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WASHINGTON: US and Russian officials are meeting in Miami this weekend for new talks on President Donald Trump&#39;s plan for ending the Ukraine war, a White House official told AFP Wednesday.&nbsp;The talks come after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed progress during two days of meetings in Berlin between Kyiv and Trump&#39;s envoys, while warning that Moscow was preparing for a &quot;new year of war.&quot;&nbsp;Trump&#39;s roving envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected to take part on the US side, while Putin&#39;s economic envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, is set to be in the Russian delegation, Politico reported.&nbsp;The White House official did not give details of the US and Russian teams.&nbsp;There has been a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-ukraine-deal-close-europe-proposes-peace-force" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">flurry of international diplomacy</a>&nbsp;in recent weeks to end the four-year war, with Witkoff and Kushner having met Putin in the Kremlin in November and the Ukrainians and European leaders in Berlin.&nbsp;But large differences remain all around.&nbsp;Ukraine and the United States say there has been progress on&nbsp;future security&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/us-offers-natolike-security-to-ukraine-expects-russia-to-accept" target="_blank">guarantees for Kyiv</a>, but they disagree on which&nbsp;territory Ukraine would have to cede.&nbsp;Putin, meanwhile, said on Wednesday that Moscow would &quot;certainly&quot; achieve its objectives in the war, including seizing the territories it claims are its own.

Europe

The talks come after Ukrainian president hailed progress during two days of meetings in Berlin between Kyiv and Trump's envoys, while warning that Moscow was preparing for a 'new year of war.'

US, Russia to hold talks on Ukraine in Miami this weekend: White House

MUMBAI:&nbsp;US and Indian trade negotiators begin two days of talks Wednesday as they try to reach a deal amid geopolitical turbulence after Washington hit New Delhi with huge tariffs over its purchases of Russian oil. The 50% levies on most goods was imposed in August, with US officials arguing the imports of discounted Russian crude effectively bankroll Moscow&#39;s war in Ukraine. Deputy US Trade Representative Rick Switzer&rsquo;s visit comes a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi embraced Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi. India&rsquo;s foreign ministry described Switzer&#39;s meetings as a &ldquo;familiarization&rdquo; trip. India was among the first countries to begin trade talks after President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs on most US trade partners in April. But it is one of the few major economies still without an agreement, raising risks for jobs, economic growth and markets. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">A serious blow&nbsp;</h2>India is the world&rsquo;s fastest-growing major economy and recorded a $45.8 billion goods trade deficit with the United States in 2024. Large export categories such as smartphones and generic drugs are exempt from Trump&#39;s tariffs, but many labor-intensive industries are not. That&rsquo;s a serious blow for a country already struggling to generate well-paid jobs for millions of young graduates, and the turmoil threatens Modi&#39;s ambition to lift the country into high-income status. Fall in exports&nbsp;Exports fell nearly 12% year-on-year in October, driven by a plunge in US-bound shipments. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) estimates that labour-heavy sectors -- gems and jewelery, textiles and seafood -- saw export drops of 37&ndash;60% between May and September. Foreign investors have dumped more than $16 billion in Indian equities this year, helping push the rupee to a record low past 90 per dollar. Cut in growth forecast&nbsp;The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has also cut India&rsquo;s 2026-27 growth forecast from 6.4% to 6.2%, assuming &ldquo;prolonged 50% US tariffs&rdquo;. Exports could shrink to about $49.6 billion this fiscal year, from $86.5 billion last year, potentially knocking up to 80 basis points off growth, according to the GTRI. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Severe sanctions &nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>India enthusiastically bought discounted Russian crude after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine as Moscow was hammered with severe sanctions including on its sale of oil. But Trump&#39;s decision to link trade policy to geopolitics upended US-India relations in August, with roughly half of the tariff burden stemming from Washington&#39;s attempt to penalize those purchases. No comment&nbsp;The US president has repeatedly claimed India either plans to stop, or has already mostly stopped, buying Russian oil -- a claim&nbsp;New Delhi has neither confirmed nor denied. But when in the Indian capital, Putin offered to &ldquo;continue uninterrupted shipments of fuel&rdquo;.&nbsp; Modi did not comment directly on oil flows. &lsquo;Notable dip&rsquo;However, top buyer Reliance Industries said in November it stopped importing Russian oil for its export-focused refinery, while smaller refiners like HPCL-Mittal Energy have said they have stopped entirely. Analysts at trade intelligence platform Kpler expect a &ldquo;notable dip&rdquo; in India&#39;s December&ndash;January imports. Whether that decline will sway Washington is unclear. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Rice &lsquo;dumping&rsquo;&nbsp;</h2>Talks also stalled over agriculture, with India resisting pressure to cut tariffs on staples like rice and wheat -- wary of angering its farmers, a politically powerful constituency. A senior Indian commerce ministry official told AFP that these issues are &ldquo;largely resolved&rdquo;, although Trump on Monday also criticized the country for &ldquo;dumping&rdquo; rice into the United States. Negotiating a trade pact is complicated by the need to address Trump&rsquo;s so-called reciprocal tariffs, though both tracks are linked, officials say. &ldquo;These are two separate, parallel negotiations that are going on, but one will feed into another,&rdquo; Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal told an industry event last week. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Is a breakthrough likely?</h2>Relations have improved since August, with several smaller deals advancing. That includes US approval in November for two arms sales worth nearly $93 million, and New Delhi&#39;s &ldquo;significant&rdquo; deal for the United States to supply nearly 10% of its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) imports. Energy commitments have anchored past US trade deals, and experts say the LPG contract may help convince Washington that India is reducing its reliance on Russia.

