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Zelensky ready for talks with Putin, Trump - campaign team spokesman

"There is not a single person who would be ready to hold such difficult talks without preparations," Zelensky campaign team spokesman Alexander Danilyuk told

Vladimir Zelensky AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

Vladimir Zelensky

© AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

KIEV, April 2. /TASS/. Leader of the Servant of the People political party Vladimir Zelensky is ready to hold talks with presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Donald Trump of the US if elected president, Zelensky campaign team spokesman Alexander Danilyuk told Ukraine’s ICTV.

"He is definitely ready," he said in response to a question. "I would like to address those who say that Vladimir Zelensky is incompetent: let us have a look at his team and assess its competence, then there will be no more questions," Danilyuk added.

"There is not a single person who would be ready to hold such difficult talks without preparations. If we talk about talks on resolving the situation in eastern Ukraine, there is a need to thoroughly work on any possible initiatives within the Minsk process," the spokesman pointed out.

The first round of the Ukrainian presidential election was held on March 31. With over 95% of ballots counted across the country, Zelensky remains in the lead with 30.22% of the vote, followed by incumbent President Pyotr Poroshenko, who garnered 15.94%. Leader of the Batkivshchina (or Fatherland) party Yulia Timoshenko came in third with 13.39%.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Central Election Commission officially declared that neither candidate would be able to win the 50-percent majority of the vote and a runoff election would take place on April 21. So, based on the preliminary data, Zelensky and Poroshenko are headed towards the runoff.

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Houthis say they attacked MSC Darwin vessel in Gulf of Aden

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Russian Embassy to Austria denied participation in ceremony at Nazi concentration camp

The embassy said that the Austrian Mauthhausen Committee had also cautioned the organizations of Russian compatriots in Austria against participating in the event

Kremlin vows to resolve situation with Turkish Airlines refusing service to Russians

Russia has "very constructive and friendly relations" with Turkey, Dmitry Peskov stressed

Kiev violates diplomatic relations convention by recruiting mercenaries abroad — diplomat

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China, US free to have their own friends, partners — President Xi

Beijing sticks to the principle of non-alignment with any blocs, the Chinese leader said and called on Washington "to refrain from teaming up in small groups"

Staff shortage cannot be covered by labor migration — Putin

Labor productivity requires a significant increase in all sectors of the economy, the President stressed

Ukraine turns into testing ground for future world order, says Belarus president

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The Russian top defense official added that in order to achieve its goals, Washington is exerting unprecedented pressure, including on its partners

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Venezuelan foreign ministry, Russian embassy hold joint conference in Caracas

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European Parliament urges EU states to regard Russian presidential vote as illegitimate

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Moscow, Minsk pushing for peace even as 'war in the air' — Belarusian official

Pavel Muraveiko stressed that "the leaders of Belarus and Russia are doing everything possible and impossible to ensure peace and security on western borders"

Potential nuclear facilities in Poland to be military target for Russia — senior diplomat

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Russia appreciates Bolivia’s push to defend sovereignty, Lavrov says

The Russian foreign minister said that the sides would exchange opinions on how to develop bilateral relations along the path outlined by Bolivian President Luis Arce and Russian President Vladimir Putin

Europe should be prepared to build relations with Russia post-Ukraine conflict — Macron

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US-oriented structures try to reformat security system in Asia-Pacific region

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu underlined that this is being done by strengthening "military-political structures such as QUAD, AUKUS and the US-Japan-Philippines triad"

Russia needs to boost production of goods based on domestic technologies — Putin

The President undescored that Russia did not plan to produce absolutely everything domestically

Russia says its battlegroup West seized better positions

The Russian forces also foiled a counterattack of an assault group of the Ukrainian 80th mechanized brigade in the vicinity of the Krasnoye settlement in the Donetsk People’s Republic

Reinforced Ukrainian battlegroup fails to break through Russian defenses in DPR — expert

Andrey Marochko added that the Ukrainians have also intensified artillery and drone attacks at Russian positions

Russian troops wipe out Ukrainian UAV production workshop over past day

The Russian forces improved their frontline positions and inflicted casualties on five Ukrainian army brigades in the Donetsk area over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

