A summit in the Russian capital would be “unacceptable,” Ukraine’s top diplomat has said
Kiev has rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal that he meet with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky in Moscow.
Speaking to reporters in Beijing on Wednesday, Putin suggested that Zelensky could travel to the Russian capital to negotiate peace terms. Hungary, Switzerland, and Türkiye are among the countries that have previously expressed their readiness to host such talks.
In a post on X, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga said that at least seven countries are prepared to host a potential Putin-Zelensky summit. “These are serious proposals and President Zelensky is ready for such a meeting at any time,” he wrote.
“Yet, Putin continues to mess around with everyone by making knowingly unacceptable proposals,” Sibiga wrote, calling for “increased pressure” on Russia.
Putin has repeatedly said he is open to meeting with Zelensky at the “final stage” of negotiations. He reiterated on Wednesday that a summit would only take place if it is “properly prepared and would yield positive results.”
“At the end of the day, if Zelensky is ready, he can travel to Moscow,” he said.
At the same time, the Russian leader again questioned Zelensky’s status as head of state, noting that his five-year presidential term expired last year and no new election was called due to martial law in Ukraine.
Russia has insisted that in order to secure a lasting peace, Ukraine must recognize its new borders and abandon plans to join NATO.
A 31-year-old man diagnosed with schizophrenia allegedly pushed his 16-year-old victim under an oncoming train, the authorities have said
An Iraqi migrant in Germany is suspected of murdering a 16-year-old Ukrainian girl, identified as Liana K., by pushing her under an oncoming train, the local public prosecutor’s office has reported.
According to a statement released last Friday, the incident took place on August 11 at a train station in Friedland municipality, Lower Saxony. The authorities said police had been called over a report of a man “causing a disturbance.”
When the officers arrived, the 31-year-old suspect, reportedly named Muhammad A., is said to have approached them voluntarily and pointed to the victim’s lifeless body, while not admitting to any involvement. Police initially did not detain the man, the prosecutor’s office said. However, hours later he was arrested for displaying “aggressive behavior” at a different location, and taken to a psychiatric hospital.
Subsequent tests discovered the man’s DNA on the victim’s body, resulting in a detention order being issued for the suspect, the statement read.
The authorities explained that it was not clear whether the Iraqi national, if found guilty, would face a prison sentence or be confined to a mental facility, as he had previously been “diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.”
According to the statement, the suspect’s asylum application was rejected as inadmissible in December 2022 and he was ordered deported to Lithuania, from where he had apparently come. After the man’s appeal was struck down, he is said to have gone into hiding.
In July 2025, after the fugitive had been located, the German immigration authorities applied for his deportation, only for the Hanover District Court to reject the motion, citing insufficient grounds.
Local media has reported that Liana K’s family arrived in Germany in July 2022.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, an estimated 1.2 million Ukrainians have come to Germany. It follows a mass influx of asylum seekers from nations such as Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, starting in 2015.
A 31-year-old man diagnosed with schizophrenia allegedly pushed his 16-year-old victim under an oncoming train, the authorities have said
An Iraqi migrant in Germany is suspected of murdering a 16-year-old Ukrainian girl, identified as Liana K., by pushing her under an oncoming train, the local public prosecutor’s office has reported.
According to a statement released last Friday, the incident took place on August 11 at a train station in Friedland municipality, Lower Saxony. The authorities said police had been called over a report of a man “causing a disturbance.”
When the officers arrived, the 31-year-old suspect, reportedly named Muhammad A., is said to have approached them voluntarily and pointed to the victim’s lifeless body, while not admitting to any involvement. Police initially did not detain the man, the prosecutor’s office said. However, hours later he was arrested for displaying “aggressive behavior” at a different location, and taken to a psychiatric hospital.
Subsequent tests discovered the man’s DNA on the victim’s body, resulting in a detention order being issued for the suspect, the statement read.
The authorities explained that it was not clear whether the Iraqi national, if found guilty, would face a prison sentence or be confined to a mental facility, as he had previously been “diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.”
According to the statement, the suspect’s asylum application was rejected as inadmissible in December 2022 and he was ordered deported to Lithuania, from where he had apparently come. After the man’s appeal was struck down, he is said to have gone into hiding.
In July 2025, after the fugitive had been located, the German immigration authorities applied for his deportation, only for the Hanover District Court to reject the motion, citing insufficient grounds.
Local media has reported that Liana K’s family arrived in Germany in July 2022.
Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, an estimated 1.2 million Ukrainians have come to Germany. It follows a mass influx of asylum seekers from nations such as Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, starting in 2015.
The Russian president says he has been “satisfied” with the performance of the country’s emissaries in the Istanbul talks
Moscow is open to bringing the direct negotiations with Ukraine to “a truly high political level,” Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.
The president made the remarks on Wednesday during a Q&A session with the media, which concluded his four-day visit to China.
When asked about the performance of the Russian negotiating team during talks hosted by Türkiye, Putin spoke highly of the group, particularly its head, presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky.
“I am satisfied with Medinsky’s work. If there is a need to do something regarding raising the level [of negotiations], bringing it to a political level, we are ready for it,” Putin said, without naming any officials who could potentially participate in such talks.
