Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The White House posted two cryptic, unexplained videos on its official social media accounts late on Wednesday, then deleted one without offering any public explanation, prompting a wave of online speculation.&nbsp; People and The Independent reported that the clips appeared on the White House&rsquo;s X and Instagram accounts on the night of March 25.&nbsp;The deleted clip was described as a short phone-style video with the words &ldquo;sound on&rdquo; over the footage. According to People and the New York Post, an unidentified woman could be heard saying, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s launching soon, right?&rdquo; and the clip was later removed.&nbsp; The New York Post said it was posted at about 9:15 p.m. ET and taken down roughly 90 minutes later.&nbsp; A second clip remained online longer.&nbsp; The Independent and the New York Post said it featured a dark or static-like screen, a phone notification sound and a brief image of an American flag.&nbsp; There was no official caption that explained the purpose of the video.&nbsp; The White House did not provide a formal explanation in the reporting reviewed here.&nbsp; People said a White House spokesperson responded only with the remark, &ldquo;I wonder what&rsquo;s launching soon!&rdquo;, a comment that suggested the posts may have been intentional but did not clarify what they referred to.&nbsp;That ambiguity fueled speculation online.&nbsp; The Daily Beast reported that the deleted post triggered conspiracy theories and guesses ranging from a social-media error to a planned teaser, while the New York Post said users floated theories tied to hacking, military signaling, and other possible announcements.&nbsp; None of those explanations was confirmed by the White House. So far, the only firmly established facts are that the White House posted two cryptic clips, deleted one of them, left the other online for longer, and has still not publicly explained what was &ldquo;launching soon.&rdquo;

Americas

The White House posted two cryptic messages in video form on its official social media accounts, deleted one, left the other online longer, and offered no clear explanation, fueling online speculation about whether the posts were intentional or mistaken.

Cryptic messages on White House accounts trigger speculation

HAVANA: US President Donald Trump vowed Monday to &quot;take&quot; Cuba as the communist island plunged into darkness under a total power blackout linked to a crippling oil embargo imposed by Washington. After nearly seven decades defying the United States, Havana&#39;s communist authorities are under massive pressure from a Trump administration determined to make history. &quot;You know, all my life I&#39;ve been hearing about the United States and Cuba. When will the United States do it?&quot; Trump told reporters at the White House. &quot;I do believe I&#39;ll be...having the honor of taking Cuba,&quot; Trump said. &quot;Whether I free it, take it -- think I could do anything I want with it, you want to know the truth. They&#39;re a very weakened nation right now.&quot; It was one of Trump&#39;s most explicit threats and came as the Caribbean island of 9.6 million people grappled with yet another major power cut. The blackout resulted from a &quot;complete shutdown of the national grid,&quot; Union Nacional Electrica de Cuba (UNE) said in a statement, adding that work had begun to restore electricity flow. Cuba&#39;s aging electricity generation system is in shambles, with daily power outages of up to 20 hours the norm in parts of the island. But since the US ouster of Cuba&#39;s top ally, Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, on January 3, the island&#39;s economy has been hammered further as Trump maintains a de facto oil blockade. No oil has been imported to the island since January 9, hitting the power sector while also forcing airlines to curtail flights to the island, a blow to the all-important tourism sector. In a bid to relieve economic pressure -- and meet US demands -- a senior economic official in Cuba announced Monday that Cuban exiles would now be able to invest and own businesses there. &quot;Cuba is open to having a fluid commercial relationship with US companies&quot; and &quot;also with Cubans residing in the United States and their descendants,&quot; Oscar Perez-Oliva, who is foreign trade minister and also deputy prime minister, told NBC News. The New York Times reported Monday, relying on anonymous sources, that Trump administration officials have signaled to Cuban officials that the US wants President Miguel Diaz-Canel to be removed from power. Popular unrest&nbsp;The blackouts, as well as regular shortages of food, medicine and other basics, are spurring frustrations. In a rare moment of violence, demonstrators vandalized a provincial office of the Cuban Communist Party last weekend. It was part of a new trend of protests in which people bang pots and pans at night, at times yelling &quot;Libertad,&quot; or freedom. Fourteen people have been arrested after the office assault in Moron, a town of around 70,000 people east of Havana, the regional party chief told state-run newspaper Invasor. The violence prompted Diaz-Canel to acknowledge in an X post &quot;the discontent our people feel because of the prolonged blackouts&quot;, including a major outage in early March. &quot;What will never be comprehensible, justified, or admitted is violence,&quot; Diaz-Canel said. The government has also rationed gasoline sales and some hospital services due to the fuel shortages. Diaz-Canel confirmed last week that his government had held talks with the United States. Trump has alleged the fuel blockade is a response to an &quot;extraordinary threat&quot; posed by Cuba to the United States. Trump said Sunday that Cuba &quot;wants to make a &quot;deal&quot;, which could come quickly after his administration has finished the war against Iran. &quot;I think we will pretty soon either make a deal or do whatever we have to do,&quot; Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.

