Trump makes first big foray into Ukraine diplomacy, speaking to Putin, Zelensky

Donald Trump discussed war in Ukraine on Wednesday in phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. (File/AFP)
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Updated 13 February 2025
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Trump makes first big foray into Ukraine diplomacy, speaking to Putin, Zelensky

  • Putin last spoke to a sitting US president in February 2022 when he had a call with Joe Biden shortly before ordering thousands of troops into Ukraine

WASHINGTON/MOSCOW/KYIV: Donald Trump discussed the war in Ukraine on Wednesday in phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the new US president’s first big step toward diplomacy over a war he has promised to end.
In a post on his social media platform after speaking to Putin, Trump said they had “agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately,” and that he would begin by phoning Zelensky.
After speaking to the Ukrainian leader, Trump said: “The conversation went very well. He, like President Putin, wants to make PEACE.”
Zelensky’s office said Trump and Zelensky had spoken by phone for about an hour, while the Kremlin said Putin’s call with Trump lasted nearly an hour and a half.
“I had a meaningful conversation with @POTUS. We... talked about opportunities to achieve peace, discussed our readiness to work together ...and Ukraine’s technological capabilities... including drones and other advanced industries,” Zelensky wrote on X.
The Kremlin said Putin and Trump had agreed to meet, and Putin had invited Trump to visit Moscow.
Trump has long said he would quickly end the war in Ukraine, without spelling out exactly how he would accomplish this.
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump’s Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, delivered the new administration’s bluntest statement so far on its approach to the war, saying recovering all of Ukraine’s territory occupied by Russia since 2014 was unrealistic, as was securing its membership in NATO.
“We want, like you, a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But we must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective,” Hegseth told a meeting of Ukraine and more than 40 allies at NATO headquarters in Brussels. “Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering.”
Hegseth said any durable peace must include “robust security guarantees to ensure that the war will not begin again.” But he said US troops would not be deployed to Ukraine as part of such guarantees.
“The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement.”
France, Germany and Spain said Ukraine’s fate must not be decided without Kyiv’s active participation, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot saying Europe would play its role in offering security guarantees for Ukraine even if NATO membership were not immediate.

Zelensky offers minerals
Zelensky, hoping to keep Trump interested in continuing to support his country, has lately proposed a deal under which the United States would invest in minerals in Ukraine.
Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, in Kyiv on Wednesday on the first visit by a cabinet member in the new US administration, said such a mineral deal could serve as a “security shield” for Ukraine after the war.
No peace talks have been held since the early months of the conflict, now approaching its third anniversary. Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden and most Western leaders held no direct discussions with Putin after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
During the war’s first year, Ukraine succeeded in pushing Russian forces back from the outskirts of Kyiv and recapturing swathes of Russian-occupied territory.
But Moscow has mostly had the upper hand since a failed Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2023, making slow but steady gains in intense fighting that has killed or injured hundreds of thousands of troops on both sides and laid Ukrainian cities to waste.
Russia occupies around a fifth of Ukraine and has demanded Kyiv cede more territory and be rendered permanently neutral under any peace deal. Ukraine demands Russia withdraw from captured territory and says it must receive NATO membership or equivalent security guarantees to prevent Moscow from attacking again.
In recent discussions, Kyiv appears to have accepted that it will not be admitted to NATO soon but has emphasized its need for military support under a peace deal.
“If Ukraine is not in NATO, it means that Ukraine will build NATO on its territory. So we need an army as numerous as the Russians have today,” Zelensky said in an interview with The Economist published on Wednesday.
“And for all this, we need weapons and money. And we will ask the US for this,” Zelensky said, describing that as his “Plan B.”


Indian opposition, civil society call out government’s silence on Israel’s war on Gaza

Updated 14 June 2025
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Indian opposition, civil society call out government’s silence on Israel’s war on Gaza

  • India among 19 countries to abstain from backing UN resolution on Gaza ceasefire
  • Indian government has, in recent years, moved away from historical support for Palestine

NEW DELHI: India’s main opposition party and civil society members are demanding the government break its silence on Israel’s war crimes against Palestinians, after New Delhi abstained from voting on a UN resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza.

While 149 countries at the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly backed the resolution demanding aid access and an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in the besieged enclave on Thursday, India was among 19 countries that abstained, with 12 others voting against it.

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Parvathaneni Harish said the abstention was based on “the belief that there is no other way to resolve conflicts but through dialogue and diplomacy,” adding that “a joint effort should be directed towards bringing the two sides closer.”

The government’s vote sparked an outcry in India, as politicians and members of civil society urged the government to return to its traditional foreign policy of supporting Palestine.

“This is a tragic reversal of our anti-colonial legacy. How can we, as a nation, just abandon the principles of our constitution, and the values of our freedom struggle that led the way for an international arena based on peace and humanity?” Priyanka Gandhi, MP and senior leader of the Congress Party, told Arab News on Saturday.

The move to abstain on the UN resolution was “shameful and disappointing,” she said, adding: “There is no justification for this. True global leadership demands the courage to defend justice, India has shown this courage unfailingly in the past.”

