian foreign ministry said late on Tuesday, as part of efforts to repatriate about 900 Italian citizens from Israel. On Wednesday, Portugal had repatriated 152 Portuguese citizens directly from Israel, plus 14 citizens from other European countries.

Persons: Roseli Pereira, Pilar Olivares, Anthony Albanese, Alexander De Croo, Melanie Joly, Jan Lipavsky, Lipavsky, Elina Valtonen, Catherine Colonna, Annalena Baerbock, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Andrzej Duda, Mariusz Blaszczak, Margarita Robles, Tobias Billstrom, Srettha Thavisin, Oleg Nikolenko, Nikolenko, Alessandro Parodi, Tristan Chabba, Joao Manuel Mauricio, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Rio de, REUTERS, Argentinian, AUSTRALIA Australia, Spanish Air Force, Foreign, CANADA Canada, Centre for Israel, Jewish Affairs, Boeing, Foreign Ministry, European Union, Aviation, CZECH REPUBLIC Czech, Wednesday, Reuters, French Foreign, France, Condor, German Foreign Ministry, Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israel . KAZAKHSTAN Air Astana, Astana Times, Norwegian Air, Sunday . Defence, Ben Gurion, SOUTH, Incheon Airport, Korean, Acting, Airbus, SWISS, THAILAND, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Airline KLM, Facebook, Romania, UNITED, UNITED STATES, U.S . State Department, . Delta Air Lines, U.S, Thomson Locations: Israel, Brazil, Tel Aviv, ARGENTINA, Rome, Argentina, AUSTRALIA, AUSTRIA Austria, Hörsching, Upper Austria, Cyprus, BELGIUM Belgium, BOLIVIA, BRAZIL, Brasilia, Embassy of Brazil, CHILE, Athens, Madrid, COLOMBIA, CYPRUS, Cypriot, CZECH REPUBLIC, Czech, Oman, Prague, DENMARK, Danish, FINLAND Finland, FRANCE France, Israel's Tel Aviv, Paris, GERMANY German, Jordanian, Aqaba, ICELAND, Germany, Keflavík, Iceland, Icelandic, ITALY Italy, Almaty, MEXICO, Oslo, POLAND Poland, Polish, Poland, Ben, Ben Gurion Airport, PORTUGAL, Portuguese, Lisbon, Portugal, SOUTH KOREA, Seoul, KS, SPAIN Spain, Spain, Torrejon, SWEDEN, Swedish, SWITZERLAND Swiss, Zurich, Bern, NETHERLANDS, Netherlands, UKRAINE Ukrainian, Gaza, Europe, U.S, Gdansk

☆ ‘We can’t do it alone’: Ukrainians react to lack of additional funding in US spending bill
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Olga Voitovych | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Kyiv, Ukraine CNN —The United States may have avoided a government shutdown on Saturday – but the lack of additional funding for Ukraine in the spending bill has left some residents in the war-torn nation nervous. Though US President Joe Biden lauded the deal reached by lawmakers, he also acknowledged the lack of new funding for Ukraine, vowing Washington “will not walk away” from Kyiv. There will be some errors, but they will be insignificant.”Kostiak said the fight over funding Ukraine is due to the political realities of the 2024 US presidential election, but he believes the possibility that Washington would stop helping Ukraine is slim. “So I don’t see this as a big problem for Ukraine.”Natalia and Serhii Krasnoshchoks expressed optimism about US support for Ukraine. A CNN poll in August found that most Americans oppose Congress authorizing additional funding to support Ukraine in its fight, with the public roughly split on whether the US has already done enough.

Persons: Joe Biden, Washington “, Volodymyr Kostiak, ”, ” Kostiak, ” Natalia, Serhii Krasnoshchoks, Olga Voitovych, CNN Natalia, Serhii, Mykhailo Chendei, Oleg Nikolenko, Volodymyr Zelensky, Tetiana Ostapchuk, Tetiana, hadn’t, ” Yulia Mueller, CNN Yulia Mueller, “ Organizations: Ukraine CNN —, Ukraine, Senate, CNN, Republicans, Kyiv, Russia, Capitol Locations: Kyiv, Ukraine, United States, Ukrainian, Washington, America