US President Donald Trump signs an executive order during a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House on March 16, 2026, in Washington, DC (AFP)

Donald Trump escalated pressure on Cuba amid a deepening energy crisis, threatening to “take” the island as US policies choke oil supplies, trigger blackouts, fuel unrest, and push Havana toward negotiations and economic concessions.

Trump vows to 'take' Cuba as island reels from oil embargo

PARIS: France moved on Monday to block US envoy Charles Kushner from having access to government ministers, after he failed to show up to explain comments about a killed far-right activist. The move is the latest instance of diplomatic friction between Paris and the United States under President Donald Trump, with Paris bristling at what it sees as repeated interference by Washington in domestic matters. Kushner, whose son Jared is married to Trump&#39;s daughter Ivanka, has already been summoned once before over his criticism of France&#39;s handling of antisemitism. He skipped that meeting as well, sending another official instead. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot summoned Kushner after the US embassy in Paris reposted comments by the Trump administration in Washington about slain far-right activist Quentin Deranque. Deranque, 23, died from head injuries following clashes between radical-left and far-right supporters on the sidelines of a February 12 protest against a politician from the left-wing France Unbowed (LFI) party in Lyon. Barrot denounced on Sunday any attempts to exploit the killing &quot;for political ends&quot; and summoned Kushner for a meeting at 7:00 pm (1800 GMT) the following day. But a diplomatic source told AFP the ambassador cited &quot;personal commitments&quot; and sent a senior embassy official instead. &ldquo;In light of this apparent failure to grasp the basic requirements of the ambassadorial mission and the honor of representing one&#39;s country, the minister (Barrot) has requested that he (Kushner) no longer be allowed direct access to members of the French government,&rdquo; the foreign ministry said. Kushner would, however, be permitted to continue his diplomatic duties and have &quot;exchanges&quot; with officials, it added in a statement. Washington has not commented on this development. On edge<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/french-farright-leader-accuses-macron-allies-of-strengthening-hardleft-after-activist-killed" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Deranque&#39;s death has put France on edge</a>, igniting tensions between the left and right ahead of a 2027 presidential vote. More than 3,000 people marched in Lyon on Saturday in tribute to Deranque, with authorities deploying heavy security for fear of further clashes. On Friday, Sarah Rogers, the State Department undersecretary for public diplomacy, said Deranque&#39;s killing showed &ldquo;why we treat political violence &mdash; terrorism &mdash; so harshly.&rdquo; &ldquo;Once you decide to kill people for their opinions instead of persuading them, you&#39;ve opted out of civilization,&rdquo; she wrote on X. The State Department&#39;s bureau of counter-terrorism separately posted: &ldquo;Violent radical leftism is on the rise, and its role in Quentin Deranque&#39;s death demonstrates the threat it poses to public safety.&rdquo; The US embassy shared a French translation of the post on its account. Italy&#39;s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has also weighed in, triggering a war of words with French President Emmanuel Macron, who urged her to stop &ldquo;commenting on what happens in other countries.&rdquo; Kushner, who took up his post in Paris last year, was previously summoned to the foreign ministry at the end of August, after the French government took exception to his criticism that Macron was not tackling antisemitism. The US charge d&#39;affaires &mdash; the ambassador&#39;s de facto deputy &mdash; attended that meeting.

US Ambassador to France Charles Kushner delivers a speech for the official launch of America 250, to celebrate the 250th birthday of the US in 2026, at the US ambassy in Paris, on December 4, 2025.

Europe

The move is the latest instance of diplomatic friction between Paris and the United States under President Donald Trump, with Paris bristling at what it sees as repeated interference by Washington in domestic matters.