Business

The 50% levies on most goods was imposed in August, with US officials arguing Indian imports of discounted Russian crude effectively bankroll Moscow's war in Ukraine; India’s foreign ministry described Switzer's meetings as a “familiarization” trip.

US, India start fresh trade talks seeking elusive deal

NEW DELHI: Russia and India call each other &ldquo;time-tested&rdquo; friends with ties dating back to the Soviet era, but their relationship has come under significant pressure since Moscow&#39;s invasion of Ukraine. US President Donald Trump has pressured India to curb purchases of Russian oil -- arguing it is fuelling Moscow&rsquo;s war -- and has imposed steep 50% tariffs on New Delhi. The relationship comes under further scrutiny as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/putin-to-visit-india-december-45-kremlin" style="color:#0073e6;">Russian President Vladimir Putin visits New Delhi</a>on Thursday, his first trip to India since December 2021.&nbsp; He last met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September in China. Here are five key areas of cooperation and tension: <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Oil and energy&nbsp;</h2>India emerged as a major buyer of Russian oil after the start of the Ukraine war, providing Moscow with a crucial export market as Europe sharply reduced purchases. In 2024, Russia supplied nearly 36% of India&rsquo;s total crude imports, around 1.8 million barrels of discounted oil per day. That saved India billions of dollars while also bolstering Moscow&rsquo;s war coffers, straining New Delhi&rsquo;s ties with Western partners, and prompting Trump to hike tariffs. Trump has claimed that Modi has agreed to cut its Russian oil imports as part of a prospective US trade deal, something New Delhi has not confirmed. But trade data suggests purchases have started to decline. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Defense&nbsp;</h2>Russia remains one of India&rsquo;s largest arms suppliers, though New Delhi has moved to reduce its dependence by increasing purchases from the United States, France and Israel. At the same time, India has boosted domestic production. As a result, Russia&rsquo;s share of India&rsquo;s arms imports fell from 76% in 2009&ndash;13 to 36% in 2019&ndash;23, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). A possible deal for Russia&#39;s advanced S-400 air defense systems is expected to be discussed, as well as proposals for co-production with India of Russia&rsquo;s Su-57 fighter jets. India currently has three S-400 units, with delivery of two more stalled by Western sanctions. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Trade&nbsp;</h2>Russia is India&rsquo;s fourth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade hitting a record $68.7 billion in 2024&ndash;25, according to official data. But it is far from an equal relationship: over 90% of that came from Indian imports from Russia, amounting to $63.8 billion, mainly fuels and oil.India mainly exports nuclear reactors and machinery and some pharmaceuticals. Analysts suggest a substantial volume of unofficial trade -- possibly 15&ndash;25% above reported figures -- &nbsp;moves through shadow shipping networks.Some allege that involves strategic electronics and dual-use items to circumvent Western sanctions. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">Ukraine war&nbsp;</h2>India has walked a tightrope to avoid condemning Russia&rsquo;s war in Ukraine, while maintaining ties with Western nations. When Modi and Putin met in 2022 in Uzbekistan, Modi said he wanted the war to end &ldquo;as soon as possible&rdquo;. Allegations that Indian citizens were duped into fighting for Russia have added to frictions. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">&lsquo;Non-alignment&rsquo;</h2>India&rsquo;s long-standing policy of &ldquo;non-alignment&rdquo; continues to guide its approach, preserving a historical partnership with Russia while expanding ties with the United States and Europe. Washington has regarded India as a critical partner, especially in balancing China&rsquo;s power. But Modi has repeatedly emphasized a &ldquo;multipolar&rdquo; world order and resisted calls to distance India from Moscow. &ldquo;India seeks to maintain its longstanding relationship with Russia, which is vital not only for managing its challenging relations with China but also for its strategic autonomy -- the core principle of its foreign policy,&rdquo; said Praveen Donthi from the International Crisis Group.