Many years before the establishment of Israel, Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India’s liberation movement against British rule, had opposed a Jewish nation-state in Palestine, deeming it “inhumane.” For decades, other Indian leaders also viewed Palestinian statehood as part of the country’s foreign policy.

That support has only waned recently, with the current government forging partnerships with Tel Aviv and largely remaining silent in the wake of Israel’s deadly siege on Gaza. More than 55,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ongoing onslaught that began in October 2023, while more than 128,000 others have been injured and scores of others put in danger of starvation by Israel’s daily attacks and aid blockades.

“A humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding. Has India abandoned its principled stand against war, against genocide, and for justice?” KC Venugopal, MP and general secretary of the Congress party, told Arab News.

“India has long been a principled voice for ceasefire, peace, and dialogue in the Middle East. Rooted in our legacy of non-alignment and moral diplomacy, India has historically championed the cause of justice and humanitarian values in global conflicts,” he said.

“At a time when the region is witnessing unspeakable violence, humanitarian collapse, and growing instability, India cannot afford to remain silent or passive.”

Apoorvanand Jha, a professor at the University of Delhi, said that India “has chosen to stand behind bullies” by choosing to abstain from the UN vote.

“It’s very clear that India has lost its moral standing … I definitely demand the government continue with traditional Indian foreign policy, which was to stand with Palestine, stand against aggression in any form, and that should lead it to oppose Israel’s aggressive stance in the matter of Palestine,” Jha told Arab News.

“It has to tell Israel. It has to take a definite stand in the UN and elsewhere that it doesn’t support Israel (and) Israel’s aggression.”


Philippines recognized as rising Muslim-friendly destination at halal travel summit

Updated 14 June 2025
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Philippines recognized as rising Muslim-friendly destination at halal travel summit

  • Developing halal travel has been key part of the Philippines’ tourism strategy
  • Muslim travel market expected to reach 245 million international arrivals by 2030

MANILA:The Philippines has been recognized as a rising Muslim-friendly destination at this year’s Halal in Travel Global Summit, where one of the country’s officials and a Filipino hotel chain were also honored for their work in promoting halal tourism.

The Philippines stands among three other countries — Thailand, Ireland and Spain — in the Rising Muslim-friendly non-Organization of Islamic Cooperation Destinations in the latest edition of the Mastercard-CrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index.

The index is an annual report benchmarking destinations in the Muslim travel market.

At the summit in Singapore earlier this week, Philippine Tourism Undersecretary Myra Paz Abubakar was named Halal Travel Personality of the Year, while the country’s largest hotel operator, Megaworld Hotels and Resorts, won the Muslim-friendly Hotel Chain of The Year Award.

“This means that the DOT (Department of Tourism) is on the right track with our programs for Muslim-friendly and halal tourism. We have already done a lot but there is still so much to be done,” Abubakar, who was recognized for her “instrumental role” in advancing Muslim-friendly tourism in the Philippines, told Arab News on Saturday.

The archipelagic country, known for its white-sand beaches, diving spots and rich culture, has in recent years stepped up efforts to cater to Muslim tourists by ensuring that they have access to halal products and services.

“We have to continue moving forward and upward as the Muslim Market is a big market waiting to be tapped,” Abubakar said.

The Muslim travel market is on the rise, with international Muslim arrivals reaching 176 million people in 2024, according to the GMTI. The report estimates that the market will grow to 245 million arrivals by 2030, with their travel expenditure reaching $235 billion.

The index has noted the Philippines’ efforts to become a Muslim-friendly destination since 2021, and awarded the country the Emerging Muslim-friendly Destination accolade at the halal travel summit in 2023.

While the category has been removed for the 2025 edition, the GMTI covered the Philippines and its efforts to promote halal tourism, such as establishing more Muslim-friendly airports, to create a more inclusive travel experience.

The predominantly Catholic country — where Muslims constitute about 10 percent of the almost 120 million population — also launched last year a beach dedicated to Muslim women travelers in Boracay, the country’s top resort island and one of the world’s most popular.

Those efforts, part of the Philippines’ move to diversify its economy away from dependency on the declining Chinese market, have led to a recent surge in international tourism arrivals from countries in the Middle East and the Gulf Cooperation Council.


Pope Leo appeals for ‘reason’ amid Israel-Iran airstrikes, calls for dialogue

Updated 14 June 2025
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Pope Leo appeals for ‘reason’ amid Israel-Iran airstrikes, calls for dialogue

  • Pontiff tells audience in St. Peter’s Basilica he is following the situation with “great concern”

VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo appealed on Saturday for authorities in Iran and Israel to act with “reason” after airstrikes between the two countries killed dozens and sent civilians into shelters, and called on the nations to pursue dialogue.

Leo, in one of the strongest peace appeals yet of his five-week papacy, told an audience in St. Peter’s Basilica he was following the situation with “great concern.”

“In such a delicate moment, I strongly wish to renew an appeal to responsibility and to reason,” said the pope.

