Peskov scolds German concerns on Russia's TV - Erdogan accuses the West of "provocation".

Created: 12/26/2022, 5:02 am

By: Bedrettin Bölükbasi, Franziska Schwarz

Picture from October 13: Erdogan (left) and Putin in October 2022 in Astana © Handout/Turkish Presidential Press Service/AFP

Vladimir Putin and his spokesman spoke on Russia's TV.

It was also about Germany.

News ticker on diplomacy in the Ukraine war.

• Russian warplanes

  for

  Iran

  : Putin probably wants to supply Tehran with dozens of Su-35s

• Putin

  nervous about

  Patriot deliveries

  ?

  Kremlin boss boasts on state TV

• Putin interview

  on

  Russian television

  : "West wants to tear apart"

• This 

  news ticker 

  on the diplomatic situation in the 

  Ukraine war

   is constantly updated.

Update from December 25, 9:00 p.m .:

The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj has warned the population of his country of further Russian attacks with a view to the few days left this year.

"We must be aware that our enemy will try to make this time dark and difficult for us," he said in his daily video address published on Telegram on Sunday evening.

Russia lost everything it could lose this year.

"But it is trying to compensate for its losses with the cunning of its propagandists after rocket attacks on our country, on our energy sector," Zelenskyy said.

"I know that the darkness will not prevent us from leading the occupiers to their new defeats," the Ukrainian head of state continued, adding: "But we must be prepared for every scenario." Zelenskyj addressed sharp words to the Russian military who, according to Ukrainian sources, killed at least 16 people and injured another 64 in artillery attacks in Cherson in the south of the country on Saturday.

"Beasts," he said.

"We will find every killer."

Ukraine war: Erdogan accuses West of "provocation" and praises Turkey's role

Update from December 25, 7.40 p.m .:

Turkish President Erdogan has accused the West of “provocation” in the Ukraine war.

At a youth event in the Turkish city of Erzurum, when asked by a student, Erdogan provided a summary of the year 2022 and also commented on the Russian war of aggression.

"Unfortunately, the West only activated elements of provocation here," Erdogan said, according to a recording of the event on his official Twitter account.

The Turkish head of state added: "The West has made no efforts to act as a mediator."

Unlike the West, Turkey has taken on the role of mediator, he said.

Erdogan keeps boasting about "diplomatic victories" in the Ukraine war.

This includes, for example, the exchange of prisoners between the warring parties and also the grain deal.

According to Erdogan's government, this shows Ankara's diplomatically important role in the world.

In addition to grain, Erdogan explained that in the future they also want to work with Russia to export fertilizer from the war zone.

Ukraine War: China asserts impartial position in Russia's war of aggression

Update from December 25, 6:40 p.m.:

According to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Beijing wants to further expand “strategic mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation” with Russia.

Nevertheless, China apparently wants to maintain its current position on the Ukraine war, as reported by the Associated Press news agency, citing a speech by Wang at a video conference in Beijing.

So far, China has followed the "fundamental principles of objectivity and impartiality," Wang said.

In addition, Beijing has "not favored any side or poured fuel on the fire" in order to achieve "selfish gains".

The Chinese government repeatedly calls for restraint and also calls for negotiations in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.

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Russian fighter jets for Iran – Putin probably wants to supply Tehran with dozens of Su-35s

Update from December 25, 5:30 p.m .:

In the background of the Ukraine war, military cooperation between Russia and Iran is deepening.

For the delivery of Iranian kamikazed drones by Tehran, Moscow now apparently wants to provide something in return – in the form of combat aircraft.

The Israeli broadcaster Keshet12, citing Western intelligence sources, reported that Russia wants to deliver up to 24 Su-35 fighter jets to Iran, which were actually intended for Egypt.

However, since the USA had prevented the deal, Russia was already looking for a new buyer.

In addition, the head of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, David Barnea, spoke of information about Iran's plans to "deepen and expand" the supply of advanced weapons to Russia.