☆ Zelenskiy says nothing will weaken Kyiv's resolve against Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visits the Memory Wall of Fallen Defenders of Ukraine, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, during Defenders of Ukraine Day commemoration in Kyiv, Ukraine October 1, 2023. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsKYIV, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a speech released on Sunday that nothing would weaken his country's fight against Russia, a day after the U.S. Congress passed a stopgap funding bill that omitted aid to Ukraine. Zelenskiy, in a recorded speech marking the Defenders Day holiday, did not address the vote in Congress directly, but reiterated his determination to fight to victory. "As we draw closer to it every day, we say, 'We will fight for as long as it takes.'" "Support for Ukraine remains unwaveringly strong in the U.S. administration, in both parties and chambers of the U.S. Congress, and most importantly, among the American people," he wrote.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Rustem Umerov, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Joe Biden, Oleg Nikolenko, Elaine Monaghan, Pavlo Polityuk, Maria Starkova, Emelia Sithole Organizations: Defenders, Presidential Press Service, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Russia, U.S, Congress, Ukraine . Defense, U.S . Defense, Republicans, Foreign, Facebook, U.S . Congress, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukrainian, U.S, Washington, Lviv

☆ Zelenskiy Says Nothing Will Weaken Kyiv's Resolve Against Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

KYIV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a speech released on Sunday that nothing would weaken his country's fight against Russia, a day after the U.S. Congress passed a stopgap funding bill that omitted aid to Ukraine. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said separately he had received reassurances about further military assistance in a telephone call with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Zelenskiy, in a recorded speech marking the Defenders Day holiday, did not address the vote in Congress directly, but reiterated his determination to fight to victory. "As we draw closer to it every day, we say, 'We will fight for as long as it takes.'" (Reporting by Elaine Monaghan in Washington, Pavlo Polityuk in Kyiv, and Maria Starkova in Lviv; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Rustem Umerov, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Joe Biden, Oleg Nikolenko, Elaine Monaghan, Pavlo Polityuk, Maria Starkova, Emelia Sithole Organizations: Russia, U.S, Congress, Ukraine . Defense, U.S . Defense, Republicans, Foreign, Facebook, U.S . Congress Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian, U.S, Washington, Kyiv, Lviv

☆ Special Report: How Cubans were recruited to fight for Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Dave Sherwood | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +12 min

In La Federal, for example, all nine recruits identified by Reuters signed up to fight in the war. "We are deeply concerned by reports alleging young Cubans have been deceived and recruited to fight for Russia," the spokesperson said. In La Federal, word of the army work began to spread in June, according to the residents interviewed. The first line of the message states: "This is a contract with the Russian military by which you receive citizenship." He stressed that the people who signed up in La Federal knew they would be going to fight.

Persons: Dannys Castillo, Yamidely Cervantes, Enrique Gonzalez, Cervantes, husband Gonzalez, Gonzalez, Oleg Nikolenko, Vladimir Putin, Dayana, Cristian Hernandez, Viondi, Alina Gonzalez, Danilo, Roberto Sabori, Yasmani, MAMI, Mami, Luis Herlys Osorio, Nilda, Osorio, Havana didn't, Dave Sherwood, Alexandre Meneghini, Mario Fuentes, Carlos Carrillo, Matt Spetalnick, Tom Balmforth, Filipp Lebedev, Felix Light, Pravin Organizations: Reuters, La Federal, Federal, Russia, Kremlin, Cuban, U.S . State Department, Facebook, Dayana, Soviet, Pravin Char, Thomson Locations: Alamar, Havana, Cuba, La, Ukraine, Russia, Moscow, Russian, Tula, Crimea, Ukrainian, United States, Villa Maria, Cuban, U.S, America, Europe, Gonzalez, Varadero, Ryazan, Soviet, Angola, Africa, Washington

☆ Georgia accuses ex-official of plotting from Ukraine to oust Tbilisi government
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Felix Light | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Men wearing traditional clothes stand next to the Georgian flag during the Independence Day celebrations in Tbilisi, Georgia May 26, 2022. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze Acquire Licensing RightsTBILISI, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Georgia on Monday accused a former deputy interior minister of plotting from Ukraine to overthrow the Tbilisi government, testing ties with Kyiv as Georgia deepens its relations with Russia. It did not provide evidence, and in Kyiv, foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said Tbilisi was "trying to demonise Ukraine" for domestic reasons. "The Ukrainian state did not interfere, does not interfere and does not plan to interfere in the internal affairs of Georgia," he wrote on Facebook. The Georgian State Security Service named a former bodyguard to Saakashvili as one of the alleged conspirators, along with the commander of a Georgian unit fighting in Ukraine.

