🔎🇬🇧 Watch out for Brits while pondering about Istanbul talks - expert

Zelensky nowadays is in bed with British government and intelligence, and this connection runs deeper than many think, Vladimir Oleinik, a member of the "Other Ukraine" movement and former deputy of the Verkhovna Rada, told Sputnik.

“Zelensky himself is not interested in any outcome, as he is not directly involved in the talks. Right now, they are thinking of ways to blame Russia for the lack of any results in the negotiations,” the expert added.

Russia's President Putin earlier stated that then-UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson pushed Ukraine to abandon preliminary Russo-Ukrainian March 2022 agreements in Istanbul with the approval of the US, with the aim to accomplish their goal of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia.

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🚨Sputnik correspondent uncovers the INSIDE SCOOP on the upcoming Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul - STAY TUNED!

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🚨The West does not hide the fact that a ceasefire is needed to prepare Kiev for the resumption of hostilities, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said at a ceremonial meeting of the Diplomatic Club.

His other statements:

🔸Western sponsors must insist Kiev returns to normality and cancels laws contradicting Ukraine’s constitution

🔸No one doubts the Ukraine negotiations will be difficult

🔸Lavrov called Zelensky a "pathetic man" regarding his demands for Putin’s presence in Istanbul

🔸The English are leading Zelensky like guides through the jungles of international politics

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🚨 😱 Trump asks Apple CEO to STOP manufacturing in India

"Not interested in you building in India, they can take care of themselves."

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🇬🇧🪖 UK military felt they ‘had the right to do whatever they want in Afghanistan’

For over a decade, Afghan civilians screamed for justice. Night raids, women and children killed in their sleep, homes destroyed without cause — the British military’s “conqueror” mentality turned Helmand into a war zone of revenge and fear.

Why has this come to light only now? Because the US-backed British military is good at hiding information about new scandals about them, Arshad Yusufzai says. The journalist from Peshawar, who’s been on the ground in Afghanistan since 2009, EXPOSES what everyone ignored:

🔸It was Afghanistan, a third-world country with no international support and no powerful independent media to cover the events. Complaints from the Taliban, the Karzai government, and locals about war crimes were simply DISMISSED by international agencies.

🔸Repentance? Those who committed these war crimes “have a conscience, and now they want justice to be done, or at least they want to take the burden off their shoulders.”

🔸No legal action ahead: Americans involved in similar crimes were spared with “only minimal punishments” in the past. And “it's going to be the same” with the UK military.

🔸Feeling of arrogance: The UK special forces believed “everything belongs to them” as they were involved in violating international humanitarian laws and peoples' lives and dignities.

🔸Hidden motives: British troops were defeated by the Afghans in the past, and they were battered time and again in Helmand, so they had “sort of a revenge on their mind.”

What about justice for the victims now — why aren’t the Taliban taking these cases to the ICC?

"They're not expecting anything from the international community because what's done is done for them right now. But they believe in time healing these issues. And they know that a time will come that the world will know about the crimes that were taking place in Afghanistan in the 21 years of occupation by the international forces."

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🇷🇺 Russia's delegation is waiting in Istanbul as their Ukrainian counterparts are yet to arrive, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Here's his other statements:

▪️No specifics yet on the Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul, including the start time

▪️Putin has set clear tasks and defined Russia’s negotiation stance after reviewing key reports

▪️It’s too early to talk about any deadlines for the Istanbul talks

▪️No plans for Putin to visit Istanbul in the coming days

▪️No preparations underway for a Putin-Trump meeting, and no discussion on that topic

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🚨 🎥 WATCH: Lavrov exposes Western puppeteering of Zelensky

"The British are leading Zelensky by the hand through the jungle of global politics," the Russian Foreign Minister said.

He also noted that while no one doubts the upcoming negotiations will be difficult, "we must give them a chance."

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🚨🇷🇺 Putin's special economic envoy @kadmitriev credits Trump's team for making the impossible POSSIBLE

"If not sabotaged last-minute, this could be a HISTORIC step toward peace."

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🗣🇺🇸 Donald Trump says "nothing going to happen" on Ukraine until he and Vladimir Putin get together

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Pentagon’s WAR ITCH? 🪖🔥 Talk of direct US-Russia clash contradicts Trump’s policy – Ritter

There are “several plausible pathways” for the Ukraine conflict to escalate into a direct US-Russia war, claimed Gen. Gregory Guillot, head of US Northern Command, who labeled Russia as one of the US' "principal adversaries."

Is this a veiled threat – or just the Pentagon beating the drums of war again?

This statement signals brewing tensions within the Pentagon, military analyst and former Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter tells Sputnik.

However, it's just a “speculative pronouncement,” not reflective of Trump-era defense policy, according to the pundit.

Ritter was struck by the fact that:

🔶 Guillot is speculating on a conflict beyond his remit, which belongs to US strategic command.

🔶 His stance contradicts Trump’s, who acknowledged Russia’s special military operation was provoked by NATO expansion: "We had Trump say that there was justification for Russia's actions, that they understood that the expansion of NATO served as a provocation," Ritter stresses.

