Putin REFUSES to meet Zelensky in Turkey for Ukraine peace talks despite Trump’s offer to bring Russian tyrant to table
VLADIMIR Putin has refused to meet brave Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey for Ukraine peace talks - despite President Trump's offer to bring the Russian tyrant to the table.
Zelensky had challenged the Russian dictator to meet him face-to-face to turn the screw and make a deal, but mad Vlad has instead made his latest dodge from peace.
The bombshell list for the Russian delegation at Thursday's meeting was released by the Kremlin - with Putin's name missing.
And a mere few minutes after it was established the tyrant wouldn't be in attendance, it was confirmed that Trump wouldn't be coming either after previously hinting he might.
It's unclear whether Zelensky will still go to Istanbul.
Speaking on Air Force One on Wednesday, Trump said: "[Putin] would like me to be there, and that’s a possibility.
"I don’t know that he would be there if I’m not there. We’re going to find out."
Russia is still sending a troop of heavyweights - including a presidential advisor, top diplomat, and senior military and intelligence officials.
But if Putin were on the delegation list too, it would have marked a serious indication that he could be interested in ending the bloody war.
The Russian dictator last week proposed to hold direct talks with Ukraine on Thursday May 15 - but had then gone silent on his offer.
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Zelensky on Tuesday said he was willing to go to Turkey but only if Putin was also there.
Trump is currently in the Middle East as part of his first major tour since taking over the Oval Office.
He is currently in Qatar for a state visit.
It comes one day after Don inked the biggest arms deal in history to supply Saudi Arabia with $142bn worth of weapons, the White House said.
The sale is part of a landmark $600 billion deal with Jeddah that was signed after Trump landed in Riyadh to kickstart his Middle East tour on Tuesday.
The President has also taken a shot at rival Iran in a marquee speech, saying the Islamic Republic needed to make up its mind about whether it wanted to chase developing a nuclear weapon and get war or choose peace and a trading relationship.
It marks Trump's first state visit of his second administration, after Saudi Arabia was also the first state visit in 2016.
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Trump hails former terrorist warlord as ‘a young, attractive guy’
Trump on Tuesday hailed a former terrorist warlord as “a young, attractive guy”.
The maverick US President gushed with praise after meeting Ahmed al-Sharaa, who ousted Syrian tyrant Bashar al Assad last year.
Trump also agreed to lift US economic sanctions on Syria which have been in place since 2011.
Sharaa, previously linked to al-Qaeda, spent years in US custody after being captured in Iraq and once had a £7.5million bounty on his head.
Now interim Syrian president, he shook hands yesterday with Trump in Riyadh, along with Saudi Arabia’s leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also joined a meeting by video link, which Trump later said went “great”.
He described Sharaa as a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.”
But it puts Trump at odds with Israel, which issued warnings against the former terror master and has continued military action against its long-standing enemy.
Asked if Sharaa can normalise relations with Israel, Trump said: “I told him, ‘I hope you’re going to join once you’re straightened out and he said yes’. But they have a lot of work to do.”
Read the full story here.
Trump's 79th birthday celebration plans revealed
Twin celebrations of Trump's birthday and the Army's 250th anniversary will include as many as 25 tanks rolling through Washington in a celebration that will cost $25 million to $45 million, US officials have revealed.
The US Army had long been planning to move troops and equipment to the National Mall in Washington on June 14 as part of its anniversary celebration.
Plans now include an extravagant parade since the event coincides with Trump's 79th birthday.
Two US officials revealed the eventual cost could be as high as $45 million.
One of them said the cost included several million dollars more than it would have without a parade.
The official added that the Army is planning on sending about two dozen M1 Abrams tanks for the celebration.
South Africa's president on make-up mission with Trump
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will travel to the US to meet Trump when he has returned from his Middle East tour.
The trip will aim to "reset the strategic relationship between the two countries", according to Ramaphosa's office.
Relations between the US and South Africa have nose-dived since Trump took power.
The American cut all financial aid to the country - and then granted refugee status to a group of its white population on the grounds they face racial discrimination there.
Qatari plane palace gift concerns even Republicans
Multiple congressional Republicans are amongst those concerned by the wildly controversial $400million airplane Qatar wants to gift Trump.
Rep Senator Rand Paul said: “I think it's not worth the appearance of impropriety. I wouldn't take it."
Democrats rivals slammed the plan as an illegal foreign donation and national security threat.
Trump Syria announcement shocked own officials
When Donal Trump announced he would be lifting all sanctions on Syria, it surprised even his own officials.
Figures from the State and Treasury Departments scrambled to figure out how they would even go about cancelling the sanctions, according to four official sources.
Many of the measures have been in place for decades - and must now be unstitched.
Trump forces Britain to strip out Chinese ingredients from UK-made medicines under trade deal
Britain will strip Chinese ingredients from UK-made medicines bound for the US after pressure from Donald Trump, The Sun can reveal.
The condition is part of the landmark UK-US trade pact signed last week, which slashed tariffs on British steel and car exports.
In return, Britain had to swallow strict national security measures - including a clause to stop the UK becoming a “backdoor” for Chinese goods entering the American market.
The US President has long accused the Communist giant of rigging trade, stealing IP and flooding Western markets with cheap state-backed goods.
It is understood one key demand is that any drugs exported from Britain to America must be free from Chinese-made chemicals and components.
A Government source told The Sun: "We are going to work with the pharmaceutical industry to secure the supply chain."
Read the full story here.
Inside rumoured US-Saudi defence deal worth an incredible $142bn
Iran hits back at 'bully' Trump
Iran's president said his country would not "bow to any bully" - after Trump criticised Tehran earlier on his tour.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said of Trump: "He thinks he can come here, chant slogans, and scare us.