Persons: Irakli, Giorgi Lortkipanidze, Oleg Nikolenko, Andriy Yusov, Russia's, Irakli Garibashvili, Mikheil Saakashvili, Saakashvili, Felix Light, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Georgian, REUTERS, Rights, The State Security Service, Western Georgian, Facebook, European Union, EU, Ukraine, NATO, Georgian State Security Service, Thomson Locations: Tbilisi , Georgia, Rights TBILISI, Georgia, Ukraine, Tbilisi, Kyiv, Russia, Ukrainian, Brussels, Europe, Moscow, Abkhazia, South Ossetia

☆ 5 takeaways from Joe Biden’s trip to the G20 and Vietnam
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Kevin Liptak | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

New Delhi CNN —President Joe Biden is nearing the end of a whirlwind trip to India and Vietnam for a series of high-profile meetings aimed at countering China’s influence in the developing world. That’s what this trip is all about, having India cooperate much more with United States, be closer to the United States, Vietnam being closer with the United States. “I think we have an enormous opportunity,” he said, adding: “Vietnam and the United States are critical partners at what I would argue is a very critical time. Here are five takeaways from the president’s trip to New Delhi and Hanoi. Biden tries to pull Vietnam closer to USBiden’s trip to Hanoi was his latest attempt to pull another one of China’s neighbors closer to the United States.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, ” Biden, “, It’s, Nguyễn Phú, ”, I’m, ” “ I’m, Biden’s, Narendra Modi, Jake Sullivan, ” Sullivan, Oleg Nikolenko, Xi, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, they’re, Kurt Campbell, Modi, – Biden, Campbell, it’s, ratchets, aggressions, Vietnam’s, Karine Jean, Pierre, Jean, Li Qiang, presser Organizations: New, New Delhi CNN, Communist Party of Vietnam, Sunday, Diplomats, Indian, Foreign, Facebook, “, United, United Arab Emirates, World Bank, White, White House, Korean, Communist, Communist Party, Biden, CNN Locations: New Delhi, India, Vietnam, Hanoi, Asia, Beijing, China, United States, Ukraine, ” Russia, Russia, Ukrainian, East, Europe, United Kingdom, Japan, United Arab, Bali, Philippines, South China

CNN —Russia on Sunday deemed the G20 Summit in India’s capital New Delhi an “unconditional success,” a day after the meeting’s final declaration stopped short of explicitly condemning its invasion of Ukraine. “At the same time, the G20 has nothing to be proud of in the part about Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov shake hands ahead of the G20 summit. Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said Russia would block the final declaration of the G20 summit unless it reflects Moscow’s position on Ukraine and other crises. The summit had some high-profile absentees, with both Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin staying away.

Persons: ”, Sergei Lavrov, Narendra Modi, Oleg Nikolenko, “, Antony Blinken, Ukraine “, CNN’s Jake Tapper, Ludovic Marin, Lavrov, ‘, ” Lavrov, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin Organizations: CNN, Sunday, Russian, ” Diplomats, Indian, Ukraine’s Foreign, Facebook, Meanwhile U.S, India's, Summit, Moscow State Institute of International Relations Locations: Russia, India’s, New Delhi, Ukraine, India, United States, Ukrainian, Meanwhile, Russian, AFP, Brazil, South Africa, Union

☆ Ukraine's drones rain leaflets on occupied territory telling its citizens to boycott Putin's 'election farce'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Resistance efforts have included blowing up a polling station and mass distributing leaflets via drones calling on people to ignore the elections. Russia is holding elections this weekend in occupied Ukrainian territories, including Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea, The Guardian reports. Interventions to sabotage the elections have included Ukraine's Security Service blowing up a polling station in Zaporizhzhia with drones. AdvertisementAdvertisement"Elections here ended prematurely," a Security Service of Ukraine source told the Kyiv Post. AdvertisementAdvertisementAt least 3,000 Ukrainians in the Zaporizhzhia region are said to be implicated in helping Russians with the pseudo-elections, The Kyiv Post cites from authorities.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Andriy Yusov Organizations: of Europe, Service, Kyiv, Guardian, Kyiv Independent, Ukraine's Security Service, Security Service, Armed Forces, National Resistance Center of, of, Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UN Charter, National Resistance Center, Main Intelligence Locations: Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Crimea, Russian, Kyiv, National Resistance Center of Ukraine, Tokmak, of Europe