France to revoke US envoy's govt access after summons no-show

ISLAMABAD: US Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for South and Central Asian Affairs John Mark Pommersheim on Saturday concluded a five-day visit to Pakistan aimed at strengthening cooperation on economic growth and shared security interests, according to a statement issued by the US Embassy. &ldquo;The United States is forging new partnerships, championing innovation, and defining a new era of diplomacy that will carry us forward for the next 250 years,&rdquo; the statement said. &nbsp; The visit comes as both countries seek to deepen engagement in trade, investment, and emerging technology sectors. During his stay, Pommersheim met senior Pakistani civilian and military representatives, including Director General of Military Operations Major General Kashif Abdullah and Director General of Military Intelligence Major General Wajid Aziz Khan. He also held meetings with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and Minister of IT and Telecommunications Shaza Khawaja. &ldquo;DAS Pommersheim recognized Pakistan&rsquo;s ongoing economic reforms efforts under the IMF program,&rdquo; the statement added. In Islamabad, the US official attended the launch of Pakistan&rsquo;s Indus AI Week, where he expressed support for expanding partnerships in the digital and IT sectors. Later in Lahore, Pommersheim attended Basant celebrations, &ldquo;experiencing Pakistan&rsquo;s rich cultural heritage firsthand&rdquo; according to the US Embassy. &nbsp; He met Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb to discuss U.S. business engagement with Punjab and promote Pakistani investment in the United States. &nbsp; The statement concluded that his discussions with Pakistani officials underscored &ldquo;the importance of expanding trade and investment, including the AI, IT, energy, and critical minerals and mining sectors&rdquo; between both countries.

Foreign Affairs

Culture

US Deputy Assistant Secretary John Mark Pommersheim concludes a five-day Pakistan visit, meeting civilian and military leaders, supporting AI and IT partnerships, encouraging economic reforms, and promoting expanded trade and cooperation between both countries.

'US wants ties with Pakistan for next 250 years’

GENEVA: A senior US official on Friday criticised the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-urges-new-nuclear-treaty-after-russia-agreement-ends" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">last nuclear treaty </a>between Russia and the United States for <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/last-usrussia-nuclear-treaty-ends-in-grave-moment-for-world" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">failing to include Beijing</a>, speaking at the United Nations a day after the New START deal expired.&nbsp;&quot;In a nutshell, New START was flawed,&quot; said Thomas G. DiNanno, US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, pointing out that it had not covered all nuclear weapons, &quot;and it didn&#39;t include China&quot;.&nbsp;Speaking to reporters in Geneva before addressing the Conference on Disarmament, he said US President Donald Trump &quot;has been pretty clear that he wants a better agreement&quot;, and &quot;clarified again last night that he wants a new treaty&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;He&#39;s been crystal clear. He&#39;s been consistent on it too, since his first administration,&quot; DiNanno said.&nbsp;&quot;So we&#39;ll see how it plays out.&quot;&nbsp;Asked if China had agreed to anything, DiNanno said: &quot;We&#39;re always willing to talk to them.&quot;&nbsp;China said on Thursday it would not join nuclear talks &quot;at this stage&quot; after the treaty&#39;s expiry that day triggered fears of a new global arms race.&nbsp;Campaigners have warned that the expiry, which ended decades of restrictions on how many warheads Russia and the United States deploy, could encourage China to expand its own arsenal.&nbsp;The New START treaty ended at the turn of the calendar on February 5, after Trump did not follow up on Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin&#39;s proposal to extend warhead limits in the agreement for one year.&nbsp;Russia and the United States together control more than 80 percent of the world&#39;s nuclear warheads, but arms agreements have been withering away.&nbsp;New START, first signed in 2010, limited each side&#39;s nuclear arsenal to 1,550 deployed strategic warheads -- a reduction of nearly 30 percent from the previous limit set in 2002.&nbsp;It also allowed each side to conduct on-site inspections of the other&#39;s nuclear arsenal, although these were suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic and have not resumed since.&nbsp;The Conference on Disarmament negotiating forum, which is comprised of 65 member states and meets in Geneva.

China

A senior US official says the expired New START nuclear treaty is flawed for excluding China, as Washington pushes for a new deal and Beijing refuses talks, raising fears of a renewed global arms race.

