Exclusive-Ukraine to set out roadmap for peace at Istanbul talks, document shows

Exclusive-Ukraine to set out roadmap for peace at Istanbul talks, document shows

By Tom Balmforth KYIV (Reuters) -Ukrainian negotiators at talks scheduled for June 2 in Istanbul will present to the Russian side a proposed roadmap for reaching a lasting peace settlement, according to a copy of the document seen by Reuters. The proposed roadmap begins with a full ceasefire of at least 30 days, to be followed by the return of all prisoners held by each side, and of Ukrainian children taken into Russian-held territory, and then a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Under the blueprint, Moscow and Kyiv -- with the participation of the United States and Europe -- will work to hash out the terms on which they can agree to put a complete end to their three-year-old war, the biggest conflict in Europe since World War Two. Ukrainian officials said earlier this week that they had sent the blueprint to the Russian side in advance of the Istanbul talks. The framework Ukrainian terms for a peace deal as set out in the document seen by Reuters are largely the same as the terms previously put forward by Kyiv. Those include no restrictions on Ukraine's military strength after a peace deal is struck, no international recognition of Russian sovereignty over parts of Ukraine taken by Moscow's forces, and reparations for Ukraine. The document also stated that the current location of the front line will be the starting point for negotiations about territory. Those terms diverge considerably from demands that Russia has made publicly in the past few weeks. U.S. President Donald Trump has urged Moscow and Kyiv to work together on a deal to end their war, and Russia has proposed a second round of face-to-face talks with Ukrainian officials next week in Istanbul. Kyiv said earlier this week it is committed to the search for peace, but that it was waiting for a memorandum from the Russian side setting out their proposals which has not materialised. Nevertheless, Zelenskiy said on Sunday that he will send a delegation of his officials to meet their Russian counterparts in Istanbul. (Writing by Christian Lowe, Editing by William Maclean)

byMario Satorik

in

June 01, 2025

Exclusive-Ukraine to set out roadmap for peace at Istanbul talks, document shows

Exclusive-Ukraine to set out roadmap for peace at Istanbul talks, document shows By Tom Balmforth KYIV (Reuters) -Ukrainian negotiators at ...

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Ukrainian proposals for June 2 talks with Russia in Istanbul

Ukrainian proposals for June 2 talks with Russia in Istanbul

KYIV (Reuters) - Reuters has seen the text of the peace proposals that Ukrainian negotiators plan to present to the Russian side at peace talks scheduled to take place on June 2 in Istanbul. The text of the Ukrainian document is published in full with no changes. Ukraine-Russia Negotiations Framework I. Key Principles of the Agreement and the Negotiation Process • Full and unconditional ceasefire in the sky, on land and at sea as a necessary background and prerequisite for peace negotiations. • Confidence-building measures – addressing humanitarian issues: unconditionally return all deported and illegally displaced Ukrainian children. Exchange of all prisoners (the "all for all" principle). Release by Russia of all civilian hostages. • Non-repetition of aggression: The aim of the negotiations is to restore a permanent basis for lasting peace and security and to ensure that aggression does not occur again. • Security guarantees and engagement of the international community: Ukraine must receive robust security guarantees. The parties will invite the international community to participate in the negotiations and provide guarantees to ensure the implementation of the agreements. • Sovereignty: Ukraine is not forced to be neutral. It can choose to be part of the Euro-Atlantic community and move towards EU membership. Ukraine's membership in NATO depends on consensus within the Alliance. No restrictions may be imposed on the number, deployment, or other parameters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as on the deployment of troops of friendly foreign states on the territory of Ukraine. • Territorial issues: Territorial gains made by Russia since February 2014 are not recognized by the international community. The contact line is the starting point for negotiations. Territory issues are discussed only after a full and unconditional ceasefire. • Sanctions: Some sanctions may be lifted from Russia, but in stages and only gradually, with a mechanism for resuming sanctions if necessary (snapback). Frozen Russian sovereign assets are used for reconstruction or remain frozen until reparations are paid. • Implementation: Agree on a clear, balanced and achievable roadmap for implementation and enforcement of the agreements. II. Next step – agreeing ceasefire and agenda of the leaders' meeting • After the meeting in Istanbul, the parties continue the talks which shall focus on: (1) full and unconditional ceasefire: its modalities and monitoring; (2) confidence building measures; (3) preparation, agreeing agenda and structure of future leaders' negotiations on key topics. • Negotiations to be held with the U.S. and Europe participating. III. Ceasefire • Full and unconditional ceasefire in the sky, on land and at sea at least for 30 days (with the possibility of rolling extensions every 30 days) as a necessary background and prerequisite for peace negotiations. • Ceasefire monitoring, led by the US and supported by third countries. IV. Confidence-building measures • After successful exchange of PoWs after Istanbul talks, the parties continue the exchange process for all prisoners of war ("all for all" principle). • Agreement on unconditional return by the Russian Federation of all deported and displaced Ukrainian children, and release by Russia of all civilian prisoners. These measures should include all categories of persons listed, starting from February 2014. V. Leaders' meeting • The leaders of Ukraine and Russia meet to agree on key aspects of final peace settlement. • Key topics of peace agreement to be agreed by the leaders: 1) Permanent and complete cessation of hostilities: conditions, monitoring, sanctions for violations 2) Security guarantees and non-repetition of aggression 3) Territorial issues 4) Economy, compensation, reconstruction 5) Penalties for breach of agreements 6) Conclusion of a final peace agreement (Reporting by Tom Balmforth, Editing by William Maclean)