This is the first time that the Mossad chief has publicly referred to the military cooperation between the two countries, the Israeli news portal

reported .

Ukraine-News: Zelenskyj adviser Podolyak calls on Putin to "return to reality".

Update from December 25, 4:20 p.m .:

The Ukrainian presidential adviser Mikhailo Podolyak has denied Vladimir Putin’s thesis in the short message service Twitter that Russia wants negotiations, but Ukraine rejects them.

"Putin needs to come back to reality," Podolyak wrote in his tweet.

After all, Russia "single-handedly attacked Ukraine" and is killing Ukrainian people.

Moreover, in reality, Russia does not want negotiations, but is simply trying to avoid responsibility.

This is "obvious", which is why Ukraine is trying to find a "tribunal".

Kyiv calls for a special tribunal for Russian war crimes in The Hague.

Ukraine News: Putin spokesman Peskov is targeting Germany

Update from December 25, 2:36 p.m .:

Not only Vladimir Putin, but also Dmitri Peskov had his say in the program “Moscow.Kremlin.Putin” on the Russian TV channel Rossiya-1.

The Kremlin spokesman also targeted Germany in his remarks.

The background was Putin's trip to the Belarusian capital of Minsk and his visit to the ruler there on December 19, Alexander Lukashenko.

In view of the visit, Germany had expressed concern that Belarus could now join the Ukraine war as an official war party.

This hadn't happened.

Peskow now called the speculation “absolutely absurd”.

Russia and Belarus are the "closest allies" and their contact is nobody's business.

In addition, the contact is not directed against anyone, but is maintained for mutual benefit.

According to Tass, Peskow called the concerns from Germany stupid and unfounded.

The exchange between Lukashenko and Putin was about state relations in the areas of economy, culture, humanitarian exchange, security and defense.

Putin on Russia's Ukraine moves: "We're moving in the right direction"

Update from December 25, 1:44 p.m

.: More statements from the latest brief interview with Putin broadcast on Russian state TV: “I think we are moving in the right direction, we are protecting our national interests, the interests of our citizens, our people ", said the head of the Kremlin, according to the dpa.

Putin again stressed that Russia was ready to negotiate a solution to the Ukraine conflict - but added: "We don't reject negotiations, they do".

Putin started the war on February 24, 2022.

The Kremlin chief also responded to the question of whether a dangerous line had not been reached in the conflict with the West.

Putin rejected this.

There is no other choice, Russia has been trying to resolve the conflict peacefully since 2014.

Moscow sees the western states - above all the USA - as a warring party because of the arms deliveries to Kyiv.

Putin again accused the West of having brought about the overthrow of then-President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014.

Ukraine-News: US promises Kyiv Patriot air defense systems

First report from December 25th

: Moscow - With the Patriot anti-aircraft weapons, state and people could now be protected equally, Volodymyr Zelenskyj rejoiced after his recent visit to Washington.

The Patriot air defense system can repel aircraft, cruise missiles, drones and missiles even at a greater distance.

It is likely to complicate Russia's missile and drone attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. 

Putin nervous about Patriot deliveries?

Kremlin boss boasts on state TV

His adversary and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin reacted venomously to the announced US Patriot deliveries to Kyiv: Russia will "of course destroy 100 percent of the air defense systems in the Ukrainian war zone," he said on Christmas Day in an interview with the state broadcaster Rossiya 1.

Putin interview on Russian television: "West wants to tear apart"

Putin also accused the West of wanting to "tear apart" Russia.

"The core of it all is the policies of our geopolitical opponents aimed at tearing apart Russia, historic Russia," he said.

They had "always tried to 'divide and conquer'".

His goal is "something different - to unite the Russian people".

Putin justifies the Russian invasion of Ukraine with the concept of “historical Russia”, according to which Ukrainians and Russians are one people.

"We are acting in the right direction, we are protecting our national interests, the interests of our citizens, our people," Putin said.

He accused Kyiv and the West of not being ready for peace negotiations in the Ukraine conflict, unlike Moscow.