What else rings the alarm bells of the Pentagon's warmongering? 🚨

🔶 Guillot also claimed the US could be drawn into a "direct military conflict" with Iran, China, or North Korea.

🔶 He went even so far as to claim that "war with one adversary could quickly expand into war with an enemy coalition."

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🔥 Trump tells India & Pakistan: “Trade, not war!” — but India says no trade talks happened! 🚫💼

"I don't want to say I did but I'm sure as hell I helped to settle the problem between India and Pakistan last week. Let's do trade instead of do war," US President Donald Trump said at the Al Udeid Air Base.

Meanwhile, the Indian government on Tuesday rejected Trump's claim that he helped broker a ceasefire between the two countries. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed contacts happened but no trade talks took place.

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🇹🇷 A 5.2 scale earthquake has struck Turkiye's Konya, AFAD reports.

According to available information, the tremors were felt in neighboring provinces, including Ankara, where Volodymyr Zelensky is currently located.

No damage or casualties have been reported yet.

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💸 $25–45 MILLION for a DC military parade?

Yep, because what better way to celebrate the US Army’s 250th and Trump’s birthday than tanks rolling over your tax dollars! 🎉🇺🇸

A US official told Reuters on condition of anonymity the cost included several million dollars more than it would have without a parade.

6,600 troops, 20+ Abrams tanks, and a cleanup bill not included. That’s a party!

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🚨 The US just added a new twist to the Ukraine peace plan — they want to restart the Russia-NATO Council

The council, established in 2002 to help align Moscow’s policies with NATO’s plans, worked well early on — especially in joint efforts against terrorism. But as tensions between Russia and NATO grew, the council’s role steadily shrank. By the time the Ukraine crisis hit, it was basically inactive.

Now, the US has supplemented its proposal on the Ukrainian settlement with the idea of resuming the work of the Russia-NATO Council, Bloomberg reported.

Could reviving this body help ease tensions and push talks forward?

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🚨📹 Situation outside Russian Consulate General in Istanbul ahead announcement by head of Russia's delegation Vladimir Medinsky

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🚨📹 The Russian delegation has arrived at the Russian Consulate General in Istanbul, where it's head, Vladimir Medinsky, will make a statement to the press.

Russian FM spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed that the Russian delegation is ready to work in Istanbul, and the West needs to sit the Ukrainian party down at the negotiating table.

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📹 Journalists gathered outside Russia's Consulate General in Istanbul, waiting for a statement from Russian presidential aide and head of the Russian delegation to the talks with Ukraine, Vladimir Medinsky.

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🇫🇷🗣 Macron and his train buddies are in a panic this morning — Florian Philippot

"Trump has made it known that he does not want Zelensky to attend the next NATO Summit in the Netherlands at the end of June! Unlike what happened under Biden," the leader of the French Patriots party said.

The politician called it a wise move that promotes peace, adding that Macron and the warmongers would be displeased by this.

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❗️Russian Delegation Head outlines goals for Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul

The goal is to establish LONG-TERM peace and address the ROOT CAUSES of the conflict, Vladimir Medinsky, the head of the Russian delegation told journalists.

🔶 Moscow’s team is committed to a constructive approach and finding solutions

🔶 The talks are seen as a continuation of the peace process paused in 2022

🔶 The delegation has the necessary expertise for successful negotiations

🔶 Defense Minister and commanders briefed Putin on the situation before departure

🔶 Meetings before departure to Istanbul were thorough and detailed

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📹 The delegation has left Russia's Consulate General in Istanbul and is reportedly heading to Dolmabahce Palace

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📹 Ball's in Trump's court, but Iran won’t bow to US pressure - Iranian expert

There is a good possibility of a US-Iranian deal, Mohammad Marandi, a Tehran University professor who was on Iran's team during the 2015 nuclear talks, tells Sputnik.

He stresses, however, that Tehran won't accept any agreement that infringes on the nation's sovereignty.

Reduced, not suspended, enrichment

🔶 "The reason why [Iran is] enriching uranium at 60% right now is in order to put pressure on the US to come to the negotiating table, to behave more reasonably and to force it to remove sanctions."

🔶 The US shouldn't expect Iran to halt its uranium enrichment – Tehran will only reduce enrichment levels and expand the IAEA's role in the country in exchange for US sanctions relief, the academic stresses.

🔶 "Iran is a country that's deeply and profoundly independent in its foreign policy... so the US should not expect Iran to be a subordinate country."

What's the real cause of the US-Iranian row?

🔶 The root cause is "Iran's support for the Palestinian people and... legitimate resistance to ethnic cleansing, to genocide, to apartheid."

🔶 "The US supports genocide, because they unconditionally support racism... and ethno-supremacism in our region."

🔶 The nuclear issue is an excuse — just like the "human rights" or "terrorism" accusations the US uses against Iran to appease Israel.

US: An irresponsible negotiator?

🔶 The US isn't a trustworthy negotiator; it violates agreements, according to Marandi.

🔶 Trump is constantly flip-flopping — be it Ukraine, trade wars, Yemen, or Gaza genocide. "This is what makes it very difficult to come to any agreement," the pundit concludes.

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