New START nuclear treaty 'was flawed': senior US official

BRUSSELS: NATO chief <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/nato-chief-cannot-negotiate-for-denmark-on-greenland-danish-govt" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mark Rutte</a>&nbsp;warned Monday Europe cannot defend itself without the United States, in the face of calls for the continent to stand on its own feet after tensions over Greenland.&nbsp;US President Donald Trump roiled the transatlantic alliance by threatening to seize the autonomous <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/eu-leaders-take-stage-in-davos-as-trump-rocks-global-order" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Danish territory </a>-- before backing off after talks with Rutte last week.&nbsp;The diplomatic crisis sparked gave fresh momentum to those advocating for Europe to take a tougher line against Trump and break its military reliance on Washington.&nbsp;&quot;If anyone thinks here again, that the European Union, or Europe as a whole, can defend itself without the US -- keep on dreaming. You can&#39;t,&quot; Rutte told lawmakers at the European Parliament.&nbsp;He said that EU countries would have to double defence spending from the five percent NATO target agreed last year to 10 percent and spend &quot;billions and billions&quot; on building nuclear arms.&nbsp;&quot;You would lose the ultimate guarantor of our freedom, which is the US nuclear umbrella,&quot; Rutte said. &quot;So hey, good luck.&quot;&nbsp;The former Dutch prime minister insisted that US commitment to NATO&#39;s Article Five mutual defence clause remained &quot;total&quot;, but that the United States expected European countries to keep spending more on their militaries.&nbsp;&quot;They need a secure Euro-Atlantic, and they also need a secure Europe. So the US has every interest in NATO,&quot; he said.&nbsp;The NATO head reiterated his repeated praise for Trump for pressuring reluctant European allies to step up defence spending.&nbsp;He also appeared to knock back a suggestion floated by the EU&#39;s defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius earlier this month for a possible European defence force that could replace US troops on the continent.&nbsp;&quot;It will make things more complicated. I think (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will love it. So think again,&quot; Rutte said.&nbsp;On Greenland, Rutte said he had agreed with Trump that NATO would &quot;take more responsibility for the defence of the Arctic&quot;, but it was up to Greenlandic and Danish authorities to negotiate over US presence on the island.&nbsp;&quot;I have no mandate to negotiate on behalf of Denmark, so I didn&#39;t, and I will not,&quot; he said.&nbsp;Rutte reiterated that he had stressed to Trump the cost paid by NATO allies in Afghanistan after the US leader caused outrage by playing down their contribution.&nbsp;&quot;For every two American soldiers who paid the ultimate price, one soldier of an ally or a partner, a NATO ally or a partner country, did not return home,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;I know that America greatly appreciates all the efforts.&quot;

Mark Rutte warns Europe cannot defend itself without the US, dismissing calls for strategic autonomy. He urged defence spending, reaffirmed NATO’s nuclear umbrella and Article Five, rejected a European army, and said Washington remains committed.

'Keep dreaming': NATO chief says Europe can't defend itself without US

ISLAMABAD: The United States will host senior military leaders from across the Western Hemisphere next month for a high-level conference, aimed at strengthening regional security cooperation, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) reported on Saturday quoting Reuters.&nbsp;According to the report, defense chiefs and senior military representatives from 34 nations have been invited to attend the inaugural Western Hemisphere Chiefs of Defense Conference, scheduled for February 11.&nbsp;&nbsp;The meeting will be chaired by Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, ABC reported.&nbsp;The conference is intended to provide a platform for military leaders to exchange views on shared security concerns, enhance coordination, and reinforce partnerships across the region, it added.&nbsp;The US military said countries in the hemisphere are bound by longstanding historical connections and mutual interests that underscore the importance of regional stability.&nbsp;&ldquo;Chiefs of defense and senior military representatives from 34 nations will meet to build shared understanding of common security priorities and strengthen regional cooperation,&quot; ABC said.&nbsp;Military officials from countries outside the Americas but with territories in the region, including Denmark, the United Kingdom and France, are also among those invited to participate, according to US media reports.&nbsp;The conference comes amid heightened US military activity in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, where Washington has intensified operations targeting drug trafficking networks and transnational criminal organizations.&nbsp;The meeting is expected to align with the Trump administration&rsquo;s broader national security strategy, which places renewed emphasis on the Western Hemisphere and calls for governments in the region to work closely with the United States on counter-narcotics efforts, border security, and regional stability.&nbsp;This will mark the first time the Pentagon has convened defense leaders from across the entire Western Hemisphere under a single forum, US media said, describing the gathering as a milestone in regional military engagement.

The United States will host defense chiefs from 34 Western Hemisphere countries on February 11 to discuss shared security priorities, strengthen military cooperation, and address regional stability and transnational threats, the US military said.