Pelosi's remarks about US protesters undemocratic, Russian diplomat says

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Foreign delegations show great interest in Russian defense products — security official

The 12th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues took place in St. Petersburg on April 23-25

Radioactive cloud from Ukraine’s eliminated munitions drifts to Europe — Security Council

"An increase in radiation levels has already been registered in Poland," Nikolay Patrushev warned

Ukrainian opposition demands parliament speaker's resignation over pro-Hitler remarks

The speaker’s shocking remarks sparked outrage among the public

Cosmonauts complete spacewalk two hours ahead of schedule

The cosmonauts fulfilled their tasks way faster than planned, spending four hours and 36 minutes in space

Russia warns US, NATO against harming its security — diplomat

Maria Zakharova stressed that "the level of nuclear risks have risen dramatically as a result of the West’s destructive policy, which is fraught with a direct military confrontation between nuclear powers"

North Korea tests multiple rocket launchers produced at new defense enterprise

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Kiev may use ATACMS missiles to hit Crimean Bridge — Russian defense ministry official

Russian military will do its utmost to repel such attacks, Apty Alaudinov said

Transfer of US ATACMS missiles to Ukraine cannot be justified — Russian ambassador

"Neither these missiles nor other weapons can help defeat the Russian Federation," Anatoly Antonov said

Poland practices transfer of mechanized brigade to Lithuania's Suwalki Corridor area

The exercise under the classified Orsha plan involves 1,500 military personnel from Lithuania's Zemaitija Motorized Infantry Brigade, Poland's 15th Mechanized Brigade, allied US and Portuguese units, as well as about 200 pieces of military equipment

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Russia and Europe are geographically close anyway, Dmitry Peskov noted

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Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev noted that the heads of foreign delegations expressed sincere condolences to the Russian people over the casualties of the attack on a concert hall outside Moscow

US government prepares to sign $6-bln contract for arms deliveries to Ukraine — Politico

According to the article, the United States "is putting the finishing touches" on one of its largest Ukraine military aid packages to date, which may be announced on Friday

SCO expects Belarus to join the organization very soon — Shoigu

The Russian defense chief is certain that "this is an important moment in strengthening security in the SCO space"

Electricity supplies to China cannot yet be restored to previous levels — Energy Ministry

According to Russian Energy Minister Nikolay Shulginov, the ministry will return to this issue later, as hydro resources accumulate after the rainy season

Insurers refuse to pay compensation for Nord Stream — Russian envoy to UN

Vasily Nebenzya stressed that insurers conclude on their own that the "explosion at the gas pipelines was made using an explosive devices, willfully and due to political motives," thereby confirming its terroristic nature

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Alexander Lukashenko stressed that his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelensky should have realistic expectations

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Kremlin unconcerned by European Parliament’s resolution on Russian election

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Kiev confirms pulling back US-made Abrams tanks due to vulnerability to Russian UAVs

Thirty-one American tanks have become "unfit for the classical deployment," Maxim Buzhansky said

Kiev troops may strike targets in Crimea with ATACMS missiles — newspaper

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FSB nabs Neo-Nazi group members in Volgograd Region plotting high-profile terror act

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West prepares puppet structures in case of coup in Belarus — KGB

Ivan Tertel said various methods were being considered, up to "instigating a forceful seizure by illegal armed groups" being trained in the West and Ukraine

Ukraine’s army leaves first defensive line in Berdychi near Avdeyevka, says DPR

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NATO bears direct responsibility for Ukraine crisis — Chinese Foreign Ministry

Spokesman Wang Wenbin stressed that China was not providing weapons to the conflicting parties and strictly controlled dual-use goods, including the export of drones

Chances of Baku-Yerevan conflict settlement higher than ever, Scholz says

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Kremlin spokesman describes European Parliament as 'Russophobic machine'

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Over 3,100 foreign mercenaries fight for Ukraine, most of them from US

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Fatah accuses Hamas of actions that led to Israeli control of Gaza — report

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Crocus City Hall attack funded using cryptocurrency, Russian finance watchdog says

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US military advisers, if sent to Ukraine, won’t come close to frontlines — Pentagon

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Positive trends in Russian economy become stronger — Putin

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Russian foreign minister to meet with Bolivian counterpart in Moscow

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