MOSCOW: The Kremlin said Tuesday that Donald Trump’s criticism of Vladimir Putin will not affect plans for a US-Russia prisoner exchange that the two presidents discussed in a call last week.
Trump called Putin “crazy” over the weekend after Russia pummelled Ukraine with its largest drone attack since the start of its full-scale offensive, launched in February 2022.
The Kremlin downplayed the spat when asked whether the US leader’s comments could disrupt plans for a nine-for-nine prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington.
“It is clear that the Russian and American sides should not and can not agree on everything. There will always be certain disagreements,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
“But there is political will to implement the agreements that have been reached, and the work continues. We highly value this mutual willingness,” he added.
Following a two-hour call between Putin and Trump last week, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said the pair had discussed “swapping nine people for nine people” — without giving any details on which prisoners.
There have been several rounds of prisoner exchanges between Washington and Moscow since Trump returned to the White House in January.
Washington has accused Moscow of “hostage taking” — arresting US citizens on baseless charges in a bid to use them as pawns to secure the release of Russians behind bars in the West.
In the latest swap last month, dual US-Russian citizen Ksenia Karelina was released from a Russian jail — where she was serving 12 years on treason charges after donating around $50 to a Ukrainian charity.
In exchange the United States freed Arthur Petrov, a dual German-Russian citizen accused of breaking sanctions by trying to export US-made electronics to Russian military companies.
Kremlin says Trump criticism won’t hit US-Russia prisoner swap plans
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Kremlin says Trump criticism won’t hit US-Russia prisoner swap plans
Greek parliament approves purchase of rocket artillery systems from Israel
- Greece is in talks with Israel to develop a €3 billion anti-aircraft and missile defense dome
ATHENS: Greek lawmakers approved the purchase of 36 PULS rocket artillery systems from Israel for about €650 million ($757.84 million), two officials with knowledge of the issue said.
Greece has said it will spend about €28 billion ($32.66 billion) by 2036 to modernize its armed forces as it emerges from a 2009-2018 debt crisis.
“In a closed session, the parliament’s defense committee approved the purchase of PULS,” a senior official with knowledge of the issue said.
A second official confirmed the parliament’s approval, adding that the cost would be around €650 million to €700 million. Reuters reported in November that Greece was in talks with Israel for the systems.
Greece and Israel have strong economic and diplomatic ties, have conducted several joint exercises in recent years, and operate an air training
center in southern Greece.
Greece is also in talks with Israel to develop a €3 billion anti-aircraft and missile defense dome.
The PULS system, made by Israel’s Elbit, has a range of up to 300 km and will help protect Greece’s northeastern border with Turkiye and Greek islands in the Aegean, officials have said.
The deal also includes the construction of components in Greece.
Greece and Turkiye, NATO allies, have long been at odds over issues including where their continental shelves start and end, energy resources, flights over the Aegean, and the ethnically partitioned island of Cyprus.
