Pentagon plans were prepared and briefed at the highest level, but concerns over escalation, casualties and economic fallout led to...
Read More
International-News
Lavrov: “Vatican talks unrealistic.” Putin announces buffer zone on Ukrainian border
Moscow rules out the Vatican as a venue for mediation as tension on the eastern front escalates with new military tests and drone strikes. Kiev denounces Russian aggression and calls for more international pressure
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has described the idea of hosting peace talks between Russia and Ukraine at the Vatican as “unrealistic”. The statement, reported by the Tass agency during a conference in Moscow, comes just a few hours after rumours by the Wall Street Journal that the Holy See had been chosen for a new round of negotiations in mid-June. The meeting was also expected to be attended by a US delegation, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump’s special envoy Keith Kellogg.
Putin: “Buffer zone to protect borders”
Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin announced the start of military operations to create a “security buffer zone” along the Russian-Ukrainian border. The Russian president spoke during a visit to the Kursk region, the scene in recent months of a Ukrainian incursion, which Moscow claims to have completely repelled.
“Our armed forces are facing the task of creating this protective strip. The enemy firing positions are constantly under attack. Work is underway,’ the Kremlin chief said, adding that the area will affect the oblasts of Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod.
Putin also expressed his intention to return the local populations to their villages, restoring infrastructure and transport “when security conditions permit”.
Kiev’s reaction: “Putin does not want peace”
The Ukrainian response was not long in coming. Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha harshly criticised Putin’s remarks, claiming that they represented “clear evidence” of Russia’s lack of will to pursue a peaceful solution.
“At a time when efforts are being made for a lasting ceasefire, Putin is talking about expanding the conflict. He is the only reason why people keep dying,’ Sybiha wrote on X.
Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi also took the same line, calling the Russian plan “aggressive” and contrary to international peacemaking efforts.
Missile test in the Barents Sea and new drone attacks
In a climate of increasing tension, Russia carried out a test of the Kalibr cruise missile from the nuclear submarine Arkhangelsk in the Barents Sea. The target, located about 600 kilometres away, was successfully hit, the Black Sea Fleet reported. The Arkhangelsk, launched in December 2024, is one of the latest additions to Russia’s strategic fleet.
At the same time, the Ministry of Defence reported that it had shot down 112 Ukrainian drones during the night, 24 of which were directed towards Moscow. Following the downing of a drone in the Yelets industrial zone in the Lipetsk region, eight people were injured and a fire broke out. This was reported by Governor Igor Artamonov via Telegram.
A conflict moving away from diplomacy
The combination of these actions – the exclusion of the Vatican from the talks, the expansion of militarisation at the borders, the missile test and the repeated attacks – confirms the escalation of the conflict. While Russia insists on strengthening its defences, Kiev continues to make appeals for stronger international pressure on Moscow, in a context where diplomacy appears increasingly distant.
THE LATEST NEWS
The United States-Iran ceasefire memorandum: Geneva Lake possible signing
13 Giugno 2026
Negotiations continue over location and conditions as diplomatic framework advances between Washington and Tehran Lake Geneva is being considered as...
Read More
Trump Claims US–Iran Deal Reached as Markets React With Caution
11 Giugno 2026
The US president announces on Truth Social that strikes against Iran have been cancelled after an alleged agreement involving multiple...
Read More
Trump Signals Continued Military Pressure on Iran Amid Fragile Negotiations Over Nuclear Deal and Oil Assets
11 Giugno 2026
U.S. President Donald Trump reiterates threats of sustained strikes and strategic pressure on Iran while diplomatic channels remain open over...
Read More
Bill Gates Testifies in Jeffrey Epstein Inquiry, Denies Knowledge of Crimes
10 Giugno 2026
Bill Gates told the U.S. House Oversight Committee he had no awareness of Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal activity and called their...
Read More
Russia prepares for possible NATO conflict in Northern Europe
10 Giugno 2026
A joint Nordic investigation points to a structural military buildup along Russia’s northern frontier, with a potential one-to-three-year window of...
Read More
(Photo: © AndKronos)