byMario Satorik

in

June 01, 2025

Ukrainian proposals for June 2 talks with Russia in Istanbul

Ukrainian proposals for June 2 talks with Russia in Istanbul KYIV (Reuters) - Reuters has seen the text of the peace proposals that Ukrainia...

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The NBA Finals are set: It'll be Thunder vs. Pacers, starting Thursday night

The NBA Finals are set: It'll be Thunder vs. Pacers, starting Thursday night

The seeds for the 2025 NBA Finals began getting planted unknowingly in 2017, back when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was about to enroll at Kentucky and Tyrese Haliburton was getting ready for his senior year of high school in Wisconsin. That was the year the Indiana Pacers traded Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pacers landed Domantas Sabonis out of that deal. The Thunder would trade George in 2019 to the Los Angeles Clippers for a package that included Gilgeous-Alexander. The Pacers would trade Sabonis in 2022 to Sacramento for a package that included Haliburton. And here we are. Gilgeous-Alexander is the NBA's MVP and Oklahoma City's best player. Haliburton is an Olympic gold medalist and Indiana's best player. They'll lead their teams into Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night — Indiana at Oklahoma City, the start of a series that will decide who hoists the Larry O'Brien Trophy. "Man, I'm just so proud of this group," Haliburton said in the on-court televised interview with TNT after the Pacers' 125-108 victory over the New York Knicks on Saturday in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. "I don't even have words right now. It's really exciting. We'll enjoy this one for now. There's four more, there's a lot more work to do, against a really tough team." The Thunder — depending on how you count — are in the finals for either the second time or the fifth time. The franchise, when it was in Seattle, lost what was then called the NBA World Championship Series to Washington in 1978, then won the title in a rematch against the then-Bullets in 1979 and lost in the NBA Finals to Chicago in 1996. Oklahoma City got to the finals in 2012, losing to Miami. The Thunder are 80-18 this season, after going 68-14 in the regular season and then 12-4 in the playoffs — sweeping Memphis in Round 1, surviving seven games against Denver in Round 2 and then ousting Minnesota in five games for the Western Conference title. "When you win, that's a special thing," Thunder forward Chet Holmgren said. "It's not guaranteed in this league. If everybody was guaranteed to win, it'd be a participation trophy instead of a Larry O'Brien. So, you have to kind of take it in and understand what you've accomplished to that point, but then the next day you have to start turning the page, get rid of the emotions and start focusing on preparation and what you have to do to conquer the next step. And that's where we're at." Indiana is in the NBA title round for the second time, having lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. The Pacers franchise won ABA titles in 1970, 1972 and 1973. They got out of the Eastern Conference as the No. 4 seed, beating Milwaukee in five games in Round 1, beating top-seeded Cleveland in five games in Round 2 and then beating New York in the conference finals. The Pacers were 10-15 through the first 25 games of the season — then went 40-17 to finish the regular season. They are the fourth team to start 10-15 or worse and go on to win a conference title, joining Seattle in 1977-78 (8-17), the 1956-57 St. Louis Hawks (10-15) and the 1958-59 Minneapolis Lakers (10-15). None of those teams went on to win the NBA title. "In 49 states, it's just basketball," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "But this is Indiana. ... Our guys earned this. Congratulations to our guys." Oklahoma City swept the season series with Indiana 2-0, part of a regular season where the Thunder — who finished with the NBA's best record — went 29-1 against the Eastern Conference. That doesn't include a loss to Milwaukee in the NBA Cup final, a game that didn't count in any standings. So, the matchup is set. It's the Paul George finals, albeit without Paul George — who had arguably the best season of his career with the Thunder, averaging 28 points and finishing third in the MVP voting for 2018-19 — starting at OKC on Thursday. "Obviously, he wasn't here long but he had great years here," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said Saturday when asked about George's impact. "I mean, one of the best years of his career was here, one of the best individual seasons a player's had here — which is saying something here with the guys they've had. So, I have a lot of respect for him." ___ AP NBA:https://apnews.com/nba