India

US President Donald Trump has pressured India to curb purchases of Russian oil -- arguing it is fuelling Moscow’s war -- and has imposed steep 50% tariffs on New Delhi.

India-Russia ties face tough test under US pressure

MOSCOW: Russia&#39;s defense ministry said Monday that it had downed 251 Ukrainian drones overnight, in one of Kyiv&#39;s largest retaliatory attacks on its neighbor since Moscow invaded over three years ago. &quot;Over the past night, air defence alert systems intercepted and destroyed 251 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles,&quot; the ministry wrote on Telegram. It said Russian forces downed 40 drones over Crimea -- annexed by Russia in 2014 -- as well as 62 over the Black Sea. Dozens more were shot out of the skies over the Kursk and Belgorod regions, as well as others, the ministry said. Russia has kept up a near-constant barrage of drone and missile attacks -- particularly on Ukraine&#39;s energy networks -- as it grinds on with the full-scale invasion it launched in February 2022.Ukraine has increasingly responded with its own strikes targeting Russian oil refineries and other energy infrastructure.

Russia’s defense ministry reported downing 251 Ukrainian drones overnight, calling it one of Ukraine’s largest retaliatory attacks. Drones were intercepted over Crimea, the Black Sea, and multiple Russian regions, including Kursk and Belgorod. 

Russia says downed 251 Ukrainian drones overnight

WASHINGTON: G7 finance ministers pledged Wednesday to take aim at those who are continuing to step up purchases of Russian oil, since Moscow&#39;s invasion of Ukraine more than three years ago. In a statement after a virtual meeting, officials from the Group of Seven advanced economies &mdash; Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States &mdash; agreed that it is time to &quot;maximize pressure on Russia&#39;s oil exports.&quot; This would hit Moscow&#39;s revenue for the war. &quot;We will target those who are continuing to increase their purchase of Russian oil since the invasion of Ukraine and those who are facilitating circumvention,&quot; the ministers said in a joint statement. Trade measures &nbsp;They added that they agreed on &quot;the importance of trade measures, including tariffs&quot; and import or export bans in efforts to cut off Russian revenues. The countries are also giving &quot;serious consideration to trade measures and other restrictions on countries and entities that are helping finance Russia&#39;s war efforts, including on refined products sourced from Russian oil.&quot; The statement came after the United States indicated last month that it was ready to broaden tariffs targeting buyers of Russian oil if the European Union takes similar moves. President Donald Trump, who dialed in to talks between the United States and EU officials, had raised the possibility of tariffs ranging from 50% to 100% targeting oil buyers such as China and India, according to an official. Pressure from Trump&nbsp;In September, the European Commission also stated that it was considering the potential imposition of tariffs on Russian oil imports into the bloc, in response to pressure from Trump. The US leader has demanded that Europe end energy imports from Moscow before agreeing to move forward with sanctions against Russia. The G7 ministers plan to meet again on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund&#39;s and World Bank&#39;s annual meetings in Washington this month.

G7 finance ministers pledged to increase pressure on Russia by targeting countries and entities increasing Russian oil purchases, considering tariffs and trade restrictions to reduce Moscow’s war revenues and limit oil export circumvention.

G7 ministers to target those increasing Russia oil purchases

KYIV: Russian shelling has cut power to the site of the Chernobyl nuclear plant, part of which was destroyed in a 1986 nuclear meltdown, Ukraine&#39;s energy ministry said on Wednesday. Ukraine said the confinement structure housing a damaged reactor lost power in the incident, and that specialists were currently working to restore electricity. Ukraine did not elaborate on the consequences of the blackout, and Russia did not immediately comment. Emergency situation&nbsp;&quot;Due to Russian shelling of energy infrastructure in the Kyiv region, an emergency situation arose at the facilities of Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant,&quot; Ukraine&#39;s energy ministry said in a statement on Telegram. &quot;As a result of power surges, the New Safe Confinement, a key facility that isolates the destroyed fourth power unit of Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and prevents the release of radioactive materials into the environment, was left without power,&quot; it added. The New Safe Confinement, completed in 2016, is a large shield-like structure that surrounds the unit four reactor and prevents the release of radioactive material. A Russian drone attack damaged the confinement structure in February but did not result in increased radiation in the surrounding area, Ukrainian authorities said.

Russian shelling cut power to the Chernobyl nuclear plant, affecting the New Safe Confinement structure that isolates the damaged reactor. Ukraine is working to restore electricity; Russia has not commented.

Articles tagged with "Ukraine war"

US, Russia to hold talks on Ukraine in Miami this weekend: White House

US, India start fresh trade talks seeking elusive deal

India-Russia ties face tough test under US pressure

Russia says downed 251 Ukrainian drones overnight

G7 ministers to target those increasing Russia oil purchases

Russia cuts power to site of Chernobyl nuclear plant: Ukraine