☆ Ukraine says G20 summit declaration 'nothing to be proud of'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears on a screen as he attends "Session II: One Family" at the G20 summit in New Delhi, India, September 9, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Acquire Licensing RightsKYIV, Sept 9 (Reuters) - The Ukrainian foreign ministry said on Saturday the G20's joint declaration was "nothing to be proud of" and criticised it for not mentioning Russia. "It is clear that the participation of the Ukrainian side (in the G20 meeting) would have allowed the participants to better understand the situation," he wrote on Facebook. Despite his disappointment with the overall G20 text, Nikolenko thanked Ukraine's allies for doing their part to advance Ukraine's position in the declaration. "Ukraine is grateful to the partners who tried to include strong formulations in the text."

Persons: Narendra Modi, Evelyn Hockstein, Oleg Nikolenko, Nikolenko, Ukraine's, Max Hunder, Mark Heinrich, Alexander Smith Organizations: Indian, REUTERS, Rights, Facebook, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, Ukrainian, Russia, Ukraine

☆ G20 Declaration Omits Criticism of Russia, Notes Ukrainians’ ‘Suffering’
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Katie Rogers | More About Katie Rogers | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The declaration also underscored the potential of digital technologies to increase inclusion in global economies. The president joined other leaders in announcing a project to create a rail and shipping corridor linking India to the Middle East and, eventually, Europe. It was a promise of new technological and trade pathways, they said, in a part of the world where deeper economic cooperation was overdue. The project lacked key details, including a time frame or budget. Even so, it represented much softer than usual rhetoric about Russia from Mr. Biden and other Western leaders, who have spent the better part of two years spending billions on arming Ukraine and burning untold domestic political capital building support for the war.

Persons: ” Jake Sullivan, Oleg Nikolenko, ” Mr, Biden, Xi Jinping, Vladimir V, Putin Organizations: Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry, Facebook, Bank, African Union, Mr Locations: India, Europe, Russia, Ukraine, China

CNN —Chinese opera singer Wang Fan has sparked a diplomatic row after she was filmed singing the Soviet war song “Katyusha” inside the Mariupol Drama Theater in Ukraine where hundreds were killed last year. Wang was part of a group of Chinese bloggers visiting the occupied Ukrainian city. “Katyusha” is a Soviet-era folk song that gained popularity during World War II, calling on the population to serve and defend their land. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the group of violating its state borders. It grossly violates Ukrainian legislation regulating the crossing of the state border by foreigners,” Nikolenko said.

Persons: Wang Fan, Wang, ’ Wang Fan, Oleg Nikolenko, “, ” Nikolenko, ’, Boichenko, Wang’s, ”, cynically Organizations: CNN, Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign, Weibo, NATO, Council Locations: Soviet, Ukraine, Ukrainian, “, China, Mariupol, ”, Russian

Moscow has conducted long-range air strikes on targets in Ukraine since the start of its invasion last year. The Romanian Defence Ministry said Romania was not hit. "The ministry of defence categorically denies information from the public space regarding a so-called overnight situation during which Russian drones would have fallen in Romania's national territory," it said. "We heard the drones, the booms and the air defence systems across the river," she told Reuters by telephone. Ukraine has reported suspected Russian weapons flying over or crashing into neighbours, including NATO members, several times during the war.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Tayyip Erdogan, Oleg Nikolenko, Nikolenko, Daniela Tanase, Oksana Savchuk, Erdogan, Putin, Andriy Yermak, Yermak, Pavel Polityuk, Olena Harmash, Tom Balmforth, Luiza Ilie, Timothy Heritage, Peter Graff Organizations: Russia, NATO, Reuters, Facebook, Romanian Defence Ministry, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Romania, Bucharest, KYIV, BUCHAREST, Moscow, Ukraine's, Izmail, Romanian, Plauru, Russia, Poland, Ukrainian, Russia's Black, Sochi, Turkey, Kyiv

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Ukraine dismisses defense minister as its armed forces break through Russian defensive line
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sea secerity motorboat is seen at Izmail river port on Danube river, in Odesa region, Ukraine, July 21, 2022. Ukraine said on Monday Russian drones fell and detonated on the territory of NATO member Romania during an overnight attack on Ukrainian port infrastructure on the Danube River, but Bucharest categorically denied the report. Reuters could not independently verify either account of what could represent a dramatic turn in Russia's 18-month-old war in Ukraine. The Romanian Defence Ministry issued a statement in which it said it "categorically" denied the Ukrainian assertion. A Ukrainian industry source told Reuters that two Russian drones had fallen on the Romanian side.

