Russia and Ukraine have agreed to hold the third round of negotiations after completing their war prisoner exchange, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday after the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in Minsk.
Russia and Ukraine agreed to hold the third-round of talks after the completion of the exchange of prisoners of war and the transfer of bodies of dead militants as negotiated in Istanbul on June 2, Putin told reporters.
Russia is ready for a new round of negotiations with Ukraine in Istanbul, the president said, noting that the time and place of the third-round talks need to be agreed on.
The draft memorandum between Russia and Ukraine on the settlement should become the subject of discussion during the third round of negotiations, Putin said.
On the same day, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov revealed that Ukraine plans to promote the meeting between leaders of Ukraine and Russia and expects to start a substantive dialogue after the discussion on humanitarian issues is completed.
Andriy Yusov, spokesperson for the Ukrainian military intelligence, on Friday said despite many difficulties, the prisoner exchange negotiations under the Istanbul agreement are still progressing steadily.
During the second round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, held in Istanbul, Türkiye, on June 2, Russia and Ukraine agreed on an "all-for-all" exchange involving seriously ill and wounded prisoners, as well as soldiers under the age of 25. According to the prisoner exchange agreement reached in this round of negotiations, Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange at least 1,000 prisoners of war each, and Russia handed over 6,000 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers to Ukraine.
Russia, Ukraine agree to hold 3rd round of talks after prisoner swap: Putin
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
