Inside Russia-Outside Russia is a news insight by the Federation of Russian Embassy in Bangladesh on 17.02.2025
Dhaka 17 February 2025 :
INSIDE RUSSIA
Russia, US to talk about ‘peace, not war’ from now on
According to Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, US President Donald Trump’s views should appeal to any sound-minded person
MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. The recent phone talks between the Russian and US presidents, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, means that Moscow and Washington will from now on focus on peace, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with television host Pavel Zarubin.
“They send a powerful message that from now on we will try to solve problems through dialogue. And from now on we will talk about peace, not war,” he said.
According to Peskov, Trump’s views should appeal to any sound-minded person. He said Russia completely lacked communication with the previous US administration.
Putin and Trump spoke by phone on February 12. They discussed stopping hostilities in Ukraine, bilateral relations and some other issues. The leaders agreed to maintain contact and arrange a face-to-face meeting.
OUTSIDE RUSSIA
Russian Duma speaker predicts ‘serious changes’ for EU, its institutions
According to Vyacheslav Volodin, US Vice President JD Vance gave an accurate assessment of the situation in European countries at the Munich Security Conference
MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said the Munich Security Conference suggested that the EU and its international institutions are in for serious changes.
“Analyzing what happened in Munich, we can say with certainty: There are serious changes in store for the EU and its international institutions, including parliamentary ones,” he wrote on Telegram. “They will be difficult and painful.”
According to Volodin, US Vice President JD Vance gave an accurate assessment of the situation in European countries at the conference.
“He was not supported. Conference participants were not ready to hear the truth about themselves,” the lawmaker said.
The Duma speaker also said the institution of democracy in the EU was in a poor state.
“Democratic procedures in many EU countries have become window dressing. They have long been forgotten and ignored in pan-European structures,” he said.
“Therefore, the healthy forces that want to meet the public demand for the renewal of power will wage an uphill battle. They will face all kinds of hurdles meant to prevent them from going through the election procedure. Just like it happened in Romania during the presidential campaign. Or in France and Germany, when undesirable political parties won. But change is inevitable,” Volodin said.
BRICS summit to be held in Rio de Janeiro on July 6-7
Brazil assumed the presidency in BRICS from January 1 of this year
BUENOS AIRES, February 16. /TASS/. The summit of BRICS will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 6 to 7, the press service of the association said.
“The date and venue for the BRICS Summit in 2025 have been confirmed. It will take place in Rio de Janeiro on July 6 and 7,” the press service informed.
Brazil assumed the presidency in BRICS from January 1 of this year.
Russian media announces date of Ukraine talks
US Secretary of State, National Security Advisor, and US President’s Special Envoy for the Middle East are to participate in negotiations
Ukraine talks including US—Russia delegations are to take place in in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, next Tuesday Kommersant newspaper wrote Sunday.
The Washington Post has previously reported senior US officials are scheduled to meet with their Russian counterparts in Riyadh next week.
According to Kommersant, the American side is expected to include Secretary of State Mark Rubio, US National Security Advisor Mike Walz, and US President’s Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff.
Senior officials from US President Donald Trump’s administration will start peace talks with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Saudi Arabia in the coming days, Politico reported on Saturday citing sources familiar with the plan. Waltz, Rubio, and Witkoff will travel to Saudi Arabia, the report said. However, the special envoy for Ukraine-Russia talks, Keith Kellogg, is not attending, according to the report.
Bloomberg has also claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump could meet in Saudi Arabia by the end of this month. The US delegation is likely to be comprised of national security advisers who are presumably tasked with securing a date for the top-level meeting before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which starts this year on February 28, according to the report.
All the reports come just days after Trump and Putin held a phone conversation, which marked the first known direct interaction between the US and Russian heads of state since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. The two presidents agreed to continue dialogue and arrange in-person meetings in a third country as well as state visits going forward.