Persons: Oleg Nikolenko, Nikolenko, — Organizations: NATO, Reuters, Facebook, Romanian Defence Ministry Locations: Odesa region, Ukraine, Romania, Bucharest, Moscow, Ukraine's, Izmail, Ukrainian, Odesa, Romanian, Russia

☆ Pope did not intend to glorify Russian imperialism in speech, Vatican says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Hannah Ward-Glenton | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Pope Francis did not intend "to exalt imperialist logic," the Vatican said Tuesday, after a speech delivered on Friday drew criticism for references to Russia's imperialist past. "You are heirs of the great Russia — the great Russia of the saints, of kings, the great Russia of Peter the Great, of Catherine II, the great Russian empire, cultured, so much culture, so much humanity," Pope Francis said in the Friday speech, as translated and transcribed by NewsFromUkraine. The pope delivered the prepared speech in his native Spanish, before making these off-script comments in Italian. The pope has previously repeatedly called for a cease-fire in the war in Ukraine and spoken against Russia's actions in the conflict. Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the religious leader for "his personal attention to the tragedy of millions of Ukrainians."

Persons: Pope, Pope Francis, Vladimir Putin, Russia —, Peter the Great, Catherine II, NewsFromUkraine, Russia, Oleg Nikolenko, Rome, Dmitry Peskov, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy Organizations: Google, Vatican, Roman Catholic, Ukrainian, Kremlin, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Facebook, Tass Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Spanish

CNN —Ukrainian officials have criticized Pope Francis’ recent address to Russian youth, calling his remarks “imperialist propaganda.”The pontiff made a video address to the 10th All-Russian Catholic Youth Assembly in St. Petersburg on Friday, during which he urged them to view themselves as descendants of the Russian empire. You are the descendants of great Russia: the great Russia of saints, rulers, the great Russia of Peter I, Catherine II, that empire – educated, great culture and great humanity. Last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin compared himself to Peter the Great during an exhibition dedicated to the first Russian emperor, using the comparison to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Peter the Great waged the Great Northern War for 21 years,” Putin said at the time. The pope has previously been criticized for some of his comments about Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Persons: Pope Francis ’, Peter I, Catherine II, Russia, ”, Oleh Nikolenko, ‘, Russia ’, ” Nikolenko, Vladimir Putin, Peter the Great, “ Peter the Great, ” Putin, “, Peter, –, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Catherine the Great, ” Shevchuk, Pope, Francis, Darya Dugina, Visvaldas Kulbokas, Francis ’, Volodymyr Zelensky Organizations: CNN, Catholic Youth Assembly, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Kremlin, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Vatican, La Stampa, NATO, Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Locations: St . Petersburg, Russia, Russian, Ukraine, Sweden, Ukrainian, Italian, Moscow, Rome

☆ Pope Francis draws criticism for extolling Russian imperialist tsars
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Pope Francis holds the weekly general audience, in Paul VI hall at the Vatican, August 9, 2023. You are heirs of the great Russia - the great Russia of the saints, of kings, the great Russia of Peter the Great, of Catherine II, the great Russian empire, cultured, so much culture, so much humanity. An editorial on Italy's Il Sismografo website, which specialises in Catholic affairs, called the pope's words "odd" at a delicate moment in history. Pope Francis is a Jesuit. The comment prompted Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to summon the Vatican's ambassador in Kyiv to protest, saying the pope's words were "unfair" and had "broken Ukraine's heart".

Persons: Pope Francis, Paul VI, Peter the Great, Vladimir Putin, Francis, Catherine II, Russia, Oleg Nikolenko, Nikolenko, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Italy's, Catherine, Catherine the Great, Pope Clement XIV, Last, Putin, Tsar Peter the Great, propounding, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Nexta, Darya, Dmytro Kuleba, Ron Popeski, Tomasz Janowski, Alex Richardson Organizations: Vatican, Handout, REUTERS, CITY, Kremlin, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Facebook, Rite Catholic Church, Ukrainian, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, St . Petersburg, Russia, Crimea, Russian, Estonian, Belarus, Poland, Lithuania, Moscow, Kyiv

