Putin made the remarks at a press conference following the conclusion of his state visit to Kazakhstan, RIA Novosti reported Friday.
He said Russia’s strikes on Kiev were carried out in response to Ukrainian attacks on the Lugansk region, adding that Russian forces are conducting offensives along the entire frontline of the special military operation zone.
Putin also described statements by some European politicians about preparing for war with Russia as “nonsense,” saying Russia has neither threatened European countries in the past nor does so now, but any location posing a direct military threat to Russia would be regarded as a “legitimate target.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Thursday, November 27. Alexander Kazakov/Reuters
“The Situation Room meeting has concluded and lasted approximately two hours. President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his redlines. Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon,” a White House official said in a statement.
It was not immediately clear why Trump did not reach a decision.
Earlier on Friday, Trump outlined conditions for a deal with Iran in a post on Truth Social, claiming he will be meeting his national security team “to make a final determination” on the day.
Among the U.S. key demands are the elimination of Iran’s enriched nuclear materials, reopening the Hormuz Strait with no tolls and removing water mines left.
“Iran must agree that they will never have a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb. The Hormuz Strait must be immediately open, no tolls, for unrestricted shipping traffic, in both directions. All water mines (bombs), if any, will be terminated,” Trump wrote.
The U.S. Naval blockade “will now be lifted,” said Trump.
Iran’s enriched nuclear material, the so-called “nuclear dust” which has been buried deep underground due to U.S. bombing in June last year, will be unearthed by the United States in close coordination and conjunction with Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency and destroyed, said Trump.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in a phone interview with Iranian state media on Friday that current negotiations were limited in scope and did not include “the nuclear issue.”
Earlier on Friday, Trump outlined conditions for a deal with Iran in a post on Truth Social, claiming he will be meeting his national security team “to make a final determination” on the day.
In 1993, during a meeting with senior members of his government, Mitterrand reportedly argued that France should continue supplying weapons to the former Rwandan Armed Forces (Ex-FAR), insisting that a victory by the Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) forces of the FPR would not serve French interests.
Habyarimana’s government relied heavily on France, particularly during Mitterrand’s presidency, when France provided military training and weapons to Rwanda’s armed forces.
According to records from a special council meeting held on March 3, 1993, attended by President Mitterrand, the Prime Minister, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Cooperation, alongside senior military officials, discussions focused on the ongoing war in Rwanda.
Marcel Debargue, then Minister for Cooperation, who had just returned from Uganda and Rwanda, told the meeting that Habyarimana had been misinformed and was facing serious difficulties.
He explained that the Rwandan army was fighting in a disorganised manner. As RPA troops advanced toward Byumba, Belgium was already preparing to evacuate its citizens, raising concerns over where French troops stationed in Rwanda would reposition themselves.
He stressed that the Rwandan army was fighting in a disorganised manner, to the extent that RPA troops’ attack on Byumba, would push Belgium to evacuate its nationals, leaving uncertainty over where the French troops stationed in Rwanda would be redeployed.
At a time when discussions had begun around deploying United Nations peacekeepers to Rwanda, Mitterrand reportedly said it would be preferable for French troops to withdraw before they were reduced to mere spectators while incoming international forces would later be celebrated as heroes.
Mitterrand reportedly stated: “We have no interest in seeing the Tutsis take large territories quickly. We must buy time, delay them through every possible diplomatic channel, and continue supporting the Rwandan army by supplying all the weapons it needs.”
France continued maintaining troops in Rwanda through various military operations officially presented as missions aimed at protecting French nationals living in the country.
Mitterrand’s hostility toward the Tutsi was not new. On October 17, 1990, he reportedly said that even if the rebels of the FPR won militarily, Hutu populations in Rwanda and neighbouring countries would eventually unite to overthrow them.
The French-established Turquoise Zone in Gikongoro later became an escape corridor for Interahamwe militia members and FAR soldiers fleeing into Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they reorganised with the aim of regaining power.
Several former officials linked to the previous regime were also granted refuge in France, where some continue to live to this day.
François Mitterrand, who served as President of France between 1981 and 1995, was considered a close ally of former Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana.
The source told Tasnim that reports suggesting the text was merely awaiting formal announcement by the two sides were “not consistent with the facts,” adding that the document “has not yet been finalized.”
Earlier on Thursday, U.S. media Axios reported, citing U.S. officials and a regional source, that U.S. and Iranian negotiators have reached an agreement on an MoU to extend the ceasefire by 60 days and launch talks on Iran’s nuclear program, but U.S. President Donald Trump has yet to give his final approval.
According to the report, the proposed 60-day MoU would state that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would be “unrestricted.” A U.S. official was quoted as saying this would entail no tolls or harassment, and that Iran would be required to remove all mines from the strait within 30 days.
The MoU would reportedly include an Iranian commitment not to pursue nuclear weapons. It would also state that the first issues to be negotiated during the 60-day window will be how to dispose of Iran’s highly enriched uranium and how to address Iranian enrichment.
The White House would, according to the report, commit to discussing sanctions relief and the release of frozen Iranian assets as part of the talks. It would also consider establishing a mechanism to facilitate Iranian access to goods and humanitarian supplies.