byMario Satorik

in

June 01, 2025

The NBA Finals are set: It'll be Thunder vs. Pacers, starting Thursday night

The NBA Finals are set: It'll be Thunder vs. Pacers, starting Thursday night The seeds for the 2025 NBA Finals began getting planted unk...

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'It'll be good for us': Chiefs using Super Bowl 59 defeat as fuel

'It'll be good for us': Chiefs using Super Bowl 59 defeat as fuel

Super Bowl 59 was a bit of an anomaly for some of the Kansas City Chiefs' younger players. The blowout loss was the first time the Chiefs 2022 draft class − players such as Trent McDuffie, George Karlaftis and Isiah Pacheco − had ended the season in a defeat. "It definitely serves as motivation going into the season. You never want to end the season like that," Karlaftis said to reporters at OTAs this week. "It's gonna be motivation for this year for sure." Winning has become part of the norm during the Patrick Mahomes era in Kansas City. The franchise has won seven straight AFC West titles and three Super Bowl titles since Mahomes officially became the starter in 2018. (Last year was also theninth consecutive division titlecaptured by the team.) The franchise was a win away from an historic three-peat before it all came crashing down in New Orleans on Feb. 9. As the Chiefs take part in OTAs this offseason, they areusing Super Bowl 59 loss as fuel. "When you lose a Super Bowl, I think there's sometimes in those workouts, you may be a little tired, you have that extra added motivation to finish even harder, finish even stronger. I think it'll be good for us at the end of the day," Mahomes explained. "I mean, obviously looking back, you want to win the game. But a lot these guys hadn't lost one (Super Bowl), hadn't ended the season on a loss that are on this team now. So, I'm sure they'll be motivated to go back out there and try to find a way to get to the Super Bowl and win it this year." Kansas City's offensive woes were a big reason why they were denied a third-straight Super Bowl title. Mahomes was sacked a career-high 36 times (including asingle-game most six times in the Super Bowl), he averaged a career-low 245 passing yards per game and his 26 touchdowns passes equaled a career-low since he became the team's starter. But like any good franchise, the Chiefs responded accordingly. The Chiefs revamped their offensive line by signing tackle Jaylon Moore in free agency, they moved Kingsley Suamataia inside to left guard and drafted tackle Josh Simmons in the first round. Simmons, who suffered a knee injury during his final season at Ohio State, is ahead of schedule in his rehab and is expected to be ready by training camp. The Ohio State product didn't allow a sack before he went down and has impressed thus far in Kansas City. "He's actually further ahead than I thought he was," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said this week of Simmons. "He's done a good job with what we've seen. We just got to get him in with the defense against him." On the outside, wide receiver should get a major boast by Rashee Rice's return to health. When Rice was injured in Week 4, he entered the week as the NFL's leader in catches and was second in yards. Rice worked out with Mahomes before OTA's kicked off and is back to looking like a No. 1 wide receiver. "He looks like Rashee (Rice). Obviously having the injury, it sucked," Mahomes said of Rice. "Happening so early in the season, he was back like right when the offseason started and so he was up here working hard – extremely hard and he was back home working extremely hard. I was throwing with him in Dallas a little bit and then getting him back out here, there's no limitations. He's out there playing, he's making plays on the football field, he's explosive, he looks fast. "I think he can be one of the best receivers in the league. Just to have him, to add with Xavier (Worthy) and Hollywood (Brown) and all these other guys that we have, it's another position I think (general manager Brett) Veach has done a great job of bringing in competition so that we can go out there and make a lot of plays happen." The Chiefs want to make more big pays happen through the air this season. Mahomes told reporters Reid's advised him to push the ball downfield more this season after averaging a career-low 6.8 yards per pass attempt last year. Rice's return to action, alongside of speedsters Worthy and Brown should help the Chiefs become more explosive on offense. "We're fast. I think that's probably the thing that stands out the most," Mahomes said. "Our job is to test the defenses down the field, and we have to get back to doing that if we want to open up other guys underneath. I think coach Reid has challenged me this offseason to push the ball down the field, let guys have chances to make plays and then once we get that back to where we want to in our standard that we believe we should have, then we can come back to the underneath stuff." The Chiefs' leaky O-line and stagnant passing attack are the preeminent reasons why they lost Super Bowl 59. The team's making it known they are motivated to fix the areas this offseason. Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X@TheTylerDragon. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Chiefs using Super Bowl 59 loss as fuel for 2025

byMario Satorik

in

June 01, 2025

'It'll be good for us': Chiefs using Super Bowl 59 defeat as fuel

'It'll be good for us': Chiefs using Super Bowl 59 defeat as fuel Super Bowl 59 was a bit of an anomaly for some of the Kansas C...