☆ Ukraine and Poland call in envoys after war support comments
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Kyiv and Warsaw have been firm allies throughout the conflict that erupted with the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson Oleh Nikolenko said the Polish ambassador was told in the meeting that statements about Ukraine's alleged ungratefulness for Poland's help were "untrue and unacceptable". Poland also called in the Ukrainian ambassador to Warsaw in response to the "comments of representatives of Ukrainian authorities", Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter. He also said: "I think it would be worthwhile for (Kyiv) to start appreciating what role Poland has played for Ukraine over past months and years." The Polish foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

Persons: Marcin Przydacz, Oleh Nikolenko, Ukraine's, Przydacz, Poland, Anna Pruchnicka, Christina Fincher, Alex Richardson, Angus MacSwan, Alison Williams Organizations: Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Twitter, Kyiv, Ukraine, European Union, EU, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Poland, Russia, Polish, Kyiv, Warsaw, Ukrainian, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Central European

☆ Ukraine repatriates three POWs from Russia via Hungary - Kyiv
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KYIV, June 20 (Reuters) - Kyiv repatriated three Ukrainian prisoners of war from Hungary after a group of POWs was transferred there from Russia without coordination with Kyiv, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday. "The Embassy of Ukraine in Budapest managed to bring back three Ukrainian prisoners of war from Hungary," Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko wrote on his Facebook page. Ukraine said on Monday that Hungary has been ignoring its requests for contact with the prisoners of war. It has cast the transfer of the POWs to Hungary as a publicity stunt by Orban. Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka and Kyiv newsroom; Editing by Tom Balmforth and Alison WilliamsOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Viktor Orban, Oleg Nikolenko, Nikolenko, Orban, Gergely Gulyas, Anna Pruchnicka, Tom Balmforth, Alison Williams Organizations: Kyiv, Thomson Locations: Hungary, Russia, Moscow, Budapest, Ukraine, Kyiv

☆ Ukraine says Hungary ignores requests for contact with transferred prisoners of war
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 20 (Reuters) - Ukraine said on Monday that Hungary has been ignoring requests for contact with prisoners of war that Kyiv said had been secretly transferred from Russia and called the move an act of self interest on Prime Minister Viktor Orban's side. Hungary, which under Orban has forged strong political and economic ties with Russia and has not cut them since Moscow invaded Ukraine 16 months ago, said on June 9 that it had received a group of 11 Ukrainian prisoners of war from Russia. "All attempts by Ukrainian diplomats over recent days to establish direct contact with Ukrainian citizens have failed," Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said on his Facebook page. Hungary's foreign ministry has not immediately responded to Reuters' requests for a comment. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that the operation to transfer the prisoners was carried out solely in the political interests of Orban.

Persons: Viktor Orban's, Orban, Oleg Nikolenko, Gergely Gulyas, Gulyas, Dmytro Kuleba, Viktor Orban, Kuleba, Lidia Kelly, Michael Perry Organizations: Kyiv, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Hungary, Russia, Moscow, Ukrainian, Melbourne

☆ Georgia to resume flights to Russia this week, drawing EU and Ukrainian criticism
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 16 (Reuters) - Georgian Airways will resume direct flights to Russia from Saturday, the country's civil aviation authority said, drawing criticism from Ukraine and the European Union. "The world is isolating Russia to force it to stop the war, but Georgia is welcoming Russian airlines and sending its own to Moscow. All while 20% of Georgian territory remains occupied by Russia with impunity," Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said on Twitter. The EU said it regretted that Georgia was resuming flights to Russia at a time when the bloc has closed its airspace to Russian planes in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. "This latest decision by Georgia's authorities raises concerns in terms of Georgia's EU path," EU foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano said.

☆ Ukraine says grain import restrictions are 'unacceptable'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ukraine's foreign ministry said on Saturday it had sent notes to the Polish Embassy and EU representative office in Kyiv on Friday expressing dissapointment with the situation and saying restrictions on its grain exports via the European trade bloc were "categorically unacceptable". The European Commission said on Friday afternoon it had reached a deal in principle to allow the transit of Ukrainian grain to resume through five EU countries that had imposed restrictions. Asked if the announcement had changed the ministry's position, he said: "There must be (unhindered) export for all Ukrainian goods". In imposing restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports, those five countries have cited concerns that grain from Ukraine meant to be exported to other countries have ended up in their local markets, pushing down prices for local farmers. A Polish foreign ministry spokesman said he had not yet seen the note.

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