The Iranian source, rejecting the Axios account, stressed that if an agreement text is ultimately finalized, Iran will formally notify Pakistani mediators and make the matter public.
Until then, any Western reports claiming the agreement has already been completed “lack credibility,” the source added.
Speaking on Thursday evening, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said negotiators were “going back and forth on a couple of language points,” including the “question of enrichment.”
“We’re not there yet, but we’re very close and we’re going to keep on working at it,” he told reporters, adding that the United States believed the Iranians were negotiating in “good faith.”
Also on Thursday evening, the U.S. Central Command rejected Iranian media reports that an “invading” U.S. drone had been destroyed by Iran’s air defense.
“No U.S. aircraft were shot down. All U.S. air assets are accounted for,” the command said on X.
Tasnim news agency, citing a military source, said Iran’s air defenses were activated Thursday evening local time and intercepted the drone near Bushehr using missiles.
Since the initial ceasefire between the United States and Iran took effect on April 8, Trump has repeatedly said the two sides are close to a deal and that talks are making progress.
On Wednesday, the U.S. president said that Washington was not yet satisfied with the terms under discussion and remained prepared to resume military action if its demands were not met.
“We’re not satisfied with it, but we will be,” Trump said. “Either that or we’ll have to just finish the job.”
Ngoga, who serves as a senior adviser on international partnerships and regional security mechanisms at the African Union, stressed that confronting structural ethnic divisions is the only viable path to genuine long-term stability and national reconciliation.
The diplomatic friction ignited following a statement published by Ngoga on the social media platform X, where he challenged the status quo regarding ethnic relations inside the country.
“Unfortunately, in Burundi, I wish I was wrong, but discrimination against Tutsi communities still exists,” Ngoga stated.
“Acknowledging this reality is important if we are to promote justice, reconciliation, and equal dignity for all. I expect insults, but will tell you what everyone thinks.”
Under Burundi’s current constitutional framework, state and institutional positions are allocated according to ethnic quotas between Hutu and Tutsi. The system also includes specific provisions for the Twa minority, including reserved representation in parliament.
Ngoga’s remarks quickly drew sharp condemnation from high-ranking Burundian state officials. Willy Nyamitwe, Burundi’s Ambassador to the African Union, Ethiopia, and neighbouring countries, led the public pushback.
Ambassador Nyamitwe rejected Ngoga’s assessment, labelling the comments as “unprofessional” and “divisive”.
This public disagreement marks the latest chapter in an ongoing ideological clash between the two diplomats.
The pair previously sparred online following controversial statements made by Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Minister Wagner had publicly claimed that a genocide against ethnic Hutus had taken place in Burundi in 1994.
At the time, Ambassador Ngoga vigorously disputed the Congolese Foreign Minister’s historical accuracy.
He countered that Burundian Hutus were not victims of a recognised genocide in 1994, emphasising that Burundi was firmly under the governance of a Hutu president during that period.
Frédéric Gateretse Ngoga, a prominent former Burundian diplomat and current African Union (AU) official, has publicly reiterated grave concerns over ongoing, unresolved discrimination targeting Tutsi communities in Burundi.
Gen Muhoozi, the son of President Yoweri Museveni, is widely credited with helping reopen diplomatic channels between Kigali and Kampala during a period of strained relations that culminated in the closure of the common border.
Following Ayebare’s appointment as Foreign Affairs Minister, Gen Muhoozi congratulated him in a message posted on X.
“I want to congratulate my big brother, H.E Adonia Ayebare, for the appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs. From now on, I will wait for guidance on all matters foreign affairs from Mzee and Adonia,” Gen Muhoozi wrote.
Ayebare responded by thanking Gen Muhoozi for the trust and cooperation they have shared over the years, describing their collaboration on various diplomatic and security matters as an important learning experience.
“Afande. Thank you for your trust and support over the years. It has been a learning experience working with you on different files. It is the other way round, I will be waiting for instructions from Mzee and you,” Ayebare said.
He added that diplomacy remains central to national security and credited Gen Muhoozi for helping avert a deeper crisis in relations with Rwanda.
“Diplomacy serves as the first line of Defense for national security. Your achievements in Diplomacy speak for themselves. We were on a collision course with our friends in Rwanda; you prevented disaster. Our relations with DRC, South Sudan, I can go on and on. I am ready for marching orders, Afande,” he added.
Ayebare is regarded as one of Uganda’s most experienced diplomats on Rwanda-Uganda relations. He previously served as Uganda’s ambassador to Rwanda and later acted as President Museveni’s special envoy to Kigali during efforts to mend ties between the two countries.
Beyond diplomacy, Ayebare also has personal ties to Rwanda through his family background, with a Ugandan father and a Rwandan mother.
During the height of tensions, Ayebare undertook several visits to Kigali carrying messages from President Museveni aimed at restoring bilateral relations. Those engagements were later followed by high-profile visits by Gen Muhoozi to Rwanda, which paved the way for renewed cooperation between the two governments.
