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Sky News
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Putin says 'all of Ukraine is ours' and threatens nuclear strike
Vladimir Putin has doubled down on his insistence that Russia will not give up any occupied territory as part of peace negotiations with Ukraine. In an exclusive interview with Sky News Arabia, the Russian president said negotiations need to recognise "the will of the people who live in certain territories". Mr Putin was referring to referendums held by Russian officials in 2022 in four annexed regions of Ukraine, and in Crimea. Those referendums, which were described as "shams" by the UK's foreign secretary at the time, saw all four regions vote to join Russia. "The will of the people is what [we] call democracy," said Mr Putin. He said that he hopes Ukraine's leadership will be "guided by national interests" in negotiations, rather than by the "interests of its sponsors". Those sponsors, he said, "are not interested in ending the conflict, but in using Ukraine for their own selfish political purposes". On Friday, the Russian president told business leaders in St Petersburg: "I have said many times that I consider the Russian and Ukrainian people to be one nation. 2:00 "In this sense, all of Ukraine is ours." He also threatened a nuclear strike on Ukraine for the first time in months, promising "catastrophic" consequences if Kyiv used a dirty bomb against Russian forces. "This would be a colossal mistake on the part of those whom we call neo-Nazis on the territory of today's Ukraine," he said. "It could be their last mistake. We always respond and respond in kind. Therefore, our response will be very tough. "Ukraine deserves a better fate than being an instrument in the geopolitical struggle of those who strive for confrontation with the Russian Federation." On Saturday morning, Russia claimed to have captured a small village named Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine's Donetsk region. Ivan Fedorov, head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, posted on Telegram saying that more than 200 Russian UAVs targeted the region on Friday. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was now in talks with Denmark, Norway, Germany, Canada, the UK and Lithuania to start joint weapons production. He urged Kyiv's partners to provide 0.25% of their GDP to finance the production of Ukraine's weapons.
Sky News
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Putin says 'Ukraine is ours' and threatens nuclear strike - showing how he feels about Trump
He may have been speaking at an economic forum, but that didn't stop Vladimir Putin from issuing his most hawkish comments on Ukraine in a very long time. During a Q&A at Russia's flagship investment event in St Petersburg, the Kremlin leader was asked what his end game was in the conflict. He replied: "I have said many times that I consider the Russian and Ukrainian people to be one nation. In this sense, all of Ukraine is ours." The answer received rapturous applause from an auditorium full of fawning politicians and business figures. And there was more. "There is an old rule," he said. "'Where a Russian soldier sets foot, that is ours'." In short, he was saying that he wants the whole lot. The comments came as a surprise because they are in sharp contrast to the Kremlin's recent rhetoric. Ever since Donald Trump began his push for a peace deal, Moscow has adopted a softer tone, more conciliatory - in an apparent attempt to show Washington that it is interested in a settlement. But there was none of that kind of language here. Quite the opposite. The Russian president even, for the first time in months, threatened a nuclear strike on Ukraine. Asked how Moscow would respond if Kyiv used a dirty bomb against Russian forces, he promised "catastrophic" consequences for his enemy. "This would be a colossal mistake on the part of those whom we call neo-Nazis on the territory of today's Ukraine," he said. "It could be their last mistake. "We always respond and respond in kind. Therefore, our response will be very tough." The Kremlin's nuclear sabre-rattling was an almost weekly feature during the last days of the Biden administration, but the sabres stilled when Mr Trump came to power. But now, all of a sudden, he's returned to it. It felt like a very deliberate message from Vladimir Putin that, despite peace talks, Russia has no intention of backing down, neither on the battlefield nor at the negotiating table. I think it shows that Moscow is not too worried about upsetting Donald Trump. The American leader appears to have distanced himself from trying to mediate the conflict, but still seems to be pursuing warmer ties with Moscow.
Al Arabiya
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Arabiya
Neo-Nazis attack actors in Lisbon, marring Portugal Day celebrations
A group of neo-Nazis attacked several actors outside a Lisbon theatre late on Tuesday, forcing it to cancel a show about Portugal's national poet Luis de Camoes to mark Portugal Day, which commemorates the literary icon. The European Union has said hate speech is on the rise in Portugal, and the far-right is gaining support after anti-immigration party Chega became the main opposition in parliament in last month's election. Culture Minister Margarida Balseiro Lopes condemned on Wednesday what she called a 'cowardly attack ... on freedom of expression, on the right to creativity, on the democratic values that define us as a country.' Police said they had detained one person after Tuesday evening's scuffle near the Barraca theatre in downtown Lisbon. Actor Aderito Lopes, who performs the role of the 16th century one-eyed poet in a play titled 'Love Is A Flame That Burns Unseen,' had to be hospitalized with face injuries. According to the play's director Maria do Ceu Guerra, the group of about 30 neo-Nazis had been returning from a rally with signs and leaflets that read 'Portugal for Portuguese.' They initially verbally assaulted an actress who was wearing a T-shirt picturing a star associated with the political left and then attacked two male actors. The attack came on the 30th anniversary of the killing of a young Black man, Alcindo Monteiro, in Lisbon by skinheads, similarly after Portugal Day commemorations. 'Thirty years on, this country has not found a way to defend itself from the Nazis,' Guerra said in televised remarks. Under the fascist regime of Antonio Salazar, which ruled the country for four decades until 1974, Portugal Day became known as Portuguese Race Day. Ultra-right movements have been marking it with mainly small-scale rallies for years. Following Tuesday's attack, left-wing political parties accused Prime Minister Luis Montenegro's center-right government of failing to take action against far-right groups. 'The neo-fascists are attacking books, the theatre and those involved in culture. They do it because they think they can,' Left Bloc lawmaker Mariana Mortagua wrote on X. In her statement, Culture Minister Balseiro Lopes said: 'Culture is not intimidated ... And it does not accept hatred disguised as political discourse.' In April, far-right groups provoked clashes in downtown Lisbon, marring celebrations of the 51st anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, which ended the dictatorship.
