Preparations for new trilateral talks among Russia, US, Ukraine underway: Kremlin

Preparations are underway for a new round of trilateral talks among Russia, the United States and Ukraine, Russia said on Friday.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that relevant preparations for a new round of Russia-U.S.-Ukraine trilateral talks are in progress, and that communication among the parties is ongoing.

Peskov noted that Ukraine's position has not changed at present, adding that the Kremlin will immediately inform the public once the parties reach a final agreement on the date of the next round of trilateral negotiations.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday in an interview with Sky News that there is a "window" for peace deal before the U.S. midterm elections scheduled for November this year, though he believes that it's more likely to reach one next year.

Zelensky said he is ready to hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and will spare no effort to achieve peace, but stressed that Ukraine will never give up its territory.

A two-day trilateral talks among Ukraine, the United States and Russia concluded in Geneva, Switzerland, on Feb 18, with no agreements reached.

The Ukrainian president also noted on Thursday that the next round of the trilateral talks is expected to take place in early March in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Also on Friday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that a localized temporary ceasefire had been declared in the area of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, allowing repair work to begin on damaged energy infrastructure.

Preparations for new trilateral talks among Russia, US, Ukraine underway: Kremlin

Preparations for new trilateral talks among Russia, US, Ukraine underway: Kremlin

Preparations for new trilateral talks among Russia, US, Ukraine underway: Kremlin

China's fast development over the past decades has significantly transformed the society, said Patrick Herminie, president of the Republic of Seychelles, as he recalled his first visit to the country about 35 years ago.

Herminie made the comments in an interview with China Media Group (CMG) in Seychelles' capital Victoria, which was aired on Friday.

He spoke highly of the development China has achieved over the past three decades, especially in emerging industries such as artificial intelligence.

"I was surprised, I was impressed by the level of development, technological development and the use of artificial intelligence for better public service, smart services. I think China is leading the world. That's my personal opinion. You know, when I first visited China some 35 years ago, there were only bicycles. But today, China is just incredible -- the roads, the cars. It's a revolution, it's not even a revolution, it's a transformation of a society. And I think, yes, you have done very well, and I was very impressed with what I saw," said Herminie.

China has remained the world's second-largest economy for more than a decade and developed the largest middle-income group, while overall living standards have continued to rise.

The country is also driving continuous breakthroughs in frontier technologies, fostering the development of future industries as part of efforts to cultivate new growth engines.

China's fast development over past decades transforms society: President of Seychelles