The president lauded Russia’s negotiating team for its “reserved, professional approach.”
Direct talks between Moscow and Kiev resumed in Türkiye early this year. The negotiating team has been headed by Medinsky, who also led the ultimately unsuccessful effort to settle the conflict through diplomacy attempted in early 2022, shortly after the hostilities broke out.
Several rounds of the resumed talks have not yielded any major breakthroughs, but have allowed the two sides to make certain progress with regard to various humanitarian issues. Namely, Moscow and Kiev have held several major prisoner swaps, as well as exchanged bodies of fallen soldiers.
An unscripted exchange in Beijing featured the leaders talking about life expectancy, biotech, and immortality
Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have been caught on a live microphone sharing a rare unscripted chat about longevity and biotechnology.
The conversation took place on Wednesday, as Putin and Kim joined Xi in Beijing to view a military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of imperial Japan’s defeat in World War II. A live feed of the event briefly carried their exchange as they walked up to the Tiananmen Gate, and was quickly flagged by social media users following the event. Bloomberg later published a clip from the broadcast.
The audio, patchy and lasting under a minute, began with Xi saying in Mandarin that “these days” reaching 70 years was no longer unusual. A Russian interpreter was then heard relaying his remark: “Earlier, people rarely lived to 70, but these days at 70 years you are still a child.”
Putin then responded with a comment not clearly picked up on the feed, though an interpreter’s Mandarin version suggested the Russian leader spoke about biotechnology. “With the development of biotechnology, human organs can be continuously transplanted, and people can live younger and younger, and even achieve immortality,” the interpreter was heard saying. The statement rendered into Korean also referenced organ transplants.
Xi then said: “Predictions are, this century, there’s a chance of also living to 150.” The camera cut away as he finished. Xi and Putin are both 72, while Kim is 41.
Later on, Putin confirmed the conversation when asked about it by Russian reporters. “Modern medical developments, including surgery to replace organs, give rise to expectations that life expectancy will increase significantly,” he said, adding that such changes would have “social, political, and economic consequences.”
An unscripted exchange in Beijing featured the leaders talking about life expectancy, biotech, and immortality
Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have been caught on a live microphone sharing a rare unscripted chat about longevity and biotechnology.
The conversation took place on Wednesday, as Putin and Kim joined Xi in Beijing to view a military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of imperial Japan’s defeat in World War II. A live feed of the event briefly carried their exchange as they walked up to the Tiananmen Gate, and was quickly flagged by social media users following the event. Bloomberg later published a clip from the broadcast.
The audio, patchy and lasting under a minute, began with Xi saying in Mandarin that “these days” reaching 70 years was no longer unusual. A Russian interpreter was then heard relaying his remark: “Earlier, people rarely lived to 70, but these days at 70 years you are still a child.”
Putin then responded with a comment not clearly picked up on the feed, though an interpreter’s Mandarin version suggested the Russian leader spoke about biotechnology. “With the development of biotechnology, human organs can be continuously transplanted, and people can live younger and younger, and even achieve immortality,” the interpreter was heard saying. The statement rendered into Korean also referenced organ transplants.
Xi then said: “Predictions are, this century, there’s a chance of also living to 150.” The camera cut away as he finished. Xi and Putin are both 72, while Kim is 41.
Later on, Putin confirmed the conversation when asked about it by Russian reporters. “Modern medical developments, including surgery to replace organs, give rise to expectations that life expectancy will increase significantly,” he said, adding that such changes would have “social, political, and economic consequences.”
Emmanuel Macron’s approval has sunk to its lowest since he was first elected president in 2017, according to a survey
French President Emmanuel Macron’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest since he took office in 2017, with 80% of people saying they do not trust him, a new survey has shown.
Macron was backed by just 15% of respondents, according to the new poll conducted for Le Figaro Magazine and published on Wednesday. About eight in ten expressed a negative view of his leadership, while the rest gave no clear answer – leaving him with a weaker rating than during the Yellow Vest protests, a mass anti-government movement that erupted in 2018 over fuel taxes and economic inequality.
Prime Minister Francois Bayrou fared no better in the survey, with trust in him also hitting record lows. Just 14% said they trust him, while 82% expressed the opposite – his weakest score since taking office as prime minister. Bayrou, who was appointed after Michel Barnier’s government collapsed last year, is now pushing a controversial austerity plan as France struggles with a spiraling budget deficit that hit 5.8% of GDP in 2024 – almost double the EU 3% ceiling.
His proposals include scrapping two public holidays to boost productivity, cutting public sector jobs, and freezing welfare payments and pensions, which are typically tied to inflation. Defense spending, however, will increase. France’s military budget is slated to rise to €64 billion ($69 billion) in 2027, double the 2017 level, with an additional €6.5 billion over the next two years. The plan has sparked backlash, with left-wing parties accusing the government of prioritizing military spending over social welfare.
The only French politician to see a rise in trust was right-wing opposition leader Jordan Bardella, who now tops the rankings. The survey found he had gained support not only from conservatives but also from left-wing and centrist sympathizers.