Reuters
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Neo-Nazis attack actors in Lisbon, marring Portugal Day celebrations
LISBON, June 11 (Reuters) - A group of neo-Nazis attacked several actors outside a Lisbon theatre late on Tuesday, forcing it to cancel a show about Portugal's national poet Luis de Camoes to mark Portugal Day, which commemorates the literary icon. The European Union has said hate speech is on the rise in Portugal, and the far-right is gaining support after anti-immigration party Chega became the main opposition in parliament in last month's election. Culture Minister Margarida Balseiro Lopes condemned on Wednesday what she called a "cowardly attack... on freedom of expression, on the right to creativity, on the democratic values that define us as a country". Police said they had detained one person after Tuesday evening's scuffle near the Barraca theatre in downtown Lisbon. Actor Aderito Lopes, who performs the role of the 16th century one-eyed poet in a play titled "Love Is A Flame That Burns Unseen", had to be hospitalised with face injuries. According to the play's director Maria do Ceu Guerra, the group of about 30 neo-Nazis had been returning from a rally with signs and leaflets that read "Portugal for Portuguese". They initially verbally assaulted an actress who was wearing a T-shirt picturing a star associated with the political left and then attacked two male actors. The attack came on the 30th anniversary of the killing of a young Black man, Alcindo Monteiro, in Lisbon by skinheads, similarly after Portugal Day commemorations. "Thirty years on, this country has not found a way to defend itself from the Nazis," Guerra said in televised remarks. Under the fascist regime of Antonio Salazar, which ruled the country for four decades until 1974, Portugal Day became known as Portuguese Race Day. Ultra-right movements have been marking it with mainly small-scale rallies for years. Following Tuesday's attack, left-wing political parties accused Prime Minister Luis Montenegro's centre-right government of failing to take action against far-right groups. "The neo-fascists are attacking books, the theatre and those involved in culture. They do it because they think they can," Left Bloc lawmaker Mariana Mortagua wrote on X. In her statement, Culture Minister Balseiro Lopes said: "Culture is not intimidated... And it does not accept hatred disguised as political discourse." In April, far-right groups provoked clashes in downtown Lisbon, marring celebrations of the 51st anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, which ended the dictatorship.
Malay Mail
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Colombia president Petro fuels plot talk after teen gunman shoots presidential hopeful
BOGOTA, June 10 — Colombia's leftist leader claimed Monday that a gravely injured presidential candidate's security detail was 'strangely reduced' before he was shot, stoking suggestions of an elaborate plot. Conservative senator Miguel Uribe, 39, was shot twice in the head at close range by a 15-year-old alleged hitman while campaigning Saturday in Bogota. The brazen attack has stunned Colombians and prompted febrile speculation about who was responsible. Authorities allege the suspect was a hired gun, but admit they still have few clues about who hired him or their motive. The Glock pistol he is alleged to have used was purchased legally in the US state of Arizona in 2020, according to police chief Carlos Triana. With Uribe fighting for his life in the hospital, Petro did little Monday to lower the political temperature. The president took to social media to accuse some opponents of politicizing the tragedy. He also claimed that the number of bodyguards assigned to Uribe had been 'strangely reduced' from seven to three on the day of the attack, while calling for a full investigation. Petro said he himself was the subject of a bounty taken up by 'dark forces' and neo-nazis, and was the target of an 'extraction' plot pitched to Israeli foreign intelligence agency Mossad. Petro's opponents have accused the pugilistic left-wing leader of creating fertile ground for political violence. Petro has denied such allegations and joined politicians from across the political spectrum in denouncing the attack on Uribe. Explanations The head of Colombia's National Protection Unit, which is charged with protecting public figures, said three agents and four police officers protected Uribe on the day he was shot. Augusto Rodriguez admitted 'there were fewer people than there should have been' at the time of the attack because some had been working long hours the previous day. Lawmakers in Colombia usually have a detail of seven bodyguards and a motorcade of two armored cars, according to government officials. Rodriguez, a close confidant of Petro and fellow ex-M-19 guerrilla, insisted that a police officer was responsible for security coordination. Meanwhile a lawyer for Uribe lodged a criminal complaint against Rodriguez, stating there had been more than 20 requests to strengthen his client's security detail that had gone unheard. — AFP
