Zelensky: US-Russia-Ukraine talks could happen in November, focusing on peace
Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, stated that a trilateral meeting involving the United States and Russia could take place next month to discuss ending the war with Russia.In an interview with Ukrainian broadcaster 1+1 on October 25, Zelensky mentioned the possibility of a three-way meeting among the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine, saying, "Territorial issues should be addressed at the highest level, but other matters can be discussed at the working group level."
He added, "All these discussions could take place in November," emphasizing that Ukraine is prepared to participate in the trilateral talks and that concrete outcomes must result from the discussions.
Zelensky also revealed details of his conversations with a U.S. delegation during his visit to Oslo, Norway, last week. When asked about Ukraine's specific demands, he responded, "Can we end the war at the working group meeting in November?"
However, he acknowledged that a working-level meeting alone would not be sufficient to fully end the war. Zelensky stated, "Without the participation of leaders, we cannot completely end the war," while proposing key agenda items such as a ceasefire in the energy sector, securing maritime transport routes, resolving grain issues, and exchanging all prisoners.
Regarding the U.S. proposal for a localized ceasefire in the southern Ukrainian region of Oleshky starting October 27, he stressed that the ceasefire should not last just one day. He said, "It should last for several days, not just one day."
Zelensky expressed skepticism about Russia's apparent willingness to engage in trilateral talks, suggesting that President Vladimir Putin might be signaling a desire for negotiations to avoid escalating tensions with the U.S. ahead of the midterm elections. He remarked, "In November, we will quickly see whether this was a ploy or not," indicating he would monitor Russia's genuine intent to negotiate.
Russia: Military operations will continue despite potential US-Russia-Ukraine talks
Russia has stated that it will not halt military operations even if trilateral talks with the U.S. and Ukraine resume to discuss ending the war.According to a briefing on October 26 by Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, he said, "The decision to resume trilateral talks does not imply any restrictions on military operations."
Peskov noted that Russian forces continue to carry out special military operations and are conducting large-scale attacks targeting Ukraine's military facilities and paramilitary targets, while claiming that Ukraine continues to provoke.
However, he responded positively to the U.S. proposal for a localized ceasefire in certain areas of Ukraine. The White House had announced that a localized ceasefire would soon take place in the southern region of Oleshky.
Peskov described the proposed ceasefire as a potential model for reaching agreements in other areas.
Regarding Zelensky's assertion that territorial issues should be discussed at the trilateral talks, Peskov adopted a cautious stance. He stated, "Publicly discussing such details may harm the peace process and is not advisable."
Previously, Zelensky had indicated in a media interview that territorial issues should be addressed at a summit level, while other matters could be discussed at the working group level, and he mentioned the possibility of a trilateral working meeting in November.
Peskov remarked that "all issues could be subjects of discussion in the efforts for a peaceful resolution," adding that "very serious discussions are planned, and numerous details will be addressed."
While Russia keeps the door open for negotiations, it maintains that military operations will continue, suggesting that the scope of a ceasefire and territorial issues will be key points of contention in future trilateral talks.
[Weather Tomorrow] Strong winds nationwide, temperatures drop from night
On Tuesday, October 27, strong winds are expected across most regions of the country. From the night, cold air will move in from the northwest, leading to a drop in temperatures.According to the Korea Meteorological Administration on October 26, the weather will generally be clear on the 27th, although there may be occasional clouds in the early morning. As temperatures gradually decrease from the night, the wind will also be strong, making it feel even colder.
The weather agency advised, "Be cautious about health management due to rapid temperature changes."
Particularly, strong winds are expected along the west coast, parts of the southern coast of Jeolla, Jeju Island, and the eastern coast of Gyeongsang, with gusts reaching around 70 km/h. Strong wind advisories may be issued in some areas. Most other regions are also expected to experience gusts of around 55 km/h, necessitating caution regarding facility management and safety incidents.
In the early morning, light rain may fall in southeastern Chungcheong, central and southern Chungbuk, Jeolla, and northwestern inland Gyeongsang. Jeju Island's mountainous areas may see less than 0.1 mm of rain from early morning to morning. Expected precipitation for Ulleungdo and Dokdo is less than 5 mm.
Morning low temperatures are forecasted to be between 5 and 15 degrees Celsius, while daytime highs are expected to range from 15 to 20 degrees Celsius. Although these temperatures are similar to the seasonal average, caution is advised due to the temperature differences between day and night.
Key morning low temperatures include: Seoul 10 degrees, Incheon 10 degrees, Suwon 10 degrees, Chuncheon 7 degrees, Gangneung 13 degrees, Daejeon 11 degrees, Gwangju 14 degrees, Daegu 13 degrees, Busan 15 degrees, and Jeju 17 degrees.
Daytime highs are expected to be: Seoul 16 degrees, Incheon 15 degrees, Suwon 16 degrees, Chuncheon 16 degrees, Gangneung 19 degrees, Daejeon 18 degrees, Gwangju 18 degrees, Daegu 18 degrees, Busan 20 degrees, and Jeju 19 degrees.
Fine dust levels are expected to be at a "good" level across all regions due to favorable atmospheric dispersion.
Yoo Seung-jun's visa issuance lawsuit heads to Supreme Court as LA Consulate appeals
The lawsuit regarding the issuance of a visa for singer Yoo Seung-jun (known as Steven Seung-jun Yoo) has reached the Supreme Court for the third time. Although Yoo won in the appellate court, the government has appealed the decision.On October 26, the Los Angeles Consulate submitted an appeal to the 8-2 Administrative Division of the Seoul High Court (Judges Kim Bong-won, Lee Young-chang, and Choi Bong-hee).
Earlier, the appellate court upheld the first-instance ruling that deemed the refusal to issue a visa to Yoo as unlawful.
Yoo debuted as a singer in 1997 and gained significant popularity in South Korea. However, after obtaining U.S. citizenship in January 2002 while traveling abroad for a performance, he evaded military service obligations. Following this, the Ministry of Justice restricted his entry based on immigration laws due to the controversy surrounding his military evasion.
In August 2015, upon turning 38, Yoo applied for an overseas Korean (F-4) visa at the LA Consulate. At that time, the Overseas Korean Act stipulated that individuals who lost their nationality for military evasion purposes could still be granted residency status after the age of 38.
However, when the consulate denied his visa application, Yoo filed his first administrative lawsuit. After going through a retrial and a final appeal, he ultimately won, but the consulate again denied his visa application, citing concerns over national interests due to his evasion of military service.
In October 2020, Yoo filed a second lawsuit, and in November 2023, he won again at the Supreme Court. However, the consulate denied his visa application once more in June 2024, leading to a third lawsuit in September of the same year.
In this latest lawsuit, the first-instance court ruled that the public interest gained from denying the visa was outweighed by the excessive disadvantages faced by Yoo. It concluded that this constituted an abuse of discretion and ruled in favor of Yoo.
The appellate court also upheld this judgment. However, with the government's appeal, the legal dispute over Yoo's visa issuance has now returned to the Supreme Court.
Hong Joon-pyo to defend associates in 'Myung Tae-kyun scandal' as warrant hearing approaches
Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo will serve as a defense attorney for an associate facing a warrant hearing related to the 'Myung Tae-kyun polling expense scandal.'On October 26, Hong announced on his Facebook that he would appear in the Daegu court on October 27 to argue against the detention warrant for his associates.
He explained, "Five years ago, during the primary against Yoon Suk-yeol, the police belatedly sought a detention warrant for the accounting officer and the head of the election service company, citing issues with the handling of campaign funds."
He added, "It seems like an excessive investigation," and noted that the statute of limitations expires on November 19, stating that even he, who has retired from politics, is being targeted in the investigation, which compels him to step in personally.
Hong reiterated that he has no personal connection to Myung Tae-kyun, stating, "I have never met him personally, nor have I commissioned any polling work." He criticized the investigation, saying, "If I have committed a crime, I should be punished, but my staff should not be touched, yet they are investigating campaign funds from five years ago."
He expressed his discontent, saying, "It is truly malicious. It is quite bitter. Is it really necessary to go this far?"
According to investigative authorities, the Daegu Police Agency recently applied for a detention warrant for Park, a junior of Choi, a friend of Hong's son, on charges of violating political funds laws. The prosecution has submitted this to the court, and Park's warrant hearing is scheduled for the morning of October 27 at the Daegu District Court.
This case originated from a complaint filed in March of last year by Kim Han-me, the representative of the Judicial Justice Restoration Citizen Action (Sasaehang).
At that time, Kim alleged that Myung Tae-kyun effectively operated the Future Korea Institute, which conducted polling related to Hong, and that a third party paid over 40 million won for the polling expenses. He reported Hong, Choi, and Park on charges including bribery and improper handling of public office.
Currently, both Choi and Park deny all related charges, and Hong maintains that he has had no involvement in the allegations against Myung Tae-kyun.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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