KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday he wanted to agree a position with Washington to “stop Putin” before holding talks with Moscow.
The comments came after US President Donald Trump held a long phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and said the sides had agreed to begin negotiations on Ukraine immediately.
Zelensky and senior Ukrainian officials are undertaking a series of meetings this week with Trump allies in Kyiv and Brussels and at the Munich Security Conference.
“The Ukraine-America meetings are a priority for us,” said Zelensky.
“And only after such meetings, after a plan to stop Putin has been worked out, I think it is fair to talk to the Russians.”
Trump also spoke with Zelensky in a call that the Ukrainian leader had described as “meaningful” and broad.
But on Thursday he said that while he believed Ukraine was Trump’s priority, it was “not very pleasant” that the US leader had spoken with Putin first.
The Ukrainian leader also said that Trump had told him he had wanted to speak with both Putin and Zelensky at the same time, without elaborating on why that had not happened.
Zelensky also said he had told Trump that without security guarantees Russia was likely to attack Ukraine again.
Zelensky wants plan with US to ‘stop Putin’ before talks with Russia
https://arab.news/weapw
Zelensky wants plan with US to ‘stop Putin’ before talks with Russia
- Comments came after Trump held a long phone call with Putin and said the sides had agreed to begin negotiations on Ukraine immediately
Syrian authorities bust smuggling ring, tighten border controls
- Smugglers' boat collides with rocks as it attempted to flee pursuing as Coast Guard vessels
- The boat was about to illegally transport passengers from the Syrian coast of Tartus coast to Cyprus
DAMASCUS: Syrian Coast Guard forces have arrested members of a human smuggling network operating in the western town of Tartus, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported Saturday.
Authorities pounced on the smugglers as they were about to transport passengers from the Tartus coast to Cyprus by illegal means, the state media said, citing a statement from the General Authority of Ports and Customs.
"The operation resulted in the arrest of all those involved, including the organizers of the trip," said the report, adding that the smugglers' boat attempted to escape as Coast Guard vessels surrounded it, but collided with rocks.
No details were made available on how many suspects were arrested and how many passengers were rescued. Criminal charges are being prepared against the arrested suspects, SANA said.
New restrictions on commercial transit
In a separate move to regulate trade and border security, the ports and customs authority has issued a new policy restricting truck access at land crossings and seaports.
Commercial trucks will now only be permitted entry for loading or unloading upon presentation of an original receipt from the Ministry of Transport’s freight office.
The transfer of cargo between Syrian and non-Syrian vehicles must now take place strictly within designated customs yards at border crossings.
Trucks passing through Syria in transit remain permitted, provided they are under a mandatory customs escort between entry and exit points.