In previous remarks about the reconciliation process, Ayebare indicated that progress only became possible after Gen Muhoozi became directly involved, arguing that earlier diplomatic efforts had stalled. He said Gen Muhoozi’s understanding of the historical, political and social ties between Rwanda and Uganda, combined with his close relationship with both President Museveni and President Paul Kagame, helped unlock the impasse.
Gen Muhoozi intensified his involvement in the process in late 2021, stepping in after formal diplomatic tracks had stalled. His subsequent visit to Kigali on January 22, 2022, was followed days later by the reopening of the Gatuna border crossing, marking a major breakthrough in the normalisation of relations between the two countries.
Adonia Ayebare, Uganda’s newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, has praised Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba for his role in improving relations between Rwanda and Uganda.Adonia Ayebare has made several visits to Rwanda, where he was received by President Paul Kagame.Ayebare is regarded as one of Uganda’s most experienced diplomats on Rwanda-Uganda relations. He previously served as Uganda’s ambassador to Rwanda and later acted as President Museveni’s special envoy to Kigali during efforts to mend ties between the two countries.
In a press release posted on its website on Wednesday, the department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control claimed the strait authority sought to impose illegitimate tolls on commercial traffic and force vessels to follow Iranian direction in return for safe passage.
It also warned that anyone cooperating with the authority may be exposed to sanctions risk.
“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash,” said U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.
On May 18, Iran launched the Persian Gulf Strait Authority, a new body to manage the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement posted on X on May 20, the authority defined its supervisory jurisdiction over the strait, noting that vessels transiting the area through the Strait of Hormuz are required to coordinate with Iranian authorities and obtain authorization.
Led by the former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, the 73-member AU Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) to Ethiopia was deployed at the invitation of the East African country’s government, the AU said in its statement issued Tuesday.
The mission, drawn from 37 African countries, comprised representatives from African envoys accredited to the AU, officials of election management bodies, members of civil society organizations, election experts, human rights specialists, gender and media experts, as well as representatives of youth organizations, it was noted.
The AU observers will be deployed across various regions of Ethiopia to observe election-day procedures, including the opening of polls, voting, closing, and counting and tabulation at polling stations, the statement said.
The AUEOM is expected to release its preliminary statement on its findings and assessment of the conduct of the election a few days after the general election, while a final and comprehensive report will be published within two months after the election, it said.
In the leadup to the election, the AU observers are expected to meet with Ethiopian authorities, including the National Election Board of Ethiopia, representatives of political parties, candidates, civil society organizations, and other election observation missions, among others.
Ethiopia is scheduled to hold its seventh general election on June 1, with voters primarily electing their representatives for the Ethiopian House of Peoples’ Representatives (HoPR), the lower chamber of parliament, as well as members for regional state councils.
In line with the Ethiopian constitution, the political party or coalition that secures the majority of seats in the HoPR forms a government and selects the prime minister, who holds the highest executive power in the country.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement that Odeh, whom he described as Hamas’ fourth-ranking official, had been killed. “We promised that Hamas will not have military or civilian control over Gaza, and so it will be,” Katz said.
Hamas did not immediately confirm or comment on the report. Palestinian media reported that Odeh was killed along with his wife, two sons and daughter in a strike in western Gaza City.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday night that Israeli forces had attempted to assassinate Odeh in a strike carried out under his and Katz’s direction, but gave no details on the outcome.
Odeh was appointed about a week ago to succeed Izz al-Din al-Haddad, who was killed in an Israeli strike on May 15.
Awda recently replaced senior Hamas commander Izz al-Din al-Haddad, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on May 15.
The ministry’s statement came one day after the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) claimed that its forces had struck missile launch sites and mine-laying boats in southern Iran on Monday.
The ministry said that the truce violation committed in Iran’s Hormozgan province within the past 48 hours, concurrent with the ongoing Pakistani-mediated diplomatic process between Tehran and Washington, once again revealed the U.S. government’s “viciousness and non-commitment to its promises.”
The statement added that the U.S. action also demonstrated that Iran’s “deep” distrust of the U.S. government is based on a logic and “profound” understanding of its “criminal and despiteful” nature and conduct towards the Iranian people.
The ministry condemned the “aggressive” action and stressed that the U.S. government would bear full responsibility for the consequences.
In a statement on Monday, CENTCOM spokesperson Tim Hawkins said U.S. forces conducted “self-defense” strikes in the Bandar Abbas area, which hosts Iran’s main naval base, destroying two vessels of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) and hitting a surface-to-air missile site.
On Tuesday, the IRGC said that its air defense forces had shot down a U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drone and fired at two other U.S. aircraft, namely an RQ-4 Global Hawk surveillance aircraft and an invading F-35 fighter jet, in Iranian airspace.
In a statement published on its official news outlet Sepah News, the IRGC warned that it reserves the “legitimate and definitive” right to respond to any further U.S. ceasefire violations.
The developments came as a diplomatic process was initiated, mediated by Pakistan, between Tehran and Washington following the April 8 ceasefire to end the war. The two sides are reportedly working to finalize a peace memorandum of understanding.
