MOSCOW: The Kremlin said on Monday that it hoped another summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump could take place as soon as the necessary preparation had been completed.
Putin and Trump last met in August at a summit in Alaska, where they discussed a possible resolution to end the war in Ukraine.
Last month they announced plans for a summit in Budapest, but Trump canceled it soon afterwards, saying that the timing did not feel right.
Asked if Moscow had missed an opportunity, and under what conditions a new Putin-Trump meeting might happen, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “We can hardly predict now when these conditions will arise. Although, of course, we are all interested in these conditions occurring sooner rather than later.”
He said both sides agreed a summit required deep preparation in order to be productive.
“Therefore, as soon as this preparation is completed and the conditions for holding the summit are in place, we hope it will take place.”
Announcing the cancelation of the Budapest summit, Trump last month reiterated his frustration with Putin, saying: “Every time I speak with Vladimir, I have good conversations, and then they don’t go anywhere.” On October 22, he imposed Ukraine-related sanctions on Russia – targeting oil companies Rosneft and Lukoil – for the first time in his second term.
On Sunday, Trump said US Republicans were working on legislation that would impose sanctions on any country doing business with Russia – something Peskov said would go down very badly with Moscow.
“We’ll see how this bill progresses and what details are involved. We would, of course, take a very negative view of that,” he said.
Trump has already sharply raised tariffs on Indian goods, citing India’s purchases of Russian oil, in what Moscow said amounted to illegal trade pressure.
Kremlin hopes for a new Putin-Trump summit
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Kremlin hopes for a new Putin-Trump summit
- Putin and Trump last met in August at a summit in Alaska, where they discussed a possible resolution to end the war in Ukraine
94 million need cataract surgery, but access lacking: WHO
- Of the 94 million affected, fewer than 20 percent are blind, while the rest suffer from impaired vision
GENEVA: More than 94 million people suffer from cataracts, but half of them do not have access to the surgery needed to fix it, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.
Cataracts — the clouding of the eye’s lens that causes blurred vision and can lead to blindness — are on the rise as populations get older, with age being the main risk factor.
“Cataract surgery — a simple, 15-minute procedure — is one of the most cost-effective medical procedures, providing immediate and lasting restoration of sight,” the WHO said.
It is one of the most frequently performed surgeries undertaken in high-income countries.
However, “half of the world’s population in need of cataract surgery don’t have access to it,” said Stuart Keel, the UN health agency’s technical lead for eye care.
The situation is worst in the WHO’s Africa region, where three in four people needing cataract surgery remain untreated.
In Kenya, at the current rate, 77 percent of people needing cataract surgery are likely to die with their cataract blindness or vision impairment, said Keel.
Across all regions, women consistently experience lower access to care than men.
Of the 94 million affected, fewer than 20 percent are blind, while the rest suffer from impaired vision.
- 2030 vision -
The WHO said that over the past two decades, global cataract surgery coverage had increased by 15 percent.
In 2021, WHO member states set a target of a 30-percent increase by 2030.
However, current modelling predicts that cataract surgery coverage will rise by only about 8.4 percent this decade.
To close the gap, the WHO urged countries to integrate eye examinations into primary health care and invest in the required surgical equipment.
States should also expand the eye-care workforce, training surgeons in a standardised manner and then distributing them throughout the country, notably outside major cities.
The WHO was on Wednesday launching new guidance for countries on how to provide quality cataract surgery services.
It will also issue guidance to help support workforce development.
Keel said the main issue was capacity and financing.
“We do need money invested to get rid of this backlog, which is nearly 100 million people,” he told a press conference.
While age is the primary risk factor for cataracts, others include prolonged UV-B light exposure, tobacco use, prolonged corticosteroid use and diabetes.
Keel urged people to keep up regular eye checks as they get older, with most problems able to be either prevented or diagnosed and treated.
The cost of the new lens that goes inside the eye can be under $100.
However, out-of-pocket costs can be higher when not covered by health insurance.
“Cataract surgery is one of the most powerful tools we have to restore vision and transform lives,” said Devora Kestel, head of the WHO’s noncommunicable diseases and mental health department.
“When people regain their sight, they regain independence, dignity, and opportunity.”