US to host all Western Hemisphere military leaders

ISLAMABAD: White House trade adviser Peter Navarro raised questions over Americans paying for artificial intelligence services used in India in a recent interview with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, Indian media reported. Speaking on the program &ldquo;Real America&rsquo;s Voice,&rdquo; US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s trade advisor Navarro said it was unfair for Americans to subsidize technology infrastructure that serves large overseas user bases. &ldquo;Why are Americans paying for AI in India? ChatGPT operates on US soil and uses American electricity, servicing large users of ChatGPT in India &hellip; and elsewhere around the world,&rdquo; Navarro said during the interview. His remarks focused on the location of data centers and energy use in the United States, arguing that domestic resources were supporting global demand without sufficient benefit returning to American consumers. Navarro also raised concerns about foreign purchases of US agricultural land. He claimed overseas buyers were paying prices far above market value, which he warned could fuel higher food costs in the United States. He said such trends, if left unchecked, could add pressure to food inflation and undermine domestic agricultural interests. The comments come amid broader trade tensions between Washington and New Delhi, particularly over energy and tariff policies. Russian oilAccording to AFP, India increased its purchases of discounted Russian crude oil following Russia&rsquo;s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, after Moscow faced sweeping Western sanctions, including restrictions on oil sales.&nbsp; US officials, including Navarro, have criticized the move, with the trade adviser previously referring to it as &ldquo;Modi&rsquo;s war,&rdquo; AFP reported.&nbsp; <p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 2;' id="isPasted">In October last year, Trump said that Modi had assured him India would stop buying Russian oil, describing it as a &ldquo;big step&rdquo; to increase pressure on Moscow. Indian officials later claimed that assertion, saying no such assurance or conversation had taken place.<p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 2;' id="isPasted"> Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump said Monday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was eager to &ldquo;please&rdquo; him, while renewing a warning that Washington could further raise tariffs on India over its continued purchases of Russian oil if New Delhi does not &ldquo;help&rdquo; address the issue.

White House senior counselor for trade and manufacturing Peter Navarro attends the annual 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony at the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum on September 11, 2025 in New York City (Getty Images via AFP)

India

Peter Navarro raises questions over Americans paying for artificial intelligence services used in India in a recent interview with former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.

White House adviser questions why Americans bear cost of AI used in India

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan-origin United States cricketers Ali Khan and Shayan Jahangir have reportedly been denied Indian visas ahead of the ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be held in India from February 7 to March 8.&nbsp;Fast bowler Ali Khan drew attention to the issue through a social media post, sharing a photo of himself with fellow USA batter Shayan Jahangir. The caption read: &ldquo;Indian visa denied but KFC for the win.&rdquo; The post quickly circulated among cricket fans, highlighting visa-related difficulties faced by players of Pakistani origin.&nbsp;<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/459fe11f-a4c9-44c1-b9f3-93b99c992e78.png" style="width: 1000px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> Media reports suggest the issue extends beyond the USA squad. Several associate nations, including Italy, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, and the USA, reportedly have players of Pakistani descent or dual nationality who are facing problems obtaining Indian visas.&nbsp;Cricket boards of these countries have formally approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) for clarity and guidance. However, reports say they have yet to receive any assurance from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).&nbsp;The USA squad named for the tournament includes four players of Pakistani origin. Ali Khan, 35, was born in Pakistan and has represented the USA in 15 ODIs and 18 T20Is, taking 49 wickets across both formats.&nbsp;Karachi-born Shayan Jahangir, 31, has played 32 ODIs for the USA, scoring 795 runs with two centuries and three half-centuries. In T20Is, he has scored 371 runs in 19 matches at a strike rate of 134.42, including two fifties.&nbsp;Former Pakistan international Ehsan Adil, who played three Tests and six ODIs for Pakistan, is set to make his USA debut at the tournament. Another Pakistan-born player, Mohammad Mohsin from Peshawar, who featured briefly in the Pakistan Super League for Peshawar Zalmi, is also part of the squad.&nbsp;The USA will be appearing in their second ICC T20 World Cup, following a memorable campaign in 2024 when they stunned 2009 champions Pakistan in a Super Over.&nbsp;The team has been placed in Group A alongside hosts India, Pakistan, Namibia, and the Netherlands. The USA will open their campaign against India on February 7, followed by matches against Pakistan on February 10, the Netherlands on February 13, and Namibia on February 15.&nbsp;USA squad for T20 World Cup 2026 Monank Patel (captain), Jessy Singh (vice-captain), Ehsan Adil, Andries Gous, Shayan Jahangir, Shehan Jayasuriya, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Milind Kumar, Mohammad Mohsin, Sai Mukkamalla, Saurabh Netravalkar, Shubham Ranjane, Harmeet Singh, Rushil Ugarkar and Shadley van Schalkwyk.