All the reports come just days after Trump and Putin held a phone conversation, which marked the first known direct interaction between the US and Russian heads of state since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. The two presidents agreed to continue dialogue and arrange in-person meetings in a third country as well as state visits going forward.
Speaking to the press hours after his phone call with Putin on Wednesday, President Trump stated that he and his Russian counterpart would “probably” meet in Saudi Arabia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in return, has confirmed that Riyadh was mentioned in the conversation between Russian and US leaders as a possible location for the summit. At the same time, the Kremlin official noted that there is no final decision concerning where they would meet yet.
Speaking to the press hours after his phone call with Putin on Wednesday, President Trump stated that he and his Russian counterpart would “probably” meet in Saudi Arabia.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in return, has confirmed that Riyadh was mentioned in the conversation between Russian and US leaders as a possible location for the summit. At the same time, the Kremlin official noted that there is no final decision concerning where they would meet yet.
SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATION IN UKRAINE
Kiev loses over 280 troops in Russia’s borderline Kursk area over past day
In all, over the period of fighting in the Kursk frontline area, the enemy has lost more than 60,780 troops, 363 tanks, the Russian Defense Ministry reported
MOSCOW, February 14. /TASS/. The Ukrainian army lost over 280 troops, four infantry combat vehicles and seven armored combat vehicles in Russia’s borderline Kursk area over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Saturday.
“During the last 24-hour period, the Ukrainian army lost over 280 personnel, four infantry combat vehicles, a personnel combat carrier, seven combat armored combat vehicles, 12 motor vehicles, two mortars, an electronic warfare system, two bridge-laying vehicles, four armored recovery vehicles, including two German-made Bergepanzer-2, as well as three UAV control posts,” the ministry said in a statement.
In all, over the period of fighting in the Kursk frontline area, the enemy has lost more than 60,780 troops, 363 tanks, 268 infantry fighting vehicles, 216 armored personnel carriers 1,879 armored combat vehicles, 1,986 motor vehicles, 439 artillery guns, 48 multiple rocket launchers, including 13 HIMARS and six MLRS of US manufacture, 21 surface-to-air missile launchers, the ministry specified.
Russian Battlegroups North, Dnepr inflict 100 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day
Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of three coastal defense brigades near the settlements of Sadovoye, Ponyatovka and Veletenskoye in the Kherson Region
MOSCOW, February 15. Russia’s Battlegroups North and Dnepr inflicted roughly 100 casualties on Ukrainian troops in their areas of responsibility over the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Saturday.
“Battlegroup North units operating in the Kharkov direction inflicted casualties on formations of territorial defense brigades of the Ukrainian army near the settlements of Volchansk and Liptsy in the Kharkov Region,” the ministry said in a statement.
The Ukrainian army’s losses in that frontline area over the past 24 hours amounted up to 50 personnel, an armored personnel carrier, two motor vehicles, three artillery guns and an arms depot,” it specified.
The ministry added that Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted damage on manpower and equipment of three coastal defense brigades of the Ukrainian army near the settlements of Sadovoye, Ponyatovka and Veletenskoye in the Kherson Region.
“The Ukrainian army lost over 50 personnel, nine motor vehicles and an radio-electronic warfare station,” the ministry said.
INSIGHTS
Putin, Trump to have last word on Ukraine
Relations with the US have always been ‘presidential,” head of the Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations Alexander Dynkin noted
MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. Only Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump will be able to say the last word on the settlement in Ukraine, head of the Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations Alexander Dynkin told TASS in an interview.
“Such formats have already started working between interested agencies of the two countries,” the expert said, answering the questions about reasonable formats to discuss the Ukrainian problems with the US and the collective West. “However, relations with the US have always been ‘presidential.’ Therefore, the decisive word belongs to Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump,” Dynkin noted.
Presidents of Russia and the United States had a telephone conversation on February 12. The two leaders discussed the issue of halting hostilities in Ukraine, bilateral relations, and some other ones. They agreed to continue communications and arrange an in-person meeting.
