President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed his readiness for one-on-one talks with President Vladimir Putin to work out a permanent ceasefire to end the Ukraine war.
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‎Zelensky reiterated the commitment on Wednesday at a press conference alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the sidelines of the first NATO-Ukraine Council meeting.
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‎“I’m ready for direct negotiations with Putin to end this war,” he said in Kyiv. “Rather than wait while everybody finishes all the conflicts in the world.”
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‎Zelensky noted that ballistic missiles are Russia’s “last argument” in the war, confirming his country has been responding with the American-made Patriot systems.
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‎The leader insists the recent strikes by Ukraine were justified, as they were carried out in response to the Russian attacks on its territory.
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‎“If they continue using drones and missiles against us, we will be doing the same,” Zelensky vowed. “But we respond exclusively against oil refineries or justified military targets.”
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‎The President, however, hinted that the greatest threat Ukraine currently faces is Russia’s capability to produce up to 120 ballistic missiles per month.
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‎Rutte praised Ukraine for its resilience, saying the nation has become so successful that Putin was only able to organize the May 9 parade with an official presidential decree by Zelensky.

Iran has warned residents in northern Israel to leave their homes if Israel follows through on its threat to attack Beirut’s southern suburbs.

The warning was issued by Iran’s central military command and reported by the state-run IRNA news agency.

According to the statement, the message was a response to an Israeli military evacuation order issued for Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut.

The commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said residents in northern Israel should evacuate in the event of an Israeli strike on the area, signalling a further escalation in tensions between the two sides.