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Seven killed by bridge blasts in Russian regions bordering Ukraine on eve of peace talks

Seven killed by bridge blasts in Russian regions bordering Ukraine on eve of peace talks

At least seven people were killed and 69 injured whentwo bridges were blown upin separate Russian regions bordering Ukraine ahead of planned peace talks aimed at ending thethree-year-old war in Ukraine, Russian officials said on Sunday. A highway bridge over a railway in theBryansk regionwas blown up at 10:50 pm on May 31 night just as a passenger train carrying 388 passengers to Moscow was passing underneath, Russian investigators said. Just four hours later, a railway bridge over a highway was blown up in theneighboring Kursk regionshowering the road with parts of a freight train, the investigators said. Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes serious crimes, linked the incidents and said explicitly that both bridges were blown up. In the Bryansk region, social media pictures and videos showed passengers trying to climb out of smashed carriages in the dark. Part of the passenger train was shown crushed under a collapsed road bridge and wrecked carriages lay beside the lines. "The bridge was blown up while the Klimovo-Moscow train was passing through with 388 passengers on board," Alexander Bogomaz, the region's governor, told Russian television. TheRussian regions bordering Ukrainehave been subject to frequent attacks by Ukraine since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Both sides accuse the other of targeting civilians, and both deny such accusations. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine on the incidents, which took place just a day before the United States wants Russia and Ukraine to sit down to direct talks in Istanbul to discuss apossible end to a warwhich, according to Washington, has killed and injured at least 1.2 million people. Ukraine's HUR military intelligence agency said on June 1 that an explosion had derailed a Russian military train hauling cargo and fuel trucks near the settlement of Yakymivka, in a Russian-controlled part of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region. The agency did not claim responsibility or attribute the explosion to anyone, though Ukraine has in the past claimed a series of attacks deep into Russia. Russian politicians lined up to blame Ukraine, saying it was clearly sabotage aimed at derailing the peace talkswhich the United States has demanded. "This is definitely the work of the Ukrainian special services," the chairman of the defence committee of the lower house of the Russian parliament, Andrei Kartapolov, told the SHOT Telegram channel. "All this is aimed at toughening the position of the Russian Federation and stoking aggression before the negotiations. And also to intimidate people. But they won't succeed." PresidentVladimir Putinwas briefed on the bridge blasts by the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Emergency Ministry throughout the night, the Kremlin said. Putin also spoke to the governor of Bryansk, Alexander Bogomaz. U.S. PresidentDonald Trumphas demanded the sides make peace and he has threatened to walk away if they do not - potentially pushing responsibility for supporting Ukraine onto the shoulders of European powers. But as politicians talk of peace negotiations, the war is heating up, with swarms of drones launched by both Russia and Ukraine and Russian troops advancing at key points along the front in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainehas not committedto attending the talks in Turkey, saying it first needed to see Russia's proposals, while a leading U.S. senator warned Moscow it would be "hit hard" by new U.S. sanctions. (Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne and Guy Faulconbridge in Moscow, and reporters in Kyiv; Editing by Daniel Wallis, Saad Sayeed and William Mallard) This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Seven killed by bridge blasts in Russia on eve of Ukraine peace talks

byMario Satorik

in

June 01, 2025

Seven killed by bridge blasts in Russian regions bordering Ukraine on eve of peace talks

Seven killed by bridge blasts in Russian regions bordering Ukraine on eve of peace talks At least seven people were killed and 69 injured wh...