Cricket

Fast bowler Ali Khan highlights the issue through a social media post, sharing a photo of himself with fellow USA batter Shayan Jahangir

Pakistan-origin US cricketers denied Indian visas for T20 World Cup

MIAMI: The Kremlin on Sunday denied that three-way talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States were on the cards, as diplomats gathered in Miami for talks on ending the conflict.&nbsp;A day earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had said that Washington had mooted the trilateral format, which would mark Moscow and Kyiv&#39;s first face-to-face negotiations in half a year, but expressed scepticism that they would lead to progress.&nbsp;&quot;At present, no one has seriously discussed this initiative, and to my knowledge, it is not in preparation,&quot; Russian President Vladimir Putin&#39;s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov told reporters, according to Russian news agencies.&nbsp;After revealing the US three-way proposal, Zelensky told journalists on Saturday that he was &quot;not sure that anything new could come of it&quot;, and urged the United States to step up pressure on Russia to end the war.&nbsp;But the Ukrainian leader struck a more upbeat note on Sunday, adding that &quot;constructive&quot; talks between US, European and Ukrainian negotiators were &quot;moving at a fairly rapid pace&quot;, while cautioning that &quot;much depends on whether Russia feels the need to end the war for real&quot;.&nbsp;&quot;Unfortunately, the real signals coming from Russia remain only negative: assaults along the frontline, Russian war crimes in border areas, and continued strikes against our infrastructure,&quot; Zelensky posted on X.&nbsp;Russian envoy in townRussian envoy Kirill Dmitriev arrived on Saturday in Miami, where Ukrainian and European teams have also been gathering since Friday for the negotiations, mediated by US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump&#39;s son-in-law Jared Kushner.&nbsp;Dmitriev &quot;will return to Moscow, make his report, and we will discuss what to do next&quot;, Uskakov said.&nbsp;The top Kremlin aide also told Russian journalists Sunday that he had &quot;not seen&quot; the revised US proposal to end the conflict.&nbsp;Washington last month stunned Ukraine and its European allies by presenting a 28-point plan to end the war widely seen as caving in to the Kremlin&#39;s key demands, which has since been redrafted following Kyiv and Europe&#39;s involvement.&nbsp;While little is known of the latest version, Kyiv is likely to be expected to surrender some territory -- a prospect resented by many Ukrainians -- in exchange for US security guarantees.&nbsp;Moscow&#39;s troops have been steadily advancing at the eastern front in recent months, with Putin on Friday hailing the Russian army&#39;s territorial gains -- and threatening more in the coming weeks.&nbsp;Putin-Macron call?The last time Ukrainian and Russian envoys held official direct talks was in July in Istanbul, which led to prisoner swaps but little else in the way of concrete progress to stop the fighting.&nbsp;Russian and European involvement in Miami marks a step forward from before, when the Americans held separate negotiations with each side in different locations.&nbsp;But the extremely strained relations between the two sides after nearly four years of Europe&#39;s bloodiest conflict since World War II have cast doubt over the prospect of direct Ukraine-Russia talks.&nbsp;Moscow, which sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, also argues that European involvement in the talks only hinders the process.&nbsp;According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in an interview published Sunday, Putin however expressed his willingness to talk with France&#39;s Emmanuel Macron on the conflict.&nbsp;Macron held several calls with Putin in the run-up to and during the early months of the conflict, in an attempt to press the veteran Kremlin leader on the war.&nbsp;Putin has &quot;expressed readiness to engage in dialogue with Macron&quot;, Peskov told state news agency RIA Novosti.&nbsp;&quot;Therefore, if there is mutual political will, then this can only be assessed positively.&quot;&nbsp;In response, Macron&#39;s office said Putin&#39;s stated willingness to talk was &quot;welcome&quot;, but stressed that any discussion with Moscow would be conducted &quot;in full transparency&quot; with Zelensky and European allies.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Zelensky said on X that &quot;over the past week, Russia has launched approximately 1,300 attack drones, nearly 1,200 guided aerial bombs, and 9 missiles of various types against Ukraine&quot; with the Odesa region and the south of the country &quot;hit particularly hard&quot;.&nbsp;Moscow on Saturday claimed the capture of two villages in the northern Sumy and eastern Donetsk regions, while Ukraine said it had destroyed two Russian fighter jets in the occupied Crimean peninsula.

Kremlin denies talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. in Miami. Ukrainian President Zelensky remains skeptical but optimistic about ongoing U.S.-European-Ukrainian discussions. Russian envoy Dmitriev reports back to Moscow, signaling continued tensions.

Articles tagged with "USA"