“The commitment to building a safer world free from the nuclear threat must be pursued through respectful encounters and sincere dialogue to build a lasting peace, founded on justice, fraternity, and the common good,” he said.

“No one should ever threaten the existence of another,” said Leo. “It is the duty of all countries to support the cause of peace, initiating paths of reconciliation and promoting solutions that guarantee security and dignity for all.”

Leo was elected on May 8 to replace the late Pope Francis and is the first pope from the United States. Unlike Francis, who often spoke off the cuff at public events, Leo is more cautious with words and almost always speaks from a prepared text.

The pope read aloud his appeal on Saturday in Italian from a piece of paper.

Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran early on Friday, targeting commanders, military targets and nuclear sites in what it called a “preemptive strike” to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapons program.

Iran, which denies that its uranium enrichment activities are part of a secret weapons program, retaliated by launching waves of missiles at Israel, killing at least two people and injuring dozens.


King Charles III marks Air India tragedy at Trooping the Colour

Updated 14 June 2025
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King Charles III marks Air India tragedy at Trooping the Colour

LONDON: King Charles III and other members of the royal family in uniform wore black armbands and observed a moment of silence during his annual birthday parade Saturday as the monarch commemorated those who died in this week’s Air India plane crash.
Charles requested the symbolic moves “as a mark of respect for the lives lost, the families in mourning and all the communities affected by this awful tragedy,” Buckingham Palace said.
An Air India flight from the northwestern city of Ahmedabad to London crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday, killing 241 people on board and at least 29 on the ground. The plane was carrying 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. One man survived.
In addition to being Britain’s head of state, Charles is the head of the Commonwealth, an organization of independent states that includes India and Canada.
The monarch’s annual birthday parade, known as Trooping the Colour, is a historic ceremony filled with pageantry and military bands in which the king reviews his troops on Horse Guards Parade adjacent to St. James’ Park in central London.
The military ceremony dates back to a time when flags of the battalion, known as colours, were "trooped,'' or shown, to soldiers in the ranks so they could recognize them.
All members of the royal family in uniform wore black armbands. The moment of silence occurred while the king was on the dais after reviewing the troops.
Charles’ mother, Queen Elizabeth II, held a similar moment of silence in 2017 when Trooping the Colour took place three days after a fire ripped through the Grenfell Tower apartment bloc in west London, killing 72 people.


US warship arrives in Australia ahead of war games, summit

Updated 14 June 2025
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US warship arrives in Australia ahead of war games, summit

  • More than 30,000 personnel from 19 militaries have begun to arrive in Australia for Talisman Sabre, the largest Australian-US war-fighting exercise

SYDNEY: A key US warship arrived in Australia on Saturday ahead of joint war games and the first summit between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President Donald Trump, which is expected to be dominated by military issues.

The America, the US Navy’s lead amphibious assault ship in the Indo-Pacific, entered Sydney Harbor as the first of three ships in a strike group carrying 2,500 sailors and marines, submarine-hunting helicopters and F-35B fighter jets.

More than 30,000 personnel from 19 militaries have begun to arrive in Australia for Talisman Sabre, the largest Australian-US war-fighting exercise. It will start next month and span 6,500 km (4,000 miles), from Australia’s Indian Ocean territory of Christmas Island to the Coral Sea on Australia’s east coast.

The commander of the America, Rear Admiral Tom Shultz, said exercising in Australia was critical for the US Navy’s readiness, while the Australian fleet commander, Rear Admiral Chris Smith, said the “trust and robust nature” of the bilateral relationship allowed the two allies to deal with change.

“The diversity of how we view the world is actually a real great strength in our alliance,” Smith told reporters, adding that Australia also had strong relationships with nations across the region.

Albanese and Trump are expected to meet on the sidelines of a summit in Canada of the Group of Seven economic powers, which starts on Sunday. Washington’s request for Canberra to raise defense spending to 3.5 percent of gross domestic product from 2 percent is expected to dominate the discussion.

The Pentagon said this week it was reviewing its AUKUS nuclear submarine partnership with Australia and Britain. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said on Saturday this was “not a surprise,” adding the two countries continued to work closely.

But Michael Green, a former national security adviser to President George W. Bush, said it was unusual for the review into AUKUS to be conducted solely by the Pentagon and that Trump might link it to the spending request or to tariffs.

“It is unusual to make the review unilateral and public right before a summit, even if the Australian side knew. That is not good alliance management – it jams the Australian side,” said Green, president of the United States Studies Center in Sydney.

Support for AUKUS in the Congress and US Navy is considerable, however, and the review is unlikely to result in the submarine program being canceled, he said.

India will participate for the first time in Talisman Sabre, along with a large contingent from Europe, said the exercise’s director, Brig. Damian Hill. Australia, Singapore, the US and Japan will hold large-scale live firings of rocket and missile systems, he said.

“It is the first time we are firing HIMARs in Australia, and our air defense capability will work alongside the United States Patriot systems for the first time, and that is really important,” Hill added.