"For us, martyrdom is far sweeter than dying in bed. You came to frighten us? We will not bow to any bully."
The President branded Iran "the most destructive force" in the Middle East at an investment summit in Saudi on Wednesday - and blamed it for the continued instability.
He also reiterated Washington's commitment to blocking Iran from ever developing nuclear weapons - and threated "maximum pressure" if Tehran rejected his "olive branch".
Neither Putin or Trump will be at Russia-Ukraine talks
Neither Vladimir Putin or Donald Trump will attend the Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul on Thursday, their officials confirmed.
The list for the Russian delegation was released this evening - and Putin wasn't on it.
Then, shortly afterwards, a US official confirmed that Trump would not be making the trip.
Trump had hinted he would join Zelensky and Putin if he thought there was the chance of a deal being cut.
It's not clear whether Putin's absence was the reason for Trump sitting out the negotiations.
Roast camel anyone?
Guests at the state dinner in Doha tonight are being served roasted camel as part of the "culinary and cultural experience", reports Sky.
The dish is considered a delicacy in Qatar and often rolled out for special occasions.
Camel meat tastes similar to lean beef, but slightly gamier.
Pictures: Democrats fly 'Qatar-a-Lago' banner over Trump's Florida estate
Democrats have flown a banner over President Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, drawing attention to his new, cosy, Qatari ties.
The banner which reads "Welcome to Qatar-a-Lago" flew across the blue Palm Beach skies while Trump was in Doha for day two of his tour of the Middle East.
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Credit: Getty Qatar working with US on Iran deal, says Trump
Speaking at a state dinner hosted by the Emir of Qatar, Donald Trump has said Doha is working with the US on securing a deal with Iran, adding that he wants to see the country "thrive".
He said: "It's a terrible situation and we want to do the right thing.
"We want to do something that can save millions of lives."
Piers Morgan joins Trump for state dinner
Piers Morgan was pictured being welcomed by Donald Trump at the Emir of Qatar prior to the state dinner.
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Credit: AFP Trump greets Boeing chief after Qatar's 'record' order of planes
President Trump has been pictured greeting Kelly Ortberg - the chief of American manufacturing giant Boeing.
Earlier, Trump announced that Qatar agreed to what he dubbed the "largest order of jets" in Boeing's history.
Credit: AFP In pictures: Trump arrives for state dinner in Doha
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Rubio leaves Middle East tour for Turkey
Trump's right-hand man Marco Rubio has left the Trump team in Doha and is now bound to Turkey.
The US secretary of state is to meet with Nato foreign ministers tomorrow in Antalya.
Rubio is scheduled to travel on to Istanbul on Friday - where the US State Department says he will be in crunch talks with his counterparts on the Ukraine war.
Trump's state visit to Qatar in pictures
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Credit: AFP US secures $1.2trillion economic commitment in Qatar
The US and Qatar signed an agreement to generate an economic exchange worth at least $1.2trillion, the White House just revealed.
Trump doubles down on luxury aircraft gift from Qatar
Donald Trump has doubled down on his reason to accept a $400million aircraft as a gift from Qatar, calling the opportunity too valuable to refuse.
While en route Qatar this morning for a state visit, Trump said to reporters onboard his Air Force One: "The plane that you’re on is almost 40 years old.
“When you land and you see Saudi Arabia, you see UAE and you see Qatar, and they have these brand-new Boeing 747s, mostly. You see ours next to it – this is like a totally different plane.
"We’re the United States of America. I believe we should have the most impressive plane.”
The $400million jet could be the most expensive ever given by a foreign power to the United States - and will be used as his new Air Force One for much of his time in office.
However, Trump's move to accept the palatial aircraft has raised a lot of eyebrows - including from his right-wing supporters like Ben Shapiro.
Trump flatters Qatar's Emir with compliments, calls him 'tall and handsome'
While signing the deal, Trump compared the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Than with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Trump said to the Emir: "We came from Saudi Arabia, where we have another great man over there that's a friend of yours.
"You two guys get along so well and like each other, you remind me a little bit of each other, if you want to know the truth. Both tall, handsome guys that happen to be very smart."
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Credit: APAImages / Polaris US and Qatar sign aviation agreement worth $200billion
President Trump and the Emir of Qatar have signed agreements to purchase aircraft from US Boeing.
Qatar Airways had placed a "record" order for 160 planes from Boeing worth more than $200 billion.
Trump said: "It's over $200 billion but 160 in terms of the jets. That's fantastic. So that's a record.
"It's the largest order of jets in the history of Boeing. That's pretty good."
Both parties have also agreed on a defence cooperation - inked by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth - which includes a statement of intent.
A letter of offer and acceptance for MQ-9B drones was also signed.
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Trump given royal Qatari welcome
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Qatari honor guard with their golden swordsCredit: AP Trump given Cybertruck motorcade through Qatar
The US president was given an unusual motorcade as he arrived in Qatar on the next stop on his historic four-day visit to the Middle East.
Donald Trump's car was escorted through Doha by bullet-proof Tesla Cybertrucks.
Tesla is run by Elon Musk who joined US officials for Saudi talks on Tuesday.
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Credit: AFP Lunch and signing ceremony expected in Doha
Donald Trump is due to sit down with Qatari officials soon to have lunch before completing a signing ceremony.
It is unclear what the president is set to sign as just 24 hours ago he announced a historic deal with Saudi Arabia.
Listen: Trump sends message to Putin on peace talks
'I'll meet you in Turkey', Trump tells Putin in bombshell offer to bring Russian tyrant to table for Ukraine peace talks