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Tim Walz Tells Democrats to 'Be Meaner,' Calls Trump 'Cruel'

Tim Walz Tells Democrats to 'Be Meaner,' Calls Trump 'Cruel'

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks to delegates at the South Carolina Democratic Party Convention on Saturday-May 31, 2025. in Columbia, South Carolina. Credit - Meg Kinnard—AP Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz shared some stark words for Democrats on Saturday, calling for his fellow party members to "be a little meaner" in the pushback against President Donald Trump. "It's because he is," Walz said at the South Carolina Democratic Party Convention, addressing why he called Trump a "wannabe dictator." Walz ran as the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee with then-Presidential candidate Kamala Harris against Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance in 2024. Theformer public school teacherwas initially praised during the election for hisrelatabilityandMidwestern appeal. "'Oh, the Governor's being mean,' well, maybe it's time for us to be a little meaner, maybe it's time for us to be a little more fierce," Walz said. "We have to ferociously push back on this…the thing that bothers a teacher more than anything is to watch a bully." When the bully is a child, you teach them why bullying is wrong, Walz explained, but when the "bully is an adult like Donald Trump, you bully… him back." "At heart, this is a weak, cruel man," Walz said of Trump. Walz's comments come amid wider efforts among the Democratic Party to step toe-to-toe with Trump's far-reaching and sweeping changes at the federal government, which have seen him attempt to flex hisexecutive power in unprecedented ways. Other efforts from the Democratic Party and beyond include work by progressives like New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat, and Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who are currently holding rallies across the U.S. as part of their "Fighting Oligarchy" tour, in an attempt to push back against and highlight the growingpower of wealthy individualsin and around Trump's government. Read More:Sen. Bernie Sanders Issues Stark Warning About Trump During Surprise Coachella Appearance Meanwhile, leaders like Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy are looking for ways torebuild the Democratic Party, leaning further into economic populism in order to win elections, especially after the economy loomed so large during the 2024 campaigns. As the left is rocked by just the first few months of Trump's second term at the White House, Democratic leaders seem eager to embrace new ideas in the hope they can rebound in 2026 and—eventually—2028. Contact usatletters@time.com.

byMario Satorik

in

June 01, 2025

Tim Walz Tells Democrats to 'Be Meaner,' Calls Trump 'Cruel'

Tim Walz Tells Democrats to 'Be Meaner,' Calls Trump 'Cruel' Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks to delegates at the South Caroli...

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The Memorial Tournament purse, payout: See prize money for every player, winner

The Memorial Tournament purse, payout: See prize money for every player, winner

TheMemorial Tournamentis in the final round at the esteemed Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, where the clash of the best golfers in the world is underway. The Memorial Tournament, a beacon of philanthropy, extends its support to numerous charities in collaboration with organizations like the Nicklaus Children's Healthcare Foundation, Nationwide Children's Hospital, and Stephen and Ayesha Curry's Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation. Despite this noble focus, the tournament offers a substantial prize purse for the top finishers at Muirfield Village Golf Club. The prize purse for the Memorial Tournament is an impressive $20 million, with the winner receiving $4 million. The second-place finisher will earn $2.2 million, while the third-place finisher will take home $1.4 million. Let's delve into the prize money distribution, shedding light on the substantial rewards that await the top finishers at the Memorial Tournament. More:When is the Ryder Cup 2025? Dates, time and what to know The total purse for the 2025 Memorial Tournament presented by Workday is $20 million. The first place winner will take home $4 million of the prize purse. Money amounts don't include ties. All figuresaccording to the PGA Tour First place: $4 million Second place: $2.2 million Third place: $1.4 million Fourth place: $1 million Fifth place: $840,000 Sixth place: $760,000 Seventh place: $700,000 Eighth place: $646,000 Ninth place: $600,000 10th: $556,000 11th: $514,000 12th: $472,000 13th: $430,000 14th: $389,000 15th: $369,000 16th: $349,000 17th: $329,000 18th: $309,000 19th: $289,000 20th: $269,000 21st: $250,000 22nd: $233,000 23rd: $216,000 24th: $200,000 25th: $184,000 26th: $168,000 27th: $161,000 28th: $154,000 29th: $147,000 30th: $140,000 31st: $133,000 32nd: $126,000 33rd: $119,000 34th: $114,000 35th: $109,000 36th: $104,000 37th: $99,000 38th: $94,000 39th: $90,000 40th: $86,000 41st: $80,000 42nd: $78,000 43rd: $74,000 44th: $70,000 45th: $66,000 46th: $62,000 47th: $58,000 48th: $56,000 49th: $54,000 50th: $52,000 This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:The Memorial Tournament purse, payout: 2025 prize money for PGA Tour

byMario Satorik

in

June 01, 2025

The Memorial Tournament purse, payout: See prize money for every player, winner

The Memorial Tournament purse, payout: See prize money for every player, winner TheMemorial Tournamentis in the final round at the esteemed ...

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