Bayrou, who has survived eight no-confidence motions, still needs parliamentary backing for his proposals before the budget is presented in October. His push for a new vote of confidence has only added to the turmoil, Le Figaro wrote, which warned that there could be an explosion of social unrest at any moment.
Emmanuel Macron’s approval has sunk to its lowest since he was first elected president in 2017, according to a survey
French President Emmanuel Macron’s approval rating has fallen to its lowest since he took office in 2017, with 80% of people saying they do not trust him, a new survey has shown.
Macron was backed by just 15% of respondents, according to the new poll conducted for Le Figaro Magazine and published on Wednesday. About eight in ten expressed a negative view of his leadership, while the rest gave no clear answer – leaving him with a weaker rating than during the Yellow Vest protests, a mass anti-government movement that erupted in 2018 over fuel taxes and economic inequality.
Prime Minister Francois Bayrou fared no better in the survey, with trust in him also hitting record lows. Just 14% said they trust him, while 82% expressed the opposite – his weakest score since taking office as prime minister. Bayrou, who was appointed after Michel Barnier’s government collapsed last year, is now pushing a controversial austerity plan as France struggles with a spiraling budget deficit that hit 5.8% of GDP in 2024 – almost double the EU 3% ceiling.
His proposals include scrapping two public holidays to boost productivity, cutting public sector jobs, and freezing welfare payments and pensions, which are typically tied to inflation. Defense spending, however, will increase. France’s military budget is slated to rise to €64 billion ($69 billion) in 2027, double the 2017 level, with an additional €6.5 billion over the next two years. The plan has sparked backlash, with left-wing parties accusing the government of prioritizing military spending over social welfare.
The only French politician to see a rise in trust was right-wing opposition leader Jordan Bardella, who now tops the rankings. The survey found he had gained support not only from conservatives but also from left-wing and centrist sympathizers.
Bayrou, who has survived eight no-confidence motions, still needs parliamentary backing for his proposals before the budget is presented in October. His push for a new vote of confidence has only added to the turmoil, Le Figaro wrote, which warned that there could be an explosion of social unrest at any moment.
The Russian president has said he has nothing against providing Ukraine with security guarantees, as long as they are not at Moscow’s expense
Wrapping up a four-day visit to China, Russian President Vladimir Putin fielded questions from the press on Wednesday.
Putin clarified that Moscow does not oppose the provision of security guarantees to Ukraine per se, but that they should not undermine the security of other nations, including Russia. The Kremlin continues to insist that Kiev not join NATO, but it could be a member of the European Union, the Russian president stated.
He also dismissed claims that Russia and the US had discussed “security guarantees in exchange for territories” during Putin’s meeting with his American counterpart, Donald Trump, in Alaska last month.
“To be honest, we are not so much fighting for territories – I’d like to stress – as for… the right of the people living in those territories to speak their native language, live within the framework of their culture and traditions,” Putin said.
By way of example, he mentioned that the residents of Crimea, the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, and Zaporozhye and Kherson regions had voted overwhelmingly in referendums to join Russia. “That’s what democracy is all about,” the Russian president declared.
Given US President Donald Trump’s “sincere desire to find a solution” to the Ukraine conflict, “there is some light at the end of the tunnel,” he stated.
Putin also reiterated his readiness in principle to meet with Vladimir Zelensky, including in Moscow, but said that a huge question mark still hangs over his legitimacy as Ukraine’s leader.
Zelensky’s presidential term expired last May, but he has refused to hold elections, citing martial law.
Watch Putin’s press conference in full below for these and other topics he covered.
Eighteen more were injured after the iconic Gloria funicular derailed and crashed, emergency services have said
At least 15 people died and 18 more were injured when a car on Lisbon’s Gloria funicular railway derailed and crashed on Wednesday, an emergency medical service spokesman has said.
According to media reports, the crash occurred around 6pm, at the start of evening rush hour.
Carris, the public transportation company that operates the funicular, said it “immediately contacted emergency and security forces” without elaborating on the possible reasons that caused the crash.
Footage from the site shows the tram-like funicular, popular among tourists, practically destroyed, while emergency workers can be seen pulling people out of the wreckage.
🇵🇹 Three people killed after funicular derailment in Lisbon
In Lisbon, a Gloria funicular car broke loose from its cable and crashed into a building at high speed killing 3 people and injuring about 20.
In a statement, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said he “deeply regrets the accident that occurred this afternoon with the Gloria Elevator in Lisbon, in particular the fatalities and serious injuries, as well as the several minor injuries.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also expressed her condolences to the families of the victims in a statement in Portuguese published on X.
At least fifteen people were killed after #Lisbon's iconic Gloria Funicular derailed
Three people were killed in the derailment At least twenty others were injured, and their conditions range from minor to serious. pic.twitter.com/SoNqNskAW5
The line, which opened in 1885, connects Lisbon’s downtown area near the Restauradores Square with the Bairro Alto (Upper Quarter). According to reports, the tram transports more than three million passengers every year.
Its two cars are attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable with traction provided by electric motors.
The car at the bottom of the line was presumably undamaged, but CNN Portugal said passengers had to jump out of the windows when the incident happened.
