Russian invasion

Negotiations
Kellogg: Reasonable that Putin does not want Ukraine in NATO

US special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, says that Russia's demand that NATO not expand further east is a "reasonable position". He says this in an interview with ABC News.

- We have also said repeatedly that it is not an option for Ukraine to join NATO, he says.

He also believes that several other NATO countries have the same position on Ukraine's desire to join the alliance.

Kellogg also says that Donald Trump has presented reasonable proposals to Vladimir Putin in the peace negotiations, but that he has been met with unreasonable demands from Russia.

- It frustrates him, it frustrates me too, says Kellogg.

Kremlin: Sending delegation for talks with Ukraine

The Kremlin will send a delegation to Istanbul for a new round of peace talks with Ukraine, reports AFP.

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov also announced that Vladimir Putin is ready for a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyj, Donald Trump and Recep Tayyip Erdogan. But first negotiations with Ukraine must “yield clear results”.

Ukraine, for its part, has said that it wants to see a document that clarifies Russia’s demands for peace before sending a delegation to Turkey, Reuters reports.

UN: Hope for new talks “barely alive”

Hope for continued peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine is “barely” alive, a UN official told AFP.

The Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, believes that last weekend’s record-breaking and repeated drone attacks on Ukraine have derailed the negotiations. She believes that further escalation between the parties not only risks harming civilians, but also the “already challenged” negotiations.

– The hope that the parties will be able to sit down and negotiate is still alive, but only barely, says Rosemary DiCarlo.

Acting US UN representative John Kelly believes the same, and that continued Russian aggression will lead to the US leaving the negotiations.

Voices about the Ukraine war
EU reintroduces tariffs on Ukraine after lobbying

After the Russian invasion, the EU signed a new free trade agreement with Ukraine, which is a major grain producer. But the agreement will not be extended when it expires on June 5, reports Ekot.

Karin Karlsbro (L), who is responsible for financial support for Ukraine in the EU Parliament, is critical.

– For a long time there has been extremely aggressive lobbying from the European agricultural lobby, she tells Sveriges Radio.

But Christina Furustam at the Swedish Farmers' Association thinks that the EU's original trade agreement was favorable to Ukraine.