Briefly

RUSSIA

Ukraine should 'reflect' on troop pullout: Kremlin

Ukraine should "reflect" on Russian President Vladimir Putin's call to withdraw its troops from the east and south of the country to open peace talks as its military situation is worsening, the Kremlin said on Sunday. "The current dynamic of the situation at the front shows us clearly that it's continuing to worsen for the Ukrainians," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, as Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and other leaders met at the Buergenstock resort, central Switzerland, to discuss how to end the conflict. "It's probable that a politician who puts the interests of his country above his own and those of his masters would reflect on such a proposal," Peskov said. Meanwhile, Putin is not ruling out talks with Ukraine, but guarantees will be needed to ensure the credibility of any negotiations, Russian news agencies cited Peskov as saying.

JORDAN

14 dead, 17 missing in Hajj in Saudi Arabia

Jordan on Sunday confirmed the deaths of 14 citizens and the missing of 17 others who were performing Hajj rituals in Saudi Arabia. Sufian Qudah, the spokesperson for the Jordanian Foreign Ministry, said in a statement that the Jordanian side is following up with concerned Saudi authorities on the matter.

